Game development has traditionally only been accessible to those with experience in computer science and access to the best or most expensive development tools. However, with the advent of technologies such as HTML5 and the ability to self-publish, web-based games such as those on Facebook and smartphones are becoming more attractive to develop than ever before. Through the use of open technologies such as HTML5, anyone with even a basic understanding of games development can begin to develop video games in their spare time and publish them to the Web or as an application for mobile devices.

Instant HTML5 2D Platformer is a practical, hands-on guide that provides you with a number of clear, step-by-step, task-based exercises, which are used to discuss game development and put into practice development techniques through the use of HTML5 and JavaScript. This book looks at the creation of a 2D platform-based game using the HTML5 canvas element.

Instant HTML5 2D Platformer introduces you to HTML5 canvas through a number of exercises, which show what the canvas is capable of. The book contains a number of clear, practical, hands-on tasks that incrementally build on the concepts of game creation and result in a 2D HTML5 platform-based game.

By undertaking the tasks within this book, you will learn how to develop your own 2D HTML5 game framework that you can use in the creation of your own video games, not just the game developed within this book. Alongside this framework you will learn how to develop and understand 2D animation, game logic, and how to handle user input devices.