How to build a real-time multiplayer game with Flutter Flame

Summary

The tutorial builds a real-time multiplayer shooting game with Flutter, the Flame game engine, and Supabase Realtime. Each player controls a UFO by dragging, while the game automatically fires bullets in three directions; opponents’ positions and health points are synchronized over Supabase’s low-latency web socket connection. The implementation starts with Flutter widgets for the game page and lobby, then defines Flame components for the game, players, bullets, collision detection, movement, and health changes, before wiring Supabase broadcast events to client updates. A lobby waits for at least another player, and starting a match creates a shared channel so both clients can begin together. The completed application supports gameplay and a post-game dialog, allowing players to return to the lobby without managing their own networking infrastructure.

Takeaways

1. 1

   Flame provides the game layer used for player and bullet components, pan-based movement, image sprites, and collision detection.

2. 2

   Supabase broadcast messages synchronize each player’s position and health over a low-latency web socket connection.

3. 3

   The lobby requires at least two waiting users before starting, and the post-game dialog lets players return to the lobby after a win or loss.