A Super Star Is the Perfect Tree Topper for Retro Game Enthusiasts
Make your tree “invincible” with this Arduino-controlled Super Mario Bros. power-up.
With Christmas just a few weeks away, you may already have decorations up for the holidays. Or you may have purchased/found/cut a tree for your house without a good plan for what to put on top. Traditionally a star, or even an angel, is attached to the highest bough, but if you don’t have one available, Doug Lenz (AKA "Freshanator") has designed a 3D-printed Super Star that's bound to be a huge hit amongst retro gamers.
The star is fashioned after the 8-bit power-up from Super Mario Bros., and was traced as closely as possible to an image of it in Fusion 360. This was then printed in yellow PLA, including a removable back and black eyes that were glued on to give it a bit more personality. A cone is printed into the bottom of the star to allow it to rest on a tree’s top branch.
A series of five WS2812B LEDs were added to each point to make the star “spark-tacular,” under control of an Arduino Nano. Wiring is facilitated with the help of JST connectors and a USB micro breakout is used to provide power. As of now, Lenz is using the “Fire2012” program in the FastLED library, as it seemed to be the most twinkly. He is open to other suggestions, and may revisit its flashing at some point in the future. The build looks like great inspiration for your own, or if you’re feeling a bit rushed, it’s also available for purchase on Etsy.