Snake
VB.Net Label Array

Here is the quick cute Snake game to code and play. The snake is an array of Labels that grows as it eats food.
Since the Labels are created at Run time I use Snake(i) to loop through the Labels.
The arrow keys change the direction of the slithering snake and the N key starts a new game.

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The project starts with a plain form frmSnake at the default size of 300 x 300.

Double click the form. At the top are 3 global variables.

Public Class frmSnake

  Dim Length As Integer = 4
  Dim Snake() As Label
  Dim blnNewGame As Boolean

  Private Sub frmSnake_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

    Me.Text = "Snake"

    'Create the food
    lblFood = New Label
    lblFood.Size = New Size(10, 10)
    lblFood.BackColor = Color.Red
    Me.Controls.Add(lblFood)

    'Create the snake
    For i As Integer = 0 To Length

      ReDim Preserve Snake(i)
      Snake(i) = New Label
      Snake(i).Size = New Size(10, 10)
      Snake(i).BackColor = Color.Green
      Snake(i).Left = 120 - 10 * i
      Snake(i).Top = 120
      Me.Controls.Add(Snake(i))

    Next i

    Randomize()
    Snake(0).BackColor = Color.Chocolate  'The head
    Snake(0).Tag = "Right"                            'Initial move direction

    PlaceFood()

    If blnNewGame Then Exit Sub

    Dim T As New Timer
    T.Interval = 150
    T.Enabled = True
    AddHandler T.Tick, AddressOf Timer1_Tick

  End Sub

This calls 2 procedures.

  Sub PlaceFood()

    Dim x As Integer

    x = Me.Width / 10 - 6
    x = (x * Rnd(x) + 2)
    lblFood.Left = x * 10

    x = Me.Height / 10 - 8
    x = (x * Rnd(x) + 1)
    lblFood.Top = x * 10

  End Sub

and:

  Private Sub Timer1_Tick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)

    FindFood()
    MoveSnake()

  End Sub

This calls 2 procedures.

  Sub FindFood()

    If Snake(0).Location = lblFood.Location Then

      'Head finds food and the tail grows
      Length += 1
      ReDim Preserve Snake(Length)
      Snake(Length) = New Label
      Snake(Length).Size = Snake(1).Size
      Snake(Length).BackColor = Snake(1).BackColor

      'Place the new body part at the end of the snake
      Snake(Length).Left = Snake(Length - 1).Left
      Snake(Length).Top = Snake(Length - 1).Top

      Controls.Add(Snake(Length))
      PlaceFood()
      Me.Text = "Snake has eaten: " & (Length - 4).ToString

    End If

  End Sub

and:

  Sub MoveSnake()

    'Move body
    For i As Integer = Length To 1 Step -1
      Snake(i).Left = Snake(i - 1).Left
      Snake(i).Top = Snake(i - 1).Top
    Next

    'Move head. If it hits wall then move opposite direction
    If Snake(0).Tag = "Left" Then
      Snake(0).Left = Snake(0).Left - 10

      If Snake(0).Left < 20 Then
        Snake(0).Tag = "Right"
      End If

    ElseIf Snake(0).Tag = "Up" Then
      Snake(0).Top = Snake(0).Top - 10

      If Snake(0).Top < 20 Then
        Snake(0).Tag = "Down"
      End If

    ElseIf Snake(0).Tag = "Right" Then
      Snake(0).Left = Snake(0).Left + 10

      If Snake(0).Left > Me.Width - 40 Then
        Snake(0).Tag = "Left"
      End If

    ElseIf Snake(0).Tag = "Down" Then
      Snake(0).Top = Snake(0).Top + 10

      If Snake(0).Top > Me.Height - 70 Then
        Snake(0).Tag = "Up"
      End If

    End If

  End Sub

Now all that's required is to be able to steer the snake. Click in the Form_Load procedure then select the KeyDown event. The arrow keys change the Snakes' direction and the N key starts a new snake.

  Private Sub frmSnake_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown

    Select Case e.KeyCode

      'Change direction of the head
      Case Keys.Left : Snake(0).Tag = "Left"
      Case Keys.Up : Snake(0).Tag = "Up"
      Case Keys.Right : Snake(0).Tag = "Right"
      Case Keys.Down : Snake(0).Tag = "Down"

      Case Keys.N   'Start a New game

        'Erase the current snake
        For i As Integer = 0 To Length
          Snake(i).BackColor = DefaultBackColor
          Snake(i).Top = 0
          Snake(i).Left = 0
        Next

        'Erase the food
        lblFood.BackColor = DefaultBackColor
        lblFood.Top = 0
        lblFood.Left = 0
        blnNewGame = True

        'Create new snake
        Length = 4
        frmSnake_Load(sender, e)

    End Select

  End Sub

End Class

I hope you enjoy this slightly addictive game.
Cheers,
Rudi