Raspberry Pi Portable Games Console

The Raspberry Pi makes a great retro games console and there are plenty of options out there. We love PiJuice’s Portable Games Console as it combines an analogue joystick with a 2.2-inch TFT screen.

PORTABLE POWER

The Portable Games console uses a PiJuice (pi-supply.com), and a portable power pack for the Raspberry Pi with intelligent power functionality. This makes it possible for you to create projects that operate out in the world, such as our Portable Games Console.

STEP 1

First you’ll need to get all the parts. Along with the PiJuice and Adafruit 2.2-in TFT screen, you’ll need an Arduino Pro Mini, Analgue Joystick, 4 tactile switches and jumper leads. A complete list of materials can be found at: instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Portable-Games-Console .

STEP 2

The Portable Games console uses Adafruit Cupcade (designed for Adafruit’s Raspberry Pi Micro Arcade Cabinet). You can pick up a copy of the image file from learn. adafruit.com/cupcade-raspberry-pi-micro-mini-arcade-game-cabinet/ hardware-setup. It’s a good idea to set up the Raspberry Pi as normal with the Cupcade installation and check that it works.

STEP 3

Right-angle headers are soldered onto the Arduino on the following pins:
• Pin A0 - for input from joystick in x direction.
• Pin A1 - for input from joystick in y direction.
• Pins 2,3,4 and 5 for output of a digital state to the Raspberry Pi GPIO (up, down, left and right).
• VCC and GRD for powering the Arduino.
• VCC and GRD for powering the joystick.

STEP 4

Next, wires are soldered to the TFT screen:
• A red wire with female end (~7cm) to 5V pin on TFT screen to power the Arduino.
• A Black wire with female end (~7cm) to GRD on TFT screen. This is the pad marked with WP located on the underside of the screen.

STEP 5

Output is two analog signals for x position and y position ranging from 0 to 5V. The Arduino is used as an analogue to digital converter (because the Raspberry Pi lacks analogue pins). Connect the Arduino to a Mac, PC or Linux computer using a USB to TTL adapter and install the Arduino software from arduino.cc/en/main/software.

STEP 6

github.com/pijuice/Games-Console. Make sure the Arduino is selected under Tools > Board and upload the software for the analogue to digital conversion.

ASSEMBLING THE CONSOLE

Now that you have all the parts and software ready, it’s time to start putting together the Portable Games Console. You’ll be playing arcade games on the move before you know it.

STEP 1

Solder wire connectors to each tactile switch. Connect one side of each pin to a GPIO input. The other sides are made into a 4-1 junction and wired to the ground of the screen. To connect the other sides of each switch to the GPIO, right angle headers are soldered onto the GPIO breakout on the TFT screen.

STEP 2

First, two right angle pins onto pins 17 and 27, these will be the Insert Coin and Start buttons. Then a row of headers is soldered into pins 5, 6, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20 and 21 (four action buttons and four direction buttons).

STEP 3

Use jumper leads to connect everything up:
• VCC Arduino - VC Joystick • VCC Arduino - 5V RPi
• GND Arduino - GND Joystick • GND Arduino - GND RPi
• A0 Arduino - Joystick X • Button 1 - GND RPi and GPIO 5 RPi
• A1 Arduino - Joystick Y • Button 2 - GND RPi and GPIO 6 RPi
• 2 Arduino - GPIO 12 RPi
• 3 Arduino - GPIO 13 RPi • Button 3 - GND RPi and GPIO 17 RPi
• 4 Arduino - GPIO 20 RPi • Button 4 - GND RPi and GPIO 27 RPi
• 5 Arduino - GPIO 21 RPi

STEP 4

Install Retrogame written by Adafruit to use the GPIO controls (github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-Retrogame). Check that everything is working correctly using a video game ROM. Once you’ve got the portable games console up and running you can start gaming. See Instructables (instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Portable-Games-Console/) for more help.

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