Specifications and Constraints — Gameboy

My dynamic project is Arduino-controlled replication of “Thin Ice”, a minigame of the computer-based online game, Club Penguin. For those that don’t know, here is a brief explanation of the game: The player is a puffle or an in-game pet that melts the ice beneath it. The player moves with the arrow on a keyboard. Once the player movies cannot return to its previous space, it can only move to “free” spaces. The player wants to touch all the free spaces in the level to get the highest score, where the ending or door to the next level is the red block. However, players may trap themselves, confining themselves between watered blocks and the walls.

[1] club penguin thin ice game

This project came because I wanted to get better with circuits. I have been following a tutorial for a similar setup, except the code is for Tetris. I have been facing troubles with the circuit thus far. Pat in the electrical shop suggested that first I use the Tetris code since I know it works. Therefore, I can just troubleshoot the circuit. That was a good idea because I have been facing difficulties with the four buttons I have been using to control movement. I have a different Arduino from the one in the tutorial, but everything else is pretty much the same. When I try to connect my buttons, I end up short-circuiting. I get can’t get one button to work with the rest of my circuit. My knowledge is really lacking, and so far I can’t seem to find anyone that shares the same problem. Even so, I can’t find solutions to my exact problems. I do not want to change the code since I did not write it. Other than my lack of electrical skills, I do not have time to do this project. I have other classes that are devouing my time, especially with Expo for senior design coming up. At the very least, I want to be able to get the Tetris code to work. I am close to being there, but I need a little help from the professionals at this school. I will attempt to code, but also I kinda have no idea what I am doing. There is Python code for this game which I will try to use, but Arduino is in C. In addition, I am working with a display, which just means even more code~. I don’t know exactly what I want the display to do just yet in terms of aesthetics, since I am not working with high resolution. I also just don’t have great coding skills. This project was rather ambitious for my skill set and lack of time. However, here are the things I want it to do at the least: 

1. The circuit works for the Tetris code, which means that the player can use the buttons to change the direction of the shape 
2. Battery-operated, so that I need my computer in order to play the game 
3. In addition to standing alone, I want the circuitry to be neat, resembling a Gameboy or old-school arcade box. It just comes down to the final circuit. 

If I have time, or my electrical and coding skills don’t continue to disappoint, I would like the project to do all the above, but for my own Thin Ice replica. 

1. I have an aesthetic since I am unable to make the original game with my pixel limit successfully. 
2. The player can move with the buttons 
3. The game recognizes when the player is trapped and restarts (programmed)
4. When the player successfully reaches the endpoint, the program goes to the next level 
5. There are at least 3 levels, which are relatively simple. 
6. Optional: The player must clear all “free spaces” before moving to the next level (like an unlocking system)