Introduction: Simon

Simon is a game manufactured by Milton Bradley. It is a long-standing favorite introduced by the company in 1978. (Rubin, 2017)

As an occupational therapist, I use games and meaningful activities to increase a person's ability to complete everyday activities. The game of Simon requires attention, fine motor coordination, and frustration tolerance.

In an attempt to learn the physical components of circuits and coding, I used the SparkFun Inventor's guide to make the Simon game using a breadboard, Arduino, jump wires, LEDs, buttons, resistors, a buzzer, and a potentiometer.

Photo Credit: (Games of Berkeley, n.d.)

Supplies

Gather the following supplies:

  • One Breadboard
  • One Arduino
  • Four LEDs
  • Four Resistors
  • Four Buttons
  • One Buzzer
  • One Potentiometer

(SparkFun, n.d.)

Step 1: SparkFun Inventor's Kit Experiment Guide

This is a step-by-step guide for building the Simon Says Game outlined in the SparkFun Inventor's Kit Experiment Guide - v4.1.

Check out the guide here.

Step 2: Buttons

Let's Build!!

Place buttons on the breadboard

(SparkFun, n.d.)

Step 3: LEDs

Next, add four LEDs to the breadboard. Be sure the LEDs are different colors.

Step 4: Resistors

Awesome! Now, add four resistors to the breadboard.

Step 5: Potentiometer

You are doing great! Next, add a potentiometer to the breadboard.

Step 6: Buzzer

How are you feeling? Are you proud of how awesome you are doing?

Let's add a buzzer to the breadboard.

Step 7: Jump Wires

You may want to jump for joy with this step!

Add jump wires to each of the buttons.

Step 8: Power

It's Electric!

Connect the power source to the LEDs and the buttons.

Step 9: Jump Wires

You are doing great!

Connect jump wired between the ground and the buzzer and potentiometer.

Step 10: Connect Power

A few more wires...

Connect power to the buzzer and the potentiometer.

Step 11: Ground

Make sure it is grounded.

Connect the ground via a wire between the Arduino and the breadboard.

Step 12: Code

Download code for the game via SparkFun's site

Step 13: Link to Arduino Web Editor

Here is the code in Arduino Web Editor

This code was created and copied from SparkFun.

(SparkFun, n.d.)

Step 14: Final Product!

Here is what the game looks like on the breadboard!

Attachments

Step 15: Have Fun!

Try it out!

Have fun!