A physics-based pinball game built with Unity, featuring dynamic paddle controls, particle effects, gravity zones, and a comprehensive scoring system with lives. All game objects and UI elements are programmatically generated at runtime.
- Overview
- Features
- Game Mechanics
- Controls
- Technical Implementation
- Project Structure
- Installation & Setup
- Requirements
- License
This is an engaging pinball game where players control two rotating paddles to hit a ball towards green targets. The game features realistic physics interactions, particle effects, gravity zones, ice trails, and a scoring system with lives. The entire game is set up programmatically using scripts, with no manual scene setup required.
- Normal Zone (Left side, gray): Standard friction physics for normal ball movement
- Ice Zone (Right side, light blue): Low friction zone that creates a visual trail effect when the ball passes through
- Gravity Zone (Left side, orange): A small gravitational field that pulls the ball toward its center - the closer the ball, the stronger the pull
- Dynamic Physics Materials: Different zones apply different friction and bounciness values to the ball
- Target Collision Particles: Yellow particle effects trigger when the ball hits green targets
- Billboard Rendering: Particles always face the camera for optimal visibility
- Visual Feedback: Provides immediate visual feedback for successful target hits
- Shader Compatibility: Uses fallback shaders for build compatibility
- Left Paddle Control: Press
AorLeft Arrowto rotate the left paddle upward - Right Paddle Control: Press
DorRight Arrowto rotate the right paddle upward - Rotational Mechanics: Paddles rotate around their edge pivot points, adding momentum to the ball
- Ball Launch: The ball starts on the left paddle and is launched when the paddle rotates
- Velocity Transfer: Paddle rotation speed affects ball velocity for dynamic gameplay
- Target Scoring: Hitting green targets awards 10 points each
- Multiple Targets: 12 targets with random rotations and positions for varied gameplay
- Dynamic UI: Score and lives display are automatically generated and updated in real-time
- Visual Indicators: Particle effects provide visual confirmation of successful hits
- Lives System: Players start with 3 lives; ball loss reduces lives; game over when lives reach 0
- The ball is constrained to the XZ plane (top-down view) with no Y-axis movement
- Minimum speed (5 units/s) and maximum speed (15 units/s) limits ensure consistent gameplay
- Special collision handling for 90-degree angles to prevent infinite loops
- Realistic reflection physics based on collision angles
- Automatic speed boost if the ball almost stops
- Gravity zone influence: ball trajectory curves toward gravity zone center when nearby
- Two horizontal paddles positioned on the left and right sides
- Paddles rotate around their edge pivot points when activated
- Rotation speed: 400°/s for responsive gameplay
- Maximum rotation angle: 45°
- Paddles add velocity to the ball based on rotation speed and direction
- Ball-on-paddle detection for initial launch mechanics
- Automatic return to default position when key is released
- 12 Targets: Multiple green cylindrical targets distributed across the play area
- Random Rotation: Each target has a random Y-axis rotation (-45° to 45°)
- Random Position: Targets have slight position offsets for varied gameplay
- Scoring: Each target hit awards 10 points
- Particle Effects: Yellow particle burst on collision
- Location: Left side of the play area (orange cylindrical zone)
- Influence Distance: 2.5 units maximum range
- Gravity Strength: 8 (configurable)
- Physics: Uses inverse-square law - closer objects experience stronger gravitational pull
- Visual: Orange semi-transparent cylinder for visibility
- Effect: Ball trajectory curves toward the zone center when within influence range
- 90-Degree Collision Handling: Prevents the ball from getting stuck in perpendicular collisions with increasing deflection angles
- Ice Trail Effect: Visual trail renderer activates when the ball enters the ice zone
- Boundary Walls: Four walls with high bounciness (0.9) keep the ball in play
- Ball Out Detection: Automatic detection when ball falls out of play area
- Life System: 3 lives per game; ball respawns after loss (if lives remain)
- Game Over: Game ends when all lives are lost
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Rotate Left Paddle | A or ← (Left Arrow) |
| Rotate Right Paddle | D or → (Right Arrow) |
Note: Hold the key to continuously rotate the paddle. Release to let it return to the default position.
- Rigidbody Constraints: Ball is constrained to XZ plane using
FreezePositionYand rotation constraints - Collision Detection: Continuous collision detection mode for accurate physics
- PhysicMaterials: Custom physics materials for different zones and objects
- Kinematic Rigidbodies: Paddles use kinematic rigidbodies for precise control
- Gravity Calculation: Inverse-square law for realistic gravitational effects
- Top-Down Orthographic View: 90-degree top-down camera angle
- Optimized View: Camera positioned at (0, 5, 0) with orthographic size of 4
- Automatic Setup: Camera configuration is handled programmatically
- Dynamic Generation: All UI elements are created via scripts
- Canvas Setup: Automatic canvas creation with proper scaling
- Font Handling: Uses Unity's built-in
LegacyRuntime.ttffont for compatibility - Real-Time Updates: Score and lives display update automatically
- Game Over Screen: Displays when all lives are lost
- Billboard Rendering: Particles use
ParticleSystemRenderMode.Billboardto face the camera - Shader Compatibility: Uses fallback shaders (
Legacy Shaders/Particles/Alpha Blended,Sprites/Default,Unlit/Color) for build compatibility - Burst Emission: Particles emit in bursts on collision
- Color: Yellow particles for target hits
- Distance-Based Force: Gravity strength calculated using inverse-square law
- XZ Plane Calculation: All gravity calculations performed on XZ plane
- Real-Time Detection: Continuous checking for ball position within influence range
- Force Application: Gravity force applied to ball velocity in
FixedUpdate
Assets/
├── Scripts/
│ ├── PinballGameSetup.cs # Main controller - creates all game objects
│ ├── PinballGameManager.cs # Game state management, lives, ball respawn
│ ├── BallController.cs # Ball physics, speed limits, collision handling, gravity
│ ├── BallOutDetector.cs # Detects when ball falls out of play area
│ ├── PaddleController.cs # Paddle rotation and ball interaction
│ ├── ScoreManager.cs # Score management system
│ ├── ParticleTrigger.cs # Particle effect trigger on target hits
│ ├── PhysicsZone.cs # Zone physics material application
│ ├── GravityZone.cs # Gravity zone with inverse-square law physics
│ └── UIManager.cs # Dynamic UI creation and management
└── Editor/
└── TagSetup.cs # Automatic tag setup for Unity editor
- Main setup script that initializes all game components
- Creates game objects programmatically (table, ball, paddles, targets, walls, zones)
- Sets up camera, UI, and physics zones
- Handles material and shader setup with fallback mechanisms
- Creates 12 targets with random rotations and positions
- Sets up gravity zone on the left side
- Manages game state and flow
- Handles lives system (starts with 3 lives)
- Manages ball respawn after loss
- Detects game over condition
- Coordinates with UI manager for lives display
- Manages ball movement and speed constraints
- Enforces minimum (5) and maximum (15) speed limits
- Handles special 90-degree collision deflection
- Manages trail renderer for ice zone effects
- Keeps ball constrained to XZ plane
- Applies gravity zone forces using
ApplyGravityZones()method - Prevents ball from getting stuck with automatic speed boost
- Detects when the ball falls out of the play area
- Triggers game manager's
OnBallOut()method - Uses trigger collider to detect ball exit
- Controls paddle rotation around edge pivot points
- Detects ball-on-paddle state for initial launch
- Calculates ball reflection with paddle velocity
- Handles input for left and right paddles
- Rotation speed: 400°/s, max angle: 45°
- Automatic return to default position
- Defines gravity zone properties and behavior
- Calculates gravitational force using inverse-square law
- Provides methods for distance and force calculations
- Visual representation with orange semi-transparent material
- Configurable gravity strength and influence distance
- Manages game score
- Provides methods to add and retrieve score
- Communicates with UI manager for display updates
- Triggers particle effects on target collisions
- Sets up particle system with proper rendering mode
- Ensures particles face the camera
- Awards points on target hit
- Applies different physics materials to zones
- Manages ice zone trail effect activation
- Handles zone entry and exit events
- Supports normal and ice zones with different friction values
- Dynamically creates canvas and UI elements
- Manages score display, lives display, and instructions
- Handles UI updates during gameplay
- Displays game over message
- Unity 2021.3 or later
- No additional packages required (uses built-in Unity features)
-
Clone the Repository
git clone https://github.com/kriofeng/Unity-Pinball-Game.git
-
Open in Unity
- Open Unity Hub
- Click "Add" and select the cloned project folder
- Open the project with Unity 2021.3 or later
-
Run the Game
- The game automatically sets up when you press Play
- No manual scene setup is required
- All game objects, UI, and physics are created via scripts
-
Optional: Create GameManager
- If needed, create an empty GameObject named "GameManager"
- Attach the
PinballGameSetupscript to it - However, the script will work even without this step as it creates objects programmatically
- Go to
File > Build Settings - Select your target platform (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.)
- Click "Build"
- The game uses fallback shaders for compatibility across different platforms
- Unity Version: 2021.3 or later
- Platform: Windows, Mac, or Linux (tested on Windows)
- Dependencies: None (uses only Unity built-in features)
- Camera: Top-down orthographic view (90° angle)
- Play Area: 5x4 units (XZ plane)
- Ball: Red sphere, constrained to XZ plane
- Paddles: Blue horizontal paddles on left and right
- Targets: 12 green cylindrical targets with random rotation and position
- Walls: White boundary walls with high bounciness (0.9)
- Zones:
- Gray (normal) - standard friction
- Light blue (ice) - low friction with trail effect
- Orange (gravity) - gravitational pull toward center
- Use Gravity Zone: When the ball approaches the orange gravity zone, its trajectory will curve toward the center - use this to your advantage for scoring
- Paddle Timing: Time your paddle rotations to maximize ball velocity
- Target Strategy: Aim for targets in the center area for easier hits
- Ice Zone: The ice zone reduces friction - use it to maintain ball speed
- Life Management: You have 3 lives - be careful not to let the ball fall out!
Solution: The project uses fallback shaders (Legacy Shaders/Diffuse or Unlit/Color) to ensure compatibility.
Solution: Special deflection logic handles perpendicular collisions with increasing deflection angles.
Solution: Particles use Billboard rendering mode and are configured to face the camera.
Solution: Ball is constrained to XZ plane, and boundary walls prevent escape. Ball out detector handles cases where ball falls through opening.
This project is open source and available for educational purposes.
Created as a Unity game development project.
GitHub: https://github.com/kriofeng/Unity-Pinball-Game
Enjoy playing the game! 🎮