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Hands-on Activity: Make a Shoebox Arcade

Controller

Quick Look
Grade Level: 8 (6-8)
Time Required: 1 hour
Expendable Cost/Group: US $0.05
This activity mainly uses non-expendable (reusable) supplies; see the Materials List for
details.
Group Size: 2
Activity Dependency: None
Subject Areas:Computer Science, Science and Technology

Summary
What is inside a video game controller?
Students learn about simple circuits and
switches as they build arcade
controllers using a cardboard box and a
MaKey MaKey—an electronic tool and
toy that enables users to connect
everyday objects to computer
programs. Each group uses a joystick
and two big push button arcade buttons
to make the controller. They follow
provided schematics to wire, test and
use their controllers—exploring the
functionality of the controllers by
playing simple computer games like
Tetris and Pac-Man. Many instructional A completed and functional shoebox arcade controller interfaces with an online
photos, a cutting diagram and a wiring computer game.

schematic are included.

This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Engineering Connection
Having an understanding of electronics and circuitry is useful for all engineers and lots of hobbyists. For
electrical engineers, basic wiring is the foundation for designing power systems on both the microscopic
and macroscopic scales. In this activity, students play the role of engineers by building a circuit that they
are likely well-acquainted with as computer game users. Students wire a controller to respond to the
instinctive instructions from a joystick. Having first-hand familiarity with the controller helps them
understand how the MaKey MaKey can be used as a keyboard when interacting with a computer.

Learning Objectives
After this activity, students should be able to:

• Identify circuit components and explain their importance.

• Explain the role of engineers in designing video game controllers.
• Assemble a system based on simple circuits.

Educational Standards
 NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards - Science
 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology
 State Standards

Materials List
Note: The expendable cost for this activity is very low because the main items—MaKey MaKeys,
cables, alligator clips, joysticks, arcade buttons, craft knives (~$73 per project/group)—are
expensive, yet fully reusable by taking apart the finished products.

Each group needs:

• MaKey MaKey, such as the standard/classic kit for $50 at SparkFun

• USB cable, such as a 6-foot USB mini-B cable for $4 at SparkFun; note that 1 USB cable comes with
the above MaKey MaKey kit
• 12 alligator clip wires; such as a 10-pack for $3 from SparkFun; note that 8 alligator clips are
included in the above MaKey MaKey kit
• 2 arcade buttons, 1 red, 1 green; such the 35 mm red and green concave momentary push buttons
for $2 each at SparkFun
• joystick, such as a short handle arcade joystick for $15 at Sparkfun
• cardboard box; shoebox size is ideal
• X-Acto or craft knife
• strong tape, such as duct tape, packing tape or masking tape
• metal-edged ruler, for cutting and measuring
• pencil or marker
• laptop or computer with USB connection
 • Arcade Controller Diagram (same as Figure 1)
• Wiring Schematics Handout

To share with the entire class:

• capability to show students a short video about how to take the buttons apart: Arcade Button
Setup

Worksheets and Attachments

Arcade Controller Diagram (pdf)
Wiring Schematics Handout (docx)
Wiring Schematics Handout (pdf)

Visit [www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/spfun-1851-shoebox-arcade-game-
controller-makey-circuit] to print or download.

Pre-Req Knowledge
A basic knowledge of circuitry.

Introduction/Motivation
Who has played a video game? What kind of gaming console did you use? Was it handheld and portable
or stationary and connected to a monitor like a computer or television? All of these games share a
common interface: a controller. A video game controller controls the game effects based on the input we
provide.

Think about an “old school” joystick. (Show students a completed controller and demonstrate how a game
reacts to your input by manipulating the controller in various directions.) When we move the joystick
forward, the video game responds by moving in that direction. Likewise, when we press the buttons, the
game reacts according to how the buttons are coded. The controls can be programmed to perform
different tasks based on the needs of the game.

Today, we will make our own vintage arcade controllers. First, we will construct and assemble the
mechanics of the controller. Then, we will dive into the electrical portion of the procedure. Like electrical
engineers, we are going to wire a circuit to enable an electrical flow through the joystick. When we
manipulate the controller in a certain direction, a switch (like a gate or a door) opens the “flow” of
electricity through the corresponding section of the circuit while the other directions stay closed.

Now, you and your partner are going to build a shoebox arcade controller. When you are done, the
controller can be used to play online games. If you want an additional challenge, visit scratch.mit.edu and
make your own game. Let’s get started!

Procedure
Background
The circuit components used in this activity are push buttons and a joystick. These components each open
and close a circuit to create the desired movement/action in a video game. Pressing a button closes the
circuit so electricity can flow freely along that path. When the button is released, the circuit is open, so the
path is broken and electricity cannot flow. The joystick works much in the same way as the buttons.
Instead of pressing a button directly, the joystick moves in all directions; four button-like components on
the bottom of the joystick open when the joystick points in those directions.

Notice the three metal tabs on the small black switch at the bottom of each arcade button. The tab on the
bottom of the button is called “ground”; students need to connect an alligator clip wire between the
“ground” tab and “earth.” Note: ground and Earth mean the same thing in electronics, sometimes they are
also called “-” or negative.

The other two metal tabs on the small black switch are both positive (+) connections. One is hooked to a
button pad on the MaKey MaKey (like the “space” pad). The difference between these two tabs is that one
is only connected when the button is up (un-pressed) and the other is only connected when the button is
down (pressed). Students wire the circuit so that pushing down the button closes the circuit. The Figure 8
wiring schematic shows which tabs to attach the wires to.

Before the Activity

• Gather materials and make copies of Arcade Controller Diagram (same as Figure 1) and Wiring
Schematics Handout.
• It is helpful if the teacher builds a controller him/herself prior to guiding the activity.
• Download a simple game such as Tetris in order to visually show how a video game reacts to
controller inputs.

With the Students

1. Begin by presenting the Introduction/Motivation section. Lead a discussion using the pre-activity
assessment questions.
2. Organize the class into teams of two students each. Distribute materials to each group.
3. Draw the holes to cut: Direct students to draw on the box the location of the joystick and buttons
by following the diagram (same as Figure 1). Give students some freedom in the exact placement of
the joystick and buttons, but ensure that the holes are the right size (as indicated on the diagram).
Point out the four cuts that stick out from the square joystick hole; these cuts are to accommodate
the tabs that stick out from the joystick’s buttons.

4. Cut the holes: Have students use craft knives to cut the three
holes in the box; make the cutouts look like those shown in
Figure 2. Provide assistance as necessary. Tips:

◦ Use a steel ruler to help make straight cuts.

◦ To cut holes in the cardboard box, use the knife point to
poke small cuts through the cardboard around the circle.
It’s much easier (and safer) to poke a series of holes
around a small circle than to try to drag the knife around Figure 1. A diagram indicates where to draw
the joystick and buttons holes on the box lid.
the edge of a circle. (Provided as a student handout.)
◦ Buttons may be a tight fit into the cut-out circles. If the buttons seem like they won’t fit,
advise students to cut around the outside of their drawn circles.
5. Mount the joystick onto the box. Tell students: To mount the
joystick, slide it through the square hole in the top of your box,
making sure that the metal tabs that stick out slide through the
short slots cut around the square hole. Since the metal plate on
top of the joystick is bigger than the hole, the joystick rests on
the top of the box. Use tape to secure the metal plate onto the
box.

6. Take apart the arcade

buttons: Next, students take Figure 2. The box with rectangular and
apart the arcade buttons circular cutouts.
before using the plastic
screw to clamp them onto
the tops of their boxes. Tell
students: To take apart the
buttons, pull back on the
plastic clip that holds the
small black rectangular View of the underside of the joystick from
switch on the bottom of the inside the box.

button and rotate the small black switch until it comes free. With the switch removed, unscrew the
plastic ring (nut) on the bottom of the threaded button shaft (screw). Refer to Figures 3-6 for the
process of taking apart the buttons. It may help to show students the short video, Arcade Button
Setup, shown below.

Figure 3. To take apart a button, start by

using an index finger to pull back on a plastic
Figure 5. Spin the black plastic ring (nut) to
Figure 4. Detach the black clip that secures a black rectangular switch to
remove it from the button.
rectangular switch from the button. the bottom of the button.

Figure 6. The buttons, stripped of their

switches and nuts.
7. Mount the buttons: Have students mount the arcade buttons to their controllers following these
steps.

◦ Slide the colored body of the button through one of the cardboard holes.
◦ Inside the box, screw the black plastic screw onto the bottom of the button until it pinches
the cardboard and holds the button in place.
 ◦ Replace the square black switch on the bottom of the button by rotating it into the plastic
clip on the bottom of the button (see Figure 7).

8. Wire the buttons: At this

point, students have
completed the mechanical
part of their arcade
controller builds! Next, have
students starting wiring up
their buttons to the MaKey
MaKey, according to the Figure 7. Once the button is attached to the
wiring handout (same as cardboard, reconnect the switch to the
Figures 8 and 9). button.
The inside of the shoebox with the mounted
joystick and buttons.

Figure 8. Wiring schematic for the two arcade

buttons. (Provided as a student handout.)
9. Wire the joystick: Direct students to examine the joystick and
move it around; notice that a metal post swings around and
presses four buttons—for up, left, down and right. Referring to
the wiring handout again, direct students to wire each of the
four joystick buttons to one of the arrow pads on the Makey
Makey (also shown in Figure 9).

Connect alligator clip wires to the buttons

and joystick.

Figure 9. Wiring schematic for the joystick.

(Provided as a student handout.)

Completed joystick wiring.

10. Testing: Tell students: Once you have the joystick and arcade buttons wired, test all of the buttons
using the MaKey MaKey lights. To do this, use a USB cable to plug the MaKey MaKey into a laptop;
expect the green lights on the front of the MaKey MaKey to flash for a moment. Then try pressing
 each button and moving the joystick. What do you see? (Expect students to see a different green
light when each button is pressed or when the joystick is moved in each direction.) What happens if
you move the joystick diagonally? (That triggers two buttons at the same time.)
11. Have students discuss in their groups what input—button pushes, joystick movements—causes
what result. Then, discuss as a class. Make sure that the lights work like this:

◦ Button 1: space
◦ Button 2: click
◦ Up on joystick: up arrow
◦ Left on joystick: left arrow
◦ Down on joystick: down arrow
◦ Right on joystick: right arrow

12. Use the shoebox arcade controllers: Tell students:

Congratulations! You have made your own arcade controller.
You can use it to play all kinds of retro arcade games. Search
online or specifically at scratch.mit.edu for titles like Super
Mario, Pac-Man, Flappy Bird and Tetris, and then use your
arcade controller to play the games.
13. Give students time to try out a few different games. Then
discuss how their arcade controllers work for each one. Refer to
the post-activity assessment for guiding questions.
Looking inside the box at the completed

Vocabulary/Definitions wired circuit.

electric current: The flow of electrons in a circuit.

electrical circuit: A path that facilitates electrical flow.
ground: A common return path for current in a circuit. Also called “earth.”
MaKey MaKey: An electronic invention tool and toy that enables users to connect everyday objects to
computer programs. Using a circuit board, alligator clips, and a USB cable, the device uses closed loop
electrical signals to send the computer a keyboard stroke or mouse click signal. (Source: Wikipedia)
switch: A device that opens or closes the flow of electricity in a circuit.

Assessment
Pre-Activity Assessment

Question/Answer: Ask students the following questions to gauge their understanding of circuits. Write
their responses on the board. Discuss their answers as a class. Clarify any misconceptions.

• What is a closed circuit? (Answer: A closed circuit is a circuit with a complete path, which permits
charge to flow [current].)
• What would happen if the circuit was not closed (that is, open)? (Answer: An open circuit would not
facilitate current flow, and ultimately would prevent the controller from working.)

Activity Embedded Assessment

Design Considerations: While students are wiring their controllers, ask them the following questions:
 • Have students disconnect one or two alligator clip wires from the controller. Does the controller
work? Why not? (Answer: Disconnecting just one wire can open the circuit, preventing current from
flowing through the circuit.)
• On the wiring schematic, can you trace the path that the current takes when you articulate the
joystick forward?

Post-Activity Assessment

Controller Use: Have students download simple video games that utilize clear up, down, left, and right
controls, such as Tetris. Suggest that students find games by searching for “tetris” or “pac-man” at
scatrach.mit.edu. In a discussion format, ask students the following questions to gauge their depth of
comprehension:

• How might you wire the joystick and MaKey MaKey to reverse the directions on the controller?
(Answer: Switch the wiring on the MaKey MaKey; “up” joystick button to “down” MaKey MaKey pad
and “down” joystick button to “up” MaKey MaKey pad. Or, switch the joystick wiring.)
• How might you wire the buttons and MaKey MaKey so that the first button performed the “click”
task and the second button performed the “space” task? (Answer: Switch the wires connected to
the buttons or switch the wiring on the MaKey MaKey pad.)

Safety Issues
Never force the X-Acto knife if it gets stuck. Instead, use the point to make several cuts along the same
line until the knife cuts through and along your line without so much force.

Troubleshooting Tips
Alligator clips need to be tiny. The alligator clips that come with the MaKey MaKey kit and those
listed/linked in the Materials List are the appropriate size.

If the joystick or a button seems to be pressed when no one is touching it, the circuit may be closed due to
touching alligator clips. Ensure that the rubber covers completely cover the clips to prevent accidental
circuit mishaps and short circuits.

Activity Extensions
Use Scratch to make your own game. Go to scratch.mit.edu to learn more.

Additional Multimedia Support

Watch a fun two-minute introduction to MaKey MaKey at https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=rfQqh7iCcOU.

As needed, show students a short (50-second) video, Arcade Button Setup.

References
• Activity adapted from SparkFun’s Shoebox Arcade Controller activity at
https://invent.sparkfun.com/cwists/preview/1500x
Copyright
© 2017 by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © 2016 SparkFun Education

Contributors
Angela Sheehan; Morgan Ulrich

Supporting Program
SparkFun Education
Last modified: May 8, 2019

Free K-12 standards-aligned STEM curriculum for educators everywhere.

Find more at TeachEngineering.org