By Beth Smith, M. Ed. | #smithingifted

There is something magical that happens when students realize they aren’t just playing a video game—they’re actually creating one.

That is exactly why I love using the ELECFREAKS micro:bit Retro Arcade with my third through fifth grade gifted students. Instead of simply learning to code, students become game designers, problem-solvers, artists, storytellers, and engineers all at once.

The Retro Arcade combines the power of the BBC micro:bit with a handheld gaming console featuring a color screen, joystick, and buttons. Students build games using Microsoft’s MakeCode Arcade platform and then download them to their handheld device to play anywhere. The device also doubles as a controller for robotics projects, making it incredibly versatile for STEM classrooms.

Why Gifted Students Love It

Gifted learners crave creativity, challenge, and independence.

The Retro Arcade checks every one of those boxes.

Instead of following a worksheet, students ask questions like:

• How can I make my character jump?
• What happens if the player touches the lava?
• Can I build a multiplayer game?
• How do I make the game more challenging each level?
• What kind of story should my game tell?

Every question leads to deeper computational thinking.

Even students who say they “don’t like coding” quickly become invested because they are designing something they actually want to play.

Skills Students Develop

Creating games develops far more than programming skills.

Students practice:

• Computational Thinking
• Algorithms
• Sequencing
• Variables
• Loops
• Conditionals
• Coordinate Geometry
• Pixel Art Design
• Storytelling
• User Interface Design
• Debugging
• Perseverance
• Creativity

Most importantly, they learn that mistakes are simply part of the design process.

Cross-Curricular Possibilities

One of my favorite things about the Retro Arcade is that it easily connects with almost every subject we teach.

📚 Reading & Language Arts

Students can create:

• Interactive story adventures
• Vocabulary games
• Character quests
• Book review games
• Choose-your-own-ending stories

🌎 Social Studies

Students might design:

• Oregon Trail-style adventures
• Our Hometown history games
• Geography challenges
• Landmark scavenger hunts
• Historical decision-making simulations

🔬 Science

Students can build games about:

• Food chains
• Weather
• Ecosystems
• The water cycle
• Space exploration
• Animal adaptations

➕ Math

Students love programming:

• Fact fluency games
• Coordinate grid challenges
• Fraction adventures
• Geometry puzzles
• Multiplication arcade games

Learning becomes something they create instead of something they consume.

Perfect for Genius Hour

Because every student can choose a completely different project, the Retro Arcade is an excellent Genius Hour activity.

Students can design:

• Platform games
• Maze games
• Sports games
• Puzzle games
• Educational games
• Escape rooms
• RPG adventures
• Trivia competitions

The possibilities are nearly endless.

Connecting with Robotics

Another feature I appreciate is that the Retro Arcade can also serve as a handheld controller for compatible micro:bit robotics projects, allowing students to apply coding skills beyond game development. (ElecFreaks Wiki)

Imagine students programming a robot to navigate an obstacle course using the same device they used to create their own video game!

That connection helps students see that coding isn’t just about games—it powers robots, automation, engineering, and real-world technology.

Building Future Innovators

Our goal isn’t to raise the next generation of gamers.

Our goal is to raise the next generation of creators.

Every game students build teaches them to:

• Think logically
• Solve authentic problems
• Test ideas
• Improve designs
• Collaborate with classmates
• Persist through challenges
• Celebrate creative thinking

Those are the same skills used by software engineers, game designers, entrepreneurs, and innovators around the world.

Final Thoughts

Technology should inspire students to create—not simply consume.

The ELECFREAKS micro:bit Retro Arcade transforms coding into an engaging design experience where imagination drives learning. Whether students are designing an educational game, programming a robot controller, or inventing their own pixel-art adventure, they’re developing future-ready skills while having an incredible amount of fun.

In my gifted classroom, that’s exactly the kind of learning I want to see.

Think Bigger. Create Together. Change the World. 🌎🚀