Is Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania! (Step-by-step for Beginners) worth it if you’re shopping in Software Development?

You have a character sprite, a tileset, and a vague idea for a boss fight, but you are stuck in the “tutorial hell” loop where you can code a single jump but cannot string it together into a playable level. That gap between “I know Unity” and “I have a finished game on itch.io” is where most indie projects die. Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania! is a $45 crash course designed to close that specific gap, guiding you from a blank project to a published build using Unity and PlayMaker. It is not a generic “intro to game dev” video; it is a structured build that forces you to implement the core mechanics that define the genre, including wall jumps, enemy AI, and a full boss sequence. If you are ready to stop watching and start shipping, this is the kind of end-to-end guide that actually gets you to the publish button.

Quick answer

What you’re actually buying

At $45, you are not just buying a list of features; you are buying a complete narrative arc for your first game. The course walks you through the entire production pipeline, starting with the unglamorous but critical setup of Unity and PlayMaker, then moving into the meat of the build. You will import 2D assets, cut up spritesheets, and lay out tilemaps, which is where most beginners get stuck. But the real value is in the systems: you build a player controller with run, jump, wall jump, and charge attacks, then you give enemies actual behavior with patrol, chase, and death states. (Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania!)

The course does not stop at “you can move.” It pushes you through the full game structure. You will build a boss fight with multiple attack types, implement destructible walls to open new paths (the core Metroidvania mechanic), and add powerups, health pickups, and bonfire checkpoints. It even covers the UI—health bars, pause menus, and main menus—so you aren’t left wondering how to make the game feel “real.” Finally, it takes you all the way to building for desktop and WebGL and submitting to itch.io. This is a rare “full stack” approach: you get the code, the art setup, the level design logic, and the release process in one package. (Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania!)

One buyer noted the clarity of the logic and explanations, calling it “easy to follow, with clear logic and explanations.” Another described it as a “great thorough course on learning how to use Playmaker to make a 2D sidescrolling action game.” That thoroughness is the key differentiator here. You aren’t just learning how to make a jump; you are learning how to make a game that has a beginning, a middle, and a published end.

Why it’s on our radar

This course stands out because it respects the “beginner” label without dumbing down the scope. Many tutorials teach you how to make a character jump, but they never show you how to connect that jump to a level layout, an enemy, and a boss. Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania! treats the Metroidvania genre as a specific set of problems to solve: how do you gate progression? How do you make a boss feel fair? How do you handle soft respawns? By focusing on these genre-specific challenges, it gives you a template that you can actually use to finish a project.

The use of PlayMaker is also a smart choice for this audience. For many developers, the barrier to entry in Unity is C#. By using visual scripting, the course lets you focus on game design logic rather than syntax errors. This makes the $45 price point feel justified: you are getting a lower-friction path to a finished product. If you have been stuck in the “I have an idea but no code” phase, this is the tool that gets you moving. (Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania!)

What actually matters

Before you buy, check your comfort level with visual scripting. This course relies heavily on PlayMaker, so if you are determined to learn C# specifically, this is not the right path. However, if your goal is to finish a game, the node-based logic of PlayMaker can be faster and less error-prone for beginners. (Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania!)

Second, verify that you have a stable internet connection and a computer that can handle Unity. The course involves importing assets and building out levels, so you will be working with a real project file. The course includes the project files, so you can follow along step-by-step, but you need to be able to run Unity locally. (Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania!)

Finally, consider the scope. This is a full game build. If you only want to learn how to make a character controller, you are paying for a lot of extra content (bosses, UI, publishing). But if you want to see what it takes to go from “idea” to “itch.io link,” this is exactly the scope you need. The course covers everything from installing Unity to submitting your game, which is a massive amount of ground to cover in one package.

Mid-check

If you are ready to stop planning and start building, See current options to grab the course and start your first Metroidvania.

FAQ

Do I need to know how to code in C# before starting? No. This course uses PlayMaker, a visual scripting tool for Unity. You will be connecting nodes and logic blocks rather than writing C# code. This makes it accessible to beginners who find coding intimidating, though you will still need to understand basic game logic concepts. (Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania!)

Is this course only for making Metroidvanias? While the specific project is a Metroidvania, the skills you learn are transferable. You will learn how to set up a 2D project, create a player controller with complex movement, design enemy AI, and build a full game UI. These are core skills for any 2D platformer or action game. The Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania! course uses the genre as a vehicle to teach these broader skills.

What do I need to have installed before starting? You will need Unity and PlayMaker. The course starts with installing both, so you don’t need to have them set up beforehand. You will also need a computer that can run Unity, which is a standard requirement for any Unity-based course. (Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania!)

Bottom line

If you are a beginner who wants to finish a game, not just learn a few tricks, Make a Physics-Based Metroidvania! is a strong choice. It covers the full spectrum of game development, from setup to publishing, and uses a visual scripting approach that lowers the barrier to entry. At $45, it is a reasonable investment for a complete project that you can actually show off. If you are ready to build something real, this is the course that will get you there.