I’ve been on a mission to create the most heartwarming and cozy game using Scratch, a platform for creating simple games and animations. This passion project stems from my love for charming little games and the limited free time I have while working on my larger project, Dewdrop Dynasty, a Metroidvania game you can find on Steam. With Autumn approaching, it felt like the perfect time to dive into another delightful Scratch game. Let’s get started!
For a while, I’ve wanted to create a game inspired by Blobby Volley, a classic from the early 2000s. The colorful blobs in that game always brought me joy, but I felt it was missing something—frogs! With this unique twist in mind, I was ready to start developing my game in Scratch.
The first step was to enable the player to move left and right and jump. Once that was in place, I added a second player. The most challenging part was implementing the ball physics, which can be tricky in Scratch. A big thanks to Grumpy for creating an excellent Blobby Volley game that I could learn from!
After figuring out the ball mechanics, I added collision detection so players could interact with the ball. Although the ball seemed to have a mind of its own initially, I planned to fix that later. With the basic mechanics in place, it was time to focus on the artwork, my favorite part of game development.
I used my preferred design software to create a mock-up of the game’s visuals. The final look was a delightful blend of Hello Kitty and Smash Brothers. After exporting the designs, I imported them into Scratch. Despite the ball mechanics being a bit tricky, the game was coming together nicely.
To enhance the visual experience, I added shadows under the frogs and the ball to give a sense of depth and indicate where the ball would land. I also animated waves to complete the beach scene.
Sound is crucial for creating an immersive experience, so I added ocean ambiance and frog croaking sounds to set the mood. The frog sounds were randomized to avoid repetition. I also included sound effects for when the ball hits the ground or a player jumps, enriching the overall experience.
To help players track the ball when it goes off-screen, I created an arrow indicator. I also added visual cues to differentiate between player one and player two, with player two having a slightly yellowish-green hue, suggesting a swamp frog.
A scoring system is essential for any game, so I designed a custom font and imported it into Scratch. This process was time-consuming, but it was worth it. After setting up the scoring system, I created a win screen to ensure the game had a clear endpoint. Although I had more ideas, like adding AI and unlockable hats for the frogs, time constraints limited what I could implement.
While this game didn’t revolutionize anything, I thoroughly enjoyed the process of refining and polishing it. The small details, like the frogs’ expressions and the subtle sound design, added to the game’s charm. There’s something delightful about two frogs enjoying their last days of summer on the beach before cozy Autumn arrives.
If you’re interested in learning programming, consider exploring Brilliant, today’s sponsor. They offer a wide range of interactive lessons in math, programming, AI, and more. Their hands-on approach is proven to be more effective than passive learning, and I highly recommend their Computer Science Fundamentals course.
Brilliant offers a 30-day free trial, and the first 200 people to visit the link in the description will receive 20% off an annual premium subscription. Thank you to Brilliant for supporting my game development journey!
Additionally, my studio is hosting our fourth annual cozy item game jam starting September 23rd for three weeks. It’s a relaxed event that I look forward to every year, and I invite you to join us!
Working on Froggy Volley was a delightful experience. I got lost in the details and enjoyed creating a polished game in a short time. If you’re interested in game development and want to prototype quickly, Scratch is a fantastic tool. That’s all for now, but I’ll see you next time. Thanks for reading!
Using Scratch, design and develop your own cozy game inspired by the themes discussed in the article. Focus on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere through visuals and sound. Share your game with classmates and gather feedback on the cozy elements you’ve implemented.
Examine the game mechanics of “Froggy Volley” and compare them with another simple game you enjoy. Identify the key differences and similarities in mechanics, and discuss how these affect the player’s experience. Present your findings in a short presentation.
Create a visual mock-up for a game using your preferred design software. Focus on blending different art styles, similar to the combination of Hello Kitty and Smash Brothers mentioned in the article. Present your mock-up to the class and explain your design choices.
Participate in a workshop where you explore the impact of sound in game design. Experiment with different sound effects and ambient sounds to enhance the mood of a simple game. Share your sound design choices and discuss how they contribute to the overall game experience.
Join a game jam, such as the cozy item game jam mentioned in the article. Collaborate with peers to create a game within a limited timeframe. Focus on incorporating cozy elements and reflect on the challenges and successes of rapid game development.
I’ve been on a quest to create the most wholesome and cozy Scratch game for the last few months. This partly comes from my love for cute little games—who doesn’t love them?—and partly because I have very little free time while working on my Metroidvania project, Dewdrop Dynasty, which you can wish list on Steam. With this lack of free time and Autumn quickly approaching, I thought it was the perfect time to make another adorable Scratch game. So, let’s jump in!
For a long time, I’ve wanted to create a game in the style of Blobby Volley, a game that came out in the early 2000s. There’s something about those multi-colored blobs that just makes me happy. One thing that’s missing from that game is frogs, and I’m going to fix that! With my completely original idea in hand, I was ready to start working in Scratch.
I began by giving the player the ability to walk left and right and jump. After refining that, I added a second player. It was at this point that I tackled the hardest part of the game: the ball physics. It might not seem like much, but in Scratch, it can be quite challenging. I want to give a shout-out to Grumpy for creating an awesome Blobby Volley game that I could study. Thank you!
After studying how to make the ball mechanics, I was able to add collisions so that players could hit the ball. Please ignore the fact that the ball has a mind of its own—that will be fixed later on. At this point, I felt we had enough to start diving into the artwork, which is my favorite part. I opened up my favorite design software and created a mock-up of what the game would look like. The end result feels like a mix of Hello Kitty and Smash Brothers.
After exporting the designs, I started importing them into Scratch. Other than the tricky ball mechanics, the game was starting to feel complete, but there was still a lot to do. I added shadows under the frogs to make them feel grounded on the beach, and I added shadows to the ball as well to indicate where it would land when it goes off-screen. Of course, it wouldn’t be a beach scene without some animated waves, so I added those too.
Around this time, I decided to add some sounds, including ocean ambiance and frog croaking to set the mood. I randomized the frog sounds so they wouldn’t repeat too often. I also added sound effects for when the ball hits the ground or when a player jumps, which adds to the overall experience.
To help players see the ball when it goes off-screen, I created an arrow indicator. I also made little indicators to differentiate between player one and player two. To express the uniqueness of each frog, I made player two a bit more yellowish-green, perhaps suggesting he’s a swamp frog.
Next, I focused on the scoring system, which is important for any game. I created a custom font and imported it into Scratch, which always seems to take a lot of time. After implementing the scoring system, I created a win screen so that the game wouldn’t go on forever. As with every game I work on, there are always features I want to add, but I often run out of time. I had ideas for adding AI and unlockable hats for the frogs—because frogs with hats just feels like a good combination!
In the end, this game didn’t revolutionize anything, but I really enjoyed the polishing process. The little details, like the frogs’ faces scrunching up when they get hit or the subtle sound design, all contribute to the charm of the game. There’s something delightful about two frogs on the beach enjoying their last days of summer before cozy Autumn arrives.
If you want to start learning how to program, check out today’s sponsor, Brilliant. They offer thousands of lessons in foundational and advanced math, programming, AI, neural networks, and more, with new lessons added each month. Their interactive lessons are proven to be more effective than passive learning, and I highly recommend their Computer Science Fundamentals course.
Brilliant offers a 30-day free trial, and the first 200 people to visit the link in the description will get 20% off an annual premium subscription. Thank you to Brilliant for supporting the channel and my game development journey!
Speaking of which, my studio is hosting our fourth annual cozy item game jam starting September 23rd for three weeks. It’s a chill event that I look forward to every year, so come join us!
Overall, Froggy Volley was a blast to work on. I got lost in all the little details, and it was fun to create a polished experience in such a short time. If you want to get into game development and prototype quickly, I think Scratch is a wonderful tool. That’s all I have for this video, but I’ll see you next time. Thanks for watching!
Scratch – A visual programming language and online community targeted primarily at children and beginners to create interactive stories, games, and animations. – Many university students start learning programming concepts by creating projects in Scratch.
Game – An interactive digital entertainment experience that involves challenges, objectives, and player engagement, often developed using programming languages and game engines. – The computer science course required students to develop a simple game using Python and Pygame.
Coding – The process of writing instructions for a computer to execute, using a programming language. – Coding in JavaScript allows developers to create dynamic and interactive web pages.
Mechanics – The rules and systems that govern the functionality and behavior of a game, often implemented through code. – Understanding the mechanics of a game is crucial for designing balanced and engaging gameplay.
Visuals – The graphical elements of a computer program or game, including images, animations, and user interface components. – The visuals of the new game were enhanced using advanced rendering techniques to improve player immersion.
Sound – The audio elements in a computer program or game, including music, sound effects, and voiceovers, which enhance the user experience. – Integrating sound into the game added an extra layer of excitement and realism for the players.
Scoring – The system of awarding points or rewards to players based on their performance or achievements in a game. – The scoring system was designed to encourage players to complete levels with higher efficiency.
Programming – The act of writing computer programs, which involves designing algorithms and coding them in a specific programming language. – Programming assignments in the course required students to develop algorithms for data processing.
Development – The process of creating software applications, which includes planning, coding, testing, and deployment. – The development of the new app involved collaboration between designers, developers, and testers.
Learning – The acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or teaching, particularly in the context of mastering programming languages and technologies. – Learning to code in multiple languages can significantly enhance a computer science student’s career prospects.
