Pong Game with Arduino UNO and OLED Display – Project Explanation

 

Pong Game using Arduino UNO and OLED Display

The Pong Game using Arduino UNO and OLED Display is a classic embedded systems project where a retro arcade-style game is implemented using the Arduino Uno and a 0.96” I2C OLED display based on the SSD1306 controller.

The circuit design and simulation were created using Cirkit Designer, making it easy to visualize and test before hardware implementation.

This project demonstrates how Arduino can handle:

• Real-time graphics rendering

• Button input handling

• Game logic implementation

• Sound effects using buzzer

• I2C communication

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 Objective

• Develop a basic arcade-style game using Arduino

• Interface an OLED display using I2C protocol

• Understand graphics rendering in embedded systems

• Learn collision detection and game logic

• Implement input-output handling

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 Components Used

• Arduino Uno

• 0.96” I2C OLED Display (SSD1306)

• Push Buttons (Up / Down) or Potentiometer

• Breadboard

• Jumper Wires

• USB Cable

• Buzzer (connected to pin 11 for sound effects)

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 Working Principle

1️⃣ Display Initialization

The OLED uses I2C communication:

OLED Pin	Arduino UNO Pin
VCC	5V
GND	GND
SDA	A4
SCL	A5

The display is initialized using:

display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C);

0x3C is the default I2C address of the OLED.

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2️⃣ Game Logic Execution

The game consists of:

• A moving ball (X & Y coordinates)

• Player paddle (right side)

• MCU paddle (left side)

• Score tracking system

Ball Movement

The ball moves continuously using timed updates:

• BALL_RATE controls ball speed

• PADDLE_RATE controls paddle refresh rate

The ball direction changes when:

• It hits vertical walls

• It hits top or bottom walls

• It collides with paddles

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3️⃣ Collision Detection

The program checks:

✔ Ball hitting vertical boundary → Score update

✔ Ball hitting top/bottom → Reverse Y direction

✔ Ball hitting player paddle → Reverse X direction

✔ Ball hitting MCU paddle → Reverse X direction

This creates a simple ball physics simulation.

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4️⃣ Input Handling

Push Buttons

pinMode(UP_BUTTON, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(DOWN_BUTTON, INPUT_PULLUP);

When pressed:

• UP button → Paddle moves up

• DOWN button → Paddle moves down

Because of INPUT_PULLUP, buttons read LOW when pressed.

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Potentiometer (Optional Alternative)

Instead of buttons:

• Connect potentiometer middle pin to A0

• Use analogRead()

• Map value to screen height (0–53)

This gives smooth paddle control.

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5️⃣ Sound Effects

The buzzer connected to pin 11 generates tones:

• Paddle hit sound

• Wall bounce sound

• Score sound

Example:

tone(11, 250, 25);

This enhances user interaction.

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6️⃣ Screen Refresh

The Arduino continuously updates:

• Ball position

• Paddle position

• Score display

At game over:

• Displays “YOU WIN!!” or “YOU LOSE!”

• Waits 5 seconds

• Resets the game

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 Graphics Rendering

The project uses:

• drawPixel() → Ball

• drawFastVLine() → Paddles

• drawRect() → Court boundary

• setCursor() & print() → Score

Graphics are handled using:

• Adafruit_GFX library

• Adafruit_SSD1306 library

These libraries simplify drawing shapes and text on OLED.

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 Features

• Real-time paddle control

• Ball physics simulation

• Collision detection

• Automatic MCU opponent

• Score counter (0–9 limit)

• Sound feedback

• Game reset after win/lose

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 Learning Outcomes

Students learn:

• I2C communication protocol

• OLED interfacing

• Embedded graphics basics

• Real-time programming using millis()

• Game logic design

• Interrupt-free timed control

• Digital input handling

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 Applications

• Embedded game development

• Learning graphics programming

• Understanding display communication

• Educational STEM project

• Arduino display practice

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 Why Use Cirkit Designer?

Using Cirkit Designer helps:

✔ Visualize wiring before hardware setup

✔ Prevent short circuits

✔ Simulate safely

✔ Speed up prototyping

Working Principle

Code:

/*

  A simple Pong game.

  https://notabug.org/Maverick/WokwiPong

 

  Based on Arduino Pong by eholk

  https://github.com/eholk/Arduino-Pong

*/

#include <SPI.h>

#include <Wire.h>

#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>

#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

#define UP_BUTTON 2

#define DOWN_BUTTON 3

const unsigned long PADDLE_RATE = 64;

const unsigned long BALL_RATE = 16;

const uint8_t PADDLE_HEIGHT = 12;

const uint8_t SCORE_LIMIT = 9;

Adafruit_SSD1306 display = Adafruit_SSD1306(128, 64, &Wire);

bool game_over, win;

uint8_t player_score, mcu_score;

uint8_t ball_x = 53, ball_y = 26;

uint8_t ball_dir_x = 1, ball_dir_y = 1;

unsigned long ball_update;

unsigned long paddle_update;

const uint8_t MCU_X = 12;

uint8_t mcu_y = 16;

const uint8_t PLAYER_X = 115;

uint8_t player_y = 16;

void setup()

{

    display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C);

    // Display the splash screen (we're legally required to do so)

    display.display();

    unsigned long start = millis();

    pinMode(UP_BUTTON, INPUT_PULLUP);

    pinMode(DOWN_BUTTON, INPUT_PULLUP);

    pinMode(7, OUTPUT);

    digitalWrite(7, LOW);

    display.clearDisplay();

    drawCourt();

    while(millis() - start < 2000);

    display.display();

    ball_update = millis();

    paddle_update = ball_update;

}

void loop()

{

    bool update_needed = false;

    unsigned long time = millis();

    static bool up_state = false;

    static bool down_state = false;

   

    up_state |= (digitalRead(UP_BUTTON) == LOW);

    down_state |= (digitalRead(DOWN_BUTTON) == LOW);

    if(time > ball_update)

    {

        uint8_t new_x = ball_x + ball_dir_x;

        uint8_t new_y = ball_y + ball_dir_y;

        // Check if we hit the vertical walls

        if(new_x == 0 || new_x == 127)

        {

            ball_dir_x = -ball_dir_x;

            new_x += ball_dir_x + ball_dir_x;

            if (new_x < 64)

            {

                player_scoreTone();

                player_score++;

            }

            else

            {

                mcu_scoreTone();

                mcu_score++;

            }

            if (player_score == SCORE_LIMIT || mcu_score == SCORE_LIMIT)

            {

                win = player_score > mcu_score;

                game_over = true;

            }

        }

        // Check if we hit the horizontal walls.

        if(new_y == 0 || new_y == 53)

        {

            wallTone();

            ball_dir_y = -ball_dir_y;

            new_y += ball_dir_y + ball_dir_y;

        }

        // Check if we hit the CPU paddle

        if(new_x == MCU_X && new_y >= mcu_y && new_y <= mcu_y + PADDLE_HEIGHT)

        {

            mcuPaddleTone();

            ball_dir_x = -ball_dir_x;

            new_x += ball_dir_x + ball_dir_x;

        }

        // Check if we hit the player paddle

        if(new_x == PLAYER_X && new_y >= player_y && new_y <= player_y + PADDLE_HEIGHT)

        {

            playerPaddleTone();

            ball_dir_x = -ball_dir_x;

            new_x += ball_dir_x + ball_dir_x;

        }

        display.drawPixel(ball_x, ball_y, BLACK);

        display.drawPixel(new_x, new_y, WHITE);

        ball_x = new_x;

        ball_y = new_y;

        ball_update += BALL_RATE;

        update_needed = true;

    }

    if(time > paddle_update)

    {

        paddle_update += PADDLE_RATE;

        // CPU paddle

        display.drawFastVLine(MCU_X, mcu_y, PADDLE_HEIGHT, BLACK);

        const uint8_t half_paddle = PADDLE_HEIGHT >> 1;

        if(mcu_y + half_paddle > ball_y)

        {

            int8_t dir = ball_x > MCU_X ? -1 : 1;

            mcu_y += dir;

        }

        if(mcu_y + half_paddle < ball_y)

        {

            int8_t dir = ball_x > MCU_X ? 1 : -1;

            mcu_y += dir;

        }

        if(mcu_y < 1)

        {

            mcu_y = 1;

        }

        if(mcu_y + PADDLE_HEIGHT > 53)

        {

            mcu_y = 53 - PADDLE_HEIGHT;

        }

        // Player paddle

        display.drawFastVLine(MCU_X, mcu_y, PADDLE_HEIGHT, WHITE);

        display.drawFastVLine(PLAYER_X, player_y, PADDLE_HEIGHT, BLACK);

        if(up_state)

        {

            player_y -= 1;

        }

        if(down_state)

        {

            player_y += 1;

        }

        up_state = down_state = false;

        if(player_y < 1)

        {

            player_y = 1;

        }

        if(player_y + PADDLE_HEIGHT > 53)

        {

            player_y = 53 - PADDLE_HEIGHT;

        }

        display.drawFastVLine(PLAYER_X, player_y, PADDLE_HEIGHT, WHITE);

        update_needed = true;

    }

    if(update_needed)

    {

        if (game_over)

        {

            const char* text = win ? "YOU WIN!!" : "YOU LOSE!";

            display.clearDisplay();

            display.setCursor(40, 28);

            display.print(text);

            display.display();

            delay(5000);

            display.clearDisplay();

            ball_x = 53;

            ball_y = 26;

            ball_dir_x = 1;

            ball_dir_y = 1;

            mcu_y = 16;

            player_y = 16;

            mcu_score = 0;

            player_score = 0;

            game_over = false;

            drawCourt();

        }

        display.setTextColor(WHITE, BLACK);

        display.setCursor(0, 56);

        display.print(mcu_score);

        display.setCursor(122, 56);

        display.print(player_score);

        display.display();

    }

}

void playerPaddleTone()

{

    tone(11, 250, 25);

    delay(25);

    noTone(11);

}

void mcuPaddleTone()

{

    tone(11, 225, 25);

    delay(25);

    noTone(11);

}

void wallTone()

{

    tone(11, 200, 25);

    delay(25);

    noTone(11);

}

void player_scoreTone()

{

    tone(11, 200, 25);

    delay(50);

    noTone(11);

    delay(25);

    tone(11, 250, 25);

    delay(25);

    noTone(11);

}

void mcu_scoreTone()

{

    tone(11, 250, 25);

    delay(25);

    noTone(11);

    delay(25);

    tone(11, 200, 25);

    delay(25);

    noTone(11);

}

void drawCourt()

{

    display.drawRect(0, 0, 128, 54, WHITE);

}

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 Conclusion

The Pong Game using Arduino UNO and OLED Display proves that the Arduino Uno is not limited to automation tasks — it can also create interactive graphical systems.

This project strengthens understanding of:

• Embedded programming

• Display interfacing

• Real-time logic handling

• Input-output control

• Game physics simulation

It is an excellent beginner-to-intermediate level project that combines hardware and software concepts into a fun and engaging learning experience.

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