diff --git a/project.godot b/project.godot
index 60a6eee..8b6d34a 100644
--- a/project.godot
+++ b/project.godot
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ window/stretch/scale_mode="integer"
 version_control/plugin_name="GitPlugin"
 version_control/autoload_on_startup=true
 
+[global_group]
+
+paddle="objects that hit the ball"
+
 [input]
 
 move_up={
@@ -54,6 +58,16 @@ shift={
 "events": [Object(InputEventKey,"resource_local_to_scene":false,"resource_name":"","device":-1,"window_id":0,"alt_pressed":false,"shift_pressed":false,"ctrl_pressed":false,"meta_pressed":false,"pressed":false,"keycode":0,"physical_keycode":4194325,"key_label":0,"unicode":0,"location":0,"echo":false,"script":null)
 ]
 }
+hit_left={
+"deadzone": 0.2,
+"events": [Object(InputEventKey,"resource_local_to_scene":false,"resource_name":"","device":-1,"window_id":0,"alt_pressed":false,"shift_pressed":false,"ctrl_pressed":false,"meta_pressed":false,"pressed":false,"keycode":0,"physical_keycode":79,"key_label":0,"unicode":111,"location":0,"echo":false,"script":null)
+]
+}
+hit_right={
+"deadzone": 0.2,
+"events": [Object(InputEventKey,"resource_local_to_scene":false,"resource_name":"","device":-1,"window_id":0,"alt_pressed":false,"shift_pressed":false,"ctrl_pressed":false,"meta_pressed":false,"pressed":false,"keycode":0,"physical_keycode":80,"key_label":0,"unicode":112,"location":0,"echo":false,"script":null)
+]
+}
 
 [layer_names]
 
diff --git a/scenes/ball/ball.gd b/scenes/ball/ball.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47185a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/ball/ball.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+extends RigidBody2D
+
+@onready var hurtbox: Area2D = $HurtArea2D
+
+@export var launch_speed: float = 400
+@export var speed_mult: float = 1.08
+
+var is_hit: bool = false
+
+# Called when the node enters the scene tree for the first time.
+func _ready() -> void:
+	hurtbox.connect("area_entered", _on_hit)
+	launch_random()
+
+
+func launch_random():
+	var angle = randf_range(-PI/3, PI/3) + PI * float(randi()%2)
+	linear_velocity = Vector2(cos(angle), sin(angle)) * launch_speed
+
+
+func _on_hit(area: Area2D) -> void:
+	if area.is_in_group("paddle"):
+		linear_velocity = linear_velocity.normalized() * linear_velocity.length() * speed_mult
diff --git a/scenes/ball/ball.gd.uid b/scenes/ball/ball.gd.uid
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de5cc01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/ball/ball.gd.uid
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://d2s0fid28eihy
diff --git a/scenes/ball/ball.tscn b/scenes/ball/ball.tscn
index 3ba1c29..a058ae0 100644
--- a/scenes/ball/ball.tscn
+++ b/scenes/ball/ball.tscn
@@ -1,22 +1,36 @@
-[gd_scene load_steps=4 format=3 uid="uid://cmgwv41ht3q4j"]
+[gd_scene load_steps=6 format=3 uid="uid://cmgwv41ht3q4j"]
 
+[ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://d2s0fid28eihy" path="res://scenes/ball/ball.gd" id="1_nv6q1"]
 [ext_resource type="Texture2D" uid="uid://c44hadxh2458n" path="res://scenes/ball/ball.png" id="1_oqv3d"]
 
 [sub_resource type="PhysicsMaterial" id="PhysicsMaterial_oqv3d"]
 friction = 0.0
 bounce = 0.3
 
+[sub_resource type="CircleShape2D" id="CircleShape2D_oqv3d"]
+radius = 11.0
+
 [sub_resource type="CircleShape2D" id="CircleShape2D_nv6q1"]
 radius = 8.062258
 
 [node name="Ball" type="RigidBody2D"]
-collision_layer = 2
+collision_layer = 18
 collision_mask = 5
 physics_material_override = SubResource("PhysicsMaterial_oqv3d")
+gravity_scale = 0.0
 continuous_cd = 1
+script = ExtResource("1_nv6q1")
 
 [node name="Sprite2D" type="Sprite2D" parent="."]
 texture = ExtResource("1_oqv3d")
 
+[node name="HurtArea2D" type="Area2D" parent="."]
+collision_layer = 16
+collision_mask = 0
+
+[node name="CollisionShape2D" type="CollisionShape2D" parent="HurtArea2D"]
+shape = SubResource("CircleShape2D_oqv3d")
+debug_color = Color(0.8785819, 0.30416045, 0.40790904, 0.41960785)
+
 [node name="CollisionShape2D" type="CollisionShape2D" parent="."]
 shape = SubResource("CircleShape2D_nv6q1")
diff --git a/scenes/hit/hit.ase b/scenes/hit/hit.ase
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71743f3
Binary files /dev/null and b/scenes/hit/hit.ase differ
diff --git a/scenes/hit/hit.gd b/scenes/hit/hit.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0406d4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/hit/hit.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+extends Area2D
+
+@onready var timer: Timer = $Timer
+
+# Called when the node enters the scene tree for the first time.
+func _ready() -> void:
+	timer.connect("timeout", _despawn)
+
+# Called every frame. 'delta' is the elapsed time since the previous frame.
+func _process(delta: float) -> void:
+	pass
+	
+func _despawn() -> void:
+	queue_free()
diff --git a/scenes/hit/hit.gd.uid b/scenes/hit/hit.gd.uid
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52a21a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/hit/hit.gd.uid
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://c0m6xhbtgbgtu
diff --git a/scenes/hit/hit.png b/scenes/hit/hit.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3206345
Binary files /dev/null and b/scenes/hit/hit.png differ
diff --git a/scenes/hit/hit.png.import b/scenes/hit/hit.png.import
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e006a78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/hit/hit.png.import
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="texture"
+type="CompressedTexture2D"
+uid="uid://c6a62gvw7218s"
+path="res://.godot/imported/hit.png-ab7094ea32cf7bd1cd8dffcb2c8ef7cb.ctex"
+metadata={
+"vram_texture": false
+}
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://scenes/hit/hit.png"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/hit.png-ab7094ea32cf7bd1cd8dffcb2c8ef7cb.ctex"]
+
+[params]
+
+compress/mode=0
+compress/high_quality=false
+compress/lossy_quality=0.7
+compress/uastc_level=0
+compress/rdo_quality_loss=0.0
+compress/hdr_compression=1
+compress/normal_map=0
+compress/channel_pack=0
+mipmaps/generate=false
+mipmaps/limit=-1
+roughness/mode=0
+roughness/src_normal=""
+process/channel_remap/red=0
+process/channel_remap/green=1
+process/channel_remap/blue=2
+process/channel_remap/alpha=3
+process/fix_alpha_border=true
+process/premult_alpha=false
+process/normal_map_invert_y=false
+process/hdr_as_srgb=false
+process/hdr_clamp_exposure=false
+process/size_limit=0
+detect_3d/compress_to=1
diff --git a/scenes/hit/hit.tscn b/scenes/hit/hit.tscn
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c37d13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/hit/hit.tscn
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+[gd_scene load_steps=4 format=3 uid="uid://px67runjx6ex"]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://c0m6xhbtgbgtu" path="res://scenes/hit/hit.gd" id="1_fxeki"]
+[ext_resource type="Texture2D" uid="uid://c6a62gvw7218s" path="res://scenes/hit/hit.png" id="1_wjo4f"]
+
+[sub_resource type="CapsuleShape2D" id="CapsuleShape2D_fxeki"]
+radius = 7.0
+height = 18.0
+
+[node name="Hit" type="Area2D" groups=["paddle"]]
+collision_layer = 0
+collision_mask = 16
+script = ExtResource("1_fxeki")
+
+[node name="Sprite2D" type="Sprite2D" parent="."]
+position = Vector2(7, -4)
+texture = ExtResource("1_wjo4f")
+
+[node name="CollisionShape2D" type="CollisionShape2D" parent="."]
+position = Vector2(5, -1)
+rotation = 1.5707964
+shape = SubResource("CapsuleShape2D_fxeki")
+debug_color = Color(0.6205005, 0.42311785, 0.8432588, 0.41960785)
+
+[node name="Timer" type="Timer" parent="."]
+wait_time = 0.5
+one_shot = true
+autostart = true
diff --git a/scenes/player/player.gd b/scenes/player/player.gd
index b6fe6c8..d819eb6 100644
--- a/scenes/player/player.gd
+++ b/scenes/player/player.gd
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 extends CharacterBody2D
 
-const MAX_SPEED: float = 150
+@export var player: int = 1
+@export var max_speed: float = 150
 
 @onready var sprite: AnimatedSprite2D = $AnimatedSprite2D
 
+var is_hitting: bool = false
 var was_moving: bool = false
 var anim_dir: String = 'down'
 
@@ -14,13 +16,26 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 
 func _physics_process(_delta: float) -> void:
 	var movement_vector: Vector2 = get_movement_vector()
-	var direction: Vector2 = movement_vector.normalized()
-	velocity = direction * MAX_SPEED
+	var direction: Vector2 = movement_vector.normalized() if not is_hitting else Vector2.ZERO
+	velocity = direction * max_speed
 	
 	move_and_slide()
 	
 	var is_moving: bool = velocity.length() > 10
 	
+	if Input.is_action_pressed("hit_left") and not is_hitting:
+		if not is_hitting:
+			sprite.play('up')
+			sprite.frame = 1
+			sprite.pause()
+			
+			var hit: Area2D = preload("res://scenes/hit/hit.tscn").instantiate()
+			add_child(hit)
+			
+			hit.timer.connect("timeout", _on_hit_end)
+		
+		is_hitting = true
+	
 	if is_moving:
 		if abs(velocity.x) > abs(velocity.y):
 			anim_dir = 'right' if velocity.x > 0 else 'left'
@@ -29,7 +44,7 @@ func _physics_process(_delta: float) -> void:
 		
 		sprite.play(anim_dir)
 	else:
-		if was_moving:
+		if was_moving and not is_hitting:
 			sprite.play('down')
 			sprite.frame = 1
 			sprite.pause()
@@ -40,3 +55,6 @@ func get_movement_vector() -> Vector2:
 	var x_mov: float = Input.get_action_strength('move_right') - Input.get_action_strength('move_left')
 	var y_mov: float = Input.get_action_strength('move_down') - Input.get_action_strength('move_up')
 	return Vector2(x_mov, y_mov)
+
+func _on_hit_end() -> void:
+	is_hitting = false