Tkinter Python Snake
last modified January 30, 2024
Snake is an older classic video game. It was first created in late 70s. Later it was brought to PCs. In this game the player controls a snake. The objective is to eat as many apples as possible. Each time the snake eats an apple, its body grows. The snake must avoid the walls and its own body.
Development
The size of each of the joints of a snake is 10 px. The snake is controlled with the cursor keys. Initially, the snake has three joints. The game starts immediately. When the game is finished, we display game over message with the score in the center of the window.
We use the Canvas widget to create the game. The objects in the
game are images. We use canvas methods to create image items. We use canvas
methods to find items on the canvas using tags and to do collision detection.
#!/usr/bin/python
import sys
import random
from PIL import Image, ImageTk
from tkinter import Tk, Frame, Canvas, ALL, NW
class Cons:
BOARD_WIDTH = 300
BOARD_HEIGHT = 300
DELAY = 100
DOT_SIZE = 10
MAX_RAND_POS = 27
class Board(Canvas):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__(width=Cons.BOARD_WIDTH, height=Cons.BOARD_HEIGHT,
background="black", highlightthickness=0)
self.initGame()
self.pack()
def initGame(self):
'''initializes game'''
self.inGame = True
self.dots = 3
self.score = 0
# variables used to move snake object
self.moveX = Cons.DOT_SIZE
self.moveY = 0
# starting apple coordinates
self.appleX = 100
self.appleY = 190
self.loadImages()
self.createObjects()
self.locateApple()
self.bind_all("<Key>", self.onKeyPressed)
self.after(Cons.DELAY, self.onTimer)
def loadImages(self):
'''loads images from the disk'''
try:
self.idot = Image.open("dot.png")
self.dot = ImageTk.PhotoImage(self.idot)
self.ihead = Image.open("head.png")
self.head = ImageTk.PhotoImage(self.ihead)
self.iapple = Image.open("apple.png")
self.apple = ImageTk.PhotoImage(self.iapple)
except IOError as e:
print(e)
sys.exit(1)
def createObjects(self):
'''creates objects on Canvas'''
self.create_text(30, 10, text="Score: {0}".format(self.score),
tag="score", fill="white")
self.create_image(self.appleX, self.appleY, image=self.apple,
anchor=NW, tag="apple")
self.create_image(50, 50, image=self.head, anchor=NW, tag="head")
self.create_image(30, 50, image=self.dot, anchor=NW, tag="dot")
self.create_image(40, 50, image=self.dot, anchor=NW, tag="dot")
def checkAppleCollision(self):
'''checks if the head of snake collides with apple'''
apple = self.find_withtag("apple")
head = self.find_withtag("head")
x1, y1, x2, y2 = self.bbox(head)
overlap = self.find_overlapping(x1, y1, x2, y2)
for ovr in overlap:
if apple[0] == ovr:
self.score += 1
x, y = self.coords(apple)
self.create_image(x, y, image=self.dot, anchor=NW, tag="dot")
self.locateApple()
def moveSnake(self):
'''moves the Snake object'''
dots = self.find_withtag("dot")
head = self.find_withtag("head")
items = dots + head
z = 0
while z < len(items)-1:
c1 = self.coords(items[z])
c2 = self.coords(items[z+1])
self.move(items[z], c2[0]-c1[0], c2[1]-c1[1])
z += 1
self.move(head, self.moveX, self.moveY)
def checkCollisions(self):
'''checks for collisions'''
dots = self.find_withtag("dot")
head = self.find_withtag("head")
x1, y1, x2, y2 = self.bbox(head)
overlap = self.find_overlapping(x1, y1, x2, y2)
for dot in dots:
for over in overlap:
if over == dot:
self.inGame = False
if x1 < 0:
self.inGame = False
if x1 > Cons.BOARD_WIDTH - Cons.DOT_SIZE:
self.inGame = False
if y1 < 0:
self.inGame = False
if y1 > Cons.BOARD_HEIGHT - Cons.DOT_SIZE:
self.inGame = False
def locateApple(self):
'''places the apple object on Canvas'''
apple = self.find_withtag("apple")
self.delete(apple[0])
r = random.randint(0, Cons.MAX_RAND_POS)
self.appleX = r * Cons.DOT_SIZE
r = random.randint(0, Cons.MAX_RAND_POS)
self.appleY = r * Cons.DOT_SIZE
self.create_image(self.appleX, self.appleY, anchor=NW,
image=self.apple, tag="apple")
def onKeyPressed(self, e):
'''controls direction variables with cursor keys'''
key = e.keysym
LEFT_CURSOR_KEY = "Left"
if key == LEFT_CURSOR_KEY and self.moveX <= 0:
self.moveX = -Cons.DOT_SIZE
self.moveY = 0
RIGHT_CURSOR_KEY = "Right"
if key == RIGHT_CURSOR_KEY and self.moveX >= 0:
self.moveX = Cons.DOT_SIZE
self.moveY = 0
RIGHT_CURSOR_KEY = "Up"
if key == RIGHT_CURSOR_KEY and self.moveY <= 0:
self.moveX = 0
self.moveY = -Cons.DOT_SIZE
DOWN_CURSOR_KEY = "Down"
if key == DOWN_CURSOR_KEY and self.moveY >= 0:
self.moveX = 0
self.moveY = Cons.DOT_SIZE
def onTimer(self):
'''creates a game cycle each timer event'''
self.drawScore()
self.checkCollisions()
if self.inGame:
self.checkAppleCollision()
self.moveSnake()
self.after(Cons.DELAY, self.onTimer)
else:
self.gameOver()
def drawScore(self):
'''draws score'''
score = self.find_withtag("score")
self.itemconfigure(score, text="Score: {0}".format(self.score))
def gameOver(self):
'''deletes all objects and draws game over message'''
self.delete(ALL)
self.create_text(self.winfo_width() /2, self.winfo_height()/2,
text="Game Over with score {0}".format(self.score), fill="white")
class Snake(Frame):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.master.title('Snake')
self.board = Board()
self.pack()
def main():
root = Tk()
nib = Snake()
root.mainloop()
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()
First we will define some constants used in our game.
class Cons:
BOARD_WIDTH = 300
BOARD_HEIGHT = 300
DELAY = 100
DOT_SIZE = 10
MAX_RAND_POS = 27
The BOARD_WIDTH and BOARD_HEIGHT constants determine
the size of the Board. The DELAY constant determines the speed of the game.
The DOT_SIZE is the size of the apple and the dot
of the snake. The MAX_RAND_POS constant is used to calculate
a random position of an apple.
The initGame method initializes variables, loads
images, and starts a timeout function.
self.createObjects() self.locateApple()
The createObjects method creates items on the canvas. The
locateApple puts an apple randomly on the canvas.
self.bind_all("<Key>", self.onKeyPressed)
We bind the keyboard events to the onKeyPressed method.
The game is controlled with keyboard cursor keys.
try:
self.idot = Image.open("dot.png")
self.dot = ImageTk.PhotoImage(self.idot)
self.ihead = Image.open("head.png")
self.head = ImageTk.PhotoImage(self.ihead)
self.iapple = Image.open("apple.png")
self.apple = ImageTk.PhotoImage(self.iapple)
except IOError as e:
print(e)
sys.exit(1)
In these lines, we load our images. There are three images in the Snake game: the head, the dot, and the apple.
def createObjects(self):
'''creates objects on Canvas'''
self.create_text(30, 10, text="Score: {0}".format(self.score),
tag="score", fill="white")
self.create_image(self.appleX, self.appleY, image=self.apple,
anchor=NW, tag="apple")
self.create_image(50, 50, image=self.head, anchor=NW, tag="head")
self.create_image(30, 50, image=self.dot, anchor=NW, tag="dot")
self.create_image(40, 50, image=self.dot, anchor=NW, tag="dot")
In the createObjects method, we create game objects on the canvas.
These are canvas items. They are given initial x and y coordinates. The
image parameter provides the image to be displayed. The anchor
parameter is set to NW; this way the coordinates of the canvas item
are the top-left points of the items. This is important if we want to be able to
display images next to the borders of the root window. Try to delete the anchor
and see what happens. The tag parameter is used to identify items on
the canvas. One tag may be used for multiple canvas items.
The checkAppleCollision method checks if the snake has hit
the apple object. If so, we increase score, add another snake joint and call the
locateApple.
apple = self.find_withtag("apple")
head = self.find_withtag("head")
The find_withtag method finds an item on the canvas
using its tag. We need two items: the head of the snake and the
apple. Note that even if there is only one item with a given tag,
the method returns a tuple. This is a case for the apple item. And
later the apple item is accessed the following way: apple[0].
x1, y1, x2, y2 = self.bbox(head) overlap = self.find_overlapping(x1, y1, x2, y2)
The bbox method returns the bounding box points of an
item. The find_overlapping method finds colliding
items for the given coordinates.
for ovr in overlap:
if apple[0] == ovr:
x, y = self.coords(apple)
self.create_image(x, y, image=self.dot, anchor=NW, tag="dot")
self.locateApple()
If the apple collides with the head, we create a new dot item at the
coordinates of the apple object. We call the locateApple method,
which deletes the old apple item from the canvas and creates and randomly
positions a new one.
In the moveSnake method we have the key algorithm of the game.
To understand it, look at how the snake is moving. We control the head of the snake.
We can change its direction with the cursor keys. The rest of the joints move
one position up the chain. The second joint moves where the first was,
the third joint where the second was etc.
z = 0
while z < len(items)-1:
c1 = self.coords(items[z])
c2 = self.coords(items[z+1])
self.move(items[z], c2[0]-c1[0], c2[1]-c1[1])
z += 1
This code moves the joints up the chain.
self.move(head, self.moveX, self.moveY)
We move the head with the move method. The self.moveX and
self.moveY variables are set when the cursor keys are pressed.
In the checkCollisions method, we determine if the snake
has hit itself or one of the walls.
x1, y1, x2, y2 = self.bbox(head)
overlap = self.find_overlapping(x1, y1, x2, y2)
for dot in dots:
for over in overlap:
if over == dot:
self.inGame = False
We finish the game if the snake hits one of its joints with the head.
if y1 > Cons.BOARD_HEIGHT - Cons.DOT_SIZE:
self.inGame = False
We finish the game if the snake hits the bottom of the Board.
The locateApple method locates a new apple randomly
on the board and deletes the old one.
apple = self.find_withtag("apple")
self.delete(apple[0])
Here we find and delete the apple that was eaten by the snake.
r = random.randint(0, Cons.MAX_RAND_POS)
We get a random number from 0 to MAX_RAND_POS - 1.
self.appleX = r * Cons.DOT_SIZE ... self.appleY = r * Cons.DOT_SIZE
These lines set the x and y coordinates of the apple object.
In the onKeyPressed method we react to the pressed keys
during the game.
LEFT_CURSOR_KEY = "Left"
if key == LEFT_CURSOR_KEY and self.moveX <= 0:
self.moveX = -Cons.DOT_SIZE
self.moveY = 0
If we hit the left cursor key, we set the self.moveX and
self.moveY variables accordingly. These variables are used
in the moveSnake method to change coordinates of the snake
object. Notice also that when the snake is heading to the right, we cannot
turn immediately to the left.
def onTimer(self):
'''creates a game cycle each timer event '''
self.drawScore()
self.checkCollisions()
if self.inGame:
self.checkAppleCollision()
self.moveSnake()
self.after(Cons.DELAY, self.onTimer)
else:
self.gameOver()
Every DELAY ms, the onTimer method is called. If
we are in the game, we call three methods that build the logic of the game.
Otherwise the game is finished. The timer is based on the after
method, which calls a method after DELAY ms only once. To repeatedly
call the timer, we recursively call the onTimer method.
def drawScore(self):
'''draws score'''
score = self.find_withtag("score")
self.itemconfigure(score, text="Score: {0}".format(self.score))
The drawScore method draws score on the board.
def gameOver(self):
'''deletes all objects and draws game over message'''
self.delete(ALL)
self.create_text(self.winfo_width() /2, self.winfo_height()/2,
text="Game Over with score {0}".format(self.score), fill="white")
If the game is over, we delete all items on the canvas. Then we draw game over with the final score in the center of the screen.
Source
This was the Snake computer game created with Python and Tkinter.