Retro gadget fans were excited to hear of the launch of the Mini NES Classic Edition earlier this year.
However, the device only has 30 built-in games, after which you won’t be able to buy or download any more titles to play.
Thankfully, another solution exists for retro gamers, the Raspberry Pi.
The little mini computer is popular among gamers as an emulation device, allowing it to play any games its surprisingly powerful harwdare can handle.
Components
In order to make an emulation console that can play NES games, you’ll need the following components:
You can use any USB controller you like, but you can search for a classic NES USB controller if you’re going for the ultimate retro look.
The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B Starter Kit comes with a case, but again, you may decide to buy or create a more retro-themed case for your mini console.
The Pi 3 functions just like a normal computer, and has an HDMI output similar to the actual Mini NES console.
However, the Pi 3 reads data from an SD card, meaning you can download and play as many games as you want on the device.
Click here to learn more about the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B.
Software and Setup
After you’ve got all the components, you simply need to set up your Raspberry Pi and install some emulation software.
Click here for a full guide on how to set up your Raspberry Pi.
The best emulation software for the device is RetroPie, which allows you to emulate a number of consoles, including the NES.
Installing RetroPie is fairly straightforward, check out the full process in the video below:
After you’ve installed RetroPie, you can download games onto your SD card in the form of ROMs and easily play them on your new mini retro gaming console.
While it serves perfectly well as a Mini NES with support for more games, a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B with RetroPie installed can be used to play games from over 50 consoles, from the Commodore 64 to the Sony PlayStation.
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