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Set up your 2D game world

In this tutorial, you'll preview the finished version of Sprite Flight: a simple, 2D arcade game where you steer a triangular ship to dodge flying obstacles. Then, you'll create a new Unity project using Unity’s 2D template and set up the basic play area for your 2D game, complete with walls around the edges of the screen. 

Let’s start by previewing the game you're going to build. In Sprite Flight, you control a triangular ship that flies around a rectangular game space. The goal is to survive for as long as possible by avoiding the moving obstacles. The longer you stay alive, the higher your score climbs. If your ship collides with an obstacle or wall, it explodes — and it’s game over.

By the end of this course, you'll have created your own version of this game from scratch. Along the way, you’ll learn how to do the following:

Set up and navigate Unity’s 2D environment

Use physics components to simulate bouncing and movement

Write simple C# scripts and attach them to GameObjects

Handle collisions, UI, and game restart logic

Previewing the final game helps you understand where you’re headed and why each step along the way matters.

1.  Play the web version of the demo game:

Click or tap anywhere to steer the ship in that direction.

Your score increases the longer you stay alive.

Avoid the flying hexagons and the outer walls.



Notice the basic shapes: a triangular player, square borders, and hexagon obstacles.

Pay attention to how the movement feels — there's momentum, bounce, and randomness.

You’ve now experienced the final version of Sprite Flight and have a clear goal in mind. Next, you’ll start your own project and begin building the game world step-by-step.

Overview

Now that you’ve previewed the final game, it’s time to start building it yourself. In this step, you’ll create a new Unity project using the 

 template. This template sets up your environment with settings and tools suited for 2D games.

If you don’t have Unity Hub or a version of Unity 6 installed yet, download and install it from

Name your project “Sprite Flight” or something similar.

Set a project location on your computer where you can easily find it.

 and wait while Unity sets up your files and opens the Editor.

template or your project won’t be configured properly to create this project. 


You now have a fresh Unity project using the 

Create a new 2D project

Unity’s layout is customizable, and organizing your windows early helps you work more efficiently. Also, setting your layout so that it matches the instructions and screenshots in this course will make the tutorials easier to follow. 

In this step, you’ll arrange your workspace so that you can see the 

In the upper-right corner of the Unity Editor, open the 

2.  Move the Project window below the Hierarchy window:

 window up so that it aligns with the top of the 

Your layout is now configured so you can comfortably access all the tools you’ll need during development and more easily follow along with this course.

Set up your layout

Creating a new scene ensures a clean, organized starting point for your game. In this step, you’ll set up and save a dedicated scene.

A dialog stating “Scene(s) have been modified” might appear, referencing the 

, as you have created a new scene, and so 

You’ll now see the name of your scene (

 on a trackpad) to zoom in and out of the 

 view with these gestures will help you quickly place and adjust GameObjects throughout this course. To learn more about scene navigation, check out the 

You now have a new empty scene open in the Unity Editor and understand how to navigate 2D space.

Navigate around a new 2D scene

To build your game world, you'll start by adding a simple hexagon-shaped obstacle to your scene. In Unity, 2D objects are made using 

 — flat images that can be moved, colored, and given physical properties. You’ll place a hexagon-shaped sprite at the center of the scene.

) coordinate system. In this system, the 

 is ignored — since it goes forward and back in the scene. The 

 — the center of the scene — is located at position (

This creates a new 2D GameObject in your scene using Unity’s built-in 

2.  Rename and reposition the GameObject:

Rename the new GameObject “Obstacle”.

 value is still required, but it won’t affect rendering or gameplay.

window to help the obstacle stand out visually in the scene.

You've now placed a static obstacle in the world, centered at the origin. You'll later give it physics properties so it can move and bounce — but for now, it's a visual reference point in your 2D space.

Add an Obstacle sprite

, meaning it shows the world without perspective (objects don’t get smaller as they move away). Instead of zooming in or out with the camera, you control how much of the scene is in view by changing the 

Right now, the area in view is a little bit too small. In this step, you'll adjust the 

 to zoom out a bit, and if you want, you can also change the background color.

 A higher size zooms the camera out, showing more of the scene.

3.  Change the background to a solid color:

Use the foldout (triangle) to expand the 

 swatch and select a background color that complements your obstacle.

 is a 3D environment wrapper used in 3D games. Since you're making a 2D game, a solid background color is simpler and more appropriate.

After this step, your camera shows a larger area of the game world, and the background color is adjusted to your liking.

Change the size and background of the camera

Your player and obstacles need to stay within visible bounds, so it's time to build a screen boundary. 

You'll create a 2D sprite to act as the bottom wall, and use Unity’s 

 to position and size it. This tool lets you directly manipulate the shape and size of 2D GameObjects in the 

1.  Add a square sprite to act as the bottom border:

Rename the new GameObject “Border_Bottom”.


You’ll now see handles around the GameObject that let you resize it directly in the 

view and a circle at the sprite’s center which you can click and drag around.


 view is, you might need to zoom in to see the handles around the 

tool to stretch the border horizontally and move it downward to sit at the bottom edge of the camera bounds.

If you can’t see the camera bounds clearly, zoom out with your mouse wheel or 

After this step, your game now has its first world boundary — a solid wall at the bottom of the screen to stop obstacles and keep the player inside the play area.

Create the first screen border

With the bottom border in place, you’ll now add the remaining three screen borders: top, left, and right. Rather than creating each from scratch, you’ll 

 the existing object and reposition it using the 

1.  Select and duplicate the bottom border:

) to duplicate it, then rename the new GameObject to ”Border_Top”.


GameObject to the top edge of the camera bounds.


3.  Repeat for the left and right borders:

, then position and resize it along the left edge.

) to align the borders accurately, but don’t worry about perfection — close enough is fine for now.


You now have all four walls in place, forming a boundary to contain gameplay and GameObjects within the screen area.

Duplicate to make other screen borders

To make sure your game always fits the screen the way you intend, you can set your 

 mode, which can stretch or crop your game depending on window size. In this step, you’ll set a fixed 

, which is a common screen format used on phones and monitors.

You then might need to adjust your screen borders to make sure they align correctly with the new display shape.

view to see how the visible space changes.

Notice how a fixed aspect ratio maintains a consistent layout, while “Free Aspect” stretches it.


) to reposition and resize the borders so they neatly frame the 16:9 camera bounds.

By locking the aspect ratio and resizing your borders, you ensure that your game layout looks correct no matter how wide or tall the player’s screen is.

Lock the aspect ratio and adjust borders

As your project grows, good organization will save time and reduce confusion. In this step, you’ll group related GameObjects inside an empty parent GameObject and tidy up your 

1.  Group the borders in an empty GameObject:

Rename the new GameObject ”Borders”.


2.  Move all border GameObjects inside the new parent:

) to select all assets that aren’t in the 

Your scene and assets are now neatly organized, making it easier to find and modify elements as you build more features.

Organize the Hierarchy window and Assets folder

Try these optional activities to challenge yourself, build your skills, and improve your project.

 difficulty so that you know what to expect. You can complete one, all, or none of them — it’s totally up to you. If you’re not interested in doing these challenges, mark this step as complete and proceed to the next tutorial. 

If you've arranged your Unity windows in a way you like, you can save that layout for future use.

In the upper-right corner of the Editor, open the 

, give it a name like “2D Game Layout,” and save.

Medium: Change the colors of your obstacle and borders

Make your game feel more unique by customizing the color of your GameObjects.

 GameObject or one of the border GameObjects.

Repeat for each GameObject you want to recolor.

If your camera background still uses the default color, try adjusting that too:

Select a background color that complements your new GameObject colors.

Optional: More things to try

You’ve built the foundation of your 2D game world by adding an obstacle, setting up the camera, adding screen boundaries, and organizing your scene. 

In the next tutorial, you’ll bring your first obstacle to life by adding physics, colliders, and turning it into a flying prefab.

Next steps

Confidently operate the Unity Editor from an empty default project. 

Unity Editor Essentials

NealEdu

Product Manager at Unity

Create and manage Unity versions and projects in the Hub.

Creating and Managing Unity projects

Identify the defaults elements in a new scene, Create and manipulate GameObjects and configure their components.

Scene Building Essentials

Beginner Unity Cameras

ElizabethMidgley

1.1 - Course overview.mp4

1.3 - Set up your layout.mp4

1.4 - Navigate around a new 2D scene.mp4

1.5 - Add an Obstacle Sprite.mp4

1.6 - Change the size and background of the camera.mp4

1.8 - Duplicate to make other screen borders.mp4

1.9 - Lock the aspect ratio and adjust borders.mp4

1.10 - Organize the Hierarchy and Assets folder.mp4

1.7 - Create the first screen border.mp4

Gaming

Identify and describe the windows that appear in the Unity Editor’s default view.

Rearrange, dock, and undock windows in the Unity Editor.

Explain the differences between the Project and Hierarchy windows.

Explain the relationship between the Hierarchy window and the Scene view.

Explain when to use the Scene view and the Game view.

Explain the purpose and functionality of the Package Manager.

Use the Package Manager to add functionality to the Unity Editor.

1.1 Identify and describe the windows that appear in the Unity Editor’s default view.

1.2 Rearrange, dock, and undock windows in the Unity Editor.

1.3 Explain the differences between the Project and Hierarchy windows.

1.4 Explain the relationship between the Hierarchy window and the Scene view.

1.5 Explain when to use the Scene view and the Game view.

1.6 Start and stop Play mode (Game view).

1.7 Explain the purpose and functionality of the Package Manager.

1.8 Use the Package Manager to add functionality to the Unity Editor.

Employ essential features of the Unity Editor

Understand the role of Unity Hub in creating and managing projects.

Explain the purposes and uses of the sections of the Hub interface.

Explain the uses of the 3D, 2D, and microgame templates in the Hub.

Create a new Unity project using a template in the Unity Hub.

Add a Unity project from another source to the Unity Hub.

Open an existing Unity project from the Unity Hub.

Explain the differences between and purposes of LTS and TECH Stream releases.

Install a version of the Unity Editor using the Unity Hub.

Update a project to a newer version of the Unity Editor using the Unity Hub.

Understand what version control is and why it is essential in real-time development among teams.

2.1 Understand the role of Unity Hub in creating and managing projects.

2.2 Explain the purposes and uses of the sections of the Hub interface.

2.3 Explain the uses of the 3D, 2D, and microgame templates in the Hub.

2.4 Create a new Unity project using a template in the Unity Hub.

2.5 Add a Unity project from another source to the Unity Hub.

2.6 Open an existing Unity project from the Unity Hub.

2.7 Explain the differences between and purposes of LTS and TECH Stream releases.

2.8 Install a version of the Unity Editor using the Unity Hub.

2.9 Update a project to a newer version of the Unity Editor using the Unity Hub.

2.10 Understand what version control is and why it is essential in real-time development among teams.

Work with projects in the Unity Hub

Explain how primitives are typically used in a 3D Scene.

Describe the types of primitives available in Unity.

Import a premade asset into a project as a GameObject.

Add a GameObject to a Scene by dragging it from the Project window.

2.1 Define GameObject.

2.2 Explain how primitives are typically used in a 3D Scene.

2.3 Describe the types of primitives available in Unity.

2.4 Add a primitive to a 3D Scene.

2.5 Define Sprite

2.6 Import a Sprite into a Scene

2.7 Create an empty Sprite

2.8 Assign an image to an empty Sprite.

2.9 Import a premade asset into a project as a GameObject.

2.10 Add a GameObject to a Scene by dragging it from the Project window.

2.11 Add a GameObject to a Scene by dragging it from the Project window.

2.12 Create an empty GameObject.

Create GameObjects

Explain the Toolbar buttons used to manipulate objects.

Select a GameObject from both the Hierarchy window and the Scene view.

Link GameObjects in parent-child relationships using the Hierarchy window to create complex GameObjects.

Explain the relationship between the Scene view and the Inspector window.

Move, scale, and rotate a GameObject using the Toolbar buttons and the mouse in the Scene view.

Move, scale, and rotate a GameObject using the Transform Component in the Inspector window.

Unity Version 6.0