10. Memory Game with Windows Forms! | Intro To C# Programming

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will create a simple memory game using Windows Forms in C#. This project will help you understand fundamental programming concepts while giving you hands-on experience with graphical user interfaces. By the end of this guide, you'll have a functioning memory game and a better grasp of C# programming.

Step 1: Set Up Your Development Environment

1. Install Visual Studio if you haven't already. Choose the Community edition, which is free.
2. Create a new project:
   • Open Visual Studio.
   • Select "Create a new project."
   • Choose "Windows Forms App (.NET Framework)" and click "Next."
   • Name your project (e.g., "MemoryGame") and click "Create."

Step 2: Design the Game Interface

1. Open the Form Designer in Visual Studio.
2. Add the following controls to the form:
   • Button controls for the game cards (e.g., 16 buttons for a 4x4 grid).
   • A Label control to display messages (like "Match found!" or "Try again!").
3. Arrange the buttons in a grid layout:
   • Set the size of each button to make them visually appealing.
   • Use the properties window to set the Text property of buttons to empty (to hide the initial state).

Step 3: Create Game Logic

1. Declare necessary variables in your form class:

   private List<string> cardValues = new List<string>();
   private Button firstClicked = null;
   private Button secondClicked = null;
   private int matchesFound = 0;
   

2. Initialize card values:
   • Populate cardValues with pairs of values (e.g., "A", "B", "C", etc.), ensuring there are duplicates for matching.
   • Shuffle the cardValues list to randomize their placement.

Step 4: Handle Button Clicks

1. Add a click event handler for the buttons:

   private void Button_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
   {
       Button clickedButton = sender as Button;
       if (clickedButton != null && clickedButton.Text == "")
       {
           clickedButton.Text = cardValues[/* index based on button position */];
           if (firstClicked == null)
           {
               firstClicked = clickedButton;
           }
           else
           {
               secondClicked = clickedButton;
               CheckForMatch();
           }
       }
   }
   

2. Implement the CheckForMatch method:
   • Compare the text of firstClicked and secondClicked.
   • If they match, increment matchesFound.
   • If they don’t match, use a timer to reset their text after a brief delay.

Step 5: Provide Feedback and Restart Options

1. Update the label to provide user feedback:
   • Indicate when a match is found or if the user should try again.
2. Add a button to restart the game:
   • Reset all button texts and the matchesFound counter when clicked.

Conclusion

You have now created a memory game using Windows Forms in C#. This project introduced you to basic C# programming concepts, event handling, and working with graphical user interfaces. Explore further by adding features like a timer, scoring system, or increasing difficulty levels. Happy coding!