Button isn't working properly

Question

I am new in arduino trying to make race game. My problem is that my button (all buttons) is working sometimes and sometimes not. I am pretty sure that it's because of my code. Could you please help me with it? Here is my code:

#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2);
int pausebetween = 1;
int spaceBetween = 1;
int maxElemnets = 4;
int obstacleArray[4][2];
int obstacles[4] = {3,3,2,3};
bool gameStart = false;
byte player[8] =
{
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B10100,
 B11110,
 B11111,
 B11110,
 B10100,
 B00000
};
byte obstacle[8] =
{
 B11111,
 B11111,
 B11111,
 B11111,
 B11111,
 B11111,
 B11111,
 B11111
};
byte enemy[8] =
{
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B00101,
 B01111,
 B00101,
 B00000,
 B00000
};
byte empty[8] =
{
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B00000
};
byte fire[8] = 
{
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B11111,
 B00000,
 B00000,
 B00000 
};
int mat[2][24] = {
 {1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1},
 {1,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1}
 };
int up = 0;
int down = 0;
int reset=0;
int atack=0;
void setup() {
 pinMode(9, INPUT);
 pinMode(8, INPUT);
 pinMode(7, INPUT);
 pinMode(6, INPUT);
 Serial.begin(9600);
 lcd.createChar(0, player);
 lcd.createChar(1, empty);
 lcd.createChar(2, enemy); 
 lcd.createChar(3, obstacle);
 lcd.createChar(4, fire); 
 lcd.begin(16, 2);
}
void loop() {
 up = digitalRead(9);
 down = digitalRead(8);
 atack = digitalRead(7);
 reset = digitalRead(6);
 if(atack){
 for(int i = 0; i<2;i++){
 for(int j = 0; j<23; j++){
 if(mat[j][i]==1){
 mat[j+1][i]=4;
 Serial.println(mat[j+1][i]);
 }
 }
 } 
 }
 if(reset){
 clearStage();
 gameStart = true; 
 }
 if(gameStart){
 generateObstacles();
 redrawGame();
 moveObstacles();
 }
 delay(1000);
 }
void generateObstacles(){
 int obscount = random(1,4);
 int types[4][2] = {{1,3},{2,1},{1,1},{2,1}} ;
 int type = random(0,4);
 for(int i = 0; i< obscount; i++){
 mat[0][16+i] = types[type][0];
 mat[1][16+i] = types[type][1];
 }
 int spacecount = random(2,5);
 pausebetween = obscount + spacecount;
}
void redrawGame(){
 for(int j = 15; j >= 0; j--){
 for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++){
 lcd.setCursor(j,i);
 lcd.write(mat[i][j]);
 }
 }
}
void clearStage(){
 for(int i = 0; i<2;i++){
 for(int j = 0; j<23; j++){
 if(i!=1 && j!=1){
 mat[i][j] =1;
 }
 }
 }
}
void moveObstacles(){
 for(int i = 0; i<2;i++){
 for(int j = 0; j<23; j++){
 if(mat[i][j]!=0){
 mat[i][j] = mat[i][j+1];
 }else{
 mat[i][j-1]=1;
 }
 if(mat[i][j]==4){
 mat[i][j-1]=0;
 mat[i][j-2]=1; 
 }
 }
 }
}

Scheme: enter image description here

Answer 1

I have two suggestions.

1. Get rid of the delay(1000); in the loop and replace it with code from the BlinkWithoutDelay example that comes with the Arduino IDE: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/BlinkWithoutDelay.

2. Debounce the buttons. There are several libraries on Github that simplify this, for example: https://playground.arduino.cc/Code/Bounce.