Course Description

Press start on your very first real video game! In this 2-week course, students use Python and the PyGame library to build arcade-style games they can actually play and share. Students discover how video games work behind the scenes and use those ideas to make characters move with the arrow keys, detect when objects collide, keep score, and add sounds, timers, and levels.

Each 3-hour class is a game studio: students spend the first half of Week 1 exploring core PyGame ideas through quick hands-on demos, then plan and start building an original game of their own, which they finish, playtest, and polish in Week 2. By the end, every student takes home a playable game and shows it off at our Family Arcade! No game-making experience is needed, but basic knowledge of Python is required.

Students are encouraged to bring a laptop to class. The Robinson Center will provide loaner laptops for students who need one. Please note that tablets are not permitted for this course.

Essential Questions

  • How does a video game “know” what to draw, and how does it update the screen so quickly?
  • How do we use x and y coordinates to place and move things on the screen?
  • How can a program decide what happens when a key is pressed, two objects touch, or time runs out?
  • What makes a game fun, fair, and challenging enough to play again?
  • How do game designers use playtesting and feedback to make their games better?

Weekly Breakdown

Week 1 Pygame Basics, Game Planning, and First Build
Students will explore the basics of game development using Pygame, learning how games are designed and programmed. They will plan their own game, including its characters, goals, and challenges, and begin bringing their ideas to life by creating a game environment and adding interactive elements.
Week 1 goal: a first playable version where the player moves around their own game world.
Week 2 Game Studio: finish, playtest, polish, and launch.
Students finish building their games and add the features that make them playable. Then they playtest each other’s games, give feedback, and improve their own. The day ends with final polish and a Family Arcade showcase, where students share their games with family and friends.

Instructor

Other Details

Cost

  • $250
    • 2 classes, 3 hour class

Location

Date & Time

  • Saturdays, December 5th & 12th 2026
  • 9:00am - 12:00pm

Refund and Transfer Deadlines

  • Full refund: Two weeks before classes start
  • 50% refund: One week before classes start
  • No refund: Less than one week before classes start