Install and test a MakeCode Arcade game
7 steps
Check the physical controls
Inspect the screen, thumbstick and button caps. Power the board from USB and verify it is not mechanically damaged before replacing its program.
Check: Controls move freely and the USB connection is stable.
Companion guide, source references and reuse license
Build a small compatible game
Open the chosen project in MakeCode Arcade and select the appropriate hardware target when downloading. Save the source project separately from the compiled UF2.
Check: The downloaded game is a hardware UF2 for the intended board family.
Enter the USB bootloader
Use the reset-button sequence described by the installed runtime: the Adafruit guide distinguishes MakeCode from CircuitPython/Arduino behavior. Look for the PyGamer boot drive.
Check: The bootloader drive appears; a charging-only cable has been ruled out.
Read the bootloader information
Open INFO_UF2.TXT on the boot drive and note the version. If the official guide requires an update for game/button compatibility, perform that version-matched update first.
Check: The bootloader version is known and compatible with the chosen game.
Copy the compiled game
Drag the game UF2 onto the boot drive. Let the transfer finish and allow the board to reboot automatically.
Check: The game starts on the handheld screen.
Test gameplay inputs
Exercise the thumbstick, A/B controls and any menu or reset controls used by the game. Begin audio testing at low volume.
Check: Each intended input has the expected effect and sound is controlled.
Keep a reproducible release
Store the game source, compiled UF2 and bootloader version together. Confirm a second startup returns to the expected game.
Check: The working build can be restored without losing its editable source.
Project credit: Adafruit Industries; learning guide by Kattni Rembor and contributors. Guide reuse: CC-BY-SA-3.0. Upstream reference. Prepared with AI assistance for a TwinWorks-managed contributor; no physical build/test is claimed.