3D Printing, Gaming

Level Up Lighted Sign With 8-bit Retro Pixel Vibes

Posted by Marlon Lopez on
The Level Up sign in a kid’s bookshelf looks retro and has a good motivational message.

3d print this lighted sign and hang it in your kids bedroom to motivate and inspire the next generation of designers. It uses LED puck lights, which give kids (and grown-ups alike) many color options to play with. I chose 3 inch LED puck lights with remote control because they offer lighting effect like, pulse and rainbow transitions. For those who prefer to use their own lighting solutions, I’ve included a backlid STL file that gives you a fresh canvas to work with.

Independent LED colors on the Level Up sign with 8-bit pixel design.

The nice thing about these puck lights is that you can set the color individually for each light. From a distance you can activate both LED puck lights at once, and when you get close to them; you can “target” the specific LED to control just one.

The Level Up sign in a dark room with cool colors for a retro vibe.

The LED’s include a timer function that turns off the lights to conserve the batteries. Depending on how quickly the batteries die out, I might consider adding a 12v adapter to the lights. However, for this project, I wanted to keep it simple. In terms of its design, I chose a gaming vernacular because it’s understood by both my generation and the young-bloods. Taking your “game” to the next level is a positive message that we can share.

8-bit retro pixel sign with a positive message to encourage progress.

This design requires four different color filaments. It was 3d printed on a single extruder and with manual color changes, G-code to pause the print in between color changes, and used PETG filament. It would be much easier to print in PLA. Printing in PETG was challenging because the filament tends to ooze while you are laying down the first layers. This required that I pause the print in between color changes and clean up the stringiness with a Dremel brush tool, before laying down the next color.

Colors I Used:

    Overture White PETG
    (I recommend California Filament Cloudy White PETG instead)
    California Filament Sky Blue PETG
    Geetech Black PETG
    (I recommend California Filament Black PETG instead)
    California Filament Candy Red
2 LED puck lights can be mounted to the backlid from the rear.
3 double A batteries per LED puck light can be accessed from the rear.

If you’ve recently used my designs and want to share your experience, tag us in your post. I love seeing your individuality and can’t wait to see your prints! Cheers!

More photos of this project:

3D Design Format: STL

3D Model Size: 222mm x 210mm x 50mm

Recommended Resolution: .4mm

Recommended Nozzle Size: .8mm

Supports Needed: No

This 3D STL file can be purchased and downloaded from:


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About Marlon Lopez

I enjoy collaborating with artist, photographers, designers and gear heads. I find inspiration while driving the most perfect driving roads imaginable in California. I have experience in print design, web design, advertising, corporate identity, brochures, printed directories, direct mail, interactive design, and 3D printing. My design solutions emerge from a comprehensive design process, and a understanding of my clients needs.

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