Running a python game which can capture keystrokes without waiting

Question

I want to write a game in Python (in terminal, not graphical) which captures key inputs but still keeps running and not wait for a key pressed. For instance, I want to move a bat up and down, just by pressing the arrow keys. But, when I do not press anything, the game must continue by i.e. bouncing the ball around.

Can this be done easily, without using extra modules like tkinter or pygame? I mean, is there somthing which can act like 'key_pressed = get_key' (fictional line)

# Sample functions
def print_board(ball_pos, bat_pos):
    # Print the entire board

def move_ball(ball_pos, increment):
    # Check boundaries, if hit wall, reverse increment
    ## Code comes here...
    # Move ball
    ball_pos[0] += increment[0]
    ball_pos[1] += increment[2]
    return ball_pos

def move_bat(bat_pos_y, increment_y):
    # Check boundaries, if hit wall, do not increment
    ## Code comes here...
    bat_pos_y += increment_y
    return bat_pos_y

# Sample main routine
## Initialisation comes here...
## Game routine
while True:
     bat_inc = 0
     # Get a keystroke, without waiting
     ##key_pressed = get_key
     if (key_pressed == UP):
         bat_inc = -1
     elif (key_pressed == DOWN):
         bat_inc = 1     
     move_ball(ball, inc)
     move_bat(bat, bat_inc)
     print_board(ball, bat)