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Create your first android game using libGDX

Building Your Mobile Gaming Dreams

Jason J Pulikkottil
6 min readJul 11, 2022

Android is one of the growing gaming platform nowadays. It will be effective to develop innovative games to this platform.

LibGDX is a simple yet powerful openGL based Java framework to develop games. Today we are going to use libGDX to create a beginner level android game.

Advantages of libGDX framework

  1. Cross platform
  2. Open source
  3. Feature packed
  4. Super fast
  5. Well proven
  6. Great support from active community

Setting up the environment

Android Studio Download Page

Install the latest version of Android Studio from here: https://developer.android.com/studio

During installation download all the SDK components.

After installing Android Studio download the libGDX Project Setup Tool from https://libgdx.com

ligGDX Project Generator Tool

Generating the game

Generate a project using libGDX Project generator tool and open it using android studio.

Now we are going to make a game with the following details :

Project name : Coin Hunt

Package name : com.jdots.coinhunt

Game class : JDotsGame

Edit your game class like below.

package com.jdots.coinhunt;import com.badlogic.gdx.ApplicationAdapter;
import com.badlogic.gdx.Gdx;
import com.badlogic.gdx.Input;
import com.badlogic.gdx.Preferences;
import com.badlogic.gdx.audio.Music;
import com.badlogic.gdx.audio.Sound;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.Color;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.GL20;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.OrthographicCamera;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.Texture;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.Animation;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.BitmapFont;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.SpriteBatch;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.TextureAtlas;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.TextureRegion;
import com.badlogic.gdx.math.MathUtils;
import com.badlogic.gdx.math.Rectangle;
import com.badlogic.gdx.math.Vector3;
import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.Actor;
import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.InputEvent;
import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.Stage;
import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.ui.Label;
import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.ui.Skin;
import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.ui.TextButton;
import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.utils.ChangeListener;
import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.utils.ClickListener;
import com.badlogic.gdx.utils.Array;
import com.badlogic.gdx.utils.TimeUtils;import java.util.Iterator;public class JDotsGame extends ApplicationAdapter {
 private Texture background,background_2,background_3,background_4,bg,texture;
 private Texture bucketImage;
 private Sound coinSound;
 private Sound bombSound;private Music backgroundMusic;
 private SpriteBatch batch;
 private OrthographicCamera camera;
 private Rectangle bucket;
 private Array<Rectangle> bombdrops;
 private Array<Rectangle> bombs;
    private Array<Rectangle> missiles;
    private Array<Rectangle> stars;private long lastDropTime;
    private long lastDropTime2;
    private long lastDropTime3;
    private long lastDropTime4;
    TextureAtlas charset;
 Animation<TextureRegion> BAnimation;
 Animation<TextureRegion> CAnimation;
    Animation<TextureRegion> EAnimation;
    Animation<TextureRegion> MAnimation;
 Animation<TextureRegion> BEAnimation;
    Animation<TextureRegion> EEAnimation;
    Animation<TextureRegion> SAnimation;private float stateTime;
 private int score,level;
 private String yourScoreName,Leveltxt;
 private BitmapFont yourBitmapFontName;float currentBgX;
    long lastTimeBg;private Stage stage,ab;
 private TextButton button,button2;
 private TextButton.TextButtonStyle textButtonStyle;
 private BitmapFont font;
 private Skin skin;
 private TextureAtlas buttonAtlas;Label ScoreLabel,LevelLabel,HiLabel;
 public boolean paused = false;@Override
 public void create() {
  BitmapFont font12=new BitmapFont(Gdx.files.internal("font.fnt"));stage = new Stage();
  Gdx.input.setInputProcessor(stage);
  skin = new Skin();
  buttonAtlas = new TextureAtlas(Gdx.files.internal("button.pack"));
  skin.addRegions(buttonAtlas);
  textButtonStyle = new TextButton.TextButtonStyle();
  textButtonStyle.font = font12;button = new TextButton(" RESET SCORE ", textButtonStyle);
  button.setPosition(Gdx.graphics.getWidth()/4,Gdx.graphics.getHeight()-40);
  button.setScale(2,2);
  stage.addActor(button);/*
  button2 = new TextButton(" PAUSE ", textButtonStyle);
  button2.setPosition(5,Gdx.graphics.getHeight()-40);
  button2.setScale(2,2);
  stage.addActor(button2);
*/currentBgX = 800;
        lastTimeBg = TimeUtils.nanoTime();bucketImage = new Texture(Gdx.files.internal("bucket.png"));
        background = new Texture(Gdx.files.internal("background.png"));
        background_2 = new Texture(Gdx.files.internal("background_2.png"));
        background_3 = new Texture(Gdx.files.internal("background_3.png"));
  background_4 = new Texture(Gdx.files.internal("background_4.png"));bombSound = Gdx.audio.newSound(Gdx.files.internal("bomb.mp3"));
  coinSound = Gdx.audio.newSound(Gdx.files.internal("coin.mp3"));
  backgroundMusic = Gdx.audio.newMusic(Gdx.files.internal("bg.mp3"));charset = new TextureAtlas(Gdx.files.internal("coinpk.atlas"));
  Array<TextureAtlas.AtlasRegion> runningFrames1 = charset.findRegions("coin");
  CAnimation = new Animation(0.05f, runningFrames1, Animation.PlayMode.LOOP);charset = new TextureAtlas(Gdx.files.internal("bomb.atlas"));
  Array<TextureAtlas.AtlasRegion> runningFrames2 = charset.findRegions("bomb");
  BAnimation = new Animation(0.05f, runningFrames2, Animation.PlayMode.LOOP);charset = new TextureAtlas(Gdx.files.internal("explosion.atlas"));
        Array<TextureAtlas.AtlasRegion> runningFrames3 = charset.findRegions("explosion");
        EAnimation = new Animation(0.3f, runningFrames3, Animation.PlayMode.LOOP);charset = new TextureAtlas(Gdx.files.internal("missile.atlas"));
        Array<TextureAtlas.AtlasRegion> runningFrames4 = charset.findRegions("missile");
        MAnimation = new Animation(0.4f, runningFrames4, Animation.PlayMode.LOOP);charset = new TextureAtlas(Gdx.files.internal("bigexplosion.atlas"));
  Array<TextureAtlas.AtlasRegion> runningFrames5 = charset.findRegions("explosion");
  BEAnimation = new Animation(1f, runningFrames5, Animation.PlayMode.LOOP);charset = new TextureAtlas(Gdx.files.internal("exexplosion.atlas"));
        Array<TextureAtlas.AtlasRegion> runningFrames6 = charset.findRegions("explosion");
        EEAnimation = new Animation(1f, runningFrames6, Animation.PlayMode.LOOP);charset = new TextureAtlas(Gdx.files.internal("star.atlas"));
        Array<TextureAtlas.AtlasRegion> runningFrames7 = charset.findRegions("star");
        SAnimation = new Animation(0.05f, runningFrames7, Animation.PlayMode.LOOP);Gdx.graphics.setContinuousRendering(false);
  Gdx.graphics.requestRendering();texture = new Texture(Gdx.files.internal("background.png"));
        texture.setWrap(Texture.TextureWrap.Repeat, Texture.TextureWrap.Repeat);Preferences prefs = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntPreferences");score =prefs.getInteger("score", 0);
        level=1;
        yourScoreName = "Score:"+score;
  yourBitmapFontName = new BitmapFont();
        Leveltxt="Level:"+level;ScoreLabel = new Label(yourScoreName,new Label.LabelStyle(font12, Color.RED));
        ScoreLabel.setPosition(Gdx.graphics.getWidth()/2,20);
        ScoreLabel.setFontScale(2);
        stage.addActor(ScoreLabel);LevelLabel = new Label(Leveltxt,new Label.LabelStyle(font12, Color.BLACK));
        LevelLabel.setPosition(Gdx.graphics.getWidth()/2,Gdx.graphics.getHeight()-40);
        LevelLabel.setFontScale(2);
        stage.addActor( LevelLabel);Preferences pref = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntHi");
          int hiscore=  prefs.getInteger("hiscore", 0);
        String hiscoretxt="Hiscore:"+hiscore;HiLabel = new Label(hiscoretxt,new Label.LabelStyle(font12, Color.BLACK));
        HiLabel.setPosition(Gdx.graphics.getWidth()*3/4,Gdx.graphics.getHeight()-40);
        HiLabel.setFontScale(2);
        stage.addActor( HiLabel);backgroundMusic.setLooping(true);
  backgroundMusic.play();camera = new OrthographicCamera();
  camera.setToOrtho(false, 800, 480);
  batch = new SpriteBatch();bucket = new Rectangle();
  bucket.x = 800 / 2 - 64 / 2;
  bucket.y = 20;
  bucket.width = 64;
  bucket.height = 64;bombdrops = new Array<Rectangle>();
  spawnbombdrop();bombs = new Array<Rectangle>();
  spawnBomb();missiles = new Array<Rectangle>();
        if(level>1)spawnMissile();stars = new Array<Rectangle>();
        if(level>3)spawnStar();}private void spawnbombdrop() {
  Rectangle bombdrop = new Rectangle();
  bombdrop.x = MathUtils.random(0, 800 - 64);
  bombdrop.y = 480;
  bombdrop.width = 45;
  bombdrop.height = 45;
  bombdrops.add(bombdrop);
  lastDropTime = TimeUtils.nanoTime();
 }private void spawnBomb() {
  Rectangle bomb = new Rectangle();
  bomb.x = MathUtils.random(0, 800 - 64);
  bomb.y = 480;
  bomb.width = 64;
  bomb.height = 64;
  bombs.add(bomb);
  lastDropTime2 = TimeUtils.nanoTime();
 }
    private void spawnMissile() {
        Rectangle missile = new Rectangle();
        missile.x = MathUtils.random(0, 800 - 64);
        missile.y = 480;
        missile.width = 64;
        missile.height = 64;
        missiles.add(missile);
        lastDropTime3 = TimeUtils.nanoTime();
    }private void spawnStar() {
        Rectangle star = new Rectangle();
        star.x = MathUtils.random(0, 800 - 64);
        star.y = 480;
        star.width = 70;
        star.height = 70;
        stars.add(star);
        lastDropTime4 = TimeUtils.nanoTime();
    }@Override
 public void render() {Gdx.gl.glClearColor(0, 0, 0.2f, 1);
  Gdx.gl.glClear(GL20.GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);button.addListener(new ChangeListener() {
   @Override
   public void changed(ChangeListener.ChangeEvent event, Actor actor) {
    score=0;
                yourScoreName = "Score:" + score;
                ScoreLabel.setText(yourScoreName);
    Preferences prefs = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntPreferences");
    prefs.putInteger("score", score);
    prefs.flush();Preferences pref = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntHi");
    pref.putInteger("hiscore", 0);
    pref.flush();}});
  /*
  button2.addListener( new ClickListener() {
   @Override
   public void clicked  (InputEvent event, float x, float y) {paused = !paused;
    if(paused)button2.setText("PLAY");
    else button2.setText("PAUSE");
   }
  });*/Preferences pref = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntHi");
        if(score> pref.getInteger("hiscore", 0)){
         pref.putInteger("hiscore", score);
         pref.flush();
  }
  int hiscore=  pref.getInteger("hiscore", 0);
  String hiscoretxt="Hiscore:"+hiscore;
  HiLabel.setText(hiscoretxt);stateTime += Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime();
  TextureRegion CFrame = CAnimation.getKeyFrame(stateTime, true);
  TextureRegion BFrame = BAnimation.getKeyFrame(stateTime, true);
        TextureRegion MFrame = MAnimation.getKeyFrame(stateTime, true);
        TextureRegion SFrame = SAnimation.getKeyFrame(stateTime, true);camera.update();if(level==1)bg=background;
        if(level==2)bg=background_2;
        if(level==3)bg=background_3;
  if(level>3)bg=background_4;batch.setProjectionMatrix(camera.combined);
  batch.begin();batch.draw(bg, currentBgX - 800, 0,Gdx.graphics.getWidth(),Gdx.graphics.getHeight());
        batch.draw(bg, currentBgX, 0,Gdx.graphics.getWidth(),Gdx.graphics.getHeight());if(TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastTimeBg > 100000000){
            currentBgX -= 50;
            lastTimeBg = TimeUtils.nanoTime();
        }
        if(currentBgX == 0){
            currentBgX = 800;
        }batch.draw(bucketImage, bucket.x, bucket.y);for (Rectangle bombdrop : bombdrops) {
   batch.draw(CFrame, bombdrop.x, bombdrop.y);
  }
  for (Rectangle bomb : bombs) {
   batch.draw(BFrame, bomb.x, bomb.y);
  }for (Rectangle missile : missiles) {
            batch.draw(MFrame, missile.x, missile.y);
        }
        for (Rectangle star : stars) {
            batch.draw(SFrame, star.x, star.y);
        }yourBitmapFontName.setColor(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
  yourBitmapFontName.draw(batch, yourScoreName, 25, 100);
  yourBitmapFontName.getData().setScale(2, 2);stage.draw();
  batch.end();if (Gdx.input.isTouched()) {
   Vector3 touchPos = new Vector3();
   touchPos.set(Gdx.input.getX(), Gdx.input.getY(), 0);
   camera.unproject(touchPos);
   bucket.x = touchPos.x - 64 / 2;
  }
  if (Gdx.input.isKeyPressed(Input.Keys.LEFT)) bucket.x -= 200 * Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime();
  if (Gdx.input.isKeyPressed(Input.Keys.RIGHT)) bucket.x += 200 * Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime();if (bucket.x < 0) bucket.x = 0;
  if (bucket.x > 800 - 64) bucket.x = 800 - 64;if (TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastDropTime > 700000000) spawnbombdrop();
  if (TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastDropTime2 > 1500000000) spawnBomb();
        if ((TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastDropTime3 > 1000000000)&&level>1) spawnMissile();
        if ((TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastDropTime3 > 500000000)&&level>2) spawnMissile();
        if ((TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastDropTime3 > 500000000)&&level>3) spawnBomb();
        if ((TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastDropTime > 500000000)&&level>3) spawnbombdrop();
  if ((TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastDropTime > 350000000)&&level>7) spawnbombdrop();
  if ((TimeUtils.nanoTime() - lastDropTime4 > 1500000000)&&level>3) spawnStar();for (Iterator<Rectangle> iter = bombdrops.iterator(); iter.hasNext(); ) {
   Rectangle bombdrop = iter.next();
   bombdrop.y -= 200 * Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime();
   if (bombdrop.y + 64 < 0) iter.remove();
   if (bombdrop.overlaps(bucket)) {
    score++;
    yourScoreName = "Score:" + score;
                ScoreLabel.setText(yourScoreName);coinSound.play();
    Preferences prefs = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntPreferences");
    prefs.putInteger("score", score);
    prefs.flush();
    iter.remove();
   }
  }for (Iterator<Rectangle> iter = bombs.iterator(); iter.hasNext(); ) {
   Rectangle bomb = iter.next();
   bomb.y -= 200 * Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime();
   if (bomb.y + 64 < 0) iter.remove();
   if (bomb.overlaps(bucket)) {
    score -= 10;
    if (score < 0) score = 0;
    yourScoreName = "Score:" + score;
                ScoreLabel.setText(yourScoreName);boom(2);
    Preferences prefs = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntPreferences");
    prefs.putInteger("score", score);
    prefs.flush();
    iter.remove();
   }
  }for (Iterator<Rectangle> iter = missiles.iterator(); iter.hasNext(); ) {
            Rectangle missile = iter.next();
            missile.y -= 400 * Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime();
            if (missile.y + 64 < 0) iter.remove();
            if (missile.overlaps(bucket)) {
                score -=20;
                if (score < 0) score = 0;
                yourScoreName = "Score:" + score;
                ScoreLabel.setText(yourScoreName);boom(3);
                Preferences prefs = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntPreferences");
                prefs.putInteger("score", score);
                prefs.flush();
                iter.remove();
            }
        }for (Iterator<Rectangle> iter = stars.iterator(); iter.hasNext(); ) {
            Rectangle star = iter.next();
            star.y -= 400 * Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime();
            if (star.y + 64 < 0) iter.remove();
            if (star.overlaps(bucket)) {
                score+=5;
                yourScoreName = "Score:" + score;
                ScoreLabel.setText(yourScoreName);coinSound.play();
                Preferences prefs = Gdx.app.getPreferences("CoinHuntPreferences");
                prefs.putInteger("score", score);
                prefs.flush();
                iter.remove();
            }
        }level=getgamelevel(score) ;
        LevelLabel.setText("Level:"+level);if (!paused) {
   Gdx.graphics.requestRendering();
  }}
 private void boom(int intensity)
    {
  bombSound.play();
  TextureRegion EFr;if(intensity==2){EFr = BEAnimation.getKeyFrame(stateTime, true);}
  else
      { EFr = EEAnimation.getKeyFrame(stateTime, true);}batch.begin();
  batch.draw(EFr, bucket.x, bucket.y);
  batch.end();
    }private int getgamelevel(int score)
    {
        int i;
        for(i=1;score>5*i*i+10;i++)
        {}
        return i;
    }@Override
 public void dispose() {background.dispose();
  bucketImage.dispose();
  coinSound.dispose();
  bombSound.dispose();
  backgroundMusic.dispose();
  batch.dispose();
 }
}

Add image assets and sound assets.

After all the above steps are complete, build your android application.

Entire source code is available here : https://github.com/jasonjpulikkottil/coin_hunt

I appreciate you reading my Medium article. Please leave your comments with your ideas and feedback. Follow me if you want to read more.

Android Games
Game Development
Android Studio
Libgdx
Java

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Jason J Pulikkottil

Written by Jason J Pulikkottil

1.4K Followers

Web Developer | Subject-Matter Expert | Digital Creator | Technology enthusiast | https://linktr.ee/pjjason

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