Game Design and Development 1: 2D Shooter (Coursera)

Game Design and Development 1: 2D Shooter (Coursera)

If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course will start you down that path. Making games is a creative and technical art form. In this course you will familiarize yourself with the tools and practices of game development and well as the process. You will get started developing video games using industry standard game development tools, including the Unity 2020 game engine. At the end of the course you will have completed two hands-on projects, including an Intro to Unity project and a 2D Shooter game, and will be able to leverage an array of game development techniques to create your own basic games.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Course 1 of 5 in the Game Design and Development with Unity 2020 Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
From Game Player to Game Developer
The only thing more fun than playing games is making them. You can make games. All it takes is some time, a willingness to learn and a passion to create. You don't need to be a "coder" to make games. Part of the beauty of games is that they take a variety of skills to make. Art, creativity, and systems thinking are just as important as code. Join us in this journey into game making! This first module will provide you with an overview of this course and the entire specialization. The module will also introduce you to the game design and development process and get you up and running with Unity, the game engine we will use across this course.

WEEK 2
Understanding Core Unity Concepts
One of the reasons we use Unity is its visual editor which makes creating interactive games accessible to both creative and technical individuals. In this module, you will continue working on the Solar System project and from start to finish. Using a variety of graphical and audio assets and a library of scripts, you will create a simple model of our solar system. By the end of the module, you should have a good understanding of the Unity editor, the core concepts of building projects in Unity, and the workflow for creating games.

WEEK 3
Building Your First Game
Unity is a powerful tool for creating games. In this module, you will create your first actual game from start to finish in the form of a 2D Shooter game. This is your right of passage into game development! In the first part of the assignment, follow along with the tutorial videos in this module. In the second part of the project, you will modify the game to make it your own.

WEEK 4
Coding Gameplay Systems and Finishing Up
Now, don't get scared, but games need code. Code is the canvas upon which game systems are painted. However, that doesn't mean you need to be a C# ninja. In this module, you will start to learn the ins-and-outs of programming C# in Unity. In this module, you will also finish up the 2D Shooter project, submit it for peer review, and peer review your fellow learners games. Finish the course strong!

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Advanced Modeling for Discrete Optimization (Coursera) Coursera
University of Melbourne,The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Advanced Modeling for Discrete Optimization (Coursera)

Optimization is a common form of decision making, and is ubiquitous in our society. Its applications range from solving Sudoku puzzles to arranging seating in a wedding banquet. The same technology can schedule planes and their crews, coordinate the production of steel, and organize the transportation of iron ore from the mines to the ports. Good decisions in manpower and material resources management also allow corporations to improve profit by millions of dollars.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Get Interactive: Practical Teaching with Technology (Coursera) Coursera
University of London,Bloomsbury Learning Environment

Get Interactive: Practical Teaching with Technology (Coursera)

This course is designed to help you create dynamic, interactive online courses through the use of multimedia tools, student collaboration opportunities, and formative assessment and feedback. Each week we will focus on a particular topic: Using multimedia for teaching and learning; Encouraging student collaboration; Formative assessment and feedback.

Sep 6th 2026
3 Weeks
Capstone: Autonomous Runway Detection for IoT (Coursera) Coursera
EIT Digital

Capstone: Autonomous Runway Detection for IoT (Coursera)

The students will develop a larger system using the learning outcomes from these courses, and the students will evaluate the developed system in a real-world programming environment. This course is a true engineering task in which the student must, not only implement the algorithm code, but also handle the interfaces between many different actors and hardware platforms.

Sep 7th 2026
3 Weeks
Introduction to .NET Core (Coursera) Coursera
Board Infinity

Introduction to .NET Core (Coursera)

This course is an introductory-level course for software developers who want to learn the basics of developing applications with .NET Core. .NET Core is a cross-platform, open-source development platform that allows developers to create applications for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Throughout this course, students will learn the fundamental concepts of .NET Core, including its architecture, programming model, and tools. They will also learn how to create, build, and deploy applications using .NET Core.

Sep 7th 2026
3 Weeks
Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado System

Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future (Coursera)

The approach of this course is truly unique in how it approaches and engages learners. It looks at the electric utility industry, which has remained critical to our quality of life, health and comfort from the eyes of numerous industry experts through on-location interviews, compelling visuals, and animation. You will benefit from having the inside track because you see some behind-the-scenes information not covered in news stories, social media or even if we are in the business ourselves.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Gamification (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

Gamification (Coursera)

Gamification is the application of game elements and digital game design techniques to non-game problems, such as business and social impact challenges. This course will teach you the mechanisms of gamification, why it has such tremendous potential, and how to use it effectively.

Aug 31st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Introdução ao Teste de Software (Coursera) Coursera
Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil

Introdução ao Teste de Software (Coursera)

A necessidade das empresas em produzir software com qualidade tem aumentado a demanda por profissionais com conhecimentos e habilidades em Teste de Software. Entretanto, existe uma escassez de mão-de-obra especializada nesta área. Considerando essa lacuna, o curso de Introdução ao Teste de Software foi planejado para servir como um guia para pessoas que necessitam de uma fonte de consulta e/ou aprendizado na área.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks