Create a Matching Game using visual studio

In this tutorial, you build a matching game, where the player must match pairs of
hidden icons. You learn how to:

Hold objects using a List object.

Use a foreach loop in Visual C# or a For Each loop in Visual Basic.

Keep track of a form's state using reference variables.

Build an event handler that you can use with multiple objects.
Make a timer fire exactly once when started.

Copy this code and create project on visual studio and run it.

AssemblyInfo.cs
using System.Reflection;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
// General Information about an assembly is controlled through the
following
// set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the
information
// associated with an assembly.
[assembly: AssemblyTitle("MatchingGame")]
[assembly: AssemblyDescription("")]
[assembly: AssemblyConfiguration("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCompany("")]
[assembly: AssemblyProduct("MatchingGame")]
[assembly: AssemblyCopyright("Copyright 2011")]
[assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCulture("")]
// Setting ComVisible to false makes the types in this assembly not
visible
// to COM components. If you need to access a type in this assembly
from
// COM, set the ComVisible attribute to true on that type.
[assembly: ComVisible(false)]
// The following GUID is for the ID of the typelib if this project
is exposed to COM
[assembly: Guid("2de0ddab-3f63-45bd-831a-8a749ec29cdf")]
// Version information for an assembly consists of the following
four values:
//
//
Major Version
//
Minor Version

//
Build Number
//
Revision
//
// You can specify all the values or you can default
the Build and Revision Numbers
// by using the '*' as shown below:
// [assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.*")]
[assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.0.0")]
[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("1.0.0.0")]

Form1.Designer.cs
namespace MatchingGame
{
partial class Form1
{
/// <summary>
/// Required designer variable.
/// </summary>
private System.ComponentModel.IContainer components = null;
/// <summary>
/// Clean up any resources being used.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="disposing">true if managed resources should be
disposed; otherwise,
false.</param>
protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (disposing && (components != null))
{
components.Dispose();
}
base.Dispose(disposing);
}
#region Windows Form Designer generated code
/// <summary>
/// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
/// the contents of this method with the code editor.
/// </summary>
private void InitializeComponent()
{
this.components = new System.ComponentModel.Container();

this.tableLayoutPanel1 = new
System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel();
this.label16 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label15 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label14 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label13 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label12 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label11 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label10 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label9 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label8 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label7 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label6 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label5 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label4 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label3 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label2 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.label1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.timer1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Timer(this.components);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.SuspendLayout();
this.SuspendLayout();
//
// tableLayoutPanel1
//
this.tableLayoutPanel1.BackColor =
System.Drawing.Color.CornflowerBlue;
this.tableLayoutPanel1.ColumnCount = 4;
this.tableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(new System.Windows.Forms.
ColumnStyle(System.Windows.Forms.SizeType.Percent, 25F));
this.tableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(new System.Windows.Forms.
ColumnStyle(System.Windows.Forms.SizeType.Percent, 25F));
this.tableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(new System.Windows.Forms.
ColumnStyle(System.Windows.Forms.SizeType.Percent, 25F));
this.tableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(new System.Windows.Forms.
ColumnStyle(System.Windows.Forms.SizeType.Percent, 25F));
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label16, 3, 3);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label15, 2, 3);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label14, 1, 3);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label13, 0, 3);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label12, 3, 2);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label11, 2, 2);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label10, 1, 2);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label9, 0, 2);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label8, 3, 1);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label7, 2, 1);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label6, 1, 1);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label5, 0, 1);

this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label4, 3, 0);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label3, 2, 0);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label2, 1, 0);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(this.label1, 0, 0);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(0, 0);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Name = "tableLayoutPanel1";
this.tableLayoutPanel1.RowCount = 4;
this.tableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(new
System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle(System.Windows.Forms.
SizeType.Percent, 25F));
this.tableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(new
System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle(System.Windows.Forms.
SizeType.Percent, 25F));
this.tableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(new
System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle(System.Windows.Forms.
SizeType.Percent, 25F));
this.tableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(new
System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle(System.Windows.Forms.
SizeType.Percent, 25F));
this.tableLayoutPanel1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(484, 517);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.TabIndex = 0;
//
// label16
//
this.label16.AutoSize = true;
this.label16.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label16.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label16.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(366, 387);
this.label16.Name = "label16";
this.label16.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 130);
this.label16.TabIndex = 15;
this.label16.Text = "c";
this.label16.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label16.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label15
//
this.label15.AutoSize = true;
this.label15.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label15.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,

System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label15.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(245, 387);
this.label15.Name = "label15";
this.label15.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 130);
this.label15.TabIndex = 14;
this.label15.Text = "c";
this.label15.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label15.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label14
//
this.label14.AutoSize = true;
this.label14.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label14.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label14.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(124, 387);
this.label14.Name = "label14";
this.label14.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 130);
this.label14.TabIndex = 13;
this.label14.Text = "c";
this.label14.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label14.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label13
//
this.label13.AutoSize = true;
this.label13.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label13.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label13.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(3, 387);
this.label13.Name = "label13";
this.label13.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 130);
this.label13.TabIndex = 12;
this.label13.Text = "c";
this.label13.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label13.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label12
//
this.label12.AutoSize = true;
this.label12.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;

this.label12.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,

System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label12.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(366, 258);
this.label12.Name = "label12";
this.label12.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label12.TabIndex = 11;
this.label12.Text = "c";
this.label12.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label12.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label11
//
this.label11.AutoSize = true;
this.label11.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label11.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label11.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(245, 258);
this.label11.Name = "label11";
this.label11.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label11.TabIndex = 10;
this.label11.Text = "c";
this.label11.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label11.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label10
//
this.label10.AutoSize = true;
this.label10.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label10.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label10.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(124, 258);
this.label10.Name = "label10";
this.label10.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label10.TabIndex = 9;
this.label10.Text = "c";
this.label10.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label10.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label9
//
this.label9.AutoSize = true;

this.label9.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label9.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label9.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(3, 258);
this.label9.Name = "label9";
this.label9.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label9.TabIndex = 8;
this.label9.Text = "c";
this.label9.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label9.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label8
//
this.label8.AutoSize = true;
this.label8.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label8.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label8.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(366, 129);
this.label8.Name = "label8";
this.label8.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label8.TabIndex = 7;
this.label8.Text = "c";
this.label8.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label8.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label7
//
this.label7.AutoSize = true;
this.label7.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label7.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label7.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(245, 129);
this.label7.Name = "label7";
this.label7.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label7.TabIndex = 6;
this.label7.Text = "c";
this.label7.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label7.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label6
//

this.label6.AutoSize = true;
this.label6.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label6.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label6.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(124, 129);
this.label6.Name = "label6";
this.label6.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label6.TabIndex = 5;
this.label6.Text = "c";
this.label6.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label6.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label5
//
this.label5.AutoSize = true;
this.label5.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label5.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label5.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(3, 129);
this.label5.Name = "label5";
this.label5.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label5.TabIndex = 4;
this.label5.Text = "c";
this.label5.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label5.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label4
//
this.label4.AutoSize = true;
this.label4.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label4.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label4.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(366, 0);
this.label4.Name = "label4";
this.label4.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label4.TabIndex = 3;
this.label4.Text = "c";
this.label4.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label4.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label3

//
this.label3.AutoSize = true;
this.label3.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label3.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label3.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(245, 0);
this.label3.Name = "label3";
this.label3.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label3.TabIndex = 2;
this.label3.Text = "c";
this.label3.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label3.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label2
//
this.label2.AutoSize = true;
this.label2.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label2.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label2.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(124, 0);
this.label2.Name = "label2";
this.label2.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label2.TabIndex = 1;
this.label2.Text = "c";
this.label2.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label2.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//
// label1
//
this.label1.AutoSize = true;
this.label1.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
this.label1.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Webdings", 72F,
System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold,
System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(2)));
this.label1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(3, 0);
this.label1.Name = "label1";
this.label1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(115, 129);
this.label1.TabIndex = 0;
this.label1.Text = "c";
this.label1.TextAlign =
System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
this.label1.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.label_Click);
//

// timer1
//
this.timer1.Tick += new System.EventHandler(this.timer1_Tick);
//
// Form1
//
this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(6F, 13F);
this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(484, 517);
this.Controls.Add(this.tableLayoutPanel1);
this.Name = "Form1";
this.Text = "Form1";
this.tableLayoutPanel1.ResumeLayout(false);
this.tableLayoutPanel1.PerformLayout();
this.ResumeLayout(false);
}
#endregion
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
private
}
}

System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel tableLayoutPanel1;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label16;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label15;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label14;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label13;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label12;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label11;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label10;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label9;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label8;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label7;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label6;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label5;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label4;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label3;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label2;
System.Windows.Forms.Label label1;
System.Windows.Forms.Timer timer1;

Program.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace MatchingGame
{
static class Program
{
/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
Application.Run(new Form1());
}
}
}
Form1.cs

using
using
using
using
using
using
using
using

System;
System.Collections.Generic;
System.ComponentModel;
System.Data;
System.Drawing;
System.Linq;
System.Text;
System.Windows.Forms;

namespace MatchingGame
{
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
int count = 0;
// Use this Random object to choose random icons for the squares
Random random = new Random();
// firstClicked points to the first Label control
// that the player clicks, but it will be null
// if the player hasn't clicked a label yet
Label firstClicked = null;
// secondClicked points to the second Label control
// that the player clicks
Label secondClicked = null;
// Each of these letters is an interesting icon
// in the Webdings font,
// and each icon appears twice in this list

List<string> icons = new List<string>()

{
"!", "!", "N", "N", ",", ",", "k", "k",
"b", "b", "v", "v", "w", "w", "z", "z"
};
/// <summary>
/// Assign each icon from the list of icons to a random square
/// </summary>
private void AssignIconsToSquares()
{
// The TableLayoutPanel has 16 labels,
// and the icon list has 16 icons,
// so an icon is pulled at random from the list
// and added to each label
foreach (Control control in tableLayoutPanel1.Controls)
{
// The timer is only on after two non-matching
// icons have been shown to the player,
// so ignore any clicks if the timer is running
if (timer1.Enabled == true)
return;
Label iconLabel = control as Label;
if (iconLabel != null)
{
int randomNumber = random.Next(icons.Count);
iconLabel.Text = icons[randomNumber];
// iconLabel.ForeColor = iconLabel.BackColor
icons.RemoveAt(randomNumber);
}
}
}

public Form1()
{
//AssignIconsToSquares();
InitializeComponent();
AssignIconsToSquares();
}
private void label_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// The timer is only on after two non-matching
// icons have been shown to the player,

// so ignore any clicks if the timer is running

if (timer1.Enabled == true)
return;
Label clickedLabel = sender as Label;
if (clickedLabel != null)
{
// If the clicked label is black, the player clicked
// an icon that's already been revealed -// ignore the click
if (clickedLabel.ForeColor == Color.Black)
return;

// If firstClicked is null, this is the first icon

// in the pair that the player clicked,
// so set firstClicked to the label that the player
// clicked, change its color to black, and return
if (firstClicked == null)
{
firstClicked = clickedLabel;
firstClicked.ForeColor = Color.Black;
return;
}
// If the player gets this far, the timer isn't
// running and firstClicked isn't null,
// so this must be the second icon the player clicked
// Set its color to black
secondClicked = clickedLabel;
secondClicked.ForeColor = Color.Black;
// Check to see if the player won
//CheckForWinner();
//
//
//
//
//
//
//
if
{

If the player gets this far, the player

clicked two different icons, so start the
timer (which will wait three quarters of
a second, and then hide the icons)
If the player clicked two matching icons, keep them
black and reset firstClicked and secondClicked
so the player can click another icon
(firstClicked.Text != secondClicked.Text)

firstClicked = null;
secondClicked = null;
//timer1.Start();
MessageBox.Show("first and second not match");
return;
}
timer1.Start();
CheckForWinner();
}
}
/// <summary>
/// This timer is started when the player clicks
/// two icons that don't match,
/// so it counts three quarters of a second
/// and then turns itself off and hides both icons
/// </summary>
/// <param name="sender"></param>
/// <param name="e"></param>
private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// Stop the timer
timer1.Stop();
// Hide both icons
firstClicked.ForeColor = firstClicked.BackColor;
secondClicked.ForeColor = secondClicked.BackColor;
firstClicked = null;
secondClicked = null;
}

/// <summary>
/// Check every icon to see if it is matched, by
/// comparing its foreground color to its background color.
/// If all of the icons are matched, the player wins
/// </summary>
private void CheckForWinner()
{
//int count=0;
// Go through all of the labels in the TableLayoutPanel,
// checking each one to see if its icon is matched
foreach (Control control in tableLayoutPanel1.Controls)
{
Label iconLabel = control as Label;
if (iconLabel != null)

{
// MessageBox.Show("iconlabel isnot null");
if (iconLabel.ForeColor != iconLabel.BackColor)
{
//MessageBox.Show("return statement");
count++;
// MessageBox.Show("count",count.ToString());
//return;
break;
}
}
}
// If the loop didnt return, it didn't find
// any unmatched icons
// That means the user won. Show a message and close the form
if (count == 8)
{
MessageBox.Show("You matched all the icons!", "Congratulations");
Close();
}
}
}
}