How to Make a Flappy Bird Game on Scratch

If you're wondering how to make a flappy bird game on Scratch, the answer lies in combining basic programming logic with creative sprite design and event-driven coding. Using Scratch's visual block interface, you can build a fully functional Flappy Bird-style game by setting up a flying bird character, scrolling background, and obstacle pipes that the player must navigate through. This step-by-step guide on how to make a flappy bird game on Scratch will walk you through every stage—from creating sprites and backdrops to coding movement, collision detection, and score tracking—ensuring even beginners can complete the project successfully.

Understanding the Core Concept of a Flappy Bird-Style Game

A Flappy Bird-style game is deceptively simple: the player controls a character (usually a bird) that moves continuously forward while the player taps or clicks to make it flap upward, avoiding obstacles like pipes. The challenge comes from gravity pulling the bird down if not actively flapping, requiring precise timing. When replicating this experience on Scratch, the core mechanics involve constant horizontal motion of obstacles, vertical control of the bird via user input, and collision detection to end the game upon hitting an object.

The appeal of learning how to make a flappy bird game on Scratch goes beyond just fun—it introduces key computational thinking concepts such as loops, conditionals, variables, and event handling. Because Scratch uses drag-and-drop blocks instead of text-based code, it’s ideal for students, educators, and hobbyists who want to learn game development fundamentals without prior coding experience.

Gathering Your Tools: What You Need Before Starting

To begin making your own Flappy Bird clone in Scratch, ensure you have the following:

• A computer with internet access
• A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.)
• An active Scratch account at scratch.mit.edu
• Basic familiarity with the Scratch interface (Stage, Sprites, Blocks Palette)

No downloads are required since Scratch runs entirely in the browser. Once logged in, click “Create” to open a new project. You’ll see the default cat sprite—this will be replaced or reprogrammed as your flappy bird.

Step 1: Designing the Bird Sprite

The first step in how to make a flappy bird game on Scratch is designing your main character. While you can use the default sprite, customizing a bird adds personality. Click the paintbrush icon under “Choose a Sprite” to open the costume editor.

Draw a small bird using simple shapes—circles for the body and head, a triangle for the beak, and wings. For animation, create a second costume where the wings are slightly raised. To switch between costumes during flight, use the “next costume” block in your script.

Name your sprite something descriptive like “FlappyBird” to keep your project organized. Resize it appropriately so it fits well against pipe gaps later.

Step 2: Creating Obstacles – The Pipes

In the original Flappy Bird, green pipes appear in pairs—one at the top and one at the bottom—with a gap in between. In Scratch, you can simulate this by creating a single pipe sprite and positioning two instances vertically.

Create a new sprite and draw a tall green rectangle. Duplicate it and flip one vertically to represent the top pipe. Alternatively, use one pipe sprite and position it twice per set using code. Name this sprite “Pipe” and hide it initially using the “hide” block until generated via cloning.

Cloning is essential here because manually placing dozens of pipes isn’t scalable. Instead, use Scratch’s clone feature to generate new pipe sets at intervals, which scroll from right to left across the screen.

Step 3: Setting Up Game Physics

Realistic physics aren't necessary, but mimicking gravity and lift makes gameplay engaging. Start by programming the bird to fall slowly unless the player triggers a flap.

In the bird’s script, initialize a variable called “y velocity” to control vertical speed. Set it to zero when the game starts. Then, inside a forever loop, decrease the y-position by the current velocity value and increase the velocity slightly each frame to simulate gravity.

When the player presses the spacebar (or clicks), reset the y velocity to a negative number (e.g., -8), causing the bird to jump upward. Over time, gravity pulls it back down. This simple model effectively recreates the signature Flappy Bird feel.

Example code structure:

when flag clicked
set y velocity to 0
forever
  change y by (y velocity)
  change y velocity by (0.5)
  if <key [space] pressed?> then
    set y velocity to (-8)
  end
end

Step 4: Scrolling Background and Moving Pipes

To give the illusion of forward flight, the background and pipes must move from right to left. Scratch doesn’t support infinite scrolling natively, but you can simulate it using multiple copies or resetting positions.

For the background, choose a sky-themed backdrop. If available, use two identical backgrounds placed side by side. As they shift left, once one exits the screen, reposition it behind the other to create continuity.

For pipes, use cloning. Create a script that generates a new pipe clone every 2–3 seconds. Each clone should appear off-screen to the right, with random Y positioning to vary the gap height. Inside each pipe’s script, move it leftward continuously. When it reaches the left edge, delete the clone to save memory.

Use the following logic:

when I receive [start game]
create clone of [Pipe]
wait (2) seconds

// In Pipe sprite:
when green flag clicked
hide

when I start as a clone
show
go to x: (240) y: (pick random -100 to 100)
repeat until <x position < (-240)>
  change x by (-4)
  wait (0.05) secs
end
delete this clone

Step 5: Adding Collision Detection

Game over conditions occur when the bird touches a pipe or the ground. Use Scratch’s “touching color?” or “touching [sprite]?” blocks to detect collisions.

In the bird’s script, add a check inside the main loop:

if <touching [Pipe]?> or <y position < (-160)> then
  broadcast [game over]
  stop [all v]
end

You can also enhance accuracy by checking if the bird touches the pipe’s outline (a specific color). However, using sprite collision is simpler and sufficient for most cases.

Step 6: Implementing Score Tracking

Scoring typically increases each time the bird passes a pair of pipes. To implement this, create a global variable called “Score.” Initialize it to zero at the start.

Then, in the pipe clone script, add logic that increases the score only once when the bird crosses the pipe’s midpoint. A common method is to place an invisible “score trigger” sprite that moves with the pipe. When the bird touches it, increment the score and destroy the trigger.

Alternatively, monitor the bird’s X position relative to the pipe’s. When the bird’s X exceeds the pipe’s X + width, increase the score and prevent further increments for that pipe using a flag variable.

Step 7: Polishing the Game Experience

A great game feels responsive and polished. Consider these enhancements:

• Start Screen: Display instructions and a “Play” button before launching the game.
• Game Over Screen: Show final score and offer a restart option.
• Sound Effects: Add flap, crash, and point sounds using the Sound tab.
• Animation: Make the bird rotate slightly based on velocity (tilt up when flapping, down when falling).
• Difficulty Progression: Gradually increase pipe speed over time.

These details significantly improve engagement and make your version stand out among other Scratch projects.

Educational Benefits of Building Games on Scratch

Learning how to make a flappy bird game on Scratch isn't just about entertainment—it fosters problem-solving, logical reasoning, and digital creativity. Teachers often use this project in classrooms to introduce programming constructs in a hands-on way. Students learn about coordinate systems, loops, conditional statements, variables, and event broadcasting—all foundational skills in computer science.

Moreover, sharing the finished game on the Scratch community allows feedback, remixing, and collaboration, reinforcing social learning principles.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even experienced creators encounter bugs. Here are frequent problems and solutions when building a Flappy Bird game:

Issue	Cause	Solution
Bird falls too fast/slow	Gravity value too high/low	Adjust the 'change y velocity by' value (try 0.3–0.7)
Pipes don’t spawn correctly	Clone script not triggered	Ensure 'create clone' block runs in a loop with delay
Score increments multiple times	No guard against repeated triggers	Use a boolean variable to mark pipe as passed
Game lags with many pipes	Too many clones active	Delete clones after they leave the screen
No collision detected	Sprites too small or hitbox mismatch	Enlarge sprites or use color-touch detection

Sharing and Remixing Your Project

Once completed, share your game with the Scratch community by clicking “Share” in the top menu. Include clear instructions, credits for any borrowed assets, and tags like “flappy-bird,” “game,” “arcade,” and “tutorial” to improve discoverability.

Others may remix your project—this is encouraged! Remixing helps spread ideas and allows learners to study your code. Always credit original inspirations if you used someone else’s work as a base.

Expanding Beyond the Basic Flappy Bird Clone

After mastering the basics, consider adding features:

• Power-ups (temporary invincibility, slower pipes)
• Multiple levels with increasing difficulty
• High score storage using cloud variables
• Themed variations (spaceship dodging asteroids, superhero flying through buildings)

Each extension reinforces deeper programming concepts and keeps the learning journey exciting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a Flappy Bird game on Scratch without coding?

While Scratch eliminates traditional coding syntax, some block-based programming is required. However, no typing or memorization is needed—just dragging and connecting blocks logically.

How long does it take to make a Flappy Bird game on Scratch?

Beginners may take 1–2 hours. With experience, it can be done in under 30 minutes, especially using templates or starter projects.

Is it legal to recreate Flappy Bird on Scratch?

Yes, creating educational clones for non-commercial purposes is generally acceptable under fair use, especially on platforms like Scratch intended for learning.

Can I play my Flappy Bird game offline?

Only if you download the Scratch desktop app and save your project locally. Browser-based projects require internet access unless exported (limited functionality).

What age group is this project suitable for?

Recommended for ages 8 and up. Younger children may need guidance, while teens and adults can explore advanced modifications.