That’s a big request, but I’ve got you covered! Below is a detailed, step-by-step guide on Creating a Card-Matching Game Using jQuery.
Creating a Card-Matching Game Using jQuery
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Setting Up the Environment
- HTML Structure
- Styling with CSS
- Implementing Game Logic with jQuery
- Enhancing the Game with Animations and Sound Effects
- Adding a Timer and Score Tracking
- Making the Game Responsive
- Optimizing Performance
- Conclusion
1. Introduction
A card-matching game (also known as a Memory Game) is a simple and fun game where players flip two cards at a time, trying to match pairs. The game is won when all pairs are matched.
In this guide, we’ll build an interactive card-matching game using jQuery, with animations, sounds, and a timer.
2. Setting Up the Environment
Before we start coding, ensure you have:
- A code editor (VS Code, Sublime, or Notepad++)
- A web browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge)
- Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (jQuery)
We will use:
- HTML for structure
- CSS for styling
- jQuery for interactive behavior
Including jQuery
Make sure to include jQuery in your project. Add this in your <head>
section:
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.6.0.min.js"></script>
3. HTML Structure
We will create a game board with cards arranged in a grid.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Card Matching Game</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.6.0.min.js"></script>
<script defer src="script.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Card Matching Game</h1>
<p>Match all the cards to win!</p>
<div id="game-board"></div>
<button id="restart">Restart Game</button>
</body>
</html>
4. Styling with CSS
The CSS styles the game grid, cards, and animations.
body {
text-align: center;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
background-color: #f4f4f4;
}
#game-board {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 100px);
grid-gap: 10px;
justify-content: center;
margin: 20px auto;
width: 440px;
}
.card {
width: 100px;
height: 140px;
background-color: #ccc;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
font-size: 2em;
cursor: pointer;
border-radius: 10px;
}
.card.flipped {
background-color: white;
}
.card.matched {
background-color: lightgreen;
cursor: default;
}
5. Implementing Game Logic with jQuery
Now, let’s create the logic for:
- Flipping cards
- Checking matches
- Restarting the game
Step 1: Define Variables
$(document).ready(function () {
const cards = ["🍎", "🍎", "🍌", "🍌", "🍇", "🍇", "🍉", "🍉", "🍊", "🍊", "🍒", "🍒", "🥝", "🥝", "🍍", "🍍"];
let flippedCards = [];
let matchedPairs = 0;
let canFlip = true;
function shuffle(array) {
return array.sort(() => 0.5 - Math.random());
}
function createBoard() {
let shuffledCards = shuffle(cards);
$('#game-board').html('');
shuffledCards.forEach((emoji, index) => {
$('#game-board').append(`<div class="card" data-id="${index}" data-emoji="${emoji}"></div>`);
});
}
function resetGame() {
matchedPairs = 0;
flippedCards = [];
canFlip = true;
createBoard();
}
$('#restart').click(resetGame);
resetGame();
});
Step 2: Handle Card Clicks
$(document).on('click', '.card', function () {
if (!canFlip || $(this).hasClass('flipped')) return;
let card = $(this);
card.text(card.data('emoji')).addClass('flipped');
flippedCards.push(card);
if (flippedCards.length === 2) {
canFlip = false;
setTimeout(checkMatch, 500);
}
});
Step 3: Check for a Match
function checkMatch() {
let [first, second] = flippedCards;
if (first.data('emoji') === second.data('emoji')) {
first.add(second).addClass('matched');
matchedPairs++;
if (matchedPairs === 8) {
alert("You won!");
}
} else {
first.add(second).removeClass('flipped').text('');
}
flippedCards = [];
canFlip = true;
}
6. Enhancing the Game with Animations and Sound
Adding Flip Animation
Modify the CSS:
.card {
transition: transform 0.3s ease-in-out;
}
.card.flipped {
transform: rotateY(180deg);
}
Adding Sound Effects
Include sound effects:
<audio id="flip-sound" src="flip.mp3"></audio>
<audio id="match-sound" src="match.mp3"></audio>
Modify JavaScript:
function playSound(id) {
document.getElementById(id).play();
}
$(document).on('click', '.card', function () {
playSound('flip-sound');
});
7. Adding a Timer and Score Tracking
Timer Implementation
let timer;
let timeElapsed = 0;
function startTimer() {
clearInterval(timer);
timeElapsed = 0;
$('#timer').text('Time: 0s');
timer = setInterval(() => {
timeElapsed++;
$('#timer').text(`Time: ${timeElapsed}s`);
}, 1000);
}
$('#restart').click(function () {
clearInterval(timer);
startTimer();
});
Score Tracking
let score = 100;
function updateScore() {
score -= 5;
$('#score').text(`Score: ${score}`);
}
$(document).on('click', '.card', function () {
updateScore();
});
8. Making the Game Responsive
Modify the CSS:
@media (max-width: 600px) {
#game-board {
grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 80px);
width: 280px;
}
.card {
width: 80px;
height: 120px;
font-size: 1.5em;
}
}
9. Optimizing Performance
- Reduce DOM manipulations
- Use CSS transitions instead of JavaScript animations
- Optimize event listeners with
on()
- Preload assets (sounds, images)
You’ve built a fully functional card-matching game with jQuery, including: ✅ Randomized cards
✅ Flip animations
✅ Matching logic
✅ Timer and score tracking
✅ Sound effects
You can further improve it by adding levels, themes, or multiplayer modes.
Next Steps
- Add difficulty levels (e.g., 4×4, 6×6 grids)
- Implement local storage to save high scores
- Make an AI opponent for solo play
Would you like me to help with further enhancements?