If you’ve ever spent hours grinding Brawl Stars matches and wondered how you could put your own twist on the game, you’re not alone. Thousands of fan creators build custom versions of their favorite games on Scratch every month, and learning how to make Brawl Stars in Scratch is one of the most fun, low-pressure ways to practice basic coding skills. You don’t need any prior programming experience to pull this off, either – Scratch’s drag-and-drop interface makes it simple to build core mechanics without typing lines of complex code. I’ve built three custom Brawl Stars Scratch projects over the past two years, and I’m sharing all the shortcuts I wish I knew when I started out.
Prep Work: Assets and Mechanics to Map Out Before You Start Coding
Before you even open the Scratch editor, you’ll save hours of frustration by mapping out exactly what you want your game to include. You don’t need to build every single Brawl Stars feature at first – start small with a minimum viable version that’s fun to play, then add extra features later. I usually spend 30 minutes planning before I start any new Scratch project, and it cuts my total build time almost in half.
- Playable brawler roster: Pick 2-3 simple brawlers first, like Colt or Shelly, that have basic attack patterns instead of complex abilities like Leon or Mortis.
- Game mode: Stick to Showdown or Gem Grab first, since they have simpler win conditions than more complex modes like Siege or Brawl Ball.
- Basic map layout: Draw a simple 2D map with walls, spawn points, and objective markers (like gem spawns) so you don’t have to design it while coding.
- Core mechanics: List the non-negotiable features: movement, attacking, health bars, and win/loss conditions.
You can find free custom Brawl Stars sprites for Scratch on fan creation sites, or draw your own if you want a fully unique look. Just make sure your sprites are sized consistently so they don’t look distorted when you import them to the editor. You can also adjust sprite sizes later in the Scratch editor if you find they’re too big or small for your map.
Step-by-Step Breakdown: How to Make Brawl Stars in Scratch for First-Time Creators
Once your prep work is done, open the Scratch editor and start building one mechanic at a time. Don’t try to build everything at once – test each feature as you go to catch bugs early. I learned this the hard way on my first build, where I coded 10 different mechanics before testing, and spent 3 hours tracking down a movement bug that would have taken 2 minutes to fix if I’d tested earlier.
First, set up your player movement. Use the arrow key blocks to assign up, down, left, and right movement to your brawler sprite, and add collision blocks so your character can’t walk through walls. When you’re building your Brawl Stars in Scratch project, you can adjust movement speed and attack damage to feel as close to the original game as you want, or tweak them to fit your custom mechanics. Next, add your attack mechanic: assign the space bar to spawn a projectile sprite that moves in the direction your brawler is facing, and add a code block that reduces enemy health when the projectile hits them.
From there, add your health bar sprites, and link them to code that changes the bar’s length when your brawler takes damage. Once basic combat works, add your objective: if you’re building Gem Grab, add gem sprites that spawn at set intervals, and a win condition that triggers when one team collects 10 gems and holds them for 10 seconds. You can add AI for enemy brawlers if you don’t have a friend to test local multiplayer with, but basic AI is enough for a first build – you don’t need to make it as smart as the real Brawl Stars bots. Always test each feature immediately after you build it – it’s the easiest way to avoid big headaches later on.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building Your Brawl Stars Scratch Game
I’ve made almost every possible mistake when building these projects, so I can tell you exactly what to skip to save time. One of the most common mistakes new creators make is trying to cram every Brawl Stars feature into their first build. It’s tempting to add all 60+ brawlers, every game mode, and custom skins, but you’ll burn out before you finish a playable version. Stick to 2 brawlers and one game mode first, then add more features later if you want.
Another common mistake is ignoring collision physics. If your projectiles go through walls, or your brawler can walk off the edge of the map, the game won’t feel fun to play even if all the other mechanics work. Spend extra time adjusting collision blocks – it makes a huge difference in how polished your final game feels. You also don’t need to use super complex code to get your Brawl Stars Scratch build working – the basic drag-and-drop blocks are more than enough for a polished game.
You also don’t need to copy Brawl Stars 1:1. A lot of new creators get stressed when their game doesn’t feel exactly like the original, but the best fan projects add unique twists that set them apart. For example, I added a custom power-up that lets brawlers jump over walls in my last build, and it became the most popular feature of the game. The only time this becomes a problem is if you change core mechanics so much that it doesn’t feel like Brawl Stars anymore, but that’s a line you can adjust as you build.
Ways to Customize Your Scratch Brawl Stars Game to Stand Out
Once you have a working basic build, you can start adding custom features to make your game feel unique. You don’t need advanced coding skills for most of these tweaks – they just use the same basic blocks you already used for core mechanics. Custom brawlers are the easiest way to make your game feel unique – you can design original characters with unique attacks, like a brawler that shoots healing darts to support teammates, or one that can place temporary walls to block enemy fire.
You can also build custom game modes that don’t exist in the original Brawl Stars, like a free-for-all capture the flag mode, or a mode where brawlers get random power-ups every 30 seconds. Even small customizations will make your Brawl Stars Scratch game feel far more personal than a straight copy of the original. If you want to make the game more social, you can add local multiplayer support so two people can play on the same keyboard, using different keys for movement and attacks.
You can even add custom sound effects and background music to match the vibe of your game, or add a leaderboard that tracks the number of wins for each player. Small quality of life tweaks like a respawn timer or a match countdown at the start of the round also make the game feel far more professional, even if they only take a few minutes to add. These small tweaks don’t take long to add, but they make your game feel far more polished and fun for other people to play. I’ve seen creators add everything from custom skin unlocks to seasonal events to their Scratch Brawl Stars builds, so don’t be afraid to get creative with it.
Building a custom fan game is one of the most fun ways to engage with a franchise you love, and learning how to make Brawl Stars in Scratch is the perfect low-stakes project for new and experienced creators alike. You don’t need fancy tools or years of coding experience to build something fun – all you need is a little planning and willingness to experiment as you go. Once you finish your first build, you can share it with the Scratch community to get feedback, or keep tweaking it to add more features as you learn new coding skills. Don’t get discouraged if your first build has bugs or doesn’t feel perfect – every creator starts somewhere, and even small projects are worth being proud of.