For my final project, I’m currently deciding between two game concepts. I’m still brainstorming and working on the overall ideas, so since I haven’t fully decided what to go with yet, I’m documenting both possible directions.
Concept 1 — Rhythm Game
This concept is based on rhythm games like Dance Dance Revolution, but turned into a tabletop physical controller. Instead of tapping keys on a keyboard, players interact with physical buttons connected to an Arduino that trigger actions in p5.js.
Interaction (How it Works)
On the p5.js screen, colored notes fall from the top to the bottom. The player has 4–6 physical push buttons arranged in a row, each one corresponding to a lane on the screen. When a falling note reaches the bottom marker, the player must press the matching physical button at the right moment.
The game gives immediate feedback, such as:
- Perfect hits respond with a sound and/or visual flash
- A miss is indicated with a red flash
- The score updates in real time
Arduino Components
- 4–6 push buttons
- 1 potentiometer
The potentiometer will control the difficulty level by adjusting the speed of the falling notes (higher difficulty = faster notes).
I like this idea because I think people will naturally want to try it, and it’s generally easy to understand without needing much explanation.
Concept 2 — Wizard Duel (Mashing Game)
This concept is a 2-player competitive game inspired by Harry Potter wand duels and by games like “Wizard” on 1-2-Switch. Each player has a physical button, and the faster they mash their button, the more they push their spell beam toward the opponent.
Interaction (How it Works)
The p5.js screen shows two wizards on opposite sides. Player 1 has one button, Player 2 has another. When the game starts (using a separate start/reset button):
- Both players mash their button as fast as possible
- The faster player pushes the spell beam toward the opposite side
- If the beam reaches Player 2’s side, Player 1 wins
- If it reaches Player 1’s side, Player 2 wins
Arduino Components
- 1 button to start/reset
- 2 buttons (one for each player to mash)
I might also add LEDs for each player that flash with every mash (not 100% sure yet, I’ll see what works best). I’m also open to adding more components if it makes the game more interesting.
I like this idea because I love competitive games, especially mashing games. I used to play them all the time on game consoles with my sisters.
Conclusion
I still need to decide which concept I’ll fully commit to (and who knows, I might even change my entire idea by next week). Over the next few days, I’ll prototype small parts of each idea to see which one feels more engaging and fun for me to complete.