Teams of 2-3 students will redesign a retro multi-level arcade game in MakeCode Arcade using JavaScript code. In the redesign process, students must change the theme including colors, environment, and characters. Students must also add a new game mechanic not seen in the original game style.
The final project must be uploaded by 10:00 pm on March 15, 2024, to the TOT App Submission Portal.
Project Details
You are going to upgrade a retro arcade game from the 80s and market it to appeal to today’s youth. You will use MakeCode Arcade to create your game. Your game should have playing instructions, at least 3 levels, a track score, and lives have a winning screen and a losing screen.
Games to redesign:
- Side Scroller (EX: Sonic the hedgehog)– Create a side-scroller game with your own characters and theme.
- 2D Car/Driving (EX: Spy Hunter) – create a driving game with your own characters (cars) and theme.
- Shooting (EX: Galaga) – create a shooter game with a different theme and characters.
- Sport (EX: Pong) — create a different 1v1 sports game, such as soccer, basketball, or tennis.
You should also add in a game mechanic not seen in the original game. For example: adding unique powerups.
Technical Requirements
The game you build will need the following:
Structure
- Start Screen with description and instructions
- Winning Screen
- Losing Screen
- Score Display
- 2 or more distinct levels (theme change, difficulty change).
- Visual and Audio – unique backgrounds, music, and sound effects, all work together to create the theme of game
Sprites/Characters
- Main Character
- 2 or more different enemy characters
- 1 or more Food/Powerups
- Obstacles
Code
- Variable for Score
- Variable for Lives
- Overlaps Code for Obstacles
- Buttons for character movement
- Sound Effects
Resources
https://arcade.makecode.com/ — Scroll down to tutorials.
https://hourofcode.com/microsoftarcade
https://hourofcode.com/codemonkeyjump
Online Project Submission
To submit your finished game, follow the instructions below.
- Open a new blank Word Document
- Go to your game on make code
- Press the Share icon in the top right corner
- Double-check your game title, make adjustments if needed
- Press the orange Share Project button
- Press the Orange Copy button
- Go back to your word document and paste the
- Press enter so the link becomes a
- Save the word document as a pdf.
- Upload the pdf file to the ToT
- The final project must be uploaded by 10:00 pm on March 15, 2024, to the TOT App Submission Portal.
Live Challenge
Your team of programmers has been hired to fix a video game. The video game has some major errors and needs some serious help. You must quickly identify 3 errors in the video game’s code and then implement a creative solution for each mistake. Then your team will present the modified game to the client (judges) to demonstrate the corrections and explain how these changes improve the game.
Challenge
Identify 3 errors in the game code and work together to correct the errors. Plan a quick presentation to show the judges how you fixed the errors and improved the game.
Possible errors include (but are not limited to): Sprite movement not working, overlap code not working/not present, score or lives not displaying or counting correctly, win/lose screens not displaying or not present.
Time
Your team will have:
15 minutes to edit the block code AND plan a presentation.
3 minutes to present your modified program to the judges and explain the corrections.
Scoring:
You will receive up to:
| Points: | Judging Criteria: |
| 6 | Team Collaboration while debugging the game code. |
| 6 | Successfully finding the errors in the game code. |
| 6 | Creatively correcting the errors in the game code. |
| 6 | Explaining your corrections to the judges. |
| 6 | Incorporating all team members into the presentation. |
Getting Help
Contact Alaina Tudman Alaina.tudman@fresnounified.org if you have any further questions about this event.