Code your first game in JavaScript on Canvas, building an arcade classic from scratch with no special software, just a text editor and a web browser. If you've ever wanted to make a game but didn't know where to start, this free course stood out. It's taught by Chris DeLeon, a game developer with 28 years of experience who has taught at Georgia Tech and spoken at GDC. Instead of overwhelming you with theory, he takes the proven advice that every beginner should hear, "make the simplest game possible." You'll program a complete, playable arcade style game in hours, learning to display and move shapes, handle mouse input, detect collisions, program basic AI, keep score, and define win conditions, all with clear, step by step guidance.

This Course Offers

• A complete, finished game in just a few hours: You'll go from a blank text editor to a working, playable arcade game, giving you an immense sense of accomplishment and a solid portfolio piece.
• Hands on experience with core game development concepts: You'll learn to move a ball, make it bounce off boundaries, handle real time mouse input, detect collisions, and program simple AI, all fundamentals that apply to any game.
• A proven, beginner friendly approach: The course follows the classic "ball and paddle" project path, the same advice experienced developers give to newcomers, because it works.
• The ability to understand every line of code: With the focus on a small, simple game, you'll truly understand how the entire program works, building confidence for future projects.

Why We Love This Course

1. The instructor is the real deal. With nearly three decades of game development, teaching experience at major universities, and over 400,000 students, Chris DeLeon knows exactly how to guide beginners.
2. The "no special software" requirement removes every barrier. You likely already have everything you need, a text editor and a browser, which means you can start coding right now.
3. The project based approach is perfectly scoped. You finish in hours, not months, which builds incredible momentum and proves to yourself that you can do it.
4. The source code is provided for every step. You can't get stuck, you can always compare your code or pick up from any point, which is a huge relief for learners.

Making your first game is a rite of passage for any programmer. This free course gives you the fastest, most proven path to that milestone. You'll learn real, transferable skills, build something you're proud of, and gain the momentum to tackle more complex projects. It's a perfect launchpad, and it's backed by a money back guarantee if it's not what you need.

• This is for anyone who wants a quick but thorough introduction to simple game programming without any complex setup.
• Absolute beginners who have never programmed a game but are eager to start and want a proven, step by step path.
• Programmers new to game development who understand basic coding concepts and want to apply them to build something fun and interactive.
• Hobbyists and enthusiasts who want to understand how classic arcade games work under the hood and gain the skills to create their own.
• This course is not intended for someone who is focused on learning HTML5/JS for web page design it's specifically about game programming.

• A plain text editor (like Notepad or TextEdit) works fine, though one with programming features like Notepad++ or TextWrangler is handy.
• You need a modern web browser to run your game.
• Very early on, you'll need to know how to show file extensions in your operating system, which is briefly explained in the course.
• Some exposure to generic programming concepts like variables, functions, and if statements is helpful, but they are explained as they come up.

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