Arnov Sharma
Powered by Waveshare's ESP32-S3-LCD-1.69, an ESP32 S3-based setup with a 1.69-inch ST7789V2 display, this mini console offers portability without sacrificing performance. Thanks to an onboard 500mAh Li-ion cell, you can game anywhere, anytime. All components, including the ESP32 board and custom button board, are housed inside a custom-designed enclosure, which we built in Fusion 360 and then 3D printed using the Creality K10 Max.
Snake Game Console Project and PICO Blasters
Let's have a look at The Snake Game Console first, which was a compact, portable system powered by a Raspberry Pi PICO, featuring a 64x32 RGB matrix panel and a 3D-printed enclosure. It runs a classic Snake game, where you guide the snake using four-directional buttons, chase down random red dots for points, and try to avoid crashing into yourself. Plus, it's got an onboard battery, so you can take it anywhere and play on the go.
Then came PICO Blaster, which takes the same hardware setup and turns it into a fast-paced Space Invaders-style shooter. With an additional custom control board, revamped gameplay mechanics, and color-coded projectiles, this game is all about reflexes and strategy.
Players navigate a spaceship, dodging incoming attacks and firing back using two types of weapons—rapid-fire bullets and a powerful blaster that wipes out everything in its path (though with a cooldown to keep things interesting!).
Both of these games were written from scratch and were a pain to code, really. Most of the development time was spent in creating the game logic and the hardware part for both devices was super easy and was prepared in less than a day.
For the Mini Version, I have only ported the Snake Game. we could make more games for the device, which will be an idea for a future project.
Mini Version Design
For the design of this project, we first imported the 3D model of our ESP32 Display into Fusion360, along with the Cad file of our Button PCB with Buttons, as well as the battery and push switch Cad files.
Next, we organized the components in a logical and practical layout, positioning the switch PCB beneath the display, placing the battery behind both the display and the switch PCB, and situating the push switch on the rear side just above the battery. Once everything was arranged, we proceeded to design an enclosure that encapsulates all the components and unifies them seamlessly. For the aesthetic, I opted for a boxy, retro design reminiscent of the 1990s, drawing inspiration from classic Nokia phones—elements of which can be seen in its form.
The enclosure was prepared and separated into two halves: the front enclosure and the lid part. The front enclosure houses the ESP32 display board and the Switch PCB. The ESP32 Display is pressure fitted in its position; we have also included mounting holes in case someone wishes to tighten the display properly with the enclosure. The switch PCB is fastened in place with four M2 screws.
The Lid section holds both the battery and the power switch.
Both the front enclosure and the lid section are joined together with four M2 screws since we created four screw bosses on the front enclosure and four holes on the lid to slide the screws through and attach the two pieces together.
For the 3D print, we exported the mesh files for both pieces and printed them on our new Creality K10 max with a 0.4mm nozzle and 25% infill White Hyper PLA.
ESP32 Display Dev Board
We are using the ESP32-S3-LCD-1.69 in our project, as it is a low-cost, high-performance MCU board that perfectly suits our needs.
Equipped with a 1.69-inch capacitive LCD screen, a lithium battery charging chip, and a six-axis sensor with a three-axis accelerometer and gyroscope, this board is packed with features that enhance our Snake Game Console.
It includes an RTC chip for timing functions, a QMI8658 inertial measurement unit (IMU) for motion tracking, and an ETA6098 lithium battery charging chip for long-term power management.
The onboard buzzer provides audio feedback, while the Type-C interface allows for easy demo flashing and log printing. Additionally, the BOOT and RST buttons simplify resets and firmware downloads, and a customizable function button enables multiple input methods, including single, double, and long presses.
The ST7789V2 LCD controller supports a 240 × RGB × 320 resolution, though its active display area is 240(H) × RGB × 280(V). It supports RGB444, RGB565, and RGB666 color formats, with our project utilizing RGB565 for optimal visual output.
The four-wire SPI interface ensures efficient GPIO usage and fast communication speed, while the rounded corners of the display contribute to its sleek, compact design.
you can checkout more about this display from its Wiki page https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/ESP32-S3-LCD-1.69
As for sourcing this display, we got it from PCBWAY's Gift Shop, which is an electronic marketplace where you can find all sorts of electronic devices and modules for their genuine price.
Switch PCB Design
In this project, we repurpose one of our Button Boards from our previous Snake Game console project. This PCB features four buttons, each connected to GND, and four output pins, which will be connected to the ESP32's GPIO pins. By pushing each button, we pull the GPIO Pin down to GND, and the Microcontroller registers this change in button status.
The board design was finalized by adding buttons in their proper locations and connecting traces in the correct order, after which we exported the Gerber Data for this PCB and sent it to PCBWAY for samples.
PCBWAY
Following the completion of the board design, we ordered a white solder mask with black silkscreen and submitted the PCB's Gerber data on the PCBWAY quote page.
After placing the order, the PCBs were received within a week, and the PCB quality was pretty great.
Over the past ten years, PCBWay has distinguished themselves by providing outstanding PCB manufacturing and assembly services, becoming a trusted partner for countless engineers and designers worldwide.
Their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction has been unwavering, leading to significant growth and expansion.
You guys can check out PCBWAY if you want great PCB service at an affordable rate.