Recreate the published Meadow Tetris project with a Meadow F7 Micro, a MAX7219 LED matrix display, and a two-axis analog joystick. The project source shows how to initialize the hardware, read joystick input, advance falling pieces, and redraw the playfield; its code has not been verified here against current Meadow tooling.
Parts and wiring
The Electromaker project by jorgedevs uses these three components:
- Meadow F7 Micro board
- MAX7219 LED dot-matrix display module
- Two-axis analog joystick
Use the wiring diagram on the Electromaker project page for the complete circuit. The page’s extracted text does not establish every connection, so do not infer a full pin map from the code alone. In the sample, D01 is the display chip-select pin, and A00 and A01 are used for the joystick axes. Check those assignments against your particular board and modules before connecting them.
The code sets the MAX7219 driver’s deviceCount to 4. Confirm that your display module’s arrangement matches the driver configuration; the project does not establish that every MAX7219 module has the same layout or pinout.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match#1 Best Overall
- PORTABLE RETRO GAMING: Feel the nostalgic thrill of classic puzzle action anywhere you go, with this compact keyring console clipping easily onto keys or bags for instant fun.
- AUTHENTIC LICENSED GAMEPLAY: Experience true nostalgia with officially licensed Tetris sounds, original mechanics, and retro LCD graphics - no Wi-Fi or apps required at all.
- TWO FUN GAME MODES: Choose Sprint Mode to clear 25 lines as fast as possible or Marathon Mode to test endurance across 15 levels, sharpening focus and strategy each time.
- RESPONSIVE CONTROLS & SCORE MEMORY: Smooth arcade-style buttons make stacking blocks satisfying, while built-in score memory saves your best results for ongoing challenges.
- BATTERY POWERED & TRAVEL READY: Runs on 2 AAA batteries (not included) for unplugged fun anytime - perfect for car rides, flights, school breaks, or office downtime.
Set up the Meadow project
The Electromaker tutorial’s original setup instructions use Visual Studio 2019, a Meadow Application project, and two NuGet packages:
Meadow.Foundation.Displays.GraphicsLibraryMeadow.Foundation.Displays.Max7219
Treat these as the tutorial’s historical instructions, not as confirmation that the old project configuration or code works unchanged with current Meadow releases. The tutorial does not specify package versions.
Rank #2
- 🕹️Officialy Licensed: This is an officially licensed Tetris title, ensuring an authentic gaming experience
- 🔋Portable Power: Powered by 4 AA batteries for gaming on-the-go (batteries not included) or by a USB-C cable (not included)
- Addictive Gameplay: The iconic Tetris game challenges your brain with addictive puzzle action, fast-paced block stacking and sharpens your reflexes.
- High Resolution: This pocket-sized game features a high-resolution 2.75-inch full-color vertical display, allowing you to immerse yourself in the classic gameplay.
- Headphone Jack: 3.5mm headphone jack lets you enjoy Tetris on the go on your own privately. Perfect for travel. Take your games anywhere
For current F7 setup, follow Wilderness Labs’ Hello, Meadow F7 Feather guide. It covers .NET setup, Visual Studio 2022 or VS Code workflows, Meadow templates, installing Meadow.OS with Meadow.CLI, creating an F7 project, and deploying an application. These setup steps are distinct from the 2019-era IDE directions in the game tutorial. The official Meadow Guides page links to broader getting-started, Meadow basics, feature-status, and Meadow.Foundation material.
How the published game is put together
Initialize display and controls
The sample constructs a TetrisGame(8, 24) instance, initializes a MAX7219 display over SPI using D01 for chip select, and creates a GraphicsLibrary renderer. It selects Font4x8, rotates the graphics orientation by 180 degrees, and reads the joystick’s analog axes from A00 and A01.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
- HEAD-TO-HEAD BLOCK ACTION: Feel the competitive thrill of classic Tetris gameplay, plugging straight into your TV for instant two-player duels with no console needed.
- TWO WIRELESS CONTROLLERS: Ergonomic Tetrimino-shaped controllers deliver smooth, responsive controls, powered by 3 x AAA batteries (not included) for instant play. IMPORTANT: TV USB PORT REQUIRED - USB connection required to power the game.
- COMPETITIVE GARBAGE-BLOCK TWIST: Clearing lines sends disruptive blocks to your opponent, adding pressure and strategy to every move in this split-screen showdown.
- SOLO OR MULTIPLAYER MODES: Practice against the CPU to sharpen your skills, then challenge a friend for intense head-to-head matches testing reflexes and planning.
- EASY PLUG AND PLAY: No consoles or downloads needed—connect to any HDMI TV and play instantly, perfect for family game nights, parties, and ages 8+ get-togethers.
Read input and advance the piece
Each loop reads joystick position with joystick.GetPosition() and maps directional input to game methods. The published controls are left and right to move horizontally, up to move the falling piece downward, and down to rotate it. That mapping may feel counterintuitive if you expect up to rotate; it is the control scheme shown by this sample.
The game advances the falling piece according to tick % (21 - game.Level). Rotation includes a 500-millisecond wait. These are implementation choices in the published code, not tested recommendations for ideal responsiveness or difficulty. The loop pauses for 50 milliseconds after drawing.
Rank #4
- CLASSIC GRAPHICS AND SOUNDS: Immerse yourself in nostalgia with classic graphics, music, and sounds that look just like the original Tetris arcade game!
- AUTHENTIC GAMEPLAY: Use the joystick and buttons to move and rotate the Tetriminos as they fall to complete lines and score points!
- FULL COLOR SCREEN: With a brighter, full color screen that makes it easy to see the blocks, you’ll be racking up points like a pro as you stack your Tetriminos!
- MARATHON MODE: Race to line up your Tetriminos in rows before they stack too high. Complete 10 lines to move to the next level. But watch out - the Tetriminos drop faster the longer you play!
- SHARE AND COLLECT: Arcade Classics are a must-have retro toy for collectors or for anyone looking to share this classic toy with the next generation!
Draw the field
The rendering method, DrawTetrisField, displays the lines-cleared count, checks the current piece’s 4-by-4 shape to draw its occupied locations, and then iterates over the game field to paint occupied cells. The display content is vertically offset to reserve a line for the counter.
The main loop clears the graphics buffer, draws the field, and calls graphics.Show() to present the updated frame. In broad terms, the code keeps game state separate from hardware rendering and input: the game object tracks play, while the graphics and joystick code handles the board’s peripherals.
Adapting the build
This project documents one specific hardware combination, not a verified list of substitutes. Before choosing a different board, display, or input device, check:
- Display: resolution and module arrangement, plus whether Meadow.Foundation has a driver that supports the display.
- Input: whether the alternative uses analog or digital signals and which pins your board can provide.
- Board: compatibility with the current Meadow setup and peripheral APIs.
- Wiring: whether the replacement’s pinout and connection requirements are documented well enough to assemble safely.
The official WildernessLabs/Meadow.Samples repository is a useful place to explore other Meadow examples, but it does not establish compatibility for this particular game with alternate hardware or current package versions.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
