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Gigantris — Oversized LED Tetris

November 1, 2016 complete
Gigantris — Oversized LED Tetris
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Overview

Gigantris is a life-size playable Tetris — a 10×20 grid made from 200 addressable 6-LED RGB modules, controlled by an Arduino and a Wii Nunchuk with an extended cable. An internal power supply delivers up to 20 A at 12 V when the board is fully illuminated.

Built to last and travel easily in a minivan, it was presented at Detroit Maker Faire.

Origin Story

The project started as two 10×10 RGB panels destined for a Mega Battleship build. When the team realized the layout would make a better Tetris board, open-source Tetris code was found, a bit of re-wiring done, and it was running in about 30 minutes.

The first iteration used heavy bolted squares. A later revision replaced these with lighter panels on collapsible legs, with a built-in compartment to house all the wiring and Wii Nunchuk controllers.

Silver Bells

Gigantris and its older twin have both appeared on the Lansing Silver Bells parade float (November 2016).

Hardware

  • 200 × 6-LED addressable RGB modules (10×20 grid)
  • Arduino controller
  • Wii Nunchuk with extended cable
  • Internal 12 V / 20 A power supply