Project Overview

The Brick Breaker Game is a classic arcade-style browser game where the player controls a paddle to bounce a ball and break a wall of bricks. The objective is to clear all the bricks while preventing the ball from falling below the paddle. This project is great for final-year students because it demonstrates collision detection, physics-based mechanics, scoring, and real-time event handling.

Key Features

1. Game Board

   • A grid of colored bricks at the top.

   • A controllable paddle at the bottom.

   • A bouncing ball that interacts with the paddle and bricks.

2. Ball & Paddle Mechanics

   • Player moves the paddle left/right using keyboard (arrow keys) or mouse.

   • The ball bounces off walls, paddle, and bricks with realistic angles.

3. Collision Detection

   • Ball hits a brick → brick disappears, and score increases.

   • Ball hits paddle → reflects based on impact position.

   • Ball misses paddle → life lost.

4. Levels & Difficulty

   • Each level has a different brick arrangement.

   • Higher levels increase ball speed and add stronger/multi-hit bricks.

5. Scoring System

   • Each brick gives points (different colored bricks = different scores).

   • Extra bonuses for clearing levels quickly.

6. Lives & Game Over

   • Player starts with 3 lives.

   • Game ends when all lives are lost or all bricks are cleared.

7. Optional Power-ups

   • Falling power-ups from bricks (catch with paddle):

     •  Expand paddle

     •  Shrink paddle

     •  Multi-ball mode

     •  Slow ball speed

     •  Extra life

Technology Stack

• Frontend: HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript (for game rendering, ball physics, and collision detection).

• Backend (optional): Node.js, PHP, or Java (for saving high scores & player profiles).

• Database (optional): MySQL / MongoDB (to store leaderboard and player progress).

How It Works

1. Game Initialization

   • Bricks are generated in rows with varying colors.

   • Paddle is positioned at the bottom, and the ball is placed on top of it.

2. Gameplay Loop

   • Ball moves continuously with velocity.

   • Player controls paddle to bounce the ball.

   • Collision detection checks:

     • Ball ↔ Walls (bounce)

     • Ball ↔ Paddle (angle reflection)

     • Ball ↔ Bricks (brick removed, score updated)

3. Level Progression

   • When all bricks are destroyed, player moves to the next level.

   • Speed increases and brick layouts become more complex.

4. Game End

   • If the ball falls below paddle and no lives remain → game over screen.

   • Player’s score is displayed, and high scores updated in leaderboard.

Enhancements (Optional)

• Multiplayer Mode: Compete with a friend for highest score.

• Level Editor: Players create custom brick layouts.

• Special Bricks: Indestructible bricks, explosive bricks, moving bricks.

• Mobile Support: Touch controls for paddle movement.

• Sound Effects & Animations: Add realistic bounce and explosion sounds.