How to Build a Raspberry Pi-Powered Retro Video Game Console

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DIY Gaming On the Cheap

If you like retro video games, you have several options. You can find plenty of older video games ported to newer systems and the PC (the Nintendo Switch is great for Neo Geo games, but oddly not for NES and SNES games). You can get a first-party classic game system like the SNES Classic Edition. You can get a cartridge-playing retro game system like the Super Retro Trio+. You can even find an original classic game system and plug it into your TV's legacy video connectors, or into an analog-to-HDMI upconverter.

You can also build your own emulation-based retro game system with a Raspberry Pi. It's inexpensive, powerful, and easier to set up than you might think. All you need is a Raspberry Pi board, a microSD card, a micro USB power adapter, and a case to put it all in. And, of course, some form of game controller. Thanks to the developers of open-source software RetroPie, the LibRetro emulation API backbone, and the EmulationStation front-end, turning a $35 computer board into every video game system made before 2000 is (relatively) fast and easy.

You don't need to solder anything, or write any code, or even deal with command lines unless you really want to. There are plenty of options to explore and menus to dive into, though, so you should have some computer savvy before you begin. If you aren't afraid to poke around computer settings, you'll be fine.

The Hardware

To start, you need a Raspberry Pi. If you're not familiar with Raspberry Pi, it's a series of inexpensive ARM-based microcomputers designed for education and experimentation. It will serve as the core of your retro game system; everything else will feed the Raspberry Pi data, power, or input/output capabilities.

There are several different versions of Raspberry Pi, and for video games we recommend the most advanced model, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+. It has the fastest processor of all the Raspberry Pi boards, and includes wireless features like Bluetooth and dual-band Wi-Fi. Don't worry about a premium price for the premium Pi; at $35, it's literally pocket change more than the lower-end models.

On its own, the Raspberry Pi doesn't come with a power supply, so you'll need to supply your own. Any micro USB power supply that can output 2.5A should work, and the official power supply costs just $11. Don't skimp here; even if you can power on the Raspberry Pi with your phone charger, the inconsistent current can lead to glitches and poor performance.

The Raspberry Pi doesn't have any onboard storage to speak of either, so you need to get a microSD card. Again, this is a very inexpensive investment. The RetroPie software doesn't take up a lot of space, and most older games aren't particularly large, so you don't need a huge card. You can get by on a 16GB microSD card, but we recommend at least a 32GB card just to be on the safe side. You can pick one up for around $11.

Finally (for the device itself), you need a place to put the Raspberry Pi. It ships as a plain computer board, and it will run just fine naked, but you should really get some sort of plastic shell to protect it from dust, moisture, and getting knocked around. Raspberry Pi cases are cheap and plentiful, and you can even find Raspberry Pi starter sets that include the board, the power supply, a case, and usually a memory card all in one bundle.

If you want to get fancier, you can 3D print your own Raspberry Pi case from a slew of creative models on Thingiverse and other 3D printing sites. You can also order cases separately, with options for creative or nostalgic designs, like the very NES Classic-like Retroflag NESPie. These cases can run from $10 to $25, bringing the total price for your retro game system to, at most, around $90.

Necessary Accessories

You also need a game controller. RetroPie is robust in terms of controller compatibility, and if you have a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you can use their controllers easily. You can also order retro-styled game controllers, with or without analog sticks, wireless connectivity, or other features, from manufacturers like Retro-bit and 8Bitdo.

You should have a keyboard on hand. It generally won't be necessary, but it will help if you want to navigate system menus or change settings on your retro system.

One final detail: You should get yourself a standard USB drive. Any size (bigger is better), any design, any speed. It's the easiest way to put games on the console.

Step One: Prepare the OS

Physically putting the system together is the easy part, but without an operating system you can't actually do anything with it. That's where RetroPie comes in. It's a Raspberry Pi-friendly Linux distribution with a compatible version of LibRetro's RetroArch software overlaid on top, set to automatically jump into the emulation software you want to use without dealing with a lot of Linux command lines on your end.

To start, install the free software 7-zip and Etcher. These will let you put the RetroPie software on your microSD card without any typing or complex commands on your part.

Go to the RetroPie website and download the latest version of the software (currently version 4.4). Make sure you get the version for the Raspberry Pie 2/3. It will download as a single .img.gz file around 700MB. Use 7-zip to unzip the file to an .img.

Put the microSD card in your computer. You might need a reader if your computer doesn't have an SD card slot and/or if your card doesn't come with a microSD to SD adapter. Don't touch anything on the card and don't drag any files onto it. To turn this card into a functional RetroPie installation, you need to write a full disc image onto the card.

Open Etcher and select the microSD card drive and the .img file you unzipped. Click Start and the software will format the card properly and write the disc image to it.

When it's done, Windows might prompt you to format the card in order to use it. Don't! It's ready for the Raspberry Pi now, so simply take it out of your computer.

Step Two: Build the Box

This can look like one of the most daunting tasks because you need to work with a bare circuit board, but it's incredibly direct and easy. Unless you're using accessory boards to build particularly complicated custom devices, Raspberry Pis are effectively one-piece and plug-and-play.

First, take the microSD card you wrote the RetroPie disc image to and insert it into the board's microSD card slot. Some Raspberry Pi cases offer easy access to the slot, but just in case, it's easiest to insert the card before you install it, unless you're planning on juggling multiple cards with different disc images (a viable plan for Raspberry Pi users).

Second, screw the Raspberry Pi board into your case. The case should come with compatible screws. If you 3D print your own, check what screws are needed. Then close up the case, probably with a few more screws.

Attach an HDMI cable, a game controller, and your keyboard into the appropriate ports. Connect the HDMI cable to a TV or monitor.

That's it! Your box is built.

Step Three: Turn It On (And Set Up the Controller)

When everything's ready, plug the power adapter into the wall to power on the Raspberry Pi. If you use an optional power switchboard or a case with a built-in power switch, press or flip the switch to turn it on. Without a separate switchboard, the Raspberry Pi powers on as soon as you plug it in.

It might take a few minutes to set everything up the first time. The screen should display a startup process, showing Linux commands getting executed before the RetroPi logo appears.

The system will prompt you to set up your gamepad, which should be plugged into one of the Raspberry Pi's USB ports. Follow the instructions to map your controller's inputs to the appropriate commands on the system. This manual calibration helps make sure that buttons do what they should be doing in RetroPi's Linux environment. Don't worry if you press the wrong button; you can reconfigure your controller afterward, and have a keyboard as a backup input method if you really need to reset things.

When everything is set up, the RetroPie main menu will appear. You can't do much from here now, but if you want to look through the different settings menus, feel free (but be careful before making any changes).

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