Want to make a rhythm battle game on mobile without a PC? You can build an original FNF-style game directly on iPad with hyperPad.

hyperPad is a powerful visual game engine made for iPad. You create game logic with connected behaviors instead of typed code. You can import your own art and audio, animate characters, build scoring and combo systems, test instantly, and share your project with the hyperPad community.

This guide shows the complete workflow.

Important: hyperPad helps you create an original rhythm game inspired by the genre. It does not modify the official Friday Night Funkin' game files. Use art, music and characters you created or have permission to use.

What you will build

By the end of this guide, your prototype will have:

Four note lanes
Notes that move toward hit targets
Touch controls
Perfect, Good and Miss ratings
A score and combo counter
Character animations
Original music and artwork
A playable project you can test and share

What you need

An iPad
hyperPad Starter or hyperPad Complete
Original or properly licensed character art
Original or properly licensed music and sound effects
A simple plan for one song and one stage

Start small. One song, four lanes and one character are enough for a useful first prototype. If you need artwork, review these free 2D game-asset sources and check each asset's licence before using it.

Step 1: Plan one short rhythm battle

Write down the basic idea before opening the editor:

What is the theme?
Who is the player character?
What makes the stage different?
How long is the first song?
What happens when the player wins or loses?

Use original characters and a short song while testing. A smaller first version is easier to finish and improve.

Step 2: Create a landscape project in hyperPad

Open hyperPad on iPad and create a new landscape project. Add a background, a character area and space for the note lanes.

Keep gameplay objects on separate layers where possible. This makes the stage easier to edit and prevents the background from covering notes or controls.

Step 3: Import your art and audio

Import your character sprites, background, note arrows, music and sound effects. hyperPad supports custom visual and audio assets, so artists can create assets in their preferred iPad apps and bring them into the same project.

Use clear file names such as:

player_idle_01.png
player_left_01.png
note_left.png
song_stage_01.mp3

Check the licence for every downloaded asset. Keep attribution notes when a licence requires credit.

Step 4: Build four note lanes

Create four lanes for left, down, up and right notes. Place one hit target at the bottom of each lane.

Keep the lane width and spacing consistent. Lock background objects after placement so they do not move while you build the gameplay.

Step 5: Make notes move with visual behaviors

Create one note object, then use hyperPad's visual behaviors to:

Place or spawn the note above its lane.
Move it toward the matching hit target.
Detect when it reaches the scoring area.
Remove it after a hit or miss.

Duplicate the object for the other directions. Use attributes or tags to identify each lane instead of rebuilding the full system four times.

The visual behavior system lets you see the events and actions that control the note without writing code.

Step 6: Add touch controls and timing windows

Create one touch button for each lane. When the player taps a button, check whether the matching note is inside a timing window.

Start with three results:

Perfect: closest to the target
Good: near the target
Miss: outside the accepted window

Use wider timing windows during early testing. Tighten them after the game feels fair.

Step 7: Add score, combo and feedback

Store the score and combo in game attributes. Increase both after a successful hit. Reset the combo after a miss.

Give immediate feedback with text, sound or particles. The player should understand the result of every tap without looking away from the lanes.

Step 8: Animate the characters

Add idle, direction and miss animations. Trigger the correct animation when the player hits a note, then return to idle.

Small reactions make the prototype feel more responsive. Start with a few clear poses before adding complex animation.

Step 9: Sync the chart to your music

Play the song and record the time for each note. Store those times in a list or structured set of values, then spawn each note early enough to reach the target on the beat.

Test short sections repeatedly. If notes drift, check the song start time, note speed and spawn timing before adding more notes.

Step 10: Test, share and improve

Test the game directly on iPad. Check:

Are the notes readable?
Do taps register consistently?
Does the chart stay in sync?
Are the timing windows fair?
Does the game explain a win, loss or restart?

Share an early version on the hyperPad Hub and ask for focused feedback in the hyperPad Forum. Improve one issue at a time.

When the project is ready, hyperPad Complete supports the path toward publishing an original game on the Apple App Store. Read more about making and publishing games directly on iPad.

Why use hyperPad for a mobile rhythm game?

hyperPad combines an approachable visual workflow with tools that support more advanced projects:

Visual behaviors for game logic
Real-time testing on iPad
Custom art, animation and audio import
Physics, particles, interface and sound tools
Community sharing through the Hub
Feedback through the Forum
An ad-free creation experience
No subscription

Beginners can learn one behavior at a time. Experienced creators can combine behaviors into deeper systems and build a more polished prototype.

Common questions

Can I make an FNF mod on an iPhone?

This hyperPad workflow is built for iPad. It lets you create an original FNF-style rhythm game; it does not edit the official FNF files.

Do I need to code?

No typed code is required. You build the game with hyperPad's visual behavior system.

Can I use FNF characters and songs?

Only use content you created or have permission to use. Original characters and music also make it easier to develop the prototype into your own publishable game.

Can I share my project?

Yes. Use the hyperPad Hub to share a project and collect feedback. Use the Forum when you need help or want more detailed input.

Start your first rhythm-game prototype

Build one song, four lanes and one character. Test it on iPad, share it, and improve it with feedback.

Start building free with hyperPad Starter.

How to Make an FNF-Style Game on Mobile (iPad, No Code)