Fun Projects: Classic Snake 8×8

Project Name: Classic Snake 8×8 Edition

Category: Gaming, LED Matrix, Hardware Feedback

Difficulty: Intermediate

This project brings the legendary “Snake” game to life using an 8×8 Dot Matrix display and an ESP32. You will navigate a growing snake across the grid to eat food, while managing your score on an LCD screen. To make the experience more immersive, a NeoPixel strip changes colors based on game events (like eating or crashing) and a buzzer plays retro background music!

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Learning Objectives (What You Will Learn)

By building this project, you will learn to:

• Master the Dot Matrix: Use the MD_MAX72xx library to control an 8×8 grid and draw individual pixels.
• Handle Multi-Button Input: Configure four buttons to control 2D movement (Up, Down, Left, Right).
• Integrate Everything: Run an LCD, NeoPixels, a Matrix, and a Buzzer all on a single ESP32.
• Code Optimization: Move note frequencies into the main script to simplify your project folder.
  
  

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Circuit Connections

Components	ESP32 Dev Module
Matrix CLK	IO18
Matrix DATA	IO23
Matrix CS	IO15
LCD I2C SDA	IO21
LCD I2C SCL	IO22
BUTTON UP	IO33
BUTTON DOWN	IO32
BUTTON LEFT	IO34
BUTTON RIGHT	IO35
BUZZER	IO12
NEOPIXEL	IO5

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Code Lab

Step 1: Install Libraries

Open the Arduino IDE Library Manager and install:

1. MD_MAX72XX by majicDesigns
2. LiquidCrystal_I2C by Frank de Brabander
3. Adafruit NeoPixel by Adafruit

Step 2: Main Code

Copy and paste the code provided in the prompt into your main sketch file.

#include <MD_MAX72xx.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>

#define NOTE_E4  330
#define NOTE_G4  392
#define NOTE_A4  440
#define NOTE_B4  494
#define NOTE_C5  523
#define NOTE_CS5 554
#define NOTE_D5  587
#define NOTE_FS4 370
#define NOTE_D4  294
#define NOTE_G5  784
#define NOTE_FS5 740
#define NOTE_A5  880

#define HARDWARE_TYPE MD_MAX72XX::PAROLA_HW
#define MAX_DEVICES 1
#define CLK_PIN   18
#define DATA_PIN  23
#define CS_PIN    15

MD_MAX72XX M = MD_MAX72XX(HARDWARE_TYPE, CS_PIN, MAX_DEVICES);

#define BUTTON_UP    33
#define BUTTON_DOWN  32
#define BUTTON_LEFT  34
#define BUTTON_RIGHT 35
#define BUZZER_PIN   12
#define LED_PIN      5
#define NUM_LEDS     6

LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2);
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip = Adafruit_NeoPixel(NUM_LEDS, LED_PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

int snakeX[64], snakeY[64];
int length = 2;
int foodX, foodY;
int direction = 4; // 4 = right
unsigned long lastMoveTime = 0;
unsigned long moveInterval = 200;
int score = 0;

int melody[] = {
  0, NOTE_D5, NOTE_CS5, NOTE_C5, NOTE_B4, 0, NOTE_G4, NOTE_D4, NOTE_G4, NOTE_B4,
  NOTE_G4, NOTE_D5, NOTE_B4, NOTE_G5, NOTE_FS5, NOTE_G5, NOTE_A5, NOTE_G5,
  NOTE_FS5, NOTE_G5, NOTE_D5, NOTE_B4, NOTE_G4, NOTE_FS4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_FS4,
  NOTE_G4, NOTE_A4, NOTE_B4, NOTE_C5, NOTE_B4, NOTE_A4
};

float noteDurations[] = {
  2.666, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 4, 8, 4, 8, 4, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8,
  4, 8, 4, 8, 4, 8, 4, 8, 4, 8, 8, 8, 8, 4
};

unsigned long lastMusicUpdate = 0;
unsigned int musicIndex = 0;

void playBGM() {
  if (millis() - lastMusicUpdate >= 200) {
    int noteDuration = 1000 / noteDurations[musicIndex];
    if (melody[musicIndex] > 0) tone(BUZZER_PIN, melody[musicIndex], noteDuration);
    else noTone(BUZZER_PIN);
    lastMusicUpdate = millis();
    musicIndex = (musicIndex + 1) % (sizeof(melody) / sizeof(melody[0]));
  }
}

void setLEDColor(uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b) {
  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(r, g, b));
  strip.show();
}

void spawnFood() {
  foodX = random(0, 8);
  foodY = random(0, 8);
}

void initSnake() {
  snakeX[0] = 4; snakeY[0] = 4;
  snakeX[1] = 3; snakeY[1] = 4;
}

void gameOver() {
  tone(BUZZER_PIN, 500, 500);
  setLEDColor(255, 0, 0);
  lcd.clear(); lcd.print("Game Over!");
  delay(2000);
  lcd.clear(); lcd.print("Press to Start");
  while (digitalRead(BUTTON_UP) && digitalRead(BUTTON_DOWN) && 
         digitalRead(BUTTON_LEFT) && digitalRead(BUTTON_RIGHT)) playBGM();
  score = 0; length = 2; direction = 4;
  lcd.clear(); initSnake(); spawnFood();
  setLEDColor(0, 255, 0);
}

void setup() {
  pinMode(BUZZER_PIN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(BUTTON_UP, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BUTTON_DOWN, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BUTTON_LEFT, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BUTTON_RIGHT, INPUT_PULLUP);
  M.begin();
  lcd.init(); lcd.setBacklight(true);
  strip.begin(); setLEDColor(0, 255, 0);
  lcd.print("Snake Game");
  while (digitalRead(BUTTON_UP) && digitalRead(BUTTON_DOWN) && 
         digitalRead(BUTTON_LEFT) && digitalRead(BUTTON_RIGHT)) playBGM();
  lcd.clear(); spawnFood(); initSnake();
}

void loop() {
  if (digitalRead(BUTTON_UP) == LOW) direction = 1;
  if (digitalRead(BUTTON_DOWN) == LOW) direction = 2;
  if (digitalRead(BUTTON_LEFT) == LOW) direction = 3;
  if (digitalRead(BUTTON_RIGHT) == LOW) direction = 4;

  if (millis() - lastMoveTime >= moveInterval) {
    for (int i = length - 1; i > 0; i--) {
      snakeX[i] = snakeX[i - 1];
      snakeY[i] = snakeY[i - 1];
    }
    if (direction == 1) snakeY[0] = (snakeY[0] - 1 + 8) % 8;
    if (direction == 2) snakeY[0] = (snakeY[0] + 1) % 8;
    if (direction == 3) snakeX[0] = (snakeX[0] - 1 + 8) % 8;
    if (direction == 4) snakeX[0] = (snakeX[0] + 1) % 8;

    if (snakeX[0] == foodX && snakeY[0] == foodY) {
      length++; score++; spawnFood();
      tone(BUZZER_PIN, 1000, 100);
      setLEDColor(0, 0, 255);
      delay(50);
      setLEDColor(0, 255, 0);
    }
    lastMoveTime = millis();
  }

  for (int i = 1; i < length; i++) {
    if (snakeX[0] == snakeX[i] && snakeY[0] == snakeY[i]) gameOver();
  }

  M.clear();
  for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) M.setPoint(snakeX[i], snakeY[i], true);
  M.setPoint(foodX, foodY, true);
  M.update();

  lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print("Snake Running!");
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("Score: "); lcd.print(score);
}

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How to Play

1. Power On: The NeoPixels turn Green and music plays.
2. Move: Use the 4 buttons to navigate. The snake “wraps” around the screen edges.
3. Eat: Each time you eat food, the NeoPixels flash Blue, the buzzer beeps, and you grow longer!
4. Game Over: Don’t hit your own tail! If you do, the screen turns Red.
   
   

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Troubleshooting Guide

Problem	Simple Solution to Try
Buzzer is silent	Ensure it is connected to IO12
LED Matrix is update down	Use M.setRotation(n) in setup() where n is 1, 2 or 3 to rotate the display.
Buttons are unresponsive	Check that each button has one pin connected to the ESP32

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Buy from:

Myduino AIoT Education Kit from myduino.com