Grizzly Game Lab
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Year One · Level 1

Digital Game Design

Unity, C# basics, 2D games.

Level
Level 1
Prerequisite
None
Engine
Unity
Language
C#

What you'll learn

  • Navigating the Unity editor: scenes, prefabs, the inspector.
  • C# fundamentals — variables, conditionals, loops, methods, classes.
  • 2D physics, colliders, and tilemap level construction.
  • Sprite animation and simple state machines.
  • Game feel: input response, camera follow, sound cues.
  • Playtesting and iterating on feedback from other students.

What you'll build

  • Project 1
    Micro-game
    One mechanic, one screen, working start to finish.
  • Project 2
    2D platformer
    Movement, hazards, collectibles, a win condition.
  • Project 3
    Top-down arcade game
    Enemies, scoring, difficulty that ramps.
  • Project 4
    Final 2D project
    Your own concept, built and playtested for a public showcase.

Course map

Year at a Glance

The year is eighteen units. Each new mechanic is learned in a sandbox mini-game, then built into your own project.

Sandbox units

The Sandbox Mini-Game

Learn the new mechanic in a safe, disposable mini-game — code-alongs, finish the build, then playtest and review.

Studio units

The Studio Integration

Bring that mechanic into your own game. Studio time, peer troubleshooting with the Three-Before-Me rule, then a commit and code review.

Every Wednesday is Career Day — industry roles, resume building, guest speakers, studio pipelines, and post-secondary pathways.

Semester 1: Prototype

9 units

  • Unit 1The Plinko DropSandbox
  • Unit 2Main Project Setup & GDDStudio
  • Unit 3Hello World & MovementSandbox
  • Unit 4Studio Integration & DebuggingMain Project
  • Unit 5Spawning & DestroyingSandbox
  • Unit 6Studio IntegrationMain Project Actions
  • Unit 7Hitboxes & TriggersSandbox
  • Unit 8Studio IntegrationHazards & Invincibility
  • Unit 9The Canvas & TextMeshProSandbox

Semester 2: Polish & Game Feel

9 units

  • Unit 10Studio IntegrationHealth Bars & HUD
  • Unit 11Tile Palette & Composite CollidersSandbox
  • Unit 12Studio IntegrationLevel 1 Blockout
  • Unit 13The Invisible LaserSandbox
  • Unit 14Studio IntegrationTraps & Ground Checks
  • Unit 15Scene Management & TransitionsSandbox
  • Unit 16Studio IntegrationThe Main Project Game Loop
  • Unit 17The Mid-Term Polish SprintStudio
  • Unit 18Showcase, Export & Semester Post-MortemStudio
Next in the pathway

Video Game Development (Level 2)

See Level 2 →