Unlock the block series: how to create clones

By Valerie I

This post is the first in our Unlock the Block series, where we’ll help you unlock the magic behind some of the blocks in the Scratch editor. This series will also showcase some pretty impressive projects from our inventive Scratchers. By the end of this series, we hope to inspire you to create more of the things you want to see in the world.

Have you ever wished you could create more versions of yourself when it was time to complete a task or assignment? Or maybe you’ve imagined a world where it rains yummy tacos instead of water? Time and time again, Scratchers have used their creativity to prove that you can do these things, and more in the Scratch editor!

The secret? Your brilliant imagination and a funky clone block that allows you to clone just about anything.

What is cloning?

Cloning is a feature that enables you to create multiples of as many sprites as you’d like while the project is running. When each clone is produced, it has the same costumes, sounds, scripts, and variables as the original but is otherwise independent.

The clone block can often be found in the code of some of your favorite Scratch projects and games. Scratchers commonly use the block to duplicate the many moving pieces in arcade games, create mouse trails, and depict elements of nature.

Unlocking the block:

Unlocking the magic behind the clone block can be simple; here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Select “Create” to start a new project
2. Choose the sprite that you want to clone or upload a custom image from your device
3. Select a clone block from the control panel

Once you navigate to the control panel, you’ll find that there are three kinds of clone blocks to choose from:

1. Create a clone of myself: This block creates an identical version of your selected sprite each time you click on it. To reveal your clone, simply drag it away from the original as many times as you’d like
2. When I start as a clone:When a clone is created, it starts running the code attached to this block.
3. Delete this clone: This block deletes the clone it’s running and stops all of its scripts. This block can be particularly useful for sprites you want to disappear, like bubbles, magic tricks, and more.

Need more help?

Watch how the Director of Scratch Lab uses the clone block!

Scratcher Inspiration

Now that you know how to clone, let’s get inspired from other Scratchers in the community!

1. Grab your sour cream because it’s raining tacos! Scratcher siu-pei used the clone block to make it rain tacos in this project. We told you it was possible; take a look here!

2. Dive into the sea with Scratcher TrentonTNT’s Fish Frenzy game. In this project, this Scratcher used the clone block to fill the sea with a school of colorful fish. See more here.

3. Scratcher coolanimator2000 used the clone block to create clones of himself because sometimes, we could all use a little extra help. Check out his project here.

Ready, set, clone!

Now that you’ve unlocked the block, it’s time to get cloning! Check out our video for more tips on using the clone block on Instagram @Scratchteam. We look forward to seeing what you create!