MATLAB Turbo

Mike Croucher
/
MATLAB Turbo
on 7 Nov 2026
6
40
6
2
9365
game.m
function g = game()
%game MATLAB TURBO -- a 1980s LCD handheld racer for one button.
%   Three lanes, one button: each TAP moves your car one lane to the
%   right, and from the right-hand lane you wrap round to the left.
%   Dodge rival cars, grab fuel cans before the tank runs dry.
g.init = @initState;
g.update = @updateState;
g.render = @renderFrame;
end

function s = initState(ax)
ax.YDir = 'reverse';
ax.Color = [.07 .07 .08];
s.LIT = [.12 .15 .11];          % lit LCD segment
s.GHO = [.605 .655 .535];       % unlit "ghost" segment
INK = [.33 .37 .29];            % permanently printed LCD ink
OR = [1 .47 .1];                % orange print on the case
o = {'HitTest','off','PickableParts','none'};
tx = @(x,y,str,c,fs,varargin) text(ax,x,y,str,'Color',c,'FontSize',fs, ...
    'FontWeight','bold','HorizontalAlignment','center',o{:},varargin{:});

% --- plastic case + LCD window
rectangle(ax,'Position',[22 10 756 580],'Curvature',.08,'FaceColor',[.19 .19 .22], ...
    'EdgeColor',[.34 .34 .38],'LineWidth',2,o{:});
tx(400,46,'MATLAB TURBO',OR,30,'FontAngle','italic');
rectangle(ax,'Position',[70 76 660 428],'Curvature',.03,'FaceColor','none', ...
    'EdgeColor',OR,'LineWidth',1.5,o{:});
rectangle(ax,'Position',[80 86 640 408],'FaceColor',[.655 .70 .58],'EdgeColor','none',o{:});
tx(260,548,'TAP  =  CHANGE LANE  >>',OR,13);
tx(580,548,'GAME A',[.75 .75 .78],11);
s.h.btn = rectangle(ax,'Position',[652 516 56 56],'Curvature',[1 1], ...
    'FaceColor',[.85 .1 .1],'EdgeColor',[.4 .03 .03],'LineWidth',2,o{:});

% --- printed scenery: mountains, horizon, road edges
patch(ax,[80 140 190 240 300 350 420 470 520 600 650 720 720 80], ...
    [175 160 168 151 165 154 170 157 166 150 166 160 175 175], ...
    [.6 .645 .535],'EdgeColor','none',o{:});
plot(ax,[80 720],[175 175],'Color',INK,'LineWidth',1,o{:});
Y = @(t) 175 + 275*t;
for d = [-1 1]
    plot(ax,400+d*240*[.12 1.04],Y([.12 1.04]),'Color',s.LIT,'LineWidth',2.5,o{:});
end

% --- depth rows: 6 hazard rows + player row (perspective scale t)
t = .2;
for k = 2:7, t(k) = 1.25*t(k-1) + .02; end
CV = [-.5 -.1; .5 -.1; .5 -.38; -.5 -.38; -.36 -.44; .36 -.44; .26 -.66; -.26 -.66; ...
    -.48 0; -.26 0; -.26 -.08; -.48 -.08; .26 0; .48 0; .48 -.08; .26 -.08];
FV = [-.22 -.1; .22 -.1; .22 -.5; -.22 -.5; .02 -.54; .2 -.54; .2 -.62; .02 -.62];
F4 = @(n) reshape(1:4*n,4,n)';
mk = @(V,x,y,w) patch(ax,'Vertices',[x+V(:,1)*w, y+V(:,2)*w],'Faces',F4(size(V,1)/4), ...
    'FaceColor',s.GHO,'EdgeColor','none',o{:});
s.h.car = gobjects(6,3); s.h.can = gobjects(6,3); s.h.me = gobjects(1,3);
for k = 1:7
    w = .56*160*t(k);
    for l = 1:3
        x = 400 + (l-2)*160*t(k);
        if k < 7
            s.h.car(k,l) = mk(CV,x,Y(t(k)),w);
            s.h.can(k,l) = mk(FV,x,Y(t(k)),w);
        else
            s.h.me(l) = mk(CV,x,Y(t(k)),w);
        end
    end
end

% --- lane dashes + roadside posts, in two alternating groups
P = {zeros(0,2), zeros(0,2)};
for k = 1:7
    if k > 1, tp = t(k-1); else, tp = .12; end
    t0 = t(k) - .45*(t(k)-tp);
    for d = [-1 1]
        P{mod(k,2)+1} = [P{mod(k,2)+1}; 400+d*80*[t0;t(k)], Y([t0;t(k)]); NaN NaN; ...
            400+d*268*t(k)*[1;1], Y(t(k))-[0;34*t(k)]; NaN NaN];
    end
end
for i = 1:2
    s.h.dash(i) = plot(ax,P{i}(:,1),P{i}(:,2),'Color',s.GHO,'LineWidth',3,o{:});
end

% --- HUD: fuel bar, lives, gear, score
tx(130,108,'FUEL',INK,10);
V = []; for i = 1:8, V = [V; [100+16*(i-1) 118]+[0 0; 12 0; 12 18; 0 18]]; end %#ok<AGROW>
s.h.fuel = patch(ax,'Vertices',V,'Faces',F4(8),'FaceColor','flat', ...
    'FaceVertexCData',repmat(s.GHO,8,1),'EdgeColor','none',o{:});
V = []; for i = 1:3, V = [V; [CV(:,1)*26+250+32*(i-1), CV(:,2)*26+138]]; end %#ok<AGROW>
s.h.lives = patch(ax,'Vertices',V,'Faces',F4(12),'FaceColor','flat', ...
    'FaceVertexCData',repmat(s.GHO,12,1),'EdgeColor','none',o{:});
tx(400,108,'GEAR',INK,10);
s.h.gear = seg7(ax,391,116,s.GHO,o);
s.h.hi = tx(546,132,'HI',s.GHO,13);
for i = 1:5, s.h.dig(i) = seg7(ax,566+28*(i-1),104,s.GHO,o); end

% --- LCD status words
wx = [160 300 450 620];
ws = {'READY','CRASH','EMPTY','GAME OVER'};
for i = 1:4, s.h.w(i) = tx(wx(i),478,ws{i},s.GHO,15); end

s.SEG = ['1111110';'0110000';'1101101';'1111001';'0110011'; ...
    '1011011';'1011111';'1110000';'1111111';'1111011'] == '1';
s.hi = 0;
s = newGame(s);
s.mode = 0;      % 0 attract, 1 race, 2 crash, 3 game over
end

function h = seg7(ax,x0,y0,c,o)
% One seven-segment digit as a 7-face patch (per-face colours).
w = 18; hh = 36; th = 4; g = 1.5; m = hh/2;
R = [g w-g 0 th; w-th w g m-g; w-th w m+g hh-g; g w-g hh-th hh; ...
    0 th m+g hh-g; 0 th g m-g; g w-g m-th/2 m+th/2];
V = zeros(28,2);
for i = 1:7
    r = R(i,:);
    V(4*i-3:4*i,:) = [r(1) r(3); r(2) r(3); r(2) r(4); r(1) r(4)];
end
V(:,1) = V(:,1) + .18*(hh - V(:,2));
h = patch(ax,'Vertices',V+[x0 y0],'Faces',reshape(1:28,4,7)','FaceColor','flat', ...
    'FaceVertexCData',repmat(c,7,1),'EdgeColor','none',o{:});
end

function s = newGame(s)
s.mode = 1; s.lane = 2; s.grid = zeros(6,3);
s.fuel = 8; s.lives = 3; s.score = 0; s.el = 0;
s.acc = 0; s.tick = 0; s.gap = 2; s.gear = 1;
s.clk = 0; s.btn = 0; s.why = 2;
end

function s = updateState(s,dt,p)
s.btn = max(0,s.btn-dt);
if p, s.btn = .12; end
s.clk = s.clk + dt;
switch s.mode
    case 0
        if p && s.clk > .6, s = newGame(s); end
    case 1
        if p, s.lane = mod(s.lane,3) + 1; end
        s.el = s.el + dt;
        s.fuel = s.fuel - .3*dt;
        if s.fuel <= 0
            s.fuel = 0; s = crash(s,3); return
        end
        T = max(.13, .5 - .005*max(0,s.el-10));   % tick period
        s.gear = min(9, 1 + floor((.5-T)/.06));
        s.acc = s.acc + dt;
        if s.acc >= T
            s.acc = 0; s.tick = s.tick + 1; s.score = s.score + 1;
            out = s.grid(6,:);
            s.grid = [zeros(1,3); s.grid(1:5,:)];
            if out(s.lane) == 1
                s = crash(s,2); return
            elseif out(s.lane) == 2
                s.fuel = min(8, s.fuel+3); s.score = s.score + 20;
            end
            s.score = s.score + 5*sum(out == 1);
            s.gap = s.gap - 1;
            if s.gap <= 0
                s.grid(1,:) = spawn(s.el);
                s.gap = 2 + (rand < max(.15, 1-s.el/45)) + (s.el < 15);
            end
        end
    case 2
        if s.clk > 1.6
            if s.lives <= 0
                s.mode = 3; s.clk = 0; s.hi = max(s.hi,s.score);
            else
                s.mode = 1; s.grid(:) = 0; s.fuel = max(s.fuel,5);
                s.acc = 0; s.gap = 2;
            end
        end
    case 3
        if p && s.clk > .8, s = newGame(s); end
end
end

function s = crash(s,why)
s.mode = 2; s.clk = 0; s.why = why; s.lives = s.lives - 1;
end

function r = spawn(el)
% New far row: 0 empty, 1 rival car, 2 fuel can.
r = zeros(1,3); l = randi(3); u = rand;
if u < .17
    r(l) = 2;
    if el > 25 && rand < .5, r(mod(l,3)+1) = 1; end
elseif el > 30 && u < .17 + min(.45,(el-30)/80)
    r(:) = 1; r(l) = 0;           % blockade: one lane open
else
    r(l) = 1;
end
end

function renderFrame(~,s)
L = s.LIT; G = s.GHO;
pk = @(b) G + double(b(:)).*(L-G);
tst = s.mode == 0 && s.clk < .6;          % power-on segment test
for k = 1:6
    for l = 1:3
        s.h.car(k,l).FaceColor = pk(tst || s.grid(k,l) == 1);
        s.h.can(k,l).FaceColor = pk(tst || s.grid(k,l) == 2);
    end
end
blink = s.mode == 2 && mod(s.clk,.25) < .125;
for l = 1:3
    s.h.me(l).FaceColor = pk(tst || (l == s.lane && ~blink && s.mode ~= 3));
end
ph = mod(s.tick,2);
s.h.dash(1).Color = pk(tst || ph == 0);
s.h.dash(2).Color = pk(tst || ph == 1);
on = (1:8)' <= ceil(s.fuel) & (s.fuel > 2 | s.mode ~= 1 | mod(s.clk,.5) < .25);
s.h.fuel.FaceVertexCData = pk(on | tst);
s.h.lives.FaceVertexCData = pk(repelem((1:3)' <= s.lives,4) | tst);
setD(s.h.gear, s.gear, s, tst);
showHi = s.mode == 0 || (s.mode == 3 && mod(s.clk,2) > 1);
v = s.score;
if showHi, v = s.hi; end
d = mod(floor(v./10.^(4:-1:0)),10);
for i = 1:5, setD(s.h.dig(i), d(i), s, tst); end
s.h.hi.Color = pk(tst || showHi);
w = [s.mode == 0 && s.clk > .6 && mod(s.clk,1) < .6, ...
    s.mode == 2 && s.why == 2, s.mode == 2 && s.why == 3, s.mode == 3];
for i = 1:4, s.h.w(i).Color = pk(tst || w(i)); end
s.h.btn.FaceColor = [.85 .1 .1] - (s.btn > 0)*[.4 .07 .07];
end

function setD(h,d,s,tst)
h.FaceVertexCData = s.GHO + double(s.SEG(d+1,:)' | tst).*(s.LIT - s.GHO);
end
Play Game
Preview

Play Game opens this in MATLAB Drive. Click Run this app there to play.