Project 4: 2D Game with Raylib
A complete 2D game (like a platformer or top-down shooter) using Odin’s official Raylib bindings, demonstrating game loops, input handling, sprite rendering, and basic physics.
Quick Reference
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Primary Language | Odin |
| Alternative Languages | C, Zig |
| Difficulty | Level 2: Intermediate |
| Time Estimate | 2 weeks |
| Knowledge Area | Game Development / Graphics |
| Tooling | Raylib (built-in Odin bindings) |
| Prerequisites | Basic game development concepts, Project 2 (Vector Math) |
What You Will Build
A complete 2D game (like a platformer or top-down shooter) using Odin’s official Raylib bindings, demonstrating game loops, input handling, sprite rendering, and basic physics.
Why It Matters
This project builds core skills that appear repeatedly in real-world systems and tooling.
Core Challenges
- Game loop structure → maps to Odin program structure
- Resource management with defer → maps to RAII-like patterns in Odin
- Entity management → maps to struct design and slices
- Input and collision → maps to practical Odin coding
Key Concepts
- Raylib in Odin: Raylib Odin Bindings
- Game Loops: “Game Programming Patterns” Ch. 9
- 2D Physics: Basic AABB collision
- Defer for Cleanup: Odin Overview
Real-World Outcome
$ odin run platformer -o:speed
[Window opens showing a 2D platformer game]
Features demonstrated:
- Smooth player movement with acceleration/friction
- Gravity and jumping physics
- Tilemap rendering with camera following
- Enemy AI with state machines
- Particle effects for dust/explosions
- Sound effects and music
- Pause menu with settings
Controls:
- Arrow keys / WASD: Move
- Space: Jump
- Escape: Pause
Debug overlay (F1):
FPS: 144
Entities: 47
Draw calls: 23
Memory: 2.3 MB
Implementation Guide
- Reproduce the simplest happy-path scenario.
- Build the smallest working version of the core feature.
- Add input validation and error handling.
- Add instrumentation/logging to confirm behavior.
- Refactor into clean modules with tests.
Milestones
- Milestone 1: Minimal working program that runs end-to-end.
- Milestone 2: Correct outputs for typical inputs.
- Milestone 3: Robust handling of edge cases.
- Milestone 4: Clean structure and documented usage.
Validation Checklist
- Output matches the real-world outcome example
- Handles invalid inputs safely
- Provides clear errors and exit codes
- Repeatable results across runs
References
- Main guide:
LEARN_ODIN_PROGRAMMING_LANGUAGE.md - “Game Programming Patterns” by Robert Nystrom