Book Details
- ISBN: 979-8310050976
- Published: February 10, 2025
- Categories: Books Computers & Technology Web Development & Design Programming JavaScript
Gallery
How To Write Retro Games: Web-Programming
About This Book
What is a game? Why do you play games? What happens when you play games? Do you feel excited? Frustrated? Challenged? Games are more than just entertainment - they are fundamental to how we learn and grow. From childhood to adulthood, games help us develop skills, test our limits, and engage with the world in ways that few other activities can. Not all games are created equal - different games teach us different things. Some sharpen our reflexes, others train our strategic thinking, and some immerse us in rich narratives that expand our imagination. But writing games can be just as rewarding and challenging as playing the game! When I ask my students in computer graphics to choose a project, many of them want to develop a video game. And why not? A well-designed game can be just as rigorous and complex as any 'serious' software project - if not more! The next question they ask is, 'How do I write a video game?' That's why I wrote this book - to provide a practical guide to game development, breaking it down into clear, approachable steps. Computer games are not just about interactive graphics; they are carefully crafted experiences that blend mechanics, design, and challenges together to keep players engaged. Fortunately, modern computers - and even mobile devices - are powerful enough so anyone can create their own games. With the right skills, knowledge, and patience, anyone can build something amazing. This book will help you develop those skills and expand your knowledge - the patience part is up to you. To make learning accessible and experimentation easy, I've chosen to write the examples in JavaScript using the HTML Canvas API. This allows you to run games directly in a web browser, making them easy to edit, test, and share. Don't underestimate what a web browser can do - it provides access to a vast range of built-in resources and makes rapid prototyping simple. The concepts you learn here can be built upon or adapted to other languages and platforms.
Key Features
- Comprehensive coverage of Books topics
- Practical examples and real-world applications
- Clear explanations suitable for beginners and experts
- Latest trends and techniques in the field
- Exercises and challenges to test your knowledge
In the News
8 Books That Embrace the Expansiveness of Queer Families
electricliterature.com • Nov 4, 2025
<p>Amid rising threats to queer families—including health policies that restrict trans kids&#8217; health care and attacks on marriage equality—I find myself craving books that showcase LGBTQ+...
iOS 26.1 lets you turn down liquid glass’ transparency
techcrunch.com • Nov 4, 2025
Apple's latest iOS update doesn't introduce major features, but it does bring one highly-requested tweak: the ability to change the transparency of the translucent liquid glass design....
A Poetry Collection That Mirrors the Grotesqueness of Girlhood
electricliterature.com • Nov 4, 2025
<p>I.S. Jones is a writer I’ve long respected—her poetry, of course, with its immersive and enchanting qualities, but also her editorial eye and interview work in the series Legacy Suite, in which...
You May Also Like
Game Design and Development: Code, Psychology and Analytics (Paperback)
Speak with Visualizations
101 WebGL and GLSL Projects: A Hands-On Journey Through 101 Programming Project Examples
JavaScript is NOT a Toy
Code Classic Arcade Games: Web Programming
What Readers Are Saying
Lisa Clark
AI Researcher
As a scholar in the field of programming, I find this volume to be an indispensable resource. The author's treatment of complex topics is both rigorous and accessible, making it suitable for classroom use as well as independent study. I highly recommend this book to anyone serious about mastering this subject.
Posted 23 days ago
User478
Verified Purchase
I completely agree with Lisa Clark's review. This book exceeded my expectations!
Posted 8 days ago
Sarah Brown
Library Director
I couldn't put this book down! As someone who's been working with programming for years, I still learned so much from reading this book, clear explanations and real-world examples. It's rare to find a technical book that's this enjoyable to read.
Posted 13 days ago
User400
Verified Purchase
I completely agree with Sarah Brown's review. This book exceeded my expectations!
Posted 3 days ago
William Park
Computer Science Professor
Excellent resource - packed with useful information!
Posted 23 days ago
David Anderson
Library Director
As a scholar in the field of programming, I find this volume to be an indispensable resource. The author's treatment of complex topics is both rigorous and accessible, making it suitable for classroom use as well as independent study. I highly recommend this book to anyone serious about mastering this subject.
Posted 13 days ago
Ava Park
Library Director
I couldn't put this book down! As someone who's been working with programming for years, I still learned so much from reading this book, clear explanations and real-world examples. It's rare to find a technical book that's this enjoyable to read.
Posted 30 days ago