Simon Says Assembly Guide

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Contributors: Joel_E_B, QCPete, bboyho
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Introduction

If you've found yourself here, chances are you've purchased one of our many Simon Says Through-Hole soldering kits. This tutorial will help you become familiar with the tools you'll need to build the Simon Says, show you how to build it, and show you how you can take this simple, yet fun, game further with a little bit of programming know-how. The different kits encompassed in this tutorial include:

SparkFun Simon Says - Through-Hole Soldering Kit

SparkFun Simon Says - Through-Hole Soldering Kit

KIT-10547
$28.95
42
SparkFun Learn to Solder - Simon Says

SparkFun Learn to Solder - Simon Says

KIT-13708
$50.95
4

These kits are all very similar. The only difference is that SparkFun Simon Says - Through-Hole Soldering Kit, you will need to provide your own tools to build it. If you do not have the necessary tools, the Learn to Solder kit comes with everything you need to get started. To make things simple, we'll cover everything from the tools to building the Simon Says all in this tutorial. If you feel comfortable enough with soldering and are just looking for some detailed instructions on how to put your kit together, you may want to skip ahead. However, if you would like to know more about soldering, which tools are best for the job, and how to properly maintain those tools, then read on!

Suggested Reading

If you aren’t familiar with the following concepts, we recommend checking out these tutorials before continuing.

How to Solder: Through-Hole Soldering

This tutorial covers everything you need to know about through-hole soldering.

Resistors

A tutorial on all things resistors. What is a resistor, how do they behave in parallel/series, decoding the resistor color codes, and resistor applications.

Polarity

An introduction to polarity in electronic components. Discover what polarity is, which parts have it, and how to identify it.

Required Tools

If you've purchased the Simon Says - Through-Hole Kit or Retail Kit, the following is a recommended list of materials you'll need to complete the build. If you have a Learn to Solder: Simon Says, your kit should include all of the following:

SparkFun Simon Says - Through-Hole Soldering Kit

SparkFun Simon Says - Through-Hole Soldering Kit

KIT-10547
$28.95
42
Solder Lead Free - 15-gram Tube

Solder Lead Free - 15-gram Tube

TOL-09163
$3.95
4
Soldering Iron Stand

Soldering Iron Stand

TOL-09477
$6.50
4
Diagonal Cutters

Diagonal Cutters

TOL-08794
$2.75
3
Solder Wick #2 5ft. - Generic

Solder Wick #2 5ft. - Generic

TOL-09327
$2.75
4
SparkFun Safety Glasses

SparkFun Safety Glasses

SWG-11046
$4.95
3
Soldering Iron - 30W (US, 110V)

Soldering Iron - 30W (US, 110V)

TOL-09507
$10.95
7

Inside the Simon Says Through-Hole kit, you'll find all the parts for the Simon Says. This includes:

  • ATmega328 - pre-programmed with Simon firmware
  • Buzzer
  • 0.1μF Cap (x2)
  • 10K Resistor
  • LEDs (x4) (blue, yellow, red, green)
  • Slide Switch (x2)
  • Battery Clips (x4)
  • AA Batteries (x2)
  • Button pad
  • Bezel
  • Standoffs and screws (x4)
  • Simon Says - Through-Hole PCB

Simon Components

Missing any parts? Sometimes one of those tiny little components can get misplaced. If you're missing any parts contact our customer service team, and we'll get you the missing parts in a jiffy.