How to Make Your First Game in Godot 4 (Complete Beginner Guide)

Steven Marrone·January 25, 2026·0 comments

You can make a playable game in Godot 4 this weekend. This guide walks you through creating a simple 2D game from scratch — no prior experience needed. By the end, you’ll understand scenes, nodes, GDScript, and have a working game.

Quick Answer

  • Time needed: 4-8 hours for your first game
  • Prerequisites: None (complete beginner friendly)
  • What you’ll make: A simple dodge-the-enemies game
  • Skills learned: Scenes, nodes, GDScript basics, collision, UI

Step 1: Install Godot 4

Download Godot from godotengine.org. Choose the standard version (not .NET unless you want C#).

  • No installation needed — just extract and run
  • Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux
  • Only ~120 MB download

Step 2: Create Your Project

  1. Open Godot → New Project
  2. Name it “MyFirstGame”
  3. Choose a folder location
  4. Select “Compatibility” renderer (best for 2D)
  5. Click “Create & Edit”

Step 3: Understand the Basics

Everything in Godot is nodes and scenes:

  • Node: A single game element (sprite, sound, collision)
  • Scene: A collection of nodes saved as a reusable file
  • Your player? A scene with sprite + collision + script nodes

Step 4: Create the Player

  1. Scene → New Scene
  2. Add CharacterBody2D as root (for movement)
  3. Add Sprite2D child (for visuals)
  4. Add CollisionShape2D child (for physics)
  5. Save scene as “player.tscn”

Step 5: Add Player Movement

Attach a script to your player node:

extends CharacterBody2D

var speed = 400

func _physics_process(delta):
    var velocity = Vector2.ZERO
    
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_right"):
        velocity.x += 1
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_left"):
        velocity.x -= 1
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_down"):
        velocity.y += 1
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_up"):
        velocity.y -= 1
    
    velocity = velocity.normalized() * speed
    move_and_slide()

Step 6: Create the Main Scene

  1. Create new scene with Node2D as root
  2. Instance your player scene (drag player.tscn in)
  3. Add enemies and obstacles
  4. Set as main scene (Project → Project Settings → Main Scene)

Step 7: Add Collision Detection

Connect the body_entered signal to detect when player hits enemies:

func _on_body_entered(body):
    if body.is_in_group("enemies"):
        game_over()

Pro Tips

  • Use the official tutorial: Godot’s built-in “Your First 2D Game” is excellent
  • Start smaller than you think: Pong before Platformer
  • Test constantly: Press F5 to run your game
  • Read error messages: They’re actually helpful in Godot
  • Join the Discord: The Godot community helps beginners daily

FAQ

Q: Do I need to know programming?
A: No. GDScript is designed for beginners. You’ll learn as you go.

Q: Should I use GDScript or C#?
A: Start with GDScript. It’s simpler and better documented for Godot.

Q: How long until I can make “real” games?
A: 3-6 months of consistent practice for polished indie games.

Summary

Making your first game in Godot 4 is achievable in a single weekend. Start with the official beginner tutorial, focus on tiny games first, and don’t worry about making it perfect. The goal is to finish something — polish comes later.

Steven

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