HOME / PERSONAL PROJECTS / SIMON GAME KIT

A modern take on the classic Simon memory game. For the uninitiated: a sequence of blinking LEDs and associated tones is generated and the user repeats the sequence by pressing the appropriate buttons. Each time they succeed the sequence gets longer. Sounds easy, but it gets challenging.

Developing the code for the game was a great chance for me to learn about the memory limitations of embedded devices, random number generation, random seeds, and how inherently un-random computers can be. 

When finished the code I decided to design a PCB and make the game into a small DIY soldering kit aimed at kids learning to solder. Bulk discounts were provided for any teachers who bought the kits for their classes and overall the kits were well received. 

As with many of my projects the firmware is open source. One of my customers was very thankful for this as they were able to use it to teach their son more about coding. Together they built new games for it –  a dice simulator, a reflex game, and a light chasing game. While I didn’t expect huge things from this little kit, seeing how the kit actually helped kids learn about electronics put a big smile on my face.