Begin Programming: Build Your First Mobile Game from FutureLearn

Week 1: Week 2: Week 3: Week 4: Week 5: Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This beginners’ course teaches the basics of programming and you don’t need any knowledge of coding to take part. You may find it challenging at times, but we hope it’ll be fun too. However, the course does require you to be comfortable downloading, unzipping and installing software to your computer. If you think that you may find this difficult, you may like to have someone with a good knowledge of IT on hand to help you – particularly in Week 1. The 4 hours per week is an estimate based on past participants’ experiences, however some previous participants have reported taking much less time, while others take considerable longer to complete some weeks. This will depend on your experience and to some extent how powerful your computer is. This course includes video content and other visual teaching methods. As such, blind and visually impaired students may need a helper. You can use the hashtag #FLmobigame to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

An introduction to the course, programming and the development environment for building the mobile game.
Setting up the software
Setting up the testing environment for your game
Debugging and operators.
Different data types and variables
Introduction to operators
Applying variables and operators to the game
Modifying the game to change the speed of the ball and moving the ball to a position specified by user.
Conditional statements and comments.
Array variables and looping constructs.
Modifying the program to make the ball stay on the screen and adding a control paddle for the user.
Modifying the game to include multiple target objects for the ball to bounce from. The target objects are implemented using arrays and accessed using ‘for’ loops.
How to decide which algorithm is required to solve more complex tasks.
Considering which algorithm to implement, to modify the game.
Functions or methods – separate parts of a program.
Modifying the program using functions to replace any repeated code.
Consolidation of the course – analysing the game.
Considering the process behind implementing another game.

Reviews summary

Beginner programming through game development

According to learners, this course is a largely positive introduction for absolute beginners with no prior coding experience. Students particularly appreciate the hands-on approach of building a simple mobile game, finding it a fun and practical way to learn core programming concepts like variables, loops, and conditionals. While many find the explanations clear and easy to follow, some note that setting up the required software can be a challenging first step, especially if they are not comfortable with installing programs. Reviewers generally agree the course provides a solid foundational understanding but caution it only scratches the surface and additional learning will be necessary to progress further in programming.

Covers basics, but not advanced topics.

"This course provides a solid foundation, but it's just the very beginning. Don't expect to be a game developer afterward."

"It's a great primer, but it doesn't go into much depth on any single topic. I know I need more courses."

"I learned the core basics, but complex programming or game design concepts aren't covered here."

Content is still useful over time.

"Even though the course has been running for a while, the fundamental programming concepts taught are still relevant."

"The development tools used are standard enough that the skills learned aren't immediately outdated."

"I took this recently, and the content holds up as a good entry point to programming."

Core programming concepts are clearly covered.

"The explanations for basic concepts like variables, loops, and functions were very clear and easy to understand."

"I found the videos and examples used to explain conditional statements and arrays particularly helpful."

"They break down the fundamental building blocks of programming in a way that's not overwhelming for beginners."

Building a game is engaging and practical.

"Building the game was the most engaging part. It helped me see how the concepts connect in a real project."

"I really enjoyed applying what I learned each week to modify the game. It made the learning feel practical."

"Learning to code by making a game was fun and kept me motivated throughout the course."

Excellent starting point for new coders.

"This course is genuinely for beginners. It assumes absolutely zero prior knowledge and builds up the concepts step-by-step."

"I've never coded before, and this course made it approachable. The pace was right for someone starting out."

"Great introduction to programming. They really start from scratch, which was exactly what I needed."

Installing required software caused issues.

"Getting the development environment set up in the first week was surprisingly difficult for me."

"I struggled quite a bit with the software installation process mentioned in Week 1; needed help."

"The course mentions IT comfort is needed for setup, and they were right. It was the biggest hurdle."

Career center

Learners who complete Begin Programming: Build Your First Mobile Game will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Begin Programming

Build Your First Mobile Game

Topics Covered

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Reviews summary

Beginner programming through game development

Activities

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