This article is a re-post, the original one is on another website.

Introduction

I started this project some time ago in order to get familiar with Arduino.

I will provide you the code and the wiring instructions if you have all the components ready it should not take more than 30 minutes. This is also the first time I am writing a guide on Hackster, if you think I’m wrong on some aspects or if you think it can be improved, please leave feedback in the comment section.

Demo

Wiring Instructions

I use 1k pulldown resistors for the buttons, 100-ohm resistor for the Piezzo Buzzer and 330-ohm resistors for the LEDs. Start by putting on the buttons and the LEDs first, then add the resistors and finally add the jumper wires.

The following pins on the Arduino are used:

 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10

/* Pin settings */ 
static const int Game::MICROPHONE_PIN       = 12; 
static const int Game::BLUE_PIN             = 11; 
static const int Game::RED_PIN              = 10; 
static const int Game::GREEN_PIN            = 9; 
static const int Game::YELLOW_PIN           = 8; 
static const int Game::BLUE_BUTTON_PIN      = 7; 
static const int Game::RED_BUTTON_PIN       = 6; 
static const int Game::GREEN_BUTTON_PIN     = 5; 
static const int Game::YELLOW_BUTTON_PIN    = 4;

You can then customize the tone frequencies or the level seed. In the setup function: randomSeed(0);

If you replace 0 with 1 then all the levels will be randomized, if you change it back to 0 then the game will play like before the change. In the video I also added a reset button which connects the Arduino’s RST pin to GND.

Code

The code is written in C++, and it uses classes, if you see this for the first time, do not be afraid, they are like containers for functions and variables. If you want to learn more search for a C++ tutorial on classes.

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/*
 * Author: Denis Cosmin
 * Date: 19.09.2016
 * Name: Simon Says
 * 
 * To add a reset button connect: reset -> button <- pulldown resistor ground.
 * The buttons have 1k pulldown resitors.
 * The leds have a 220 ohm resistor.
 * 
 * Will use the following numbers for colors, pins and notes
 * 0 - Yellow
 * 1 - Green
 * 2 - Red
 * 3 - Blue
 * 
 */

/*
 * The game class, handles everything.
 */
class Game {
    private:
      int debounce(int last, int buttonPin);
      void playNote(int note, int noteSpeed) const;
      void flashLed(int led, int flashSpeed) const;
    public:
      static const int RED_PIN;
      static const int BLUE_PIN;
      static const int GREEN_PIN;
      static const int YELLOW_PIN;
      static const int MICROPHONE_PIN;
      static const int RED_BUTTON_PIN;
      static const int BLUE_BUTTON_PIN;
      static const int GREEN_BUTTON_PIN;
      static const int YELLOW_BUTTON_PIN;
      static const int RED_TONE;
      static const int BLUE_TONE;
      static const int GREEN_TONE;
      static const int YELLOW_TONE;
      static const int GAMEOVER_TONE;
      int gameLevel[200];
      int gameSpeed;
      int lastButtonValue;
      int currentLevel;
      int gameIsOver;
      double gameDifficulty;
      enum color { YELLOW, GREEN, RED, BLUE };
    public:
    Game();
    Game(int);
    void playLevel();
    int userInput();
    int gameOver();
    int getNote(int note) const;
    int pinToColorCode(int);
    int colorCodeToPin(int);
    int readButton(int buttonPin);
};

/* Pin settings */
static const int Game::MICROPHONE_PIN       = 12;
static const int Game::BLUE_PIN             = 11;
static const int Game::RED_PIN              = 10;
static const int Game::GREEN_PIN            = 9;
static const int Game::YELLOW_PIN           = 8;
static const int Game::BLUE_BUTTON_PIN      = 7;
static const int Game::RED_BUTTON_PIN       = 6;
static const int Game::GREEN_BUTTON_PIN     = 5;
static const int Game::YELLOW_BUTTON_PIN    = 4;
/* Tone frequencies */
static const int Game::RED_TONE             = 200;
static const int Game::BLUE_TONE            = 400;
static const int Game::YELLOW_TONE          = 600;
static const int Game::GREEN_TONE           = 800;
static const int Game::GAMEOVER_TONE        = 1000;

// Construct and initialize the Game object.
Game::Game(int difficulty) : gameSpeed(1000), lastButtonValue(-1), currentLevel(0), gameDifficulty(difficulty), gameIsOver(0) {
    Serial.print("Constructing game object with difficulty: ");
    Serial.println(difficulty);
    pinMode(Game::MICROPHONE_PIN, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(Game::BLUE_PIN, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(Game::RED_PIN, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(Game::GREEN_PIN, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(Game::YELLOW_PIN, OUTPUT);
}

Game::Game() : gameSpeed(1000), lastButtonValue(-1), currentLevel(0), gameDifficulty(10), gameIsOver(0) {
    Serial.println("Constructing game object");
    pinMode(Game::MICROPHONE_PIN, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(Game::BLUE_PIN, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(Game::RED_PIN, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(Game::GREEN_PIN, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(Game::YELLOW_PIN, OUTPUT);
}

/*
 * Makes sure the button is pressed only once.
 */
int Game::debounce(int last, int buttonPin) {
      int current = digitalRead(buttonPin);
      if (last != current)
      {
        delay(5);
        current = digitalRead(buttonPin);
      }
      return current;
}

/*
 * Plays a note. 
 * Receives the button number and plays the corresponding note.
 */
void Game::playNote(int note, int noteSpeed) const {
    Serial.print("playNote: Playing note: ");
    Serial.print(note);
    Serial.print(" with speed: ");
    Serial.println(noteSpeed);
    
    note = Game::getNote(note);
    
    tone(Game::MICROPHONE_PIN, note, noteSpeed);  
}

/*
 * Returns the corresponding color code based on pin.
 */
int Game::colorCodeToPin(int value) {
    int ret_val = -1;
   
    switch(value) {
      case RED:
          ret_val = Game::RED_PIN;
          break;
      case GREEN:
          ret_val = Game::GREEN_PIN;
          break;
      case BLUE:
          ret_val = Game::BLUE_PIN;
          break;
      case YELLOW:
          ret_val = Game::YELLOW_PIN;
          break;
      default:
        Serial.println("colorCodeToPin: Invalid value!");
        delay(1000);
        exit(0);
    }

    return ret_val;
}

/*
 * Converts the button pin to a color code.
 */
int Game::pinToColorCode(int value) {
    int ret_val = -1;
    switch(value) {
        case Game::RED_BUTTON_PIN:
            ret_val = RED;
            break;
        case Game::GREEN_BUTTON_PIN:
            ret_val = GREEN;
            break;
        case Game::BLUE_BUTTON_PIN:
            ret_val = BLUE;
            break;
        case Game::YELLOW_BUTTON_PIN:
            ret_val = YELLOW;
            break;
        default:
          Serial.println("pinToColorCode: Invalid value!");
          delay(1000);
          exit(0);
    }

    return ret_val;
}

/*
 * The the corresponding note based on the color code it receives.
 */
int Game::getNote(int note) const {
    int return_value = -1;
    switch(note) {
      case YELLOW:
          return_value = Game::YELLOW_TONE;
          break;
      case GREEN:
          return_value = Game::GREEN_TONE;
          break;
      case RED:
          return_value = Game::RED_TONE;
          break;
      case BLUE:
          return_value = Game::BLUE_TONE;
          break;
      case 4:
          return_value = Game::GAMEOVER_TONE;
          break;        
      default:
        Serial.println("playNote: Error! Invalid note!");
        delay(1000);
        exit(0);
    }
    return return_value;
}

/*
 * Flashes a led. Receives the led code and sets it to the corresponding pin.
 */
void Game::flashLed(int led, int flashSpeed) const {
    Serial.print("flashLed: Flashing LED: ");
    Serial.print(led);
    Serial.print(" with speed: ");
    Serial.println(flashSpeed);

    led = Game::colorCodeToPin(led);

    digitalWrite(led, HIGH);
    delay(flashSpeed);
    digitalWrite(led, LOW);
}

/*
 * Plays the next level.
 */
void Game::playLevel() {
  Serial.print("playLevel: Playing on level: ");
  Serial.println(Game::currentLevel);
  Game::gameLevel[Game::currentLevel] = random(0, 4); // Create a random move every time. 0 to 4 exclusive.
  ++Game::currentLevel;
  int nextDificulty = Game::gameDifficulty * Game::currentLevel;
  if (Game::gameSpeed - nextDificulty >= 10) {
    Game::gameSpeed -= nextDificulty; // decrease the speed;
  }
  
  // Play all the moves
  for (int i = 0; i < Game::currentLevel; ++i) {
      Game::playNote(Game::gameLevel[i], Game::gameSpeed);
      Game::flashLed(Game::gameLevel[i], Game::gameSpeed);
  }
}

/*
 * Reads the button value and returns the following codes:
 * 0 - Yellow 1 - Green 2 - Red 3 - Blue
 */
int Game::readButton(int buttonPin) {
    int currentButtonValue = Game::debounce(Game::lastButtonValue, buttonPin);
    int return_value = -1;
    if (lastButtonValue == LOW && currentButtonValue > LOW) {
        return_value = Game::pinToColorCode(buttonPin);
    }
    Game::lastButtonValue = currentButtonValue;
    if (return_value >= 0) {
      Serial.print("readButton: Received signal from button number: ");
      Serial.println(return_value);
    }
    return return_value;
}

int Game::gameOver() {
    Serial.println("game_is_over: Checking if game is over!");
    if (Game::gameIsOver) {
      Serial.println("game_is_over: Game is over!");
    }
    return Game::gameIsOver;
}

/*
 * Gets the user button presses and checks them to see if they're good.
 */
int Game::userInput() {
    for (int i = 0; i < Game::currentLevel; ++i) {
      Serial.println("userInput: User is pressing.");
      int buttonPressed = -1;
      while(true) {
          buttonPressed = readButton(Game::RED_BUTTON_PIN);
          if (buttonPressed != -1) { break; }
          buttonPressed = readButton(Game::GREEN_BUTTON_PIN);
          if (buttonPressed != -1) { break; }
          buttonPressed = readButton(Game::YELLOW_BUTTON_PIN);
          if (buttonPressed != -1) { break; }
          buttonPressed = readButton(Game::BLUE_BUTTON_PIN);
          if (buttonPressed != -1) { break; }
      }

      if (buttonPressed != gameLevel[i]) {
          Game::playNote(4, 100); // game over note, and game over note speed.
          Game::flashLed(buttonPressed, 1000);
          return 0;
      }
      Game::playNote(buttonPressed, Game::gameSpeed);
      Game::flashLed(buttonPressed, Game::gameSpeed);
    }
    delay(500);
    return 1;
}

Game g(50); //  Constructs the game object.
void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  randomSeed(0);
}

void loop() {
  if (g.gameOver()) { 
    delay(1000); // Wait for serial to finish printing.
    /*
      On Arduino exit(0) disables the interrupts
      and goes in an infinite loop.
      On your PC exit(0) closes the program and
      tries to clean up resources.
    */
    exit(0);
  }
    g.playLevel();
    if (g.userInput() == 0) {
        g.gameIsOver = 1;
    }
}

Improving the Project

Feel free to improve this project however you like, you could perhaps use Arduino MKR1000 and make a wireless Simon Says game? That would be cool.