Try the IncrediCoders Games - IncrediCoders/Python1 GitHub Wiki
Paul Python added this page on July 29, 2025
You can try out the IncrediCoders games and programs (Levels 1-7), in order to see what they're like, before you build them (or while you're still in progress of developing your programs).
On this page:
The process of creating and opening Python EXE files includes a lot of unexpected and dynamic obstacles, and these requirements and obstacles are constantly changing. Because some EXE files can be security risks, it's not easy to create EXE files or download them in a safe way. We hope that these processes will become simpler in the future (but still just as safe). Because of that, there are a few unusual steps to take to try out the games from our book, to ensure you can download and safely run the EXE files for these games.
We recommend you open the files using the following steps:
- Open the download pages in a new tab or window (middle-click the link or right-click the link and then click Open link in new tab).
- When the OneDrive page opens, click the Download button.
- Because the file is an EXE file:
- On the Microsoft Edge browser, when you download an EXE file, you might need to choose Options > Keep and Show more > Keep anyway from your browser's control menu. We haven't seen this issue with Chrome and other browsers.
- Sometimes with Microsoft Defender, you might see a message that says, "Windows protected your PC." Click More info and Run anyway.
Follow these steps to download the programs and try them out:
- Download the EXE applications to your computer. (The links are above.)
- You will see an EXE file with the level name (such as "TurtleMap_Solution" for the Windows version of the Level 1 program, "Turtle Map").
- Open the EXE file to run/play the game.
NOTE: In the Microsoft Edge browser, you may see a warning and have to click the option "Keep" and then "Show More" > "Keep anyway", in order to begin downloading the file. If a Microsoft Defender screen appears and says, "Windows protected your PC", click "More info" and "Run anyway". This is a limitation with PyInstaller.
For Mac and other operating systems (such as Linux), we recommend that you directly execute your games using a Terminal on Mac or Command Prompt on Windows. See Direct Execution below.
(You can also run all the files through Visual Studio Code and other IDEs on Mac computers.)
If you want to directly execute the Incredicoders game you can use Terminal on Mac or Command Prompt on Windows to run the games.
After you've downloaded and unzipped the files from this github, we'll open a Terminal/Command Prompt window. In this case I'm on a Mac and have opened a Terminal window as shown below:
From here I'm going to navigate to where I've unzipped and saved my Incredicoders files. From this directory I can pick which level and solution file I want to run. Ive chosen Level 1 as my example.
On my computer I will type:
cd Incredicoders/Python1/Solutions/Level1 and press Enter
To run the game, I will type the command python TurtleMap_Solution.py and press Enter. (Keep in mind I'm running the first level, if you are running a different level you will need to insert the correct name of the file you are trying to run)
Congratulations! You have now run the Incredicoders game directly!
Now we'll show you how to play all the games that you'll build in the book. We also have instructions for when you build the versions with the Challenges!
Download the game:
There are no instructions! You tell the turtle what to do in the code. The program moves the turtle along the path you chose, in the TurtleMap.py file.
Things to look out for when you run the program:
- Do you see the turtle fly into place in the lower right corner?
- Can you follow along with the turtle, as it moves from the Turtle house to IncrediCoders Academy?
- Do you see Grafika's house? It's the house on the turtle's back!
- Do you see Syntax Turtle? He's flying to school on his hoverboard!
- Do you see Intelli-Scents walking out of her time machine? She's outside the IncrediCoders Academy!
There are no instructions for Challenge 1! The turtle takes an alternate route with your code.
There are no instructions for Challenge 2! In this challenge, the turtle repeats its path in a loop in your code!
Download the game:
In this program, you press keys on your keyboard to switch to different students at IncrediCoders Academy! Learn more about the students, including their names, where they live, and some of their favorite things.
NOTE: Be sure to pay attention to what you read, because you're going to be quizzed on it in Level 3, Classroom Quiz!
Press the following keys to switch to the different characters:
- 1 - Annie Conda
- 2 - Bayo Wolf
- 3 - Grafika Turtle
- 4 - Intelli-Scents
- 5 - Java Lynn
- 6 - Captain Javo
- 7 - Jitter Bug
- 8 - Paul Python
- 9 - Quackintosh
- Q - SideWinder
- W - Syntax Turtle
Later, in Level 2: Challenge 1, you'll add in two more characters to your game! The version you download here doesn't have those characters yet (it's called a challenge for a reason!). :)
Here are the characters (and their keyboard keys) that you'll add in for Challenge 1:
- E - Ram & Rom
- R - Amphib Ian
You can download the Level 2, Challenge 1 program to try it out!
In Challenge 2, instead of numbers, you'll use the Left and Right arrow keys to switch between your characters. Download the Level 2, Challenge 2 program to try it out.
Download the game:
In this program, you are given several questions that quiz you on different pieces of information on the characters that you learned in Level 2: Class Introductions.
After you read the question, decide what your answer is, and then click on that answer choice.
- If the answer is correct, there will be a pop-up with an encouraging message that says that you got the question right. Then it will move on to the next question.
- If the answer is incorrect, there will be a pop-up saying, "You may want to try again" or "Hmmm... that's not quite right". It will then move onto the next question.
There are 10 total questions each time that you play! Keep track of your score to see if you can keep improving or even get 10/10!
NOTE: Although the questions are the same, the answers are in a random order, to keep you on your toes!
As an added Bonus Challenge, you can create your own quiz questions (and answers)! See Level 3: Bonus Challenge.
For this challenge, the score will be displayed at the end of the game. Try to get all the questions right! There are no other changes to the game in this challenge.
For this challenge, there will also be no gameplay change. You will change the color of the answer selected to be either green or red, indicating whether you got the answer right or wrong.
Download the game:
This is a two-player game with two spaceships battling each other:
Player 1 Movement:
- W key - move up
- A key - move to the left
- S key - move down
- D key - move to the right
- Space button - shoot
Player 2 Movement:
- Up Arrow - move up
- Left Arrow- move to the left
- Down Arrow - move down
- Right Arrow - move to the right
- Enter key - shoot
Your goal is to shoot the other player's spaceship (with your respective shoot button), until they have lost all of their health. The amount of health can be seen at the top of each spaceship with the progress bar.
At the end there will be an animation saying either "Player 1 Wins" or "Player 2 Wins!"
Click Replay to start again!
NOTE: There is sound when your projectile hits the other ship! To add sound for when your projectiles fire, see Level 4: Challenge 1. And in Challenge 2, you'll add asteroids to the game, which you can shoot and hide behind! See Level 4: Challenge 2.
In this challenge, you'll hear a sound whenever you shoot your weapons! Each player has a different sound file for when they shoot, but it's the same sound in both files. For this challenge, we include a bonus challenge for you to change the sound files and make them different.
In this challenge, there will be asteroids that block each player's shots and movement. You can hide behind these asteroids, and they will block your opponent's shots!
In our code, we use collisions to determine whether or not our ship is touching an asteroid. If our code detects that we're touching an asteroid, we will not be able to move through it. That means your ship will stop moving when it runs into an asteroid. You can purposefully move quickly into an asteroid to stop your movement and surprise the other player.
Download the game:
In this game, you will be moving throughout each level to try and reach the portal at the end. There are six levels that alternate between our two planets that you'll visit, Lavash and Foodera. The first three levels are on foot, where you can run and jump. The next three levels give you the ability to fly with your jetpack!
Here are the player movements:
- Up Arrow - move up
- Left Arrow- move to the left
- Down Arrow - move down
- Right Arrow - move to the right
- Spacebar - jump (aided by your jetpack)
Note: In the final three levels, you can fly with your jetpack! When this is the case, tap on the spacebar to fly. Tap rapidly to move Paul more to the top of the screen. Tap once to jump with regular gravity effects.
There are a total of 6 levels, each with a different challenge and scene. Avoid falling into gaps and into the lava (or onto fiery pepper tiles). However, don't worry. Your progress will only be reset to the beginning of the level that you're on, not all the way back to Level 1.
Finish all 6 levels, and there will be an animation screen telling you that you won! Also, you can click in the game window to play again. If you're done, click the exit button (a red "X" in the upper right, on Windows) to close the game.
On Windows, there is a compatibility issue between Pygame and Windows Operating System. If you move the window by the header bar at the top, the Paul Python game character stays in the fixed position on the screen, and so he can fall down through the floor or fall off the map and off the screen. If this happens, and Paul is still on the screen, you can keep playing. If Paul falls off the screen, restart the game. (You'll need to click the exit button ("X") in the upper=right corner, to close the window. Then re-open the game file to start over.)
- This issue is for Windows OS, and it doesn't seem to be the case for the Mac.
Download the game:
In this game, you will be fighting as Paul Python against the Cryptic Creeper, in an ultimate boss battle!
Here are the player movements:
- Up Arrow - move up
- Left Arrow- move to the left
- Down Arrow - move down
- Right Arrow - move to the right
- Spacebar - attack with your Laser Blade
The goal of this game is to get close to the Cryptic Creeper and attack him, by using the Spacebar. The Creeper shoots projectiles, so attack in close range and quickly get away! Try not to run into the pillars, when you're running away!
The Creeper has more health than you, because his health bar goes down slower. (Both of your health bars are shown at the top of the window.) So, don't camp near the boss and spam your attacks all at once. The Creeper will quickly use his close-range attack to deplete all your health.
Based on the result of the battle, you will see a "GAME OVER" losing animation screen, with an option to Play Again. Or, if you win, you'll see a "YOU WIN" animation screen, also with the option to Play Again.
Keep trying this battle to win the game, and then to see how little health you can lose before defeating the boss!
Download the game:
In this game, you'll attack your opponent's character cards to defeat them!
Get started:
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First, click the Start button in the middle of the screen to begin the game.
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This is a two-player game. Choose who will be Player 1 and who will be Player 2.
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Have Player 1 enter their name in the first box, which is provided after you click Start. Press Enter once you enter the name correctly.
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After that, there will be another, similar screen for Player 2 to input their name. Press Enter, once you enter the name.
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Click the Flip the Coin button on the next screen. The game randomly chooses Heads or Tails, to determine who goes first. If you get Heads, Player 1 goes first. If the coin lands on Tails, then Player 2 goes first.
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After you see who gets to go first, click Start.
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Whoever got to go first will choose from three cards to decide which character they want to start with. (The three cards are randomly chosen for the player.)
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Then the other player will get to pick which card to start with (their three cards are also randomly chosen).
For each turn, here's what you can do:
- Select which character that you want to use, from your On Deck box. Either player can switch their active card, at any time.
- When the attacking player is ready, click TechType Attack to attack the other player's card.
If the attacking player gets Heads, then the attack is a success, and you'll deal 2-4 damage points to the defending player's card. If the attacking player gets Tails, then it's a miss, and no damage is done.
While you play, here are some important things to look at:
- What is your opponent's active card?
- Which of your cards will do the most damage to that card? (Note that characters have weaknesses and strengths, depending on their TechType, such as Python, Java, Scratch, Small Basic, and Bash.)
- Do you have a card that's about to be defeated? You might want to switch cards.
- If you're the defending player, and your opponent switched to a character that has an advantage over your card (your card's TechType is weak to their card's TechType), then you should try to switch your card before they attack!
You can see if your character card might be about to lose, by looking at the health bar that's above each of the two active cards. There are 15 total health points, and once that is used up, that card is defeated (and the next card in your On Deck box becomes your active card). This continues until one of the players runs out of cards.
The goal of the game is to keep as much of your cards' health as possible and to defeat the other player's three cards.
Resistance and Weaknesses
Here is how the TechType strengths and weaknesses work:
- If a defending character's TechType is weak to the attacking character's TechType, then you lose 4 health points, instead of 3.
- If a defending character's TechType is resistant to the attacking character's TechType, then you lose 2 health, instead of 3.
- If the defending character is not weak or resistant to the attacking character, then the defending character receives 3 damage.
Use the next list to determine which cards you want to use to attack with, in order to do the most damage. (Or, you can choose which characters to defend with, to minimize damage.)
These TechTypes (named after programming languages) have the following resistances and weaknesses to other TechTypes:
- Python
- Weakness: Java
- Resistance: Bash
- Java
- Weakness: Scratch
- Resistance: Python
- Scratch
- Weakness: Small Basic
- Resistance: Java
- Small Basic
- Weakness: Bash
- Resistance: Scratch
- Bash
- Weakness: Python
- Resistance: Small Basic
Now it's time to head back to the level you're on, to continue your programming journey: