2D game development principles. Sprites, tilemaps, physics, camera.
Install with the open skills CLI (global, non-interactive — available in every Claude Code session):
npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill "2d-games" -g -a claude-code -yOr manually — copy the SKILL.md below into:
~/.claude/skills/2d-games-davila7/SKILL.mdPart of the game-development skill collection — installing the parent includes this skill.
---
name: 2d-games
description: 2D game development principles. Sprites, tilemaps, physics, camera.
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep
---
# 2D Game Development
> Principles for 2D game systems.
---
## 1. Sprite Systems
### Sprite Organization
| Component | Purpose |
|-----------|---------|
| **Atlas** | Combine textures, reduce draw calls |
| **Animation** | Frame sequences |
| **Pivot** | Rotation/scale origin |
| **Layering** | Z-order control |
### Animation Principles
- Frame rate: 8-24 FPS typical
- Squash and stretch for impact
- Anticipation before action
- Follow-through after action
---
## 2. Tilemap Design
### Tile Considerations
| Factor | Recommendation |
|--------|----------------|
| **Size** | 16x16, 32x32, 64x64 |
| **Auto-tiling** | Use for terrain |
| **Collision** | Simplified shapes |
### Layers
| Layer | Content |
|-------|---------|
| Background | Non-interactive scenery |
| Terrain | Walkable ground |
| Props | Interactive objects |
| Foreground | Parallax overlay |
---
## 3. 2D Physics
### Collision Shapes
| Shape | Use Case |
|-------|----------|
| Box | Rectangular objects |
| Circle | Balls, rounded |
| Capsule | Characters |
| Polygon | Complex shapes |
### Physics Considerations
- Pixel-perfect vs physics-based
- Fixed timestep for consistency
- Layers for filtering
---
## 4. Camera Systems
### Camera Types
| Type | Use |
|------|-----|
| **Follow** | Track player |
| **Look-ahead** | Anticipate movement |
| **Multi-target** | Two-player |
| **Room-based** | Metroidvania |
### Screen Shake
- Short duration (50-200ms)
- Diminishing intensity
- Use sparingly
---
## 5. Genre Patterns
### Platformer
- Coyote time (leniency after edge)
- Jump buffering
- Variable jump height
### Top-down
- 8-directional or free movement
- Aim-based or auto-aim
- Consider rotation or not
---
## 6. Anti-Patterns
| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
|----------|-------|
| Separate textures | Use atlases |
| Complex collision shapes | Simplified collision |
| Jittery camera | Smooth following |
| Pixel-perfect on physics | Choose one approach |
---
> **Remember:** 2D is about clarity. Every pixel should communicate.
You MUST use this before any creative work - creating features, building components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior. Explores user intent, requirements and design before implementation.
Roleplay the most difficult, tech-resistant user for your product. Browse the app as that persona, find every UX pain point, then filter complaints through a pragmatism layer to separate real problems from noise. Creates actionable tickets from genuine issues only.
ASCII video: convert video/audio to colored ASCII MP4/GIF.