A beginner's guide to making video games
Making a video game is one of the most motivating projects a student can undertake in a CS class. It requires applying a wide range of programming concepts — variables, conditionals, loops, functions, and event handling — all in service of a tangible, playable result. For CS teachers looking for a project-based learning activity that genuinely excites students, game development is hard to beat. codeguppy.com provides a beginner-friendly platform and a growing library of step-by-step game tutorials designed specifically for students new to JavaScript.
This beginner's guide to making video games starts with the basics: understanding the game loop, drawing sprites on screen, detecting user input, and tracking game state. Each concept is introduced in the context of a real game — students are not learning abstract theory but immediately applying new skills to build something they can share and be proud of. Tutorials on the platform guide students through building classic games like Breakout, Snake, Pong, and a Space Invaders-style shooter.
For school librarians and coding club coordinators, game development projects make excellent multi-session activities. Students stay engaged across weeks because they are invested in the outcome. The platform's built-in code editor and instant preview make it easy for facilitators to support students without needing deep technical expertise themselves — the tutorials are self-guided and the environment is forgiving for beginners.
Getting started requires nothing more than a browser and a free account on codeguppy.com. The platform is optimized for school use, works on Chromebooks and standard school computers, and does not require any software installation — making it an ideal choice for classrooms and library makerspaces.
A free coding platform for schools
codeguppy.com is a free coding platform for high-school and middle-school students. Teachers around the world are using codeguppy.com to teach JavaScript.
To make coding easy, fun, and engaging for students of all ages, codeguppy.com comes with an online code editor and a graphical oriented runtime based on the p5.js library. The platform enables students to learn JavaScript while building fun games and animations.
Coding projects and activities for students
codeguppy.com comes with tons of coding projects and activities that students can use as a starting point for their projects.
Contact us!
If you want to learn more about the free coding platform, please feel free to contact us at any time. We can discuss how to get started with coding, how to implement codeguppy.com in your coding club ... or even discuss coding questions or share programs.