GameCap: ESP32-Powered Wearable Arcade From Reused Parts

Initially, I was thinking about what I would wanted to make. I had a spare ESP32 C3 lying around so I wanted to do something with it. Thinking about sustainability, I wanted to make something that from what I already had. I looked in my closet, and found a cap that I haven't worn in a while. I wanted to make something with it, so as I was playing video games, it clicked for me: a wearable video game cap. The only unused thing was the solderable breadboard, the button, and the ESP32 C3. The rest is from salvaged parts, including a battery I had lying around from - I think a RC Car I made, wires from old projects, and a screen from an old attempt to create a gaming console, and of course the old hat.

Warning: Be aware of your surroundings when using this device!

Notice: Requires Soldering

Notice 2: Make sure your hat is big enough to be ~1 inch from your head.

Notice 3: Be very careful when soldering and handling batteries.

Notice 4: Make sure to cover the solderable breadboard with an insulator to stay safe.

Notice 5: Make sure to disconnect battery when not in use.

Supplies

Electronics

ESP32C3 Supermini
1.8" ST7735 TFT (or any screen)
Male to Male Dupont Wires
Female to Female Dupont Wires
Momentary Push Button

Power

3000mAh Battery or any LiPo battery (mine was 3000mAh JST 1.25mm 2 Pin)
Male Female Connector Plug with Red Black Wire Cable (mine was JST 1.25mm 2 Pin)

Other Stuff

The cap (any old cap/hat will do, as long as it can support weight of screen)
Hot Glue/Gorilla Glue/Any super glue
Solderable Breadboard (Half size not full)
Soldering Iron
Solder (Use the non leaded kind if possible)

Optional for enhancement

3D printer
Filament

Glue Screen to Hat

Glue the screen to the hat as shown.

Put Code Into ESP32

Make sure that you have drivers. I used Arduino IDE. Any 1 button game works, but I used a game similar to Flappy Bird. Make sure you download the needed Libraries: Adafruit_GFX, Adafruit_ST7735. Ensure that you added ESP32 to the IDE and downloaded the library.

#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>

#include <Adafruit_ST7735.h>

#include <SPI.h>

// Screen SPI pins

#define TFT_CS 8

#define TFT_RST 9

#define TFT_DC 10

#define TFT_SCLK 6

#define TFT_MOSI 7

#define BUTTON1 3

Adafruit_ST7735 tft = Adafruit_ST7735(TFT_CS, TFT_DC, TFT_RST);

// Game variables

int birdY, velocity, pipeX, gapY;

const int gravity = 1;

const int flapStrength = -4;

const int gapSize = 30;

bool gameRunning = true;

void setup() {

pinMode(BUTTON1, INPUT_PULLUP);

SPI.begin(TFT_SCLK, -1, TFT_MOSI, TFT_CS);

tft.initR(INITR_BLACKTAB);

tft.setRotation(2); // Portrait upside down

tft.fillScreen(ST77XX_BLACK);

resetGame();

}

void drawBird(int y, uint16_t color) {

tft.fillRect(20, y, 5, 5, color);

}

void drawPipe(int x, int gapY, uint16_t color) {

tft.fillRect(x, 0, 10, gapY, color);

tft.fillRect(x, gapY + gapSize, 10, 160 - (gapY + gapSize), color);

}

void resetGame() {

tft.fillScreen(ST77XX_BLACK);

birdY = 80;

velocity = 0;

pipeX = 0;

gapY = random(20, 100);

gameRunning = true;

}

void showGameOver() {

tft.setCursor(20, 60);

tft.setTextColor(ST77XX_RED);

tft.setTextSize(2);

tft.print("Game Over");

gameRunning = false;

}

void loop() {

if (gameRunning) {

// Clear previous

drawBird(birdY, ST77XX_BLACK);

drawPipe(pipeX, gapY, ST77XX_BLACK);

// Input

if (digitalRead(BUTTON1) == LOW) {

velocity = flapStrength;

}

// Physics

velocity += gravity;

birdY += velocity;

// Pipe movement

pipeX += 2;

if (pipeX > 128) {

pipeX = 0;

gapY = random(20, 100);

}

// Draw updated

drawBird(birdY, ST77XX_YELLOW);

drawPipe(pipeX, gapY, ST77XX_GREEN);

// Collision detection

if (birdY <= 0 || birdY >= 160) showGameOver();

if (pipeX > 15 && pipeX < 25 && (birdY < gapY || birdY > gapY + gapSize)) showGameOver();

delay(50);

} else {

// Wait for button press to restart

if (digitalRead(BUTTON1) == LOW) {

delay(200); // debounce

resetGame();

}

Initial Wiring + Soldering

3.1

Connect the Male to Male Dupont cables to the Female to Female Dupont cables, to make very long (and secure) male to female Dupont Cables. Note: You can use very long Male to Female Dupont cables, but I wanted to use things that can be salvaged to cut down on waste.

3.2

Connect battery to connecter plug.

3.3 Soldering

Connect Dupont Cables to screen.

Wiring goes like this:

ST7735 → ESP32-C3 SuperMini

------------------------------

VCC → 3V3

GND → GND

LED → 3V3 (or via 100Ω to 3V3)

SCK → GPIO6

SDA → GPIO7

DC (A0) → GPIO10

RESET → GPIO9

CS → GPIO8

------------------------------

3.4 Soldering

Connect previously made very long male to female Dupont wires.

Wiring goes like this:

------------------------------

Button1 → GPIO3 and GND

Button2 → GPIO2 and GND

------------------------------

3.5 Soldering

Connect battery (through connecter wires) to solderable breadboard.

Wiring goes like this:

------------------------------

LiPo + → ESP32 5V

LiPo – → GND (along the GND) Line

------------------------------

Put Button on Side of Hat

Use Hot Glue and Tape as needed to put button on the hat as shown.

Tape Battery to the Board and Put Board Into Top of Hat

Now with the hard part out of the way, we can put the board into the top of the hat, glue it, then tape the battery to the board.

Note: Tape the battery, don't glue it, so you can still charge it.

Enjoy Retro Games on the Go!

Press the button to make your bird fly!

Note: The darker section of the poles is where you are to fly through.

Note 2: Works better in less light.

(Bonus)

For a better game experience, add a plastic 3D printed cover to the button.