Arduino Project

Arduino Tetris Game with MAX7219 LED Matrix V3

Kit purchase

Looking for parts? Check out our all-in-one kits below — packed with components, beginner-friendly guides, and tons of fun.

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Name	Includes Arduino board	PURCHASE LINK
Elite Explorer Kit	Arduino UNO R4 WIFI	BUY
3 in 1 Ultimate Starter Kit	Arduino Uno R4 Minima	BUY

Course Introduction

This Arduino project uses an OLED display, joystick, and buzzer to play a classic Tetris game with sound effects and joystick-controlled moves.

Note

If this is your first time working with an Arduino project, we recommend downloading and reviewing the basic materials first.

1.1 Install Arduino IDE(Important)
1.2 Introduction of Arduino IDE

Required Components

In this project, we need the following components:

SN	COMPONENT INTRODUCTION	QUANTITY	PURCHASE LINK
1	Arduino UNO R4 WIFI	1	BUY
2	USB Type-C cable	1	×
3	Breadboard	1	BUY
4	Wires	Several	BUY
5	Joystick Module	1	BUY
6	OLED Display Module	1	BUY
7	Passive Buzzer	1	BUY

Wiring

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Common Connections:

OLED Display Module
SDA: Connect to A4 on the Arduino.
SCK: Connect to A5 on the Arduino.
GND: Connect to breadboard’s negative power bus.
VCC: Connect to breadboard’s red power bus.

Joystick Module
VRY: Connect to A1 on the Arduino.
VRX: Connect to A0 on the Arduino.
SW: Connect to 2 on the Arduino.
GND: Connect to breadboard’s negative power bus.
VCC: Connect to breadboard’s red power bus.

Passive Buzzer
＋: Connect to 3 on the Arduino.
－: Connect to breadboard’s negative power bus.

Writing the Code

Note
You can copy this code into Arduino IDE.
To install the library, use the Arduino Library Manager and search for Adafruit_GFX and Adafruit SSD1306 and install it.
Don’t forget to select the board(Arduino UNO R4 Minima) and the correct port before clicking the Upload button.

#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

#define SCREEN_WIDTH 128
#define SCREEN_HEIGHT 64
#define SPEAKER_PIN 3
#define JOY_X A0
#define JOY_Y A1
#define JOY_SW 2

Adafruit_SSD1306 display(SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT, &Wire, -1);

// ==== Game parameters ====
const int SIZE = 8;
const int WIDTH = SCREEN_WIDTH / SIZE;
const int HEIGHT = SCREEN_HEIGHT / SIZE;
const int OFFSET_X = 0;
const int OFFSET_Y = 0;
const int TYPES = 7;

bool grid[WIDTH][HEIGHT];
short piece[2][4];
short pieceX, pieceY;
int currentType, nextType;
int rotation = 0;
unsigned long timer;
int interval = 1200;
long score = 0;

bool gameRunning = false;
bool gameOver = false;

// Joystick center calibration and dead zone
int centerX = 512;
int centerY = 512;
const int DEADZONE = 100;

// Seven Tetris shapes
const short pieces[7][4][2][4] = {
  {{{0,1,2,3},{0,0,0,0}},{{0,0,0,0},{0,1,2,3}},{{0,1,2,3},{1,1,1,1}},{{1,1,1,1},{0,1,2,3}}},
  {{{0,0,1,2},{0,1,1,1}},{{1,2,1,1},{0,0,1,2}},{{0,1,2,2},{1,1,1,0}},{{1,1,0,1},{0,1,2,0}}},
  {{{2,0,1,2},{0,1,1,1}},{{0,1,1,1},{0,0,1,2}},{{0,1,2,0},{1,1,1,2}},{{1,1,1,2},{0,1,2,2}}},
  {{{0,1,0,1},{0,0,1,1}},{{0,1,0,1},{0,0,1,1}},{{0,1,0,1},{0,0,1,1}},{{0,1,0,1},{0,0,1,1}}},
  {{{1,2,0,1},{0,0,1,1}},{{0,0,1,1},{0,1,1,2}},{{1,2,0,1},{1,1,2,2}},{{1,1,0,0},{0,1,1,2}}},
  {{{1,0,1,2},{0,1,1,1}},{{0,1,1,1},{0,0,1,2}},{{0,1,2,1},{1,1,1,2}},{{1,1,1,0},{0,1,2,1}}},
  {{{0,1,1,2},{0,0,1,1}},{{1,1,0,0},{0,1,1,2}},{{0,1,1,2},{1,1,2,2}},{{2,2,1,1},{0,1,1,2}}}
};

void setup() {
  pinMode(SPEAKER_PIN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(JOY_SW, INPUT_PULLUP);
  Serial.begin(9600);

  if (!display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C)) for (;;);

  display.clearDisplay();
  display.setTextSize(1);
  display.setTextColor(SSD1306_WHITE);
  display.setCursor(30, 30);
  display.println("Tetris 3.0");
  display.display();

  delay(500);
  centerX = analogRead(JOY_X);
  centerY = analogRead(JOY_Y);
}

void loop() {
  bool buttonPressed = !digitalRead(JOY_SW);

  if (!gameRunning) {
    if (buttonPressed) {
      delay(200);
      startGame();
    }
    return;
  }

  if (millis() - timer > interval) {
    if (nextCollision()) {
      lockPiece();
      checkLines();
      generate();
      if (nextCollision()) {
        gameOver = true;
        gameRunning = false;
        showGameOver();
        return;
      }
    } else {
      pieceY++;
    }
    timer = millis();
  }

  joystickControl();
  refresh();
}

void startGame() {
  for (int x = 0; x < WIDTH; x++)
    for (int y = 0; y < HEIGHT; y++)
      grid[x][y] = false;
  score = 0;
  interval = 1200;
  gameOver = false;
  nextType = random(TYPES);
  generate();
  timer = millis();
  gameRunning = true;
}

void showGameOver() {
  display.clearDisplay();
  display.setTextSize(1);
  display.setCursor(20, 20);
  display.println("GAME OVER");
  display.setCursor(20, 40);
  display.print("Score: ");
  display.print(score);
  display.display();
  tone(SPEAKER_PIN, 500, 300);
}

void joystickControl() {
  int xVal = analogRead(JOY_X);
  int yVal = analogRead(JOY_Y);
  bool swPressed = !digitalRead(JOY_SW);

  static bool swLast = false;
  static unsigned long lastMove = 0;

  if (millis() - lastMove > 150) {
    if (xVal < centerX - DEADZONE && !nextHorizontalCollision(-1)) {
      pieceX--;
      tone(SPEAKER_PIN, 800, 30);
      lastMove = millis();
    } else if (xVal > centerX + DEADZONE && !nextHorizontalCollision(1)) {
      pieceX++;
      tone(SPEAKER_PIN, 1000, 30);
      lastMove = millis();
    }

    // Accelerate downward when joystick moves down
    if (yVal > centerY + DEADZONE) {
      interval = 200;  // fast drop when joystick down
    } else {
      interval = 1200; // normal speed
    }
  }

  if (swPressed && !swLast) {
    rotatePiece();
    tone(SPEAKER_PIN, 1200, 50);
  }
  swLast = swPressed;
}

void generate() {
  currentType = nextType;
  nextType = random(TYPES);
  rotation = 0;
  pieceX = WIDTH / 2 - 2;
  pieceY = 0;
  copyPiece(rotation);
}

void copyPiece(int rot) {
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    piece[0][i] = pieces[currentType][rot][0][i];
    piece[1][i] = pieces[currentType][rot][1][i];
  }
}

bool nextCollision() {
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    int x = pieceX + piece[0][i];
    int y = pieceY + piece[1][i] + 1;
    if (y >= HEIGHT || grid[x][y]) return true;
  }
  return false;
}

bool nextHorizontalCollision(int dir) {
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    int x = pieceX + piece[0][i] + dir;
    int y = pieceY + piece[1][i];
    if (x < 0 || x >= WIDTH || grid[x][y]) return true;
  }
  return false;
}

void rotatePiece() {
  int newRotation = (rotation + 1) % 4;
  short temp[2][4];
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    temp[0][i] = pieces[currentType][newRotation][0][i];
    temp[1][i] = pieces[currentType][newRotation][1][i];
  }
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    int x = pieceX + temp[0][i];
    int y = pieceY + temp[1][i];
    if (x < 0 || x >= WIDTH || y < 0 || y >= HEIGHT || grid[x][y]) return;
  }
  rotation = newRotation;
  copyPiece(rotation);
}

void lockPiece() {
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    int x = pieceX + piece[0][i];
    int y = pieceY + piece[1][i];
    if (x >= 0 && x < WIDTH && y >= 0 && y < HEIGHT) {
      grid[x][y] = true;
    }
  }
}

void checkLines() {
  for (int y = HEIGHT - 1; y >= 0; y--) {
    bool full = true;
    for (int x = 0; x < WIDTH; x++) {
      if (!grid[x][y]) { full = false; break; }
    }
    if (full) {
      for (int yy = y; yy > 0; yy--)
        for (int x = 0; x < WIDTH; x++)
          grid[x][yy] = grid[x][yy - 1];
      for (int x = 0; x < WIDTH; x++) grid[x][0] = false;
      score += 10;
      tone(SPEAKER_PIN, 1500, 80);
      y++;
    }
  }
}

void refresh() {
  display.clearDisplay();
  drawGrid();
  drawPiece();
  display.setCursor(80, 0);
  display.print("Score:");
  display.print(score);
  display.display();
}

void drawGrid() {
  for (int x = 0; x < WIDTH; x++) {
    for (int y = 0; y < HEIGHT; y++) {
      if (grid[x][y]) {
        display.fillRect(OFFSET_X + x * SIZE, OFFSET_Y + y * SIZE, SIZE, SIZE, SSD1306_WHITE);
      }
    }
  }
}

void drawPiece() {
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    int x = pieceX + piece[0][i];
    int y = pieceY + piece[1][i];
    display.fillRect(OFFSET_X + x * SIZE, OFFSET_Y + y * SIZE, SIZE, SIZE, SSD1306_WHITE);
  }
}

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Arduino Project

Arduino Tetris Game with MAX7219 LED Matrix V3

Kit purchase

Course Introduction

Required Components

Wiring

Common Connections:

Writing the Code

Arduino Project

Arduino Tetris Game with MAX7219 LED Matrix V3

Kit purchase

Course Introduction

Required Components

Wiring

Common Connections:

Writing the Code

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