This project is a classic "Space Invaders" style game built using Python and the Pygame library, and is my first project I have made using python and pygame. Players control a spaceship, shoot down enemy aliens, and aim to achieve the highest score possible. The game also includes features like a leaderboard, sound effects, and a main menu.

• Player Control: Move the player spaceship left and right using the 'A' and 'D' keys, and fire bullets with the 'SPACE' key.
• Enemies: A group of alien enemies moves across the screen, dropping down after hitting boundaries. The player must shoot them before they reach the bottom.
• Bullet Mechanics: Players can fire one bullet at a time, and they must wait for the bullet to go off-screen or hit an enemy before firing again.
• Collision Detection: The game uses basic distance calculation to detect bullet collisions with enemies.
• Score and Leaderboard: The game keeps track of the player's score and allows for submitting and viewing the top 10 scores.
• Sound Effects: Background music and sound effects for shooting and enemy destruction are included.
• Game Over: The game ends when an enemy reaches the bottom of the screen, after which the player's score can be submitted to the leaderboard.

• Python 3.x
• Pygame library: Install using the following command:

Ensure you have the following assets in the same directory as the Python script:

• Images:

  • space-invaders-background.png
  • space-invaders.png
  • player.png
  • enemy.png
  • bullet.png

• Sounds:

  • laser.wav (for bullet firing)
  • explosion.wav (for enemy destruction)
  • background.wav (for background music)

• Leaderboard File:

  • leaderboard.csv (for storing leaderboard scores in CSV format)

1. Main Menu:

   • Use the number keys (1, 2, 3) to navigate:
     • 1: Start the game
     • 2: View the leaderboard
     • 3: Exit the game

2. Gameplay:

   • Move the player spaceship using the 'A' (left) and 'D' (right) keys.
   • Fire bullets by pressing the 'SPACE' key.
   • Shoot down enemies before they reach the bottom of the screen.
   • If an enemy reaches the bottom, the game will end, and your score can be submitted.

3. Leaderboard:

   • After the game ends, you can enter your name and submit your score to the leaderboard. Only the top 10 scores are saved.
   • View the leaderboard from the main menu.

• main_menu(): Displays the main menu and handles navigation to the game, leaderboard, or exit.
• game(screen): The core game loop. Manages player movement, enemy generation, collision detection, and score updates.
• display_window(): Sets up the game window, background music, and game icon.
• player(screen, x, y): Renders the player sprite on the screen.
• enemy(screen, x, y): Renders an enemy sprite on the screen.
• fire_bullet(screen, x, y): Renders the bullet when fired.
• detect_collision(enemy_x, enemy_y, bullet_x, bullet_y): Detects a collision between an enemy and a bullet using distance-based calculations.
• show_score(screen, x, y, score): Displays the player's score on the screen during gameplay.
• game_over(screen, score): Handles the game over screen, allowing players to return to the main menu or submit their score.
• leaderboard(screen): Displays the top 10 scores from 'leaderboard.csv'.
• submit_score(score, user_input): Saves the player's score to the leaderboard and ensures that only the top 10 scores are saved.

• Levels: Add increasing difficulty with more enemies or faster speeds as the player progresses.
• Power-ups: Introduce power-ups for the player, such as faster shooting or shields.
• Multiplayer: Implement local multiplayer support for more engaging gameplay.

All Pull Requests and help would be amazing, I'm constantly trying to learn and appreciate all feedback given.

• The game currently supports only keyboard controls. Additional input methods (like game controllers) could be added.
• The game does not save the leaderboard between sessions unless the 'leaderboard.csv' file is already present. Ensure this file is created in the same directory before running the game.

• Pygame Library: https://www.pygame.org/

All graphical and sound assets are either free to use or were created for this project.