Let’s Build a Platformer! has now been fully updated for GB Studio 4.2.1.

This update includes a complete review of all lessons, course comments, and supporting documentation to ensure everything is accurate and aligned with the current engine.

What’s Changed

• All overview documents and course comments have been substantially revised to improve lesson structure, clarity, and consistency across the full course.

• The original Platformer+ implementation has been fully overhauled and rewritten to align with GB Studio v4.2.1’s built-in Platformer engine.

• The Platformer Engine lesson has been restructured and expanded on to reflect how engine fields, state callbacks, and run-time variables behave in 4.2.1

• To make the in-project comment format easier to navigate during study, course comments now include emoji markers to:

  • Highlight lesson topics (📖) and important notes (✏️)

  • Flag beginner tips (⭐) and common pitfalls (⚠️)

  • Mark experiments where you should modify code and run a build (🧪)

  • Call out game design tips (💡)

What’s New

• A new “Platformer Setting Examples” project file, featuring physics approximations inspired by:

  • Super Mario Bros. (1985)

  • Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)

  • Mega Man (1987)

  • Mega Man 3 (1990)

  Each preset uses GB Studio v4.2.1’s platformer settings and includes detailed in-project comments explaining how specific configuration values affect movement and game feel. The settings in these examples aim to show how precise changes in specific engine variables impact player character behavior and movement in particular ways. You can also transfer these platformer setting values to your own projects, providing a solid base to develop a physics engine that you like best.
  
  

 
Super Mario Bros. 3 Approximation

Mega Man 3 Approximation

• Expanded platformer engine coverage, including:

  • A detailed breakdown of every Platformer Engine variable available in GB Studio 4.2.1

  • Clear explanation of configuration variables vs run-time variables

  • Practical examples of manipulating engine fields using both events and GBVM
    
    

• Plugins & The Plugin Manager lesson added, covering:

  • How plugins override engine files

  • Risks of modifying core engine behaviour

  • A working example that edits ui.h
    

  • An overview of the new Plugin Manager
    
    

• Advanced Dialogue & UI lesson added, expanding significantly on:

  • Dialogue menus & UI structure beyond the basic dialogue system

  • Highly customizable non-modal dialogue without using plugins
    
    

• Color Mode lesson added, covering:

  • Monochrome vs Color vs Color Only modes

  • An example of a Lock-out screen for Color Only projects

To view the updated course concepts now covered in LBaP! v4.2.1 edition in more detail, check out the updated course glossary here.

Free vs Paid Version

• The Free Version now includes Lessons 1–5.

• The Paid Version includes the full course (Lessons 1–16), example projects, and all documentation.

Lessons 1–5 cover the foundation for any GB Studio user no matter what kind of game you want to make:

• Title screen

• Options menu

• Cutscenes

• Player animation states

• Introduction to the platformer scene type

The remaining lessons build into advanced systems, engine behaviour, UI architecture, and full game structure.

Price Update

The paid version is now priced at:

$29.99 USD

If you already own the course, this update is free.

As always, if you have feedback or suggestions for future improvements, feel free to leave a comment on the itch page or join the Discord.

Until next time, happy coding.

– Tom (Gumpy Function)