The Raspberry Pi hasn’t just been a success in the education sector: it is popular among makers too. This small, credit-card-sized computer is capable of emulating retro gaming and its 40-pin GPIO enables users to get started with physical computing.

There are plenty of beginner-friendly and intermediate gaming projects available for the Raspberry Pi. In this article, we’ll take a look at ten impressive gaming devices made with the Raspberry Pi.

1. RaspBMO

RaspBMO Handheld Raspberry Pi game emulator

It’s BMO from Adventure Time! Packed within is a Raspberry Pi single-board computer as its brains, since it’s capable of running the RetroPie retro gaming emulation system. For its controls, a Teensy microcontroller has been hooked up to push-button switches on a perfboard.

The enclosure was 3D printed in sky blue PLA while the buttons were printed with a flexible filament. The entire build is powered by a LiPo battery connected to a battery-charging circuit such as the Adafruit PowerBoost 1000C. It even has a sliding potentiometer for volume adjustment, as well as an audio jack for headphones.

Make your own BMO that runs retro games by following the instructions and build photos on Thingiverse.

2. DIY Raspberry Pi VR Goggles

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Virtual reality is no longer science fiction: there are plenty of commercial headsets available these days, but they’re usually at least a couple of hundred dollars in cost. With a Raspberry Pi, you could build your own for a fraction of the price!

This experimental build has utilized the Raspberry Pi Zero, a 5-inch display, and a 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer based on the MPU-6050 IMU.

According to some commenters on the project’s Instructables page, to play more intensive games such as Beat Saber, it may require a faster processing unit than that available on the Raspberry Pi Zero—a more powerful Pi Zero 2 W might work. The VR headset should also be able to run certain art programs with a connected controller.

3. 2-Player Bartop Arcade

2player-bar-top-arcade-machine

For those born in the ’80s and ’90s, you might remember the nostalgic bliss of playing on an arcade machine. Now, with single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi, you could build your own and have it sitting in your living room.

This build has controls for two players and lets you play thousands of games. The enclosure was inspired by old-school ’80s-style arcade machines, and was prototyped with cardboard first. The finished build used MDF boards, which were then primed and painted.

4. Raspberry Pi Gaming on Steam

Stream Steam games to Raspberry Pi

You’ve probably heard about Steam Link, which lets you connect any computer that’s running Steam to a television. Previously, you could use Moonlight on a Raspberry Pi. Moonlight is an open-source implementation of NVIDIA’s GameStream protocol that runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. However, it is now possible to stream games without Moonlight on a Raspberry Pi.

More specifically, you can just install Steam Link on a Raspberry Pi. Check out our tutorial, linked above, to learn how to stream PC games to your TV with a Raspberry Pi.

5. Raspberry Pi in a Game Boy Pocket

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Image Credit: Starfire Technology /YouTube

Got an old Game Boy Pocket lying around? Learn how to fit a Raspberry Pi in there and turn it into a retro gaming machine while saving it from being turned into electronic waste.

The original Game Boy Pocket’s controls, volume controller, headphone and power jack, and LCD controller are salvaged. A 1 watt speaker based on the PAM3806 chip has been used for audio. A 3600 mAh LiPo battery runs the entire build.

6. Portable Projector Gaming System

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Maybe you don’t want to lug around an entire Raspberry Pi gaming station packed with a display and other components. This project turns your Raspberry Pi into a portable projector gaming system, so there’s no need for extra core components aside from the Pi, power source, and a small portable projector.

The maker notes that the projector used in the build already has a power supply, so it has been adapted to be used for the Pi.

7. Commodore 64 Mini

commodore-64-mini-raspi

Want a Commodore 64 but don’t want to spend a heap of money? With a Raspberry Pi, you could build your own Commodore 64 Mini with all the 8-bit gaming goodness.

While there is the C64 Mini available commercially, a portable system that emulates the original Commodore 64, it is difficult to add your own game ROMs to it and it’s pricier.

One other advantage of this DIY project is that you can use any model of the Pi, including older ones such as the Raspberry Pi A, B, or Zero. Follow along with our tutorial, linked above, to get started with building your own Commodore 64 Mini.

8. Data Blaster - Cyberdeck

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Image Credit: Zack Freedman /YouTube

It’s a cyberpunk fan’s dream: it’s a cyberdeck! called the Data Blaster, this one is made with a Raspberry Pi 400. Since the Pi 400 already comes with an enclosure in the form of a keyboard, the maker has adapted it into a cyberdeck.

For those who don’t know, a cyberdeck is a term originating in cyberpunk novels and games. These mobile computers are used by hackers, or ‘deckers’, to temporarily connect their mind into cyberspace.

The maker has even included 3D printing files for download. Follow along with the YouTube video (linked above) to learn more about this project and how you can build your own cyberdeck.

9. Play Classic Games on Your Raspberry Pi

Play classic PC games on Raspberry Pi

While you can run Windows 10 IoT and even Windows 11 on a Raspberry Pi, there are a lot of limitations. Especially in terms of playing video games. Why not build a DOS emulation system instead?

This project shows you how to play classic games on your Raspberry Pi; specifically, how to install, configure, find, and install MS-DOS games.

It should also be mentioned that some classic games have already been ported to Linux. So, depending on what you’re after, you may not even need to implement an emulation system.

10. Ultimate Amiga

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Image Credit: ETA Prime /YouTube

Before there were modern-day computers and laptops, there was the Amiga. In the ’80s and ’90s, the Amiga was a popular family of computers by Commodore. These were 16- or 32-bit machines, which were an improvement over the old 8-bit computers.

With a Raspberry Pi, you could create your own Amiga emulation system. For its operating system, this project directly boots to the Amiga Workbench GUI. With it, you could learn to code in assembly language, or play classic Amiga games.

Which Raspberry Pi Gaming Project Will You Build?

You now have more ideas about the kinds of Raspberry Pi gaming projects out there. Some of these projects are compatible with older models of the Raspberry Pi, though we recommend using the newer models like the Pi 3B+ or 4 so you can play a wider variety of games with RetroPie.

Some of these builds have used 3D printing for their enclosure, while others have opted for MDF boards or recycled Game Boys.