Whack-the-Mole
A page for Educators & Parents
The Whack-the-Mole skillmap introduces simple game design and computer science concepts through a fun, relatable carnival interface.
In this set of activities, students will create a simple mole-chasing game with MakeCode Arcade. This map is intended for students who are new to MakeCode with little or no previous coding experience.
Designed for students between the ages of 8 & 13, this experience contains a total of 3 tutorials (approximating 45 minutes of instruction). At the end of the learning path, students receive a certificate of completion and a badge.
| Minutes* | Key Concepts | |
|---|---|---|
| Mole Hunt | 18 | sprites, events, timer |
| Hammer Time | 12 | sprites, overlaps, events |
| Get Animated | 15 | sound, text, animations |
* Minutes are approximate, based on time to follow instructions as written. Providing extra time for creativity and debugging is encouraged.
Objectives
After completing Whack-the-Mole, students will have gained exposure to all the elements they need to successfully create their own clicker game using MakeCode Arcade, including:
Computer Science Concepts
- Sequencing and algorithms
- Events
- User input
Game Design Concepts
- Sprites
- Design, Sounds, and Effects
- Collision / overlap
- Countdown timers
- Game Score
- Win/Loss Criteria
- Animation
1. Mole Hunt
| Activity | Mole Hunt (18 min) |
|---|---|
 |
Learn to use MakeCode Arcade and add a moving character sprite to your project. |
| Blocks used | [scene.setBackgroundImage(img`.`)] [let mySprite = sprites.create(img`.`, SpriteKind.Enemy)] [game.onUpdateInterval(1000, function () {}] |
| Solution option | Mole Hunt Project |
2. Hammer Time
| Activity | Hammer Time (12 min) |
|---|---|
 |
Add a rubber hammer to tag the mole and earn points! |
| Blocks used | [let mySprite = sprites.create(img`.`, SpriteKind.Player)] [simplified.moveToRandomHoleOnGrid(myMole)] [simplified.moveOnlyOnscreenWithArrows(myHammer, simplified.Speeds.Fast)] [sprites.onOverlap(SpriteKind.Player, SpriteKind.Enemy, function (sprite, otherSprite) {})] [carnival.startCountdownGame(15, carnival.WinTypes.Score)] [info.changeScoreBy(1)] |
| Solution option | Hammer Time Project |
3. Get Animated
| Activity | Get Animated (15 min) |
|---|---|
 |
Add sound and animation to polish your game! |
| Blocks used | [music.knock.play()] [animation.runImageAnimation(myHammer,assets.animation`hammerAnimation`,50,false)})] [carnival.addLabelTo("Whack-the-Mole", carnival.Areas.Bottom))] |
| Solution option | Get Animated Project |
4. Play with Friends
| Activity | Get Animated (15 min) |
|---|---|
 |
A few simple changes will have you playing chase in no time! |
| Blocks used | [game.showLongText(" ", DialogLayout.Center)] [carnival.startCountdownGame(15, carnival.WinTypes.Multi)] [simplified.checkMoleEscape(mp.playerSelector(mp.PlayerNumber.Two), 1)] |
| Solution option | Play with Friends Project |
Game Mod Ideas
After students complete Whack-the-Mole they can head back to the skillmap and click “SAVE TO MY PROJECTS”, which will open the game in a window with a full-featured toolbox. Here are some modifications they can try:
- Change the mole to a different character. Try a monster, an alien, or a star!
- Animate your character each time it’s tagged by the rubber hammer.
- Add background music.
What’s Next?
After completing Whack-the-Mole, students can move on to the following activities:
mole-images=github:microsoft/arcade-tutorial-extensions/mole-images#v0.0.11
carnival=github:microsoft/arcade-carnival