CS50 is launching a new-and-improved course — CS50’s Introduction to 2D Game Development, or simply CS50 2D!

This course, previously known as CS50 Games, picks up where CS50x leaves off and lets you explore the design and mechanics of such childhood games as Pong, Flappy Bird, Breakout, Match 3, Super Mario Bros., Legend of Zelda, Angry Birds, and Pokémon in a quest to understand how video games more broadly are implemented.

The lectures will air on YouTube every day, starting on Tuesday, April 21, at 9am EDT. To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d. And for now — a word of introduction from Professor David J. Malan and CS50’s own Colton Ogden!

https://youtu.be/4oaN94oOdTM

This is CS50 2D’s very first lecture on Pong — learn 2D game development fundamentals using Lua and Love2D, covering game loops, input, collision, OOP, states, and sound integration.

To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d.

https://youtu.be/MY2y3dDwgMk

This is Lecture 1 of CS50 2D — learn how to recreate the iconic Flappy Bird game using sprites, parallax scrolling, procedural pipe generation, collision detection, state machines, and input handling.

To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d.

https://youtu.be/2rboPz0plD8

This is Lecture 2 of CS50 2D — learn how to build a classic Breakout game with sprite sheets, collision detection, procedural level generation, particle systems, game states, and persistent high scores.

To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d.

https://youtu.be/TgZBoMRKSzk

This is Lecture 3 of CS50 2D — explore how to build a smooth & engaging Match-3 game using tile grids, tweening, timers, and color palettes for fluid gameplay and polished visuals.

To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d.

https://youtu.be/Qxh0KheWftU

This is Lecture 4 of CS50 2D, in which you’ll learn how to build a Super Mario-style platformer with tile maps, animations, procedural level generation, collision detection, entities, and game objects in Lua.

To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d.

https://youtu.be/wjzaqNwZrPM

This is Lecture 5 of CS50 2D — recreate the classic Legend of Zelda game mechanics, dungeon generation, hitbox design, screen scrolling, and data-driven game development.

To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d.

https://youtu.be/iwjilbptPFM

This is Lecture 6 of CS50 2D — explore how Box2D physics powers Angry Birds-style gameplay with dynamic bodies, collisions, joints, and trajectory simulation in Love2D for mobile games.

To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d.

https://youtu.be/Wh5cDuJFHz8

In CS50 2D’s final lecture, explore the core mechanics and programming concepts behind Pokémon-inspired RPGs, including state stacks, GUI design, and turn-based battle systems.

To take the course for a certificate, register at cs50.edx.org/2d.

https://youtu.be/pdBhw2QirRI

RESCHEDULED FOR MAY 18 - CS50’s next live Office Hours, led by Professor David J. Malan and CS50’s own Brian Yu, Carter Zenke, and Colton Ogden will take place on Monday, May 18 at 1pm EDT!

What are office hours? At Harvard, these are opportunities to meet with a professor or a teaching assistant to ask questions about a particular topic you’re struggling with. Here at CS50, we’re bringing Office Hours online. 🌐

Register for Zoom at cs50.ly/officehours.

If you want to record a video of yourself asking a question, you can upload one at cs50.ly/question. You also might be called for a question live on Zoom or put them in a Zoom chat.

Professor David J. Malan sits down with Ryan Peterman of the Peterman Pod for a conversation about computer science and beyond, filmed in the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Massachusetts, home to the Fifty Foundation, and the team behind CS50.

https://youtu.be/bB2o81DnKHk

Check out this podcast with Professor David J. Malan by Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success! 🎙

Learn about Professor Malan’s history of getting started with CS50 and transforming it into an academic powerhouse it is today; how artificial intelligence affects education now and what is in store for the future.