AnimationPlayer
Create and play animations that control properties of any node in your scene.
Animation
No shortcutIntermediate6 min readQuick Reference
AnimationPlayer
Godot EngineKeyboard Shortcut
N/A
Where to Find
Scene dock — Create New Node > AnimationPlayer
Best Used For
- ▸Animate character movements and state transitions
- ▸Create UI animations and cinematic sequences
- ▸Trigger method calls at specific animation frames
Intermediate⏱ 30–60 minutes to master
Key Settings
Create animation:Add tracks:Keyframes:Play:
AnimationPlayer animates any property of any node using a timeline-based interface with keyframes, blending, and state machines.
Where to Find It
Found in Create New Node dialog. Add as child of the node to animate.
How to Use
- Create animation: Open Animation panel, click Animation > New.
- Add tracks: Select a node, click Add Track, choose property.
- Keyframes: Move timeline cursor, set property value, click keyframe icon.
- Play: Use
$AnimationPlayer.play("name")in GDScript.
Pro Tips
- Use AnimationTree with AnimationNodeStateMachine for complex blending.
- Enable Loop for walking cycles or idle breathing.
- Use Call Method tracks to trigger functions at specific times.