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Are you looking to create your very first clicker game on Scratch but don’t know where to begin? You’re in the right place! In my decade of teaching kids coding, I’ve found that clicker games are fantastic entry points into game development. They’re fun to build, easy to understand, and teach fundamental programming concepts that form the backbone of more complex games.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through how to make a clicker game on Scratch from start to finish. Whether you’re a complete beginner or have some experience with Scratch coding, this tutorial will provide you with all the tools and knowledge you need to create an engaging clicker game that you can share with friends and the Scratch community.
Before diving into the coding process, let’s understand what exactly a clicker game is. Clicker games (also known as idle or incremental games) are simple yet addictive games where the primary mechanic involves clicking to earn points, currency, or resources. These resources can then be used to purchase upgrades that make resource collection more efficient.
The beauty of clicker games lies in their simplicity and scalability. They start with basic mechanics but can evolve to include complex systems like:
Popular examples include Cookie Clicker, Adventure Capitalist, and Clicker Heroes. These games have gained massive popularity due to their accessible gameplay and the satisfying progression loop they offer.
Scratch is a block-based visual programming language developed by MIT, perfect for beginners learning to code. If you’re new to Scratch, I recommend downloading the offline editor or using the online version at scratch.mit.edu.
In my experience teaching coding to kids, starting with the online version is usually easier as it doesn’t require installation and automatically saves your projects. To begin, you’ll need to:
If you’re completely new to Scratch, I recommend spending 15-20 minutes exploring the interface and trying out different blocks before starting your clicker game project.
Before writing a single line of code, let’s plan our clicker game. In my years of developing educational games, I’ve found that planning saves hours of debugging and reworking later.
Ask yourself these questions:
For this tutorial, we’ll create a simple fruit clicker game where:
Let’s get started!
Every great clicker game starts with setting up the right environment. Let’s begin by creating our game backdrop and establishing our variables.
First, click on the Stage in the bottom right corner, then select the “Backdrops” tab. You can either:
For our fruit clicker, a simple kitchen or bakery backdrop works well. I’ve found that clean, minimalist backgrounds help players focus on the gameplay elements.I’ve chosen a “stripes” backdrop for this game.
Next, we need to set up our game variables:
Make sure to set these variables as “For all sprites” since they’ll be used throughout the game.
In my experience developing game tutorials, properly named variables make the coding process much smoother, especially when we start adding more complex mechanics.
Now let’s create the sprites for our game. We’ll need:
To create the apple sprite:
For the other clickable sprites:
Make sure your main clickable object (the apple) is prominently positioned near the center of the stage. The clickable sprites should be placed where they don’t interfere with clicking but are easily accessible—usually along the bottom or sides of the screen.
This is where our game comes to life! Let’s program the core clicking mechanic that will form the foundation of our clicker game.
First, select your apple sprite and add this basic script:
This script initializes our game variables and increases the score whenever the apple is clicked.Automatic points per second is not updated yet.
In my experience teaching block coding, implementing the core mechanic first and making sure it works properly before moving on saves a lot of troubleshooting time later.
Next, let’s program the fruit platter sprite
I’ve found that balancing upgrade costs is crucial for making a satisfying clicker game. If upgrades are too cheap, the game becomes too easy; if they’re too expensive, players get frustrated.
Sound adds another dimension to your clicker game. Let’s add sounds for:
To add a click sound:
In my experience teaching game development, sound effects are often overlooked by beginners, but they’re one of the easiest ways to make a game feel professional and engaging.
One important feature of clicker games is the ability to save progress. Since these games often involve long-term progression, players will want to close the game and return later.
Scratch doesn’t have built-in save functionality for offline use, but we can implement a simple cloud variable system if you’re using Scratch online:
For local saving, we can use a workaround with the “ask and wait” block:
I’ve implemented this save system in classroom environments, and while it’s not ideal, it gives students an introduction to the concept of data persistence in games.
Before sharing your game, thorough testing is essential. Here’s my testing checklist that I’ve developed over years of game development:
To help with debugging, I recommend adding a debug mode:
This allows you to see all game variables at once, making it easier to identify issues.
In my work with young coders, I’ve found that teaching them to systematically test their games leads to much better final products and fewer frustrating bugs after sharing.
If you’ve mastered the basics, here are some advanced features to take your clicker game to the next level:
I’ve found that introducing these elements one at a time helps avoid overwhelming new programmers while still allowing them to expand their skills.
Throughout my years of teaching Scratch programming, I’ve encountered several common issues with clicker games:
Issue 1: Variables Not Updating Correctly
Issue 2: Game Running Slowly
Issue 4: Upgrade Costs Not Balancing Well
Remember, game development is an iterative process. Don’t be afraid to test, adjust, and retest until your game feels just right.
Congratulations! You now have all the knowledge needed to create your own clicker game on Scratch. We’ve covered everything from setting up your game environment to implementing advanced features like visual effects and save systems.
Creating a clicker game is an excellent way to learn fundamental programming concepts like variables, conditionals,loops, and more. These skills will serve you well as you progress to more complex game development projects.
I encourage you to experiment with your own unique ideas and themes. The most successful games are those that bring something new to the table while building on established mechanics. Share your creation with the Scratch community, get feedback, and continue to refine your game.
Remember, the best way to improve your coding skills is through practice and iteration. Happy coding, and I can’t wait to see what amazing clicker games you create!
Want to learn more about Scratch coding? Check out our other tutorials:
