Program Your Own Pocket Game on a Pico and OLED

Making a game teaches loops, timing, collisions and graphics in one fun package. The SSD1306 OLED is crisp, cheap and fast enough for smooth action.

Video tutorial

▶ Hari WigunaWatch on YouTube ↗

Video by Hari Wiguna, embedded from YouTube. The written steps below are our own and match the parts list.

Mission steps

1. Wire the screen

   OLED SDA to GP4, SCL to GP5, VCC to 3V3, GND to GND.

2. Wire the buttons

   Left button to GP14, right to GP15, start to GP16; each to GND.

3. Copy the driver

   Upload ssd1306.py from the MicroPython library to the Pico.

4. Run the game

   Paste the code as main.py. Asteroids fall faster as your score climbs.

5. Make it yours

   Add sound with a piezo buzzer, a high-score saved to flash, or a 3D-printed handheld case.

Code

from machine import Pin, I2C
import ssd1306, time, random

oled = ssd1306.SSD1306_I2C(128, 64, I2C(0, sda=Pin(4), scl=Pin(5)))
L, R = Pin(14, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP), Pin(15, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)
x, rocks, score, speed = 60, [], 0, 1

while True:
    if not L.value(): x = max(0, x - 3)
    if not R.value(): x = min(120, x + 3)
    if random.random() < 0.08 + score / 2000: rocks.append([random.randint(0, 124), 0])
    oled.fill(0)
    for r in rocks:
        r[1] += speed + score // 100
        oled.fill_rect(r[0], r[1], 4, 4, 1)
        if r[1] > 54 and abs(r[0] - x) < 6:
            oled.text('GAME OVER', 28, 24); oled.text(str(score), 56, 40); oled.show()
            time.sleep(3); rocks, score = [], 0
    rocks = [r for r in rocks if r[1] < 64]
    oled.fill_rect(x, 58, 8, 4, 1); oled.text(str(score), 0, 0); oled.show()
    score += 1; time.sleep_ms(30)

Tip: test every script on the bench before installing it in a moving machine.

Questions