Touch the Blue Ball Game in Scratch | Make a List & Random Color Coding – Step‑by‑Step Coding

Introduction: Touch the Blue Ball Game in Scratch – Learn Lists, Variables, and Animation!

Have you ever wanted to make interactive games in Scratch but weren't sure where to begin? Or maybe you're a teacher or parent looking for the perfect Scratch game tutorial for beginners to help kids get excited about programming?

Welcome to this hands-on project where you'll build an exciting and fast-paced Scratch color changing ball game called "Touch the Blue Ball." This project is more than just fun—it's a creative way to introduce important coding concepts like:

• • Using variables and lists in Scratch
• • Broadcast messages for controlling game flow
• • Color-changing sprite logic
• • Randomized movement and bouncing mechanics
• • Win/Loss conditions based on player actions

If you're new to Scratch, don't worry! This guide is designed with step-by-step Scratch game development instructions that anyone—from kids to coding-curious adults—can follow. And if you've coded in Scratch before, this project will deepen your understanding of how to:

• • Use lists for managing multiple costumes
• • Control sprite actions based on user inputs
• • Create dynamic games that are fun, interactive, and visually appealing

In this game, the player is challenged to click on the blue ball while it continuously changes color and moves to random positions on the screen. If they click the correct color in time, they win; if they miss or click the wrong color, they lose.

It's a simple concept—but one that teaches core programming logic, sharpens hand-eye coordination, and builds critical thinking skills. Perfect for classroom activities, coding clubs, or self-paced learning.

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a fully playable game and a deeper understanding of how to create simple games with Scratch—and you'll also have the skills to expand it with levels, sound effects, scores, or even multiplayer features!

What You'll Learn in This Tutorial:

This comprehensive guide teaches you how to:

• • How to create a color changing sprite in Scratch
• • How to build a ball bouncing game in Scratch
• • How to use lists and variables effectively
• • How to design a countdown with costume changes
• • How to code win/fail conditions using if-else logic
• • How to make a game fun, responsive, and educational

Ready to get started? Watch the full tutorial first and follow along with the guide:

Step-by-Step Coding for Touch the Blue Ball Game in Scratch

Step 1. Game Demo and Rules Explained

Begin with a demo to showcase gameplay:

• • Click the green flag, see a countdown, then the ball moves randomly.
• • Try clicking the blue ball to win, any other color results in fail.

Why this matters: Establishes Scratch game coding basics, setting expectations and motivating learners.

Step 2. Create the Ball Sprite (Costumes & Setup)

1. Delete the default Scratch cat sprite.
2. Add a "Ball" sprite (or draw one).
3. Add 5 costumes—each a different color (e.g. red, blue, green).
4. Set its size to about 150% for visibility.

This ensures the player can clearly see and click the ball, and gives us multiple colors to work with—crucial for color-related logic later.

Step 3: Choose a Backdrop

Pick a background like "Race 1" to give your game visual context. A dynamic backdrop enhances the user's immersion.

Step 4: Instruction Sprite with Countdown

Add an instruction sprite to display text prompts before the game begins:

• • Paint a new sprite and create six costumes: "Simple", "Click on the blue ball", "3", "2", "1", "Go".

This handles the countdown and signals the game to begin by broadcasting the "start" message.

Step 5: Ball Behavior: Hiding, Random Position, Costume Changes

What happens when the game starts:

The ball hides initially, then appears at a random position when the game starts—making each run unique and fun.

Step 6: Random Color Changing using Variables & Lists

Create:

• • Variable: costume number
• • List: costume list, containing [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Why use a list? It allows dynamic selection of costumes via index, a powerful technique to manage multiple options. This reflects how lists in Scratch can simplify handling multiple items.

Every half-second, the ball switches to a new random costume and thus a new color.

Step 7: Ball Glide & Bounce Mechanics

Make the ball move smoothly and bounce off screen edges:

Use glide for smooth movement and if on edge, bounce for natural animation. This creates a dynamic and engaging gameplay experience.

Step 8: Detecting Win or Fail – If-Else Logic

Add game-play logic for winning (click blue ball) or failing (click other color):

If the current costume is blue (number 2), the player wins; otherwise, they lose. The stop all block ends the game immediately.

Step 9: Win and Fail Messages

Create two sprites: one labeled "You Win" (e.g., a dancer) and one labeled "You Fail" (e.g., sad face of Monet).

For both sprites:

These will appear at the center when the appropriate broadcast is received.

Enhancement Ideas (with Code Examples)

A. Add a Score Counter (Scratch variables & UX)

Create variable Score:

Display score as monitor for feedback.

B. Difficulty Levels / Speed Variation

Let players choose difficulty:

Adjust glide delay or wait time based on difficulty.

C. Add Sound Effects

Import victorious or failure sounds:

D. Track Click Accuracy / Miss Count

Add variable Misses:

Show feedback on errors.

Summary Table

Step	Description	Code Pattern
1	Ball sprite setup	Costumes & size configuration
2	Instruction countdown	when green flag → show → switch costume → broadcast [start]
3	Ball initial positioning	Hide & go to center
4	Random movement + show	when I receive [start] → go to pick random position → show
5	Color changing via list	Forever loop: pick random → switch costume from list
6	Glide + bounce logic	Glide with edge bounce
7	Click detection logic	If-else: costume number = 2 → win; else → fail + stop
8	Display outcome	Show "You Win" or "You Fail" sprites on broadcast

Conclusion: Touch the Blue Ball Game in Scratch

Congratulations! By following this detailed, step-by-step tutorial, you've successfully built an interactive, color-changing "Touch the Blue Ball" game in Scratch.

This project wasn't just about clicking a blue ball—it introduced you to the core fundamentals of game design in Scratch, including:

What You Accomplished

• • ✅ Built an animated, bouncing ball game that changes color using variables and lists.
• • ✅ Created an interactive countdown and instruction screen using costumes and broadcast messages.
• • ✅ Implemented random movement and glide effects to make gameplay exciting and unpredictable.
• • ✅ Used conditional logic (if-else) to check if the player wins or loses.
• • ✅ Designed custom win/fail screens that react to game events.
• • ✅ Learned how to use lists, variables, events, and loops—foundational blocks in Scratch programming.

Call to Action

1. Don't forget to check out the full video tutorial by Kodex Academy here: Touch the Blue Ball Game in Scratch | Make a List & Random Color Coding by Kodex Academy
2. Like, comment & share the video
3. Visit kodexacademy.com
4. Subscribe to the Kodex Academy YouTube channel for deeper Scratch content.

Happy coding with Kodex Academy! 🚀

Learn More with Kodex Academy

At Kodex Academy, we're passionate about helping students learn coding in creative ways. This project teaches more than Scratch—it empowers young minds to build tools that work in the real world.

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