Rock Paper Scissors CLI Game 🪨📄✂️

A fun command-line Rock-Paper-Scissors game built with Node.js. Play against the computer in your terminal with colorful output and interactive gameplay. First to 3 points wins!

🎮 About The Game

This is a terminal-based implementation of the classic Rock-Paper-Scissors game where you compete against a computer opponent. The game features:

• Best of 5 format: First to score 3 points wins
• Colorful terminal output: Using Chalk for enhanced visual experience
• Interactive prompts: Real-time user input with prompt-sync
• Score tracking: Live scoreboard updated after each round
• Play again feature: Quick restart without relaunching

Game Rules

• Rock crushes Scissors ✊ > ✌️
• Scissors cuts Paper ✌️ > ✋
• Paper covers Rock ✋ > ✊

✨ Features

• 🎨 Colorful CLI Output - Beautiful colored text using Chalk
• 🎯 Smart Input Handling - Type R, P, or S for quick play
• 📊 Live Score Tracking - Real-time scoreboard display
• 🤖 Random Computer AI - Unpredictable computer choices
• 🔄 Instant Replay - Quick "play again" option
• ✅ Input Validation - Handles invalid inputs gracefully
• 🏆 Win Conditions - First to 3 points wins the match
• 💬 Player Personalization - Enter your name for a custom experience

📸 Demo

Are you ready to play rock paper scissors?

Enter your name: Rishi
Welcome to the game Rishi!

Rules of the Game: 
-> Type R, P, or S to enter your choice
-> "R" stands for "Rock"
-> "P" stands for "Paper"
-> "S" stands for "Scissors"
-> Rock beats Scissors, Scissors beats Paper, and Paper beats Rock
-> Whoever scores 3 points first, will win the game!

Enjoy!

Score:
Rishi: 0 || Computer: 0

Enter your choice: R
You have chosen Rock , The computer have chosen Scissors
Rishi wins!
Rishi: 1 || Computer: 0

🛠️ Built With

• Node.js - JavaScript runtime environment
• ES6 Modules (.mjs) - Modern JavaScript module syntax
• prompt-sync - Synchronous user input in Node.js
• chalk - Terminal string styling and colors

📋 Prerequisites

Before running this game, make sure you have:

• Node.js (v12.0.0 or higher)
• npm (Node Package Manager)

Check your versions:

node --version
npm --version

🚀 Installation & Setup

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/rishiverma12031/rock-paper-scissors.git
cd rock-paper-scissors

2. Install Dependencies

npm install prompt-sync
npm install chalk

Or install both at once:

npm install prompt-sync chalk

3. Run the Game

node app.mjs

🎯 How to Play

1. Start the game by running node app.mjs
2. Enter your name when prompted
3. Read the rules displayed on screen
4. Make your choice by typing:
   • R for Rock
   • P for Paper
   • S for Scissors
5. Watch the results - Computer makes its choice and winner is announced
6. Track your score - First to 3 points wins
7. Play again? - Type Y to restart or any other key to quit

💻 Code Structure

Main Components

playTurn() Function

• Handles each individual round
• Gets player input and generates computer choice
• Determines winner using switch statement and ternary operators
• Updates scores and displays results

playGame() Function

• Main game loop
• Continues until either player or computer reaches 3 points
• Displays final results and winner
• Offers "play again" option

playAgain() Function

• Resets scores to 0
• Restarts the game loop
• Maintains player name

Key Programming Concepts Used

• ✅ ES6 Modules - Modern import/export syntax
• ✅ Switch Statements - For handling player input
• ✅ Ternary Operators - Compact conditional logic
• ✅ While Loops - Game continues until win condition
• ✅ Math.random() - Random computer choice generation
• ✅ Array Manipulation - Computer choice array
• ✅ String Methods - trim() and toUpperCase() for input handling
• ✅ Template Literals - Dynamic string formatting

🎨 Color Scheme

The game uses Chalk for terminal colors:

• 🟣 Magenta - Welcome messages and results
• 🔵 Blue - Player name prompt
• 🟢 Green - Player wins and welcome
• 🔴 Red - Computer wins
• 🟡 Yellow - Rules and draw messages
• 🔷 Cyan - Score display

📁 Project Structure

rock-paper-scissors/
│
├── app.mjs              # Main game file
├── package.json         # Project dependencies (create this)
└── README.md           # Documentation

Creating package.json

If you don't have a package.json, create one:

npm init -y

Then add to your package.json:

{
  "type": "module",
  "dependencies": {
    "prompt-sync": "^4.2.0",
    "chalk": "^4.1.2"
  }
}

Note: Use Chalk v4.x for CommonJS compatibility, or Chalk v5.x if using pure ESM.

🔧 Customization Ideas

Want to enhance the game? Try these:

Easy Modifications

• Change colors in chalk functions
• Modify win condition (first to 5, 7, etc.)
• Add more detailed stats (win rate, total games)

Medium Challenges

• Add difficulty levels with weighted computer choices
• Include game history/log of all rounds
• Add sound effects using node packages
• Create a tournament mode

Advanced Features

• Implement Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock variant
• Add AI that learns from your patterns
• Create multiplayer mode (two players on same machine)
• Save high scores to a file
• Build a GUI version with Electron

🎓 Learning Outcomes

This project demonstrates:

• Node.js Fundamentals - Running JavaScript outside the browser
• NPM Package Management - Installing and using third-party packages
• Game Logic Implementation - Writing rules and win conditions
• User Input Handling - Synchronous prompts in CLI
• Control Flow - Loops, switches, and conditionals
• ES6+ Features - Modern JavaScript syntax and patterns
• Error Handling - Validating user input
• Code Organization - Breaking code into reusable functions

🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Error: "Cannot find module 'prompt-sync'"

npm install prompt-sync

Error: "Cannot find module 'chalk'"

npm install chalk

Error: "SyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a module"

• Make sure your file uses .mjs extension, OR
• Add "type": "module" to your package.json

Game doesn't accept input

• Ensure prompt-sync is installed correctly
• Try: npm install prompt-sync --save

🌟 Future Enhancements

Planned features:

• Add persistent leaderboard/stats
• Implement Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock
• Add ASCII art for choices
• Create difficulty levels
• Add game timer/speed mode
• Include sound effects
• Build GUI version with Electron
• Add multiplayer over network
• Create web-based version

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! To contribute:

1. Fork the project
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add AmazingFeature')
4. Push to branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

📝 License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

👤 Author

Rishi Verma

• GitHub: @rishiverma12031
• Project Link: https://github.com/rishiverma12031/rock-paper-scissors

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built to practice JavaScript fundamentals and Node.js
• Uses prompt-sync for user input
• Uses chalk for terminal colors
• Inspired by the timeless rock-paper-scissors game

📚 Resources

• Node.js Documentation
• MDN - JavaScript
• prompt-sync on npm
• chalk on npm

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Ready to play? Run node app.mjs and challenge the computer! 🎮

Made with ❤️ while learning JavaScript and Node.js