Materials Needed
This project requires an Arduino Nano, a 240×240 pixel display from Wave Share, a micro switch, a breadboard, and some jumper wires. Links to all of these items can be found in the description box.
Making the Connections
The connections for this project are outlined in the accompanying diagram. Once all of the connections have been made, the code can be uploaded. After multiple attempts, a code was created that works, though it is still a work in progress.
Powering the Project
The project is powered by a battery and a charging module. Once connected, the project works as a one-button game, similar to Flappy Bird.
Making the Project Portable
In order to make the project portable, it needs to be as small as possible. To achieve this, a custom PCB board was designed and ordered from JLCPCB. JLCPCB is a trusted and popular PCB manufacturer that offers PCB prototyping services at a low cost. In addition to PCBs, they also offer PCB assembly, SMT, stencils, 3D printing, and CNC machining. All that is required is to upload a Gerber file and place an order.
So, we just have to solder the pins on the back of the display and the board is ready. Now, lets move on to the casing. I have 3D printed a casing for this project. This is the first time Im using 3D printing for a project and Im really happy with the results. The casing fits perfectly and the buttons are also in place. Now, lets move on to the programming part. I have written the code for this project in Arduino IDE. The code is quite simple and it is available on my GitHub page. I have also uploaded the code to the board and the game is ready to play. This tiny handheld game is really fun to play and it is a great way to learn about Arduino and programming. So, go ahead and give it a try.
Creating a PCB
The first step in creating a tiny handheld game with Arduino is to create a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). This involves placing two boards around the PCB at the same height and skew them with some tape. A stencil is then placed on the PCB, aligned with the solder pads and secured with tape. Solder paste is then applied to the stencil and spread evenly with a plastic card. The stencil is then carefully removed, leaving a perfectly soldered PCB.
Placing Components
The next step is to place all the components in their respective positions. As this board is not programmable, the Atmega chip needs to be removed from a pre-programmed Arduino board and placed on the new PCB. Once all the components are in place, the holder piece needs to be melted to solder the components. A hot air gun with a low airflow rate is used for this purpose.
Attaching the Display
The display is then attached to the front of the board by soldering the pins on the back of the display. With this, the board is ready for programming.
Programming the Board
The code for the project is written in Arduino IDE and uploaded to the board. The code is available on the GitHub page and is relatively simple. Once the code is uploaded, the game is ready to be played.
Creating a Casing
The last step is to create a casing for the project. This is done by 3D printing a casing that fits perfectly and has the buttons in place. With this, the tiny handheld game is ready to be played.
Building the PCB Board
The first step in creating this tiny handheld game was to build the PCB board. To do this, we detached the display from the PCB using a soldering iron and placed it on the new board. However, we encountered a problem with the solder pad. After much deliberation, we decided to use enameled copper wire to connect the display. We then removed the adhesive tape from the back and carefully glued the display. Finally, the micro switch was soldered onto the PCB board, thus completing the build.
Powering the Device
The next step was to power the device. To do this, we needed a small 3.7 volt battery. We found a tiny battery that was perfect for the build. After connecting the battery, we tested the device and were delighted to find that it worked.
Creating a Housing
The last step was to create a housing or case for the device. We designed a case on TinkerCad and printed it on a Bambo Laap 3D printer. After assembling all the parts, we were left with a tiny handheld game that was 5 cm by 3.5 cm and worked perfectly. We plan to make more advanced versions of this device in upcoming videos.
Overview of the Project
This project is about creating a tiny handheld game with Arduino. The game is designed to be small and portable, making it easy to carry around. The game is built using an Arduino Uno board, a few buttons, and an LCD screen. The game can be programmed to play different games, such as Tetris, Snake, and Pong. The game is powered by a 9V battery and can be recharged using a USB cable.
Components Used
For this project, I used an Arduino Uno board, a few buttons, and an LCD screen. I also used a 9V battery and a USB cable for power. Additionally, I used a 3D printer to create a custom case for the game. I have also designed another case for it where you can use it as a keychain.
Building the Game
The first step in building the game was to assemble the components. I connected the Arduino board to the LCD screen and the buttons. I then programmed the Arduino board to play the games. I used the Arduino IDE to write the code for the games. Once the code was written, I uploaded it to the board.
Testing the Game
Once the game was built, I tested it to make sure it worked properly. I tested the buttons to make sure they were working correctly and that the game was responding to them. I also tested the LCD screen to make sure the graphics were displaying correctly. Finally, I tested the battery to make sure it was providing enough power for the game.
Creating the Case
Once the game was built and tested, I created a custom case for it. I used a 3D printer to create the case. I designed the case to be small and portable, making it easy to carry around. The case also had a hole for the USB cable, so I could recharge the battery when needed.
This project was a great way to learn about Arduino and how to create a simple game. I was able to build a tiny handheld game with Arduino and create a custom case for it. The game was small and portable, making it easy to carry around. I also learned how to program the Arduino board and write code for different games.
