9 simple games to code in Python

16 Easy Simple Games to Code in Python (Great for Beginners!)

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Do you want to learn Python in a fun and exciting way? Try building games! Creating simple games is one of the best ways to understand how Python works. You don’t need to be an expert, and you don’t need fancy tools. If you know how to write basic Python code, you can start building games today.

In this blog, we’ll show you 9 simple games to code in Python. These games are beginner-friendly, require little setup, and help you to practice Python skills like loops, functions, and user input.

Let’s gets started!

9 Easy Simple Games to Code in Python

 

1) Emoji Catcher Game

Overview

Emoji Catcher is a playful and interactive game where emojis fall from the top of the screen and players must quickly type the matching emoji to “catch” them before they disappear.

This game teaches real-time loop control, string and input handling, simple scoring mechanisms, and optionally, basic graphics using libraries like curses or pygame.

With each successful catch, the player earns points; if unable to catch an emoji in time, they lose a life. The pace gradually increases to challenge reflexes and typing accuracy, making it both fun and educational.

How to Make It

Start with a list of emojis or symbols (like “😀”, “🍎”, “🚀”).

In a timed loop, the game should pick a random emoji at a random position (if using a grid), and display it on the terminal.

Use time and threading or loop ticks to let emojis remain visible for a short time.

While emojis are live, wait for user input: if it matches a visible emoji, award a point and remove that emoji. If an emoji expires, deduct a life.

Continue until the player loses all lives. If using pygame, create a window, render emojis as text surfaces, animate them falling, capture keystrokes matching emoji, and update score/lives visually.

Code Snippet (Terminal Version)

				
					import random
import time
import threading

emojis = ['😀', '🍎', '🚀', '⚽', '🌟']
current = []
score = 0
lives = 3
lock = threading.Lock()

def spawn_emoji():
    while lives > 0:
        with lock:
            current.append(random.choice(emojis))
        time.sleep(2)

def game_loop():
    global score, lives
    threading.Thread(target=spawn_emoji, daemon=True).start()
    while lives > 0:
        with lock:
            if current:
                print("Catch one:", " ".join(current))
        guess = input("Type an emoji: ")
        with lock:
            if guess in current:
                current.remove(guess)
                score += 1
                print("Caught! Score:", score)
            else:
                lives -= 1
                print("Miss! Lives left:", lives)
    print("Game over! Final score:", score)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    game_loop()

Requirements

  • Python 3.x installed

  • Familiarity with loops, input(), print(), and basic list handling

  • Basic understanding of threading and timed loops (optional)

  • Optional: the pygame or curses library for a graphical or smoother experience

  • Creative emoji or symbol list and scoring logic

2) Code Scrambler Challenge

Overview

Code Scrambler Challenge is a fun Python-based puzzle game where players are shown scrambled lines of a small Python code snippet and must rearrange them in the correct order.

The idea is to test logical thinking and familiarity with Python syntax and structure.

It’s an engaging project for beginners who want to reinforce their understanding of how Python code flows, and it’s especially useful for learners who want to move beyond just reading code into understanding its logic and indentation.

This game also mimics real-world debugging scenarios and is useful for educators who want to gamify Python basics for students.

How to Make It

Start by preparing a list of short Python programs (3–6 lines each). Store each as a list of strings (one line per string).

Shuffle the lines using the random.shuffle() function and display them to the user with line numbers. Prompt the player to input the correct order (e.g., “2 1 3 4”).

Parse the input, reorder the lines, and then check if it matches the original order.

Provide feedback—like showing the correct code if the player gets it wrong—or allow retries.

Optionally, you can add levels, a scoring system, or a timer to make it competitive.

For simplicity, this game can run entirely in the terminal without any external libraries.

Requirements

  • Python 3.x

  • Basic knowledge of Python code structure (functions, loops, indentation)

  • Concepts of lists and string handling

  • Terminal or command line interface for input/output

  • Optional: Create a library of short snippets or allow users to contribute their own

				
					import random
import textwrap

# List of code snippets and their correct versions
code_snippets = [
    {
        "scrambled": [
            "print('Hello, world!')",
            "def greet():",
            "greet()"
        ],
        "correct": [
            "def greet():",
            "    print('Hello, world!')",
            "greet()"
        ]
    },
    {
        "scrambled": [
            "print(i)",
            "for i in range(3):",
            "    time.sleep(1)"
        ],
        "correct": [
            "import time",
            "for i in range(3):",
            "    print(i)",
            "    time.sleep(1)"
        ]
    },
    {
        "scrambled": [
            "    return a + b",
            "print(add(2, 3))",
            "def add(a, b):"
        ],
        "correct": [
            "def add(a, b):",
            "    return a + b",
            "print(add(2, 3))"
        ]
    }
]

def display_scrambled(scrambled):
    print("\nScrambled Code (Line numbers are random):\n")
    numbered_lines = list(enumerate(scrambled, 1))
    random.shuffle(numbered_lines)
    for num, line in numbered_lines:
        print(f"{num}. {line}")
    return [line for _, line in numbered_lines]

def get_user_order(num_lines):
    print("\nEnter the line numbers in the correct order (separated by spaces):")
    while True:
        try:
            user_input = input("> ")
            indexes = [int(i.strip()) for i in user_input.split()]
            if len(indexes) != num_lines or not all(1 <= i <= num_lines for i in indexes):
                raise ValueError
            return indexes
        except ValueError:
            print("Invalid input. Please enter valid line numbers separated by spaces.")

def code_scrambler_game():
    print("🧠 Welcome to the Code Scrambler Challenge!")
    snippet = random.choice(code_snippets)
    scrambled = snippet["scrambled"]
    correct = snippet["correct"]

    # Display shuffled code to user
    displayed_scrambled = display_scrambled(scrambled)

    # Ask user for order
    user_order = get_user_order(len(scrambled))

    # Reconstruct based on user input
    user_attempt = [displayed_scrambled[i - 1] for i in user_order]

    print("\nYour Attempt:\n")
    for line in user_attempt:
        print(line)

    # Check correctness
    if user_attempt == correct:
        print("\n✅ Correct! You unscrambled the code successfully.")
    else:
        print("\n❌ Incorrect. Here's the correct version:\n")
        for line in correct:
            print(line)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    code_scrambler_game()

3) Emoji Memory Trainer

Overview

Emoji Memory Trainer is a simple but creative Python terminal game that boosts both coding skills and memory.

In this game, players are shown a grid of random emoji characters for a few seconds. Then, the grid disappears, and they’re asked questions like: “What was at position B2?” or “Which emoji appeared most often?”

It’s a fun and educational way to reinforce short-term memory while practicing Python concepts such as lists, dictionaries, loops, and time handling.

This game appeals to beginners and even younger coders because it uses playful visuals (emojis), doesn’t require advanced logic, and can be extended in many ways.

It’s also a great way to break away from typical number-based games while still staying in the text-based console environment.

How to Make It

Start by importing the random, time, and optionally os modules. Create a grid (e.g., 3×3 or 4×4) and fill it with randomly chosen emoji characters from a predefined list.

Use nested loops to print the grid with row and column labels (like A1, B2).

After showing the grid for 5–10 seconds, clear the screen (using os.system('cls' or 'clear')) and start the memory quiz.

Ask the user questions like “What was at A2?” or “How many times did 🐱 appear?”

Keep score based on correct answers and display the original grid again at the end to show results.

You can add multiple levels by increasing grid size or reducing display time.

Requirements

  • Python 3.x

  • random and time modules

  • os module (optional, for clearing the terminal screen)

  • Basic understanding of lists, loops, string formatting

  • Terminal or command line to play the game

  • A list of emoji characters (Unicode support in the terminal is needed)

				
					import random
import time
import os
import sys

# List of emojis to choose from
emojis = ['😀', '🎉', '🚀', '🐍', '🍕', '🎈', '👾', '🌈', '🧠', '💻']

def clear_console():
    # Works on Windows and Unix
    os.system('cls' if os.name == 'nt' else 'clear')

def show_emojis(sequence, display_time=3):
    print("Memorize this emoji sequence:\n")
    print(" ".join(sequence))
    time.sleep(display_time)
    clear_console()

def get_user_input(length):
    print(f"Enter the {length} emojis you just saw, separated by spaces:")
    while True:
        user_input = input("> ").strip().split()
        if len(user_input) != length:
            print(f"Please enter exactly {length} emojis.")
        else:
            return user_input

def play_memory_trainer():
    print("🧠 Welcome to the Emoji Memory Trainer!\n")
    print("You'll see a sequence of emojis. Memorize them in order!\n")
    time.sleep(2)

    score = 0
    level = 1

    while True:
        sequence = random.sample(emojis, k=level)
        show_emojis(sequence, display_time=3 + level)

        user_sequence = get_user_input(level)

        if user_sequence == sequence:
            print("✅ Correct! Well done!\n")
            score += 1
            level += 1
            time.sleep(1.5)
            clear_console()
        else:
            print("❌ Oops! That was incorrect.\n")
            print(f"The correct sequence was: {' '.join(sequence)}")
            print(f"Your score: {score}")
            break

if __name__ == "__main__":
    play_memory_trainer()

4) Reaction Time Tester

Overview

The Reaction Time Tester is a fun and interactive Python game that measures how fast a player can respond to a visual cue.

It’s a simple terminal-based game where a random delay is introduced, and then the user is prompted to hit a key as quickly as possible.

The program records the response time in milliseconds and displays it to the player.

This project is excellent for beginners learning to work with the time module, event-based logic, and input handling.

It also helps practice implementing randomness and basic game logic. It’s super simple yet rewarding — and a great intro to real-time interaction in Python.

How to Make

Start by importing time and random. Use random.uniform() to introduce a delay (e.g., between 2 and 5 seconds).

Display a message like “Get ready…” then, after the delay, print “NOW!” and start a timer using time.time().

The user must immediately press Enter. Once Enter is pressed, stop the timer and calculate the reaction time by subtracting the start time from the end time.

Optionally, you can add:

  • Multiple rounds to calculate average speed.

  • High score tracking.

  • A “false start” warning if they press too early.

To enhance the experience further, use os.system("cls"/"clear") to manage screen display or use the keyboard module to detect keystrokes without pressing Enter (optional, advanced).

Requirements

  • Python 3.x

  • time, random modules

  • Optional: os for screen clearing

  • Basic understanding of input/output and time functions

  • Terminal interface to run and play

Code:

				
					import time
import random
import os

def clear_console():
    os.system('cls' if os.name == 'nt' else 'clear')

def reaction_time_tester():
    print("⚡ Welcome to the Reaction Time Tester!")
    print("When you see 'GO!', press Enter as fast as you can.")
    print("Press Enter when you're ready...")
    input()
    clear_console()

    # Random wait time before showing "GO!"
    wait_time = random.uniform(2, 5)
    print("Get ready...")
    time.sleep(wait_time)

    # Start timer when GO appears
    clear_console()
    print("GO!")
    start_time = time.time()
    
    input()  # Wait for the user to press Enter
    end_time = time.time()

    reaction_time = end_time - start_time
    print(f"⏱️ Your reaction time was: {reaction_time:.3f} seconds.")

    # Optional feedback
    if reaction_time < 0.2:
        print("💥 Lightning fast!")
    elif reaction_time < 0.4:
        print("⚡ Great reflexes!")
    elif reaction_time < 0.6:
        print("👍 Not bad!")
    else:
        print("🐢 Try again, a bit slow!")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    reaction_time_tester()

5) Musical Pattern Repeater (Simon Says – Lite)

Overview

This game mimics a simplified version of “Simon Says” where the program plays a pattern of musical tones (or emojis/text), and the player has to repeat the pattern in the correct order.

While sound isn’t mandatory, even a version with characters or colors in the terminal works great.

It trains memory, pattern recognition, and attention — while giving you practice with sequences, delays, and loops in Python.

How to Make

Begin by defining a few basic “notes” or items — for example, characters like “A”, “B”, “C”, or emojis like 🎵, 🎶, 🔔.

In each round, the game randomly adds one new element to a growing sequence.

Display the full sequence (with a short delay between each), then clear the screen and prompt the player to enter the pattern manually.

Compare user input to the correct sequence and let the game continue until the player makes a mistake.

You can expand the game by:

  • Using the playsound or winsound module to play real tones.

  • Increasing speed as the levels go up.

  • Keeping score or showing streaks.

Requirements

  • Python 3.x

  • random, time, and optionally os modules

  • For sound: playsound or winsound (Windows only)

  • Basic knowledge of loops, lists, and input

  • Console to display patterns and capture input.

Code:

				
					import random
import time
from playsound import playsound

# Define available keys and corresponding sound files
keys = ['a', 's', 'd', 'f']
sound_map = {
    'a': 'a.wav',
    's': 's.wav',
    'd': 'd.wav',
    'f': 'f.wav'
}

def play_sequence(sequence):
    print("\n🎵 Listen to the pattern:")
    time.sleep(1)
    for key in sequence:
        playsound(sound_map[key])
        time.sleep(0.5)  # brief pause between notes
    print("🔁 Now it's your turn!")

def get_user_input(length):
    user_input = input(f"Repeat the pattern using keys {keys} (length: {length}): ").lower()
    return list(user_input)

def musical_pattern_repeater():
    print("🎹 Welcome to the Musical Pattern Repeater Game!")
    print("Repeat the sequence of musical notes. It gets harder every round!\n")
    
    level = 1
    sequence = []

    while True:
        print(f"\n🎼 Level {level}")
        next_key = random.choice(keys)
        sequence.append(next_key)

        play_sequence(sequence)
        user_response = get_user_input(len(sequence))

        if user_response == sequence:
            print("✅ Correct! Next level.")
            level += 1
            time.sleep(1)
        else:
            print("❌ Wrong pattern! Game over.")
            print(f"🔚 You reached level {level}.")
            break

if __name__ == "__main__":
    musical_pattern_repeater()

6. Direction Mastermind

Overview

Direction Mastermind is a fun memory and attention game where the computer flashes a sequence of arrow directions (↑ ↓ ← →) and the player must repeat them in the correct order. With each level, the sequence gets longer.

It sharpens short-term memory and focus — great for both kids and adults!

Unlike typical number-based or letter-based memory games, using directions adds a spatial twist that’s especially fun when paired with visual cues or physical reactions (like pressing actual arrow keys).

You can enhance this later with a GUI using libraries like pygame or tkinter, but we’ll start with a simple console-based version.

How to Make

The game:

  1. Shows a random sequence of arrows.

  2. Plays a short pause between directions (simulating flashes).

  3. Prompts the user to type the same sequence using w for up, s for down, a for left, and d for right.

  4. Validates if the user repeated the sequence correctly.

  5. Adds a new arrow to the sequence with each level.

Requirements

  • Python 3

  • Basic understanding of lists, loops, conditionals, input(), and time.sleep()

  • No external libraries are required

Code: Direction Mastermind

				
					import random
import time
import os

# Direction map for display and input
arrow_map = {
    'w': '↑',
    'a': '←',
    's': '↓',
    'd': '→'
}

input_keys = list(arrow_map.keys())

def clear_screen():
    os.system('cls' if os.name == 'nt' else 'clear')

def show_sequence(seq):
    clear_screen()
    print("🧠 Memorize the direction pattern!")
    time.sleep(1)
    for key in seq:
        print(f"  {arrow_map[key]}")
        time.sleep(0.8)
        clear_screen()
        time.sleep(0.3)

def get_user_input(length):
    print(f"Type the sequence using keys: W (↑), A (←), S (↓), D (→)")
    user_input = input(f"Enter {length} keys (e.g., 'wasd'): ").lower()
    return list(user_input)

def direction_mastermind():
    print("🎯 Welcome to Direction Mastermind!")
    print("Repeat the arrow sequence. It gets harder every round!\n")
    time.sleep(2)

    level = 1
    sequence = []

    while True:
        print(f"\n🎮 Level {level}")
        sequence.append(random.choice(input_keys))

        show_sequence(sequence)
        user_input = get_user_input(len(sequence))

        if user_input == sequence:
            print("✅ Correct! Moving to next level...")
            level += 1
            time.sleep(1.5)
        else:
            print("❌ Incorrect! Game over.")
            print(f"🔚 You reached level {level}.")
            break

if __name__ == "__main__":
    direction_mastermind()

8) Word Fade Challenge

Overview

Word Fade Challenge is a quick-thinking game that tests your short-term memory and spelling. The game shows a word on the screen for a few seconds and then “fades” it away. Your challenge is to type the word exactly as it appeared — from memory.

It’s a simple yet surprisingly addictive game that helps improve your focus, recall, and typing accuracy. You can scale the difficulty by increasing word length or reducing the display time. It’s ideal for beginners who want to practice working with strings, timers, and user input.

How to Make

Gameplay Steps:

  1. Display a random word from a list.

  2. Keep it on screen for 3–5 seconds.

  3. Clear the screen.

  4. Ask the player to type the word from memory.

  5. Check if their answer matches the original word.

  6. Increase the difficulty over time (optional: word length or speed).

  7. Repeat or end the game if the player makes a mistake.

Requirements

  • Python 3

  • Familiarity with random, time.sleep, string comparison, and terminal output

  • A simple word list (you can create your own or use built-in)

Code: Word Fade Challenge

				
					import random
import time
import os

def clear_screen():
    os.system('cls' if os.name == 'nt' else 'clear')

# Word list (add more as needed)
words = [
    "python", "keyboard", "function", "variable", "syntax",
    "developer", "integer", "memory", "runtime", "debug"
]

def word_fade_challenge():
    print("🧠 Welcome to the Word Fade Challenge!")
    print("A word will appear briefly. Memorize it, and type it back after it disappears.\n")
    score = 0

    while True:
        word = random.choice(words)
        display_time = random.randint(2, 4)

        print(f"📝 Memorize this word: {word}")
        time.sleep(display_time)

        clear_screen()
        user_input = input("⌛ What was the word? ").strip()

        if user_input.lower() == word:
            score += 1
            print("✅ Correct!")
            print(f"🏆 Current Score: {score}\n")
            time.sleep(1.5)
        else:
            print(f"❌ Wrong! The word was: {word}")
            print(f"🎯 Final Score: {score}")
            break

if __name__ == "__main__":
    word_fade_challenge()

8) Typing Accuracy Arena

Overview

Typing Accuracy Arena is a speed-and-accuracy challenge that tests how quickly and correctly a user can type a given sentence. It’s similar to online typing tests but simplified for the terminal.

The game displays a sentence, times how long it takes the player to type it, and then calculates two key stats:

  • Typing Speed (WPM – Words Per Minute)

  • Typing Accuracy (%)

This project is excellent for practicing string manipulation, time tracking, and logic building, making it perfect for Python beginners who want to build something interactive and educational.

How to Make

Steps to Build:

  1. Show a random sentence for the user to type.

  2. Start a timer as soon as the sentence is displayed.

  3. Capture the user’s input.

  4. Stop the timer when input is complete.

  5. Compare the typed sentence with the original to compute:

    • Time taken

    • Words per minute (WPM)

    • Typing accuracy

  6. Show results and offer to play again.

Requirements

  • Python 3

  • Basic knowledge of:

    • time module

    • string comparisons

    • terminal input/output

  • Optional: Expand word bank with more sentences for better replay ability.

Code: Typing Accuracy Arena

				
					import time
import random

sentences = [
    "Python is a powerful programming language.",
    "Always indent your code properly.",
    "Practice makes perfect.",
    "Debugging is twice as hard as writing code.",
    "Variables store data values in Python."
]

def calculate_accuracy(original, typed):
    correct_chars = sum(1 for o, t in zip(original, typed) if o == t)
    return round((correct_chars / len(original)) * 100, 2)

def calculate_wpm(start, end, typed):
    time_taken = end - start
    words = len(typed.split())
    return round((words / (time_taken / 60)), 2)

def typing_arena():
    print("🎯 Welcome to Typing Accuracy Arena!")
    input("Press Enter to begin...")

    sentence = random.choice(sentences)
    print("\n💬 Type this sentence as fast and accurately as you can:\n")
    print(f"🔤 {sentence}\n")

    input("Press Enter when you're ready to start typing...")
    start_time = time.time()

    typed = input("📝 Your input: ")
    end_time = time.time()

    accuracy = calculate_accuracy(sentence, typed)
    wpm = calculate_wpm(start_time, end_time, typed)

    print("\n✅ Results:")
    print(f"⏱ Time Taken: {round(end_time - start_time, 2)} seconds")
    print(f"💨 Speed: {wpm} WPM")
    print(f"🎯 Accuracy: {accuracy}%")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    typing_arena()

9)Voice-Controlled Quiz Game

Overview

The Voice-Controlled Quiz Game brings voice recognition into play, turning a standard quiz into an interactive speaking challenge. Instead of typing answers, users respond verbally using their microphone.

The game recognizes the spoken input using speech-to-text technology and checks whether the answer is correct.

This project is great for learners looking to mix Python with real-world technologies like voice recognition and audio input.

It gives hands-on experience with libraries such as speech_recognition and pyttsx3 for voice interaction.

How to Make

Steps to Build:

  1. Prepare a list of quiz questions and their answers.

  2. Use pyttsx3 to read questions out loud.

  3. Record the user’s spoken answer using speech_recognition.

  4. Convert the speech to text and compare it to the correct answer.

  5. Track the score and display the result at the end.

Requirements

Libraries to Install:

pip install SpeechRecognition pyttsx3 pyaudio
Other Requirements:

  • Python 3

  • A working microphone

  • Internet connection (for Google’s speech recognition API)

  • Basic knowledge of:

    • Functions

    • Loops

    • Error handling

    • Audio input/output

Code: Voice-Controlled Quiz Game

				
					import speech_recognition as sr
import pyttsx3

# Initialize text-to-speech engine
engine = pyttsx3.init()
recognizer = sr.Recognizer()

questions = {
    "What is the capital of France?": "paris",
    "What programming language are we using?": "python",
    "What is two plus two?": "four",
    "Name a primary color.": "red",
    "What planet do we live on?": "earth"
}

def speak(text):
    engine.say(text)
    engine.runAndWait()

def get_audio():
    with sr.Microphone() as source:
        print("🎙 Listening...")
        audio = recognizer.listen(source)
        try:
            said = recognizer.recognize_google(audio)
            print(f"🗣 You said: {said}")
            return said.lower()
        except sr.UnknownValueError:
            print("❌ Could not understand.")
            return ""
        except sr.RequestError:
            print("⚠️ Error with the recognition service.")
            return ""

def voice_quiz():
    score = 0
    speak("Welcome to the Voice Controlled Quiz Game!")

    for question, correct_answer in questions.items():
        speak(question)
        print(f"\n🔊 Question: {question}")
        user_answer = get_audio()
        
        if user_answer == correct_answer:
            speak("Correct!")
            score += 1
        else:
            speak(f"Wrong. The correct answer is {correct_answer}.")

    speak(f"Quiz complete. You scored {score} out of {len(questions)}.")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    voice_quiz()

Conclusion

These 9 simple Python games are perfect for beginners who want to learn by building. Each project is fun, practical, and helps you apply core programming concepts in a creative way. Whether you’re testing memory, building reaction games, or working with sound and visuals—there’s something here for everyone. Start small, keep practicing, and most importantly—have fun while coding!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are some simple games I can code in Python as a beginner?

Some easy Python games to start with include Rock, Paper, Scissors, Number Guessing Game, Emoji Memory Trainer, Reaction Time Tester, and Code Scrambler Challenge. These games are great for learning loops, conditionals, and working with user input.

Yes! Many beginner-friendly games like Guess the Number, Rock-Paper-Scissors, and basic memory games can be built using only built-in Python modules such as random, time, and sys.

Python is great for beginners and small games. It’s easy to learn and has libraries like pygame for 2D games. While it’s not used for high-end gaming, it’s perfect for learning and prototyping.

You can build a simple Python game in a few hours or even less. Projects like dice simulators or memory games may take 1–2 hours if you already understand Python basics.

Not necessarily. Many beginner games can be coded without pygame. But if you want to create games with graphics, sound, or advanced input handling, pygame is a great next step.

Absolutely! Fun Python games showcase your understanding of logic, problem-solving, and user interaction. They’re excellent for portfolios, especially if you share the code on GitHub.

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