Let’s check it out!
PyGame
PyGame is a free and open-source cross-platform library for the development of video games using Python. Using Simple DirectMedia Layer to abstract most common functions makes it easier to write these programs.
Tutorials
In order to build video games in Python we first need to learn PyGame APIs. Here are some great resources:
| PyGame Docs | Comprehensive documentation reference for using Pygame to create games |
| PyGame Examples | GitHub repository with sample programs that demonstrate how to use Pygame |
| PyGame Coders | Beginner-friendly Pygame tutorial that teaches the game development basics |
| PyGame Tutorial | Extremely thorough Pygame tutorial used to drive examples in this blog post |
Example I - Hello PyGame
All examples listed are Python 3.11.11 compatible. Launch PyCharm | New Project. Enter the following info:
| Location: | ~/HelloPyGame |
| Interpreter type: | uv |
| Python version: | 3.11 |
| Path to uv: | ~/.local/bin/uv |
PyCharm should setup UV virtual environment and configure Python interpreter if not then enter commands:
uv venv --python 3.11 source .venv/bin/activate # OR .\.venv\Scripts\activate which python `which python` --version # Python 3.11.11 |
In the PyCharm Terminal | Enter the following commands for UV to install and sync package dependencies:
uv lock |
uv sync |
Create the following file: main.py. Enter the command uv run main.py. Verify Hello PyGame is working OK!
| Example I - Hello PyGame |
import pygame
pygame.init()
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((640, 480))
pygame.display.set_caption("Hello PyGame!")
font = pygame.font.Font(None, 48) # Built-in default font
text = font.render("Hello PyGame!", True, (255, 255, 255))
running = True
while running:
for event in pygame.event.get():
if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
running = False
screen.fill((0, 0, 0))
screen.blit(text, (220, 220))
pygame.display.flip()
pygame.quit()
|
Example II - Hello Splash
Repeat previous exercise but render splash screen. Launch PyCharm | New Project. Enter the following info:
| Location: | ~/HelloSplash |
| Interpreter type: | uv |
| Python version: | 3.11 |
| Path to uv: | ~/.local/bin/uv |
In the PyCharm Terminal | Enter the following commands for UV to install and sync package dependencies:
uv venv --python 3.11 source .venv/bin/activate # OR .\.venv\Scripts\activate which python `which python` --version # Python 3.11.11 uv sync |
Create the following file: main.py. Enter the command uv run main.py. Verify splash screen renders OK!
| Example II - Hello Splash |
import pygame
pygame.init()
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((640, 480))
pygame.display.set_caption("Hello Splash")
sms_surface = pygame.Surface((640, 480))
splash = pygame.image.load("StevePro.bmp").convert()
running = True
while running:
for event in pygame.event.get():
if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
running = False
wide: int = (640 - splash.get_width()) / 2
high: int = (480 - splash.get_height()) / 2
sms_surface.blit(splash, dest=(wide, high))
screen.fill((0, 0, 0))
scaled = pygame.transform.scale(sms_surface, (640, 480))
screen.blit(scaled, (0, 0))
pygame.display.flip()
pygame.quit()
|
Example III - Hello Text
Repeat previous exercise but render font text. Launch PyCharm | New Project. Setup project as previously:
| Example III - Hello Text |
import pygame
pygame.init()
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((640, 480))
pygame.display.set_caption("Hello Text")
sms_surface = pygame.Surface((640, 480))
font = pygame.font.Font("emulogic.ttf", 20)
running = True
while running:
for event in pygame.event.get():
if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
running = False
sms_surface.fill((0, 0, 0))
text_surface = font.render("Hello Text!", False, (255, 255, 255))
sms_surface.blit(text_surface, (0, 0))
scaled = pygame.transform.scale(sms_surface, (640, 480))
screen.blit(scaled, (220, 220))
pygame.display.flip()
pygame.quit()
|
Example IV - Hello Sprites
Repeat previous exercise but render out sprites. Launch PyCharm | New Project. Setup project previously:
| Example IV - Hello Sprites |
import pygame
pygame.init()
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((640, 480))
pygame.display.set_caption("Hello Sprites")
sms_surface = pygame.Surface((320, 240))
spritesheet = pygame.image.load("Sprites.bmp").convert()
def get_sprite(sheet, col, row, width=32, height=32):
rect = pygame.Rect(col * width, row * height, width, height)
return sheet.subsurface(rect)
running = True
while running:
for event in pygame.event.get():
if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
running = False
sms_surface.fill((0, 0, 0))
sprite1 = get_sprite(spritesheet, col=0, row=0)
sprite2 = get_sprite(spritesheet, col=0, row=1)
sms_surface.blit(sprite1, (64, 64))
sms_surface.blit(sprite2, (128, 64))
scaled = pygame.transform.scale(sms_surface, (640, 480))
screen.blit(scaled, (0, 0))
pygame.display.flip()
pygame.quit()
|
Example V - Hello Input
Repeat previous exercise but with input detection. Launch PyCharm | New Project. Setup project previously:
| Example V - Hello Input |
import pygame
pygame.init()
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((640, 480))
pygame.display.set_caption("Hello Input")
font = pygame.font.Font(None, 48) # Built-in default font
text = font.render("Hello Input - Press space...", True, (255, 255, 255))
running = True
while running:
for event in pygame.event.get():
if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
running = False
screen.fill((0, 0, 0))
screen.blit(text, (100, 220))
keys = pygame.key.get_pressed()
if keys[pygame.K_SPACE]:
space = font.render("Space pressed!!", True, (255, 255, 255))
screen.blit(space, (200, 260))
pygame.display.flip()
pygame.quit()
|
Example VI - Hello Sound
Example VII - Hello Music
Example VIII - Hello Audio
Repeat previous exercise but integrate all audio. Launch PyCharm | New Project. Setup project previously:
| Example VIII - Hello Audio |
import pygame
pygame.init()
pygame.mixer.init()
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((640, 480))
pygame.display.set_caption("Hello Audio")
font = pygame.font.Font(None, 48) # Built-in default font
sound_01 = pygame.mixer.Sound("right.wav")
sound_02 = pygame.mixer.Sound("wrong.wav")
pygame.mixer.music.load("music.mp3")
def render_text(text, color=(255, 255, 255)):
return font.render(text, False, color)
text1 = render_text("Hello Audio!" )
text2 = render_text("Press Left - sound #1")
text3 = render_text("Press Right - sound #2")
text4 = render_text("Press Up - play music")
text5 = render_text("Press Down - stop music")
running = True
while running:
for event in pygame.event.get():
if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
running = False
screen.fill((0, 0, 0))
screen.blit(text1, (220, 140))
screen.blit(text2, (160, 180))
screen.blit(text3, (160, 220))
screen.blit(text4, (160, 260))
screen.blit(text5, (160, 300))
keys = pygame.key.get_pressed()
if keys[pygame.K_LEFT]:
sound_01.play()
if keys[pygame.K_RIGHT]:
sound_02.play()
if keys[pygame.K_UP]:
pygame.mixer.music.play()
if keys[pygame.K_DOWN]:
pygame.mixer.music.stop()
pygame.display.flip()
pygame.quit()
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| Example III - Hello Text | Example IV - Hello Sprites |
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| Example V - Hello Input | Example VIII - Hello Audio |
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Summary
To summarize, we now have the building blocks to implement PyGame APIs; we are in an excellent position to reuse existing video game content and port video game from another language to Python using PyGame! This will be the topic of the next post.
