This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Saba beigi
In this post, we’ll learn how to build a Breakout-style 2D game using the Godot Engine.
You can find the complete source code here:
Brick-Break on GitHub
What We’ll Build
A simple yet addictive arcade game where you control a paddle, bounce a ball, and destroy rows of bricks.
By the end, you’ll have a working Breakout clone and understand how to use:
- Godot scenes & nodes
- GDScript for movement & collision
- Signals for communication between objects
- Game reset & score tracking
Project Setup
Install Godot Engine
Download the latest stable version from godotengine.org.Clone the Repository
git clone https://github.com/sababg/Brick-Break.git
cd Brick-Break
Open in Godot
Launch Godot and open the Brick-Break folder as a project.Run the Game!
Press F5 or click the
Play button to start.
Move the paddle using ← / → arrow keys.
Game Structure
Here’s a quick overview of the folder layout:
Brick-Break/
├─ Scenes/
│ ├─ Main.tscn
│ ├─ Level.tscn
│ └─ UI.tscn
├─ Scripts/
│ ├─ Paddle.gd
│ ├─ Ball.gd
│ └─ Brick.gd
├─ Assets/
│ └─ (images, textures, sounds)
└─ project.godot
Each script corresponds to one of the key game elements.
Paddle Movement
The paddle script handles user input and movement limits:
extends Node2D
@export var speed := 500
func _process(delta):
var direction = Input.get_action_strength("ui_right") - Input.get_action_strength("ui_left")
position.x += direction * speed * delta
position.x = clamp(position.x, 0, get_viewport_rect().size.x)
This ensures smooth paddle control and prevents it from going off screen.
Ball Physics
The ball uses a velocity vector that updates every frame:
extends Area2D
var velocity = Vector2(200, -200)
func _process(delta):
position += velocity * delta
func _on_body_entered(body):
if body.name == "Paddle":
velocity.y *= -1
elif body.name == "Brick":
body.queue_free()
velocity.y *= -1
Each collision reverses the ball’s Y-axis velocity and removes bricks on contact.
Bricks & Level Design
Each brick is a small StaticBody2D or Area2D with its own script for destruction.
Bricks are placed inside the Level.tscn scene to form patterns.
You can quickly duplicate rows and change their positions to create different levels.
Score & UI
The UI.tscn scene manages the score and remaining lives using labels.
When the ball hits a brick, it emits a signal to update the score display.
Example signal connection:
signal brick_destroyed
func _on_brick_destroyed():
score += 1
$ScoreLabel.text = "Score: %d" % score
Resetting the Game
If the ball falls below the screen, a game-over or reset is triggered:
func _process(delta):
if position.y > get_viewport_rect().size.y:
get_tree().reload_current_scene()
Simple but effective!
Try Expanding It
Once you have the core mechanics working, experiment with:
- Power-ups (larger paddle, multi-ball)
Explosive or multi-hit bricks
Sound effects & background music
Animated sprites or color themes
Exporting to Web (Itch.io or GitHub Pages)
Lessons Learned
- While developing Brick-Break, I learned to:
- Use Godot’s scene hierarchy effectively
- Handle object collisions via signals
- Keep gameplay loops small and modular
- Debug physics-based movement visually This small project is a great way to learn Godot’s foundations — and the results are surprisingly satisfying
Final Thoughts
Brick-Break is a fully playable Breakout clone that demonstrates:
- Smooth gameplay using simple GDScript logic
- A clean, reusable scene architecture
- How to integrate UI, physics, and level design in Godot
Play it, tweak it, and build on it — that’s how the best ideas start.
Check it out on GitHub →
Tags
#godot #gamedev #tutorial #gdscript #indiegame #breakout
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Saba beigi