Super Scratch Programming Adventure! (Scratch 3)

This is the book that created the Scratch book market in 2012. Colorful, comic-book style guide to making fun games with the block-based, wildly popular Scratch visual programming language. Now updated to cover Scratch 3!
Scratch is the wildly popular ­educational programming language used by ­tens of millions of first-time learners in classrooms and homes worldwide. By dragging ­together and assembling colorful blocks of code, kids can learn computer programming concepts as they make cool games and animations.
Scratch 3 has an updated user interface featuring new sprites, a new sound editor, and many new programming blocks. It also includes extensions that enable you to program physical devices (such as micro:bit and LEGO robotics kits) and to translate text within your Scratch projects.
Super Scratch Programming Adventure! was created together with Mitch Resnick, the creator of Scratch (that's him on the cover). The book has readers create projects inspired by classic arcade games that can be programmed (and played!) in an afternoon. Patient, step-by-step explanations of the code and fun programming challenges will have kids creating their own games in no time.
In addition to specific programming instructions, the book includes comics that draw young learners into the book. Readers learn to code as they work through the comics which make programming concepts like variables, flow control, and subroutines effortless to absorb. Packed with ideas for games that kids will be proud to show off, Super Scratch Programming Adventure! is the perfect first step for the budding programmer.
Updated for Scratch 3

The free Super Scratch Educator's Guide provides commentary and advice on the book's games suitable for teachers and parents. (PDF)

About the Author

The Learning through Engineering, Art, and Design (LEAD) Project is an educational initiative established to encourage the development of creative thinking through the use of technology. Created by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab, the LEAD project promotes hands-on, design-based activities to foster innovation, problem solving skills, and technical literacy.

Table of Contents

Let's get to know Scratch! We'll also learn about sprites and coordinates.

This is where you'll make your the first game. You'll also learn how to create new costumes and program a character's movements, reactions, and sound effects.

While writing this two-part game, you'll learn how to control the flow of a Scratch project. You'll see how to keep score using variables and control the order of the game using broadcasts.

You'll learn to control sprites with the mouse, program objects to bounce back, and more.

You'll program a soccer game with a targeting system, several related rules, interactive sound effects, and a vivid, animated background!

You'll learn how to create a side-scrolling racing game, program complex movements for sprites, and make the game's background change over time.

In this Egyptian adventure, you'll create an interactive maze with a guard, booby traps, and treasure!

When you make this simple button-mashing game, you'll also learn how to play music with Scratch and create an animated background.

You'll need to use all the knowledge you've gained while making this sweet fighting game. You'll create two characters with unique fight moves, custom health counters, and more.