Best single beginner tutorial: Unity’s official “Create with Code” course (Unity Learn) — because it teaches core concepts through hands-on projects, steady progression, and production‑grade practices.

Why it’s the best

  • Curriculum design: sequenced lessons that build from fundamentals (interface, GameObjects, components) to scripting, physics, UI, animation, and simple game systems. Concepts introduced just-in-time and reinforced by practice.
  • Hands‑on projects: each module is a small, complete game or mechanic (movement, shooting, collectibles, level progression), so students learn by shipping playable content rather than watching isolated demos.
  • C# scripting taught in context: lessons pair visual explanations with practical scripts, emphasizing readable code, common Unity APIs (MonoBehaviour lifecycle, transforms, input, collision), and debugging workflows.
  • Teaches workflows used in real projects: asset import, prefabs, the Inspector, scenes, versioning tips, light baking basics, Animator, and simple optimization, so learners acquire transferable studio habits.
  • Accessibility and pacing: modular videos, text reference, downloadable starter assets and finished projects let beginners proceed at their own speed and return to specific topics.
  • Community and support: active Unity Learn forums, Q&A, and abundant third‑party walkthroughs keyed to the same course assets make problem‑solving faster.
  • Up‑to‑date and maintained: Unity updates course material periodically to align with current engine versions and best practices (valid through May 2024; check Unity Learn for latest changes).

When to choose alternatives

  • If you prefer shorter, task‑focused lessons: Brackeys’ archived tutorials (YouTube) are concise, highly practical, and excellent for single mechanics (movement, platformers, inventory). Use alongside Create with Code.
  • If you want structured C# fundamentals first: Microsoft’s C# tutorials or a beginner C# course (Codecademy, Pluralsight) accelerate scripting fluency before deeper Unity work.
  • If aiming for 2D pixel games: Blackthornprod or GameFromScratch 2D series emphasize 2D pipeline and pixel workflow more directly.
  • If you prefer text/project‑based learning: “Unity in Action” (book) or Gaffer on Games articles complement interactive courses with deeper engine internals.

How to use “Create with Code” effectively (practical plan)

  1. Complete the first 6–8 hours straight through to finish a single small game—finishable in 1–2 weekends. Ship something.
  2. Revisit modules that troubled you and reimplement the mechanics without copying — rewrite scripts and refactor.
  3. Pair each Unity lesson with a short C# practice session (10–30 min) focused on types, collections, delegates, and coroutines.
  4. Push the finished project to Git (GitHub) and iterate: add a new feature (power‑ups, leaderboards, basic AI) to consolidate learning.
  5. Read Unity’s Scripting API while coding; search docs first when unsure to form good habits.

Resulting skill set after completion

  • Confident navigation of the Unity Editor and scene workflow.
  • Ability to create and script basic gameplay systems (movement, interactions, UI).
  • Familiarity with prefab workflows, animation basics, physics, and simple optimization.
  • Practical debugging and project organization habits ready for intermediate tutorials or a first commercial prototype.

Concise recommendation
Start with Unity Learn’s Create with Code, supplement with Brackeys videos for quick how‑tos, a beginner C# course for scripting depth, and immediate project practice with Git to turn lessons into lasting skills.