Build a Bicycle tap Game in React Native Part 1: Introduction

This tutorial demonstrates how to build a side-scrolling tap game in React Native using Reanimated and Lottie animations without relying on a physics engine. It covers the core mechanics, including tap-based acceleration, camera-driven background scrolling, and enemy pursuit. The approach focuses on running movement and game logic on the UI thread for smooth, consistent performance. The tutorial is structured in clear steps, from setup and assets to movement and game logic. By the end, readers will have a playable mini-game and a reusable mental model for similar interactive experiences.

In this multipart guide, we’ll walk through:

• A character that accelerates when you tap,
• A monster that chases the player,
• A background that behaves like a camera,
• A win/lose/pause state driven by clean game logic.

This is a multi-part tutorial, where we'll progress step by step through:

1. Initial setup: dependencies, configuration, and project structure
2. Assets: Lottie animations and SVG components
3. Game movement: world coordinates and camera logic
4. Game logic: game state and pause/win/lose conditions
5. Game menu: home screen, level select, and dynamic levels
6. Web port: web configuration, responsiveness, and Keyboard Controls

By the end, you’ll have a fully playable mini-game and a solid mental model you can reuse for other interactive experiences.

👉 Full source code:

The complete implementation is available in a single, open-source GitHub repository. You can explore the full project structure, follow along with the tutorial, and experiment with extending the game by clicking here.

Next: Build a Bicycle tap Game in React Native Part 2: Initial Setup