Whack-a-Mole in 100 Lines of Python: A Compact Gaming Adventure

In the realm of Python programming, creating engaging games with minimal code is a testament to the language’s power and versatility. Today, we embark on a thrilling adventure to develop a Whack-a-Mole game in just 100 lines of Python code. This compact version, while stripped down to its essentials, still manages to capture the excitement and challenge of the classic arcade game.

The Challenge of Brevity

Crafting a game in just 100 lines of code presents unique challenges. We must carefully select and optimize every line, ensuring that the game’s core mechanics are preserved while keeping the codebase as lean as possible. This requires strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and a deep understanding of Python’s capabilities.

Designing the Game

For our 100-line Whack-a-Mole game, we’ll focus on the following key components:

1. Game Loop: Handles the game’s main execution loop, updating the game state and rendering the game.
2. Mole Logic: Simulates the appearance and disappearance of moles in a simplified manner.
3. Input Handling: Detects player input and determines if a mole is hit.
4. Display: Renders the game on the screen, including the moles and their holes.

Implementing the Game

Due to the strict 100-line limit, we’ll use a simplified approach for each component. The following is a high-level overview of how the game could be implemented:

Initialization and Setup

pythonimport pygame
import random
import sys

pygame.init()

# Constants
WIDTH, HEIGHT = 400, 300
FPS = 30
HOLE_SIZE = 50
NUM_HOLES = 4

# Colors
BLACK = (0, 0, 0)
GREEN = (0, 255, 0)

# Setup the screen
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((WIDTH, HEIGHT))
pygame.display.set_caption('Whack-a-Mole 100 Lines')
clock = pygame.time.Clock()

# Simplified mole representation (holes will double as moles)
moles = [False] * NUM_HOLES  # False = hidden, True = visible

Game Loop
pythonrunning = True
while running:
    for event in pygame.event.get():
        if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
            running = False

    # Update game state
    # (Simplified: Randomly toggle mole visibility)
    for i in range(NUM_HOLES):
        if random.randint(0, 100) < 10:  # 10% chance of appearing
            moles[i] = not moles[i]

    # Handle input
    keys = pygame.key.get_pressed()
    if keys[pygame.K_1] and moles[0]:
        # Score logic would go here
        moles[0] = False  # Hide the mole

    # (Similar input handling for other keys/holes)

    # Render game
    screen.fill(BLACK)
    for i in range(NUM_HOLES):
        x = (i % 2) * (WIDTH // 2 - HOLE_SIZE) + (WIDTH // 4)
        y = (i // 2) * (HEIGHT // 2 - HOLE_SIZE) + (HEIGHT // 4)
        pygame.draw.rect(screen, GREEN if moles[i] else BLACK, (x, y, HOLE_SIZE, HOLE_SIZE))

    pygame.display.flip()
    clock.tick(FPS)

pygame.quit()
sys.exit()

Note on Simplifications
This code snippet is highly simplified and omits many features typically found in a Whack-a-Mole game, such as scoring, multiple moles appearing simultaneously, and more complex input handling. However, it illustrates the core concept of how the game could be structured within a strict 100-line limit.
Conclusion
Creating a Whack-a-Mole game in just 100 lines of Python is a fun and challenging exercise that showcases the power of Python’s conciseness and expressiveness. By focusing on the game’s most essential components and making