"Mimic the colours, master your reflexes—can you keep up with the Mimictron3000?"
Two designers developed an interactive reaction game in under 24 hours using an Arduino microcontroller. The concept draws inspiration from cultural variations of the classic children's game "Simon Says." The game challenges users to test and improve their reflexes with dynamic visuals, timed responses, and escalating levels of difficulty.
The designers aimed to create a simple yet immersive experience by combining visual feedback, interactivity, and real-time responsiveness. The game incorporates an OLED display, an RGB LED, and two buttons. The OLED screen displays the player’s score, remaining lives, and custom bitmap-based visuals, such as a "Game Over" screen. The RGB LED changes colour to indicate the game state, prompting players to press the correct button corresponding to the LED's colour within a limited time.
Using a non-blocking timer system powered by millis(), the game ensures accurate tracking of player responses. Points are awarded for correct button presses, while mistakes or slow reactions result in penalties, ending the game when the player loses all lives. The game’s difficulty increases with randomised LED colours, keeping it engaging and challenging.
This focus on interactivity and user engagement is reflected in the code. Efficient structures, such as non-blocking timers, optimise game performance. Additionally, the integration of multiple components—OLED displays, RGB LEDs, and custom graphics—demonstrates the power of cohesive hardware-software design in creating a polished and engaging user experience.
