Raspberry Pico Pocket Gamer

A Raspberry Pico RP2040 and ILI9341 based pocket console.

Featured on MagPi Issue #122

Watch the video by clicking on the image

Description

Since the Pico came out I wanted to create a project for it that I can show my son to, so I decided to make him a Pocket Console. The game repertoire is quite basic and consists of fourteen different games.

Game list

TicTacToe 1P	Labirinth	Snake
TicTacToe 2P	Connect4 1P	Calculator
Lights Out	Connect4 2P	Pong
Math	2048	Breakout
Tetramino	Paint.NOT

Hardware

Required components:

• Raspberry Pico (RP2040)
• ILI9341 controller with XPT2046 touch module (I am using 3.2'' version)
• five switches (preferably mechanical switches)

Optional components:

• Printed PCB (gerber available within extras folder of this repository)
• Button (switch) 6mm

How to compile/run ?

Steps are similar (same) as with any other C++ Pico SDK based project.

mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make -j${nproc}

After which you should be able to find build/PocketGamer.uf2 file to upload to your Pico microcontroller.

HINT: In case you want to try the project without the Pico board cd into the extras folder and do a make run. I've adapted the interface and the main function to run on top of the olc's PixelGameEngine so you can try it directly from your Linux PC. Controls are QWASD and mouse click.

Pinout

You should be able to find a compressed gerber file with extras directory of the repository and order a new PCB online on which you can solder all the elements easily.

ILI9341 to Pico pin connections looks like this:

 ILI9341         Pico (RP2040)
 
 T_IRQ  <-----> PIN 20
 T_DO   <-----> PIN 8
 T_DIN  <-----> PIN 11
 T_CS   <-----> PIN 21
 T_CLK  <-----> PIN 10
 SDO    <-----> PIN 4
 LED    <-----> PIN 26 (or directly to 3v3)
 SCK    <-----> PIN 6
 SDI    <-----> PIN 7
 DC     <-----> PIN 18
 RESET  <-----> PIN 17
 CS     <-----> PIN 16
 GND    <-----> GND
 VCC    <-----> 3V3

Additionally keyboard switches are added to the following pins:

                   Pico (RP2040)
 
 KEY_MENU  <-----> PIN 0
 KEY_UP    <-----> PIN 15
 KEY_DOWN  <-----> PIN 27
 KEY_LEFT  <-----> PIN 28
 KEY_RIGHT <-----> PIN 14

In case you need to change them they are all defined within their own source files: src/interface.c, src/interface/ili9341.c and src/interface/ili9341_touchscreen.c.

Code explanation

stateDiagram-v2
    direction LR
    A: DoMainLoop()
    note left of A: Main loop description
    state A {
      GetInputs: Register keyboard and touch events
      [*] --> GetInputs
      GetInputs --> updateCallback
      updateCallback --> drawCallback
      drawCallback --> GetInputs
    }
    note left of B: SetupCallbacks(Callbacks* callbacks) changes your current game
    B: SetupCallbacks(callbacks)
    state B {
      [*] --> deinitCallback
      deinitCallback --> initCallback
      initCallback --> [*]
    }

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classDiagram
    class Callbacks{
        void * initCallback()
        void * updateCallback()
        void * drawCallback()
        void * deinitCallback()
    }

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Should I add more detailed info here?