Farkle! Handheld PCB Game Console
Introduction: Farkle! Handheld PCB Game Console
In this Instructable I will show you how I made my PCB Farkle Game! Farkle, also known as 10000, Zilch, 6 Dice, and Ten Thousand, is a fun and challenging dice game with multiple variations and scoring options. I first got the inspiration from my twin brother, <PERSON>’s Liar’s Dice PCB game in which he utilized a MAX7219 chip to “roll” 5 electronic LED dice. I thought his final product was awesome and wanted to create something utilizing similar components. Additionally, growing up, my family and I played the traditional Farkle game (with 6 dice, pen, and paper) quite a bit and we always had fun playing it, especially time’s when someone would actually “Farkle” during gameplay and we’d all shout “FAARRKKLEE!”
At some point during quarantine, I was looking for different games to play and I remembered Farkle. It was only a few turns in that the excitement I had as a kid was rekindled. Shortly after that, my tinkering wheels started turning and I thought about designing a homemade portable Farkle game that could incorporate multiple players and keep score for us. 848
Additionally, I could use the same MAX7219 chips that my brother used to drive 6 electronic LED dice needed for the game!
After many hours of schematic drawing, PCB designing, programming the game, and designing the case and die, I created exactly what I had in mind! I was able to finish it just in time for the Holidays, and after testing it with the family, the game worked perfectly! I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!
Here is a quick rundown of some of the design features of my Farkle game:
- 6 capacitive touch sensors for selecting/de-selecting die
- 2 push buttons to continue round or pass to next player
- 6 electronic LED dice
- 4 digit 7-segment display that displays current score during a players’ round
- 128x64 OLED display that keeps total score of each player during gameplay
- Option for 2-6 players to play the game (working on creating a 1 player game vs. the computer)
- Piezo buzzer that creates sounds during gameplay
- Scoring combinations printed on circuit board for reference
- Portable and powered with a LiPo battery
All in all I had a blast making this game. This was my first experience creating a PCB and the programming was definitely fun and challenging. If you want to make this fun game, follow along!
Supplies
Electronics:
- 4 Digit 7 Segment Display
- 128x64 OLED Display
- Arduino Pro Mini 5V
- 2x MAX7219 IC's
- 42x 3mm Red LEDs
- 2x Push Buttons (6x6mm)
- 6x Capacitive Touch Sensors
- Piezo Buzzer
- 2x Ceramic Capacitor (100nF)
- 2x Resistor (30kOhm)
- 2x Resistor (10kOhm)
- Resistor (100 Ohm)
- 2600 mAh Rechargeable Power Bank
- Switch
- Sunyecz22 Farkle PCB Board (Message me and I can send the <PERSON> files)
Other:
- 3D printer (optional)
- Black and White PLA filament (optional)
- Envirotex Lite Pour On Gloss Finish
- Black Spray Paint
- Wood Filler
- Sandpaper (~80 grit - 1200 grit)
- Clear Acrylic Sheet (12in x 12in square)
Miscellaneous:
- 28 gauge wire
- Wire cutters/strippers
- Soldering iron
- Solder
- Small precision files
- Hot glue
Step 1: Farkle! Rules and Gameplay
Before I begin, it may be helpful to understand how Farkle is played and the rules for the game. There are a few different variations to the game but I stuck with the rules and scoring combinations from this website. This most closely resembles the rules that I remember playing as a kid.
Objective:
To score a minimum of 10,000 points and outscore your opponents
Equipment:
- Six 6-sided dice
- A score sheet and pencil for keeping score
Number of Players:
Traditional Farkle is played with at least two players but is ideally played with 3-8 players.
How to Play:
Note: this is directly from https://www.dicegamedepot.com/farkle-rules/. They explain the rules best in terms of simplicity. 769