Top 5 Animations in Scratch: Jump, Bounce & Fly (Beginner Tutorial + Code)

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Scratch Tutorial
How To Make Your Animations Smooth Top 5 Animations in Scratch Games Kodex Academy

Introduction – Top 5 Scratch Animations

Welcome to our latest blog post inspired by Kodex Academy's exciting tutorial on Scratch animations! If you're a beginner or aspiring game developer using Scratch, animations are the secret sauce that can transform your projects from basic to breathtaking.

Have you ever played a Scratch game and thought, "Wow, that jump feels just like Mario!" or "How did they make the bird flap so smoothly?" The secret isn't complicated code — it's five classic animations that every famous Scratch game uses. Today, we're turning you into an animation master in one single blog post.

In this step-by-step guide, we explore these Top 5 animations in Scratch games that will make your projects smoother, interactive, and fun to play. You'll learn:

  • • Realistic jumping with gravity
  • • Smooth left-right walking (no upside-down cats!)
  • • Perfectly bouncy balls and characters
  • • Magical hide-and-reveal effects
  • • Beautiful flying with flapping wings

Plus, we'll combine everything into a mini-game you can finish today. Ready? Let's make your projects go from "cute" to "WOW!"

This blog is based on the video "Scratch: How To Make Your Animations Smooth | Top 5 Animations in Scratch Games | Kodex Academy" with additional explanations + enhanced Scratch code + features.

Before we jump in (pun intended!), remember that Scratch is all about creativity and experimentation. Feel free to tweak these scripts to fit your project's theme. Let's get started!

Who This Guide Is For (Kids, Parents & Teachers)

  • • Kids aged 8–14 who are tired of boring projects
  • • Parents & teachers looking for a complete weekend activity
  • • Beginners who have made one or two Scratch games
  • • Anyone who wants their game to get 1,000+ views instead of 10

Quick Scratch Refresher (2-Minute Read)

Scratch is a free block-based programming tool from MIT. No typing — just drag colorful blocks! Key areas you'll use today:

  • • Motion (blue) → move, bounce, position
  • • Looks (purple) → costumes, effects, hide/show
  • • Control (yellow) → forever, wait, if-then
  • • Sensing (light blue) → key presses
  • • Variables (orange) → for gravity & speed
  • • Go to Scratch
  • • Click Create
  • • Choose your sprite & backdrop

Let's dive in!

👉 Watch the Full YouTube Tutorial Here:

How To Make Your Animations Smooth | Top 5 Animations in Scratch Games | Kodex Academy

Step-by-Step: The Top 5 Scratch Animations Every Game Needs

Realistic Jumping with Gravity (Like Chrome Dino)

Basic Instant Jump

This is one of the most common Scratch game tutorial steps.

  • • Used in platformer games
  • • Uses space key
  • • Works with y-axis movement
when green flag clicked
forever
  if then
    change y by (50)
    wait (0.3) secs
    change y by (-50)
  end
end

Pro Version: Smooth Parabolic Jump with Gravity

  • • Create a variable called yVel (for "Y velocity")
when green flag clicked
set [yVel v] to [0]
forever
  if and <(yVel) = [0]> then   // only jump when on ground
    set [yVel v] to [12]
  end
  change y by (yVel)
  change [yVel v] by (-0.7)     // gravity pulls down
  if then   // stop falling through floor
    set [yVel v] to [0]
    go to x: (x position) y: (-100)   // snap to ground
  end
end

• Result: Smooth parabolic jump exactly like Chrome Dino or Geometry Dash.

• Challenge: Add a double-jump by allowing one extra jump in the air!

Smooth Left-Right Walking (No Flipping Nightmare)

Everyone hates when their cat flips upside down. This is core logic for any game in Scratch such as racing, platformer, runner, etc.

when green flag clicked
set rotation style [left-right v]     // ← THIS LINE IS CRUCIAL
forever
  if then
    change x by (8)
    point in direction (90)
  end
  if then
    change x by (-8)
    point in direction (-90)
  end
end

✅ Jet now stays at the bottom and moves left-right.

Bonus: Running Animation

Smooth Run with animation costumes: Add two costumes (cat-a and cat-b). Then insert inside the forever loop:

switch costume to next costume
wait (0.1) secs

set rotation style [left-right v]

Realistic Bouncing (Physics in 5 Blocks)

This trick helps you understand motion reflection.

Used in: Ball games; Breakout; Pong

when green flag clicked
go to x:(0) y:(0)
point in direction (pick random (20) to (160))
forever
  move (10) steps
  if on edge, bounce
end

Advanced: Energy Loss (ball slows down like real life)

when green flag clicked
set [speed v] to [10]
go to x:(0) y:(0)
point in direction (45)
forever
  move (speed) steps
  if on edge, bounce
  change [speed v] by (-0.1)   // friction
  if <(speed) < [2]> then
    stop [this script v]
  end
end

Challenge: Make the ball change color every bounce using change [color v] effect by (25).

Challenge: Increase speed for difficulty

Magical Hide & Teleport (Perfect for Magic Games)

Great for mystery, disappearing bonuses, or magical effects.

Basic Disappearing Act

when green flag clicked
forever
  hide
  wait (1) secs
  go to [random position v]
  show
  play sound [pop v] until done
  wait (0.8) secs
end

Fade In/Out Like a Movie

Use the ghost effect:

when green flag clicked
forever
  repeat (25)
    change [ghost v] effect by (4)
  end
  wait (0.5) secs
  go to [random position v]
  repeat (25)
    change [ghost v] effect by (-4)
  end
  play sound [magic spell v] until done
end

Use Case: Hide-and-seek game, ghost characters, or secret power-ups.

Beautiful Flying & Flapping Wings

Choose any sprite with 2+ costumes (Bird, Dragon, Flying Hippo, Bat, etc.)

Simple Flying

when green flag clicked
forever
  move (8) steps
  next costume
  wait (0.15) secs
  if on edge, bounce
end

Realistic Floating Up & Down (like a real bird)

when green flag clicked
set [float v] to [0]
forever
  move (8) steps
  next costume
  change y by (sin (float) * (3))   // magic sine wave!
  change [float v] by (8)
  wait (0.12) secs
  if on edge, bounce
end

Costume Tip: Draw 4 wing positions in the costume editor — the more costumes, the smoother it looks!

Bonus Scratch Animations You'll Love

Smooth Floating

repeat 20
  change y by 2
  wait 0.06
end
repeat 20
  change y by -2
  wait 0.06
end

Flying with Arrow Keys

forever
  if then change y by 10
  if then change y by -10
  if then change x by 10
  if then change x by -10
end

Spinning Power-Up

when green flag clicked
forever
  turn right (15) degrees
  change [brightness v] effect by (10)
end

Growing & Shrinking Mushroom

when I receive [eat mushroom v]
repeat (20)
  change size by (5)
end
wait (2) secs
repeat (20)
  change size by (-5)
end

Summary of Steps: Animations in Scratch

Top 5 Smooth Scratch Animations: Jump, Bounce & Fly (Beginner Tutorial)

Total Time: 29 minutes

1. Create Realistic Jumping with Gravity

Create variable yVel → when space pressed and on ground set yVel to 12 → forever change y by yVel → change yVel by -0.7 → snap to ground when touching floor.

2. Smooth Left-Right Walking with Running Animation

Set rotation style left-right → forever check arrow keys → change x by ±8 → next costume every 0.1 seconds for walking animation.

3. Realistic Bouncing with Energy Loss

Point in random direction → forever move speed steps → if on edge bounce → reduce speed slightly each bounce for realistic slowdown.

4. Magical Hide/Teleport with Fade Effect

Forever → repeat 25 change ghost effect +4 → go to random position → repeat 25 change ghost -4 → play pop sound.

5. Flying with Flapping Wings & Floating Motion

Forever → move 8 steps → next costume → change y by sin(float)*3 → increase float variable for smooth up-down wave motion.

Combine Everything: Build "Super Cat Adventure" in 20 Minutes

Complete Scratch Project Flow

  1. Add sprite
  2. Add animations
  3. Add keyboard controls
  4. Add sound
  5. Add score + timer
  • • Cat sprite → jumping + walking code
  • • Add clouds (flying bird enemies)
  • • Add bouncing beach balls as collectibles
  • • Magic portals → hide/teleport effect
  • • Background music + score variable

Common Mistakes & Quick Fixes

  • • Cat flips upside down → Add "set rotation style left-right"
  • • Sprite falls through ground → Use "if touching ground then set yVel to 0"
  • • Animation looks choppy → Reduce wait time to 0.05–0.1 secs
  • • Too fast/slow → Adjust numbers and test!

Sample Use-Cases (Mini Project Ideas)

Jump Dino Runner
Left & Right Car Racing
Bounce Pong / Breakout
Hide & Show Treasure Hunt
Fly Bird flying game

Important External Links

Official Scratch https://scratch.mit.edu
Video Reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwLi30wh3kU
MIT Scratch Guide https://scratch.mit.edu/ideas
Kodex Academy https://kodexacademy.com

Summary – Top 5 Animations in Scratch

You now know the five scratch animations used in 90% of the top 100 Scratch games. Take one, remix it, combine them, and share your project — the Scratch community loves new creators!

In this tutorial, we explored how to create the top 5 animations in Scratch:

  • ✅ Sprite Jump
  • ✅ Move Sprite Left & Right
  • ✅ Sprite Bounce
  • ✅ Hide & Show Sprite
  • ✅ Fly Animation

These animations help you build professional-looking Scratch programming games and animations.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need multiple costumes for these animations?

Only for smooth walking and flying. Jumping, bouncing, and hiding work perfectly with a single costume.

My cat flips upside down when moving left!

Add this block once at the start: set rotation style [left-right v]. It fixes the problem forever.

Why does my sprite fall through the ground after jumping?

Use a ground sprite or edge and add if then set yVel to 0 and snap the sprite to the ground y-position.

The animations look choppy and robotic. How do I make them smoother?

Reduce all wait times to 0.05–0.1 seconds and use more costumes (4–6 for flying/walking). Smaller steps (move 5–8 instead of 10) also help.

Can these animations work on tablets and phones?

Yes! Replace arrow keys with when or use virtual buttons (create arrow sprites and use "when this sprite clicked").

Where can I get good sound effects for pop, magic, or flapping?

Open the Sounds tab → Scratch library has "pop", "magic spell", "fairy", "wing flap", and hundreds more for free.

My bouncing ball stops too quickly/slowly. How do I control it?

Adjust the friction value: change [speed v] by (-0.1). Use -0.05 for slow energy loss, or remove it completely for endless bouncing.

How do I make a double jump or triple jump?

Add a variable airJumps (start at 0). When jumping on ground, set airJumps to 1. Allow one more jump only if airJumps > 0, then decrease it.

Can I combine all five scratch animations in one sprite?

Absolutely! Many top games do exactly that (e.g., a flying cat that can jump, walk, bounce when hit, and disappear for invisibility power-ups).

My forever loop is freezing Scratch. What's wrong?

You probably have a wait inside an if without an else path. Always keep the forever loop moving—never block it completely.

How do I make the flying sprite go up and down like a real bird?

Use the sine wave trick: change y by (sin (float) * (3)) → change [float v] by (8) inside the forever loop.

My ghost/fade effect isn't working. What should I do?

Before using ghost effect, click clear graphic effects once at the start, or the effect might start at 100 and stay invisible.

What's the fastest way to get better at Scratch animations?

Spend 15 minutes every day remixing one popular game from the Scratch "Explore" page. You'll master these techniques in less than a week!

Call to Action

  1. Don't forget to check out the full video tutorial: How To Make Your Animations Smooth | Top 5 Animations in Scratch Games | Kodex Academy
  2. Like, comment & share the video
  3. Subscribe to the Kodex Academy YouTube channel for deeper Scratch content.

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