How to Make a Game Console From Old Broken SmartWatch With Usig Esp32-C3, St7789 Tft Display

Welcome to a new ESP32 project! Today, we are building a tiny, keychain-sized game console by giving new life to parts from an old, broken smartwatch. By recycling unused or broken devices, like the display and lithium battery, you can make a great contribution to nature and reduce the environmental damage caused during production.

This project packs three retro games into one tiny device. If you want to take this project from a handmade prototype to a professional level, this project is sponsored by JLCPCB. You can easily create a professional 6-layer printed circuit board starting at just $2.

To keep this game console as small as possible, I used very few, tiny components.

Electronic Components:

1. ESP32-C3 Mini (chosen for its ease of use in handmade projects)
2. 1.3" IPS panel display (240x240, ST7789) salvaged from an old smartwatch
3. Tiny lithium battery salvaged from an old smartwatch
4. 3 tactile buttons
5. Voltage regulator (I used an AMS1117, but a low-drop regulator like a 662k is highly recommended for better efficiency)
6. TP4056 charger board
7. 10k resistor
8. Assorted capacitors and resistors
9. Perfboard
10. Thin wires and cables

Tools & Enclosure:

1. Breadboard for prototyping
2. Soldering iron
3. Hot glue gun
4. Screws
5. 3D Printer https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/diy-tiny-game-console-1-3-st7789-display-esp32-c3

Don't be afraid to break open old devices—you might find something rare and usable!

1. Tear down an old smartwatch to extract the 1.3" IPS screen.
2. Do a quick internet research to find the driver type and pinout documentation.
3. Check the power connections to verify they are correct before proceeding.

Before making the handmade hardware, it is important to test everything while the code is developing.

1. Prepare a breadboard version of the circuit.
2. Follow your schematic to complete the wiring connections for the display, buttons, and ESP32-C3.

The software is designed to be easily compilable on the Arduino IDE, and the source code is released on my GitHub page for you to download. https://github.com/derdacavga/Tiny-Game-Console

1. Install my custom display library, which is currently under development but fully supports the 1.3" version of the ST7789 display.
2. Select the 1.3" display version in the user setup configuration file.
3. The script includes three games: Brick Breaker, Snake, and Flappy Bird, all playable with three buttons.
4. Select the ESP32C3 Dev Board and the correct COM port in Arduino IDE.
5. Click upload! Firmware flashing is easy because we are using the board's built-in USB support.
6. Check the screen to ensure everything works correctly before moving on to soldering.

Once the breadboard prototype works, it's time to make it permanent. Work carefully and use thin wire.

1. Prepare the ESP32-C3: Solder a 10k resistor between the Enable pin and 3.3V.
2. Voltage Regulator: Solder the voltage output of your regulator to the chip's power input.
3. Buttons: Wire one leg of all three buttons together and connect them to common ground. Connect the other leg of each button to its respective GPIO pin.
4. Display Connections: Carefully wire the display to the ESP32.
5. Quick Tip: Do not connect the backlight directly to the power line, as this will cause the screen to remain always on.

Connect the tiny recycled battery to the regular TP4056 charger board.

Crucial Step: You must change the current limiter resistor on the TP4056 board to match the capacity of your tiny smartwatch battery.

When all soldering is done, turn it on to verify it works.

1. Print the custom case. I designed this in Fusion 360 and printed it on a fast, homemade 3D printer.
2. Carefully assemble the electronics into the case. Because the flex cables and thin wires are easily breakable, use hot glue to secure them in place.
3. Finish the montage process with a few screws to close up the case.

Your keychain-size game console is now ready to use!