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Retro Games Console
Autor: Basarâm Ștefan
Grupa: 333CD
Introduction
What?
This project consists of a game console featuring popular retro games such as Snake, Pong and Asteroids. It uses as control inputs a button and a joystick, with an ultra-wide display composed of 2 LED 8×8 matrices and a buzzer for audio feedback.
Why?
The purpose of this device is to facilitate a unique gaming experience in a portable package which aims to capture the golden period of arcade games from the 1980s. This console offers a unique handling to players today who are used to playing games on their phones and desktops/laptops.
How come?
My inspiration comes mainly from my existing passion for graphic and game design. Having limited resources, I decided examples from the first generation of video games are the most suited.
For whom?
The biggest audience for this device are the teens who have an affinity for old-school video games who would thoroughly enjoy a similar gaming experience to the one provided by arcade cabinets, all available in a neat and portable package similar to actual game consoles on the market.
Description
User input
- The analog joystick is used to move the characters and the dedicated button is used for firing or adjusting the game difficulty.
- If a player wishes to skip a game, they can do so by pressing and holding the button integrated in the analog joystick for 2 seconds.
Game loop
- When the console is powered on, a little start-up animation plays on the main display, scrolling the console name and then the first game out of three (Snake) automatically starts.
- Every frame, the game updates its game state, reads user input and draws the result to the main display formed of two 8×8 LED matrices.
- If the game detects an entity collision or a decision is being prompted, the buzzer will be triggered to provide an auditory feedback.
Lives system
- For each of the three games the player has 3 lives. These are represented by the 3 color LEDs arranged in an LED array which are colored red, yellow and green from left to right.
- When a player loses a life, the rightmost LED flashes and turns off. The current game subsequently restarts, or resumes. When a player consumes all lives they will enter into a gameover.
The red and green LEDs flash for a moment, followed by one of them being active at a time signifying the player's choice to either retry the current game, represented by the red LED, and moving to the next game represented by the green LED.
Hardware Design
- Button and Analog Joystick (user input)
- Two 8×8 LED Matrices (main display)
- 3 LEDs of colors red, yellow and green (secondary display)
- Passive Buzzer (sound effects)
- 9V Battery + Adapter (aux power for portability)
- Cables male-male and male-female
- Breadboard 400 points
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Software Design
