How To Make Ping Pong On Scratch

Last modified: September 26, 2023

Introduction

If you enjoy playing ping pong and have a knack for coding, Scratch is the perfect platform to combine both of these interests. Scratch is a visual programming language developed by the MIT Media Lab that allows users to create interactive stories, games, and animations. In this post, we will guide you on how to make a ping pong game using Scratch.

1. Setting Up the Stage

Start by launching Scratch and creating a new project. By default, you will have a cat sprite on the stage, but we will remove it for our ping pong game. Click on the ‘Choose a Sprite from Library’ button and select the ‘Choose a Backdrop from Library’ option. Pick a suitable backdrop for your ping pong game, such as a blank white canvas or a table tennis table.

2. Adding the Paddles and Ball

To create the paddles, you can either draw them using the Scratch drawing tools or import your own custom images. Choose rectangular shapes to represent the paddles. Duplicate the paddle sprite to have two paddles, one for each player.

Next, create the ball sprite. Design a small circle or use a pre-existing image from the Scratch library. Position the ball sprite at the center of the stage.

3. Programming the Game Logic

Now that we have all the visual elements in place, it’s time to code the game logic.

Player Movements:

For each paddle, you need to add code to control its movement. Use the ‘When Green Flag Clicked’ block to start the game and the ‘Forever’ block to continuously check for player inputs. Use the ‘If’ block to detect specific key presses and move the paddles accordingly. For example, if the ‘up arrow’ key is pressed, move the paddle up, and if the ‘down arrow’ key is pressed, move the paddle down.

Ball Movement:

To make the ball move, use the ‘Forever’ block to continuously update its position. Initially, set the ball’s direction to a random angle within a specified range. Use the ‘Set X’ and ‘Set Y’ blocks to change the ball’s coordinates based on its direction and speed. Keep the ball bouncing between the walls of the stage by using the ‘If’ block to detect if the ball’s X or Y position goes beyond the stage boundaries. In that case, change the direction of the ball accordingly.

Collision Detection:

Implement collision detection between the ball and paddles using the ‘If’ blocks. When the ball touches a paddle, it should change its direction. The angle of reflection can be determined based on the position where the ball hits the paddle.

Scoring System:

Finally, add a scoring system to keep track of each player’s score. Create a variable for each player and increase it whenever a player scores a point. Display the score on the screen using the ‘Say’ block.

Conclusion

Creating a ping pong game on Scratch allows you to exercise your coding skills while having fun. By following the steps outlined in this post, you can create a basic version of a ping pong game. Feel free to experiment and add additional features such as power-ups, sound effects, or multiplayer functionality. Enjoy playing the game and let your creativity soar!

Additional Ping-Pong Resources: