Imagine playing Tetris on a glowing grid you printed yourself. A new project making the rounds takes its cue from the famous MIT Green Building light hack, shrinking the idea down into a portable handheld console powered by a microcontroller, a strand of LEDs, and a few well-designed printed parts. If you have ever wanted a project that mixes electronics with your printer, this is a fun one to study.
What is the build?
The console uses a 9 by 13 grid of NeoPixel pebble lights, dropped into a 3D printed frame and softened with a sheet of black LED acrylic so each square glows cleanly. A small QT gamepad handles the joystick, rotate, drop, and start buttons, while an Adafruit Feather RP2040 PropMaker board runs the CircuitPython game logic. A 1200mAh lipo battery makes the whole thing pocket friendly.
What is great about it for newcomers is that every part is bolt-together. There is no PCB to etch, no fine-pitch soldering, and the firmware is already written in CircuitPython, which is essentially Python you can edit on a flash drive.
Printing tips for the grid
The grid is the star of the show, and it needs to be opaque so light from one cell does not bleed into the next. Print the frame in black PLA or PETG at 100 percent infill with three or four perimeters. A 0.4mm nozzle and 0.2mm layer height is plenty. Skip supports if the model is oriented flat, and drop your print speed to around 50 mm/s to keep the cell walls crisp.
Try it on your printer
An Ender 3, Bambu A1, or Prusa MK4 will all handle the grid frame without breaking a sweat. Black PLA gives the cleanest look for the divider walls, while a thin PETG diffuser layer can stand in if you do not have LED acrylic on hand. Need filament, nozzles, or a fresh build plate before you start? Grab them from Flarelab and you will be slicing in no time.
Frequently asked questions
What filament works best for the LED grid frame?
Stick with black PLA or PETG at 100 percent infill so light cannot leak between cells. PLA is easier to print and totally fine here, since the frame will not see hot environments.
Do I need supports to print the grid?
No, as long as you orient the frame flat on the build plate. The cell walls print straight up, so there are no overhangs to worry about.
Can a beginner handle the wiring?
Yes. The NeoPixel pebble strand and the gamepad both use plug-in STEMMA QT cables, so you do not need to solder. Just match the connectors and you are ready to flash the code.
What nozzle size should I use?
A standard 0.4mm nozzle at 0.2mm layer height is the sweet spot. It keeps the cell walls thin enough for a clean grid without pushing print times too high.
Will any 3D printer work for this project?
If your printer has at least a 200mm by 200mm build plate, you are set. Ender 3, Bambu A1, and Prusa MK4 owners can all print the frame in one piece without slicing it up.
Inspired by reporting from Adafruit.
