Posts in How to Build a DIY Arcade Machine with Raspberry Pi (Beginner-Friendly STEM Project) 

Ready to turn your classroom—or bedroom—into an old-school arcade? With a Raspberry Pi and a few components, you can bring back the classics like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Mario Kart in full retro glory. This is one of the most fun, beginner-friendly projects in any Raspberry Pi STEM lab.

Whether you’re a teacher building out your Raspberry Pi learning center or a student diving into coding through gaming, this is where education meets pure nostalgia.

 What You’ll Build

You’ll turn a Raspberry Pi into a fully functional retro arcade machine using emulation software like RetroPie. Plug in arcade buttons, connect a screen, and load up games—yes, legally free ones! Bonus: it looks super cool on a desk or in a makerspace.

Perfect for school clubs, project showcases, or home learning environments.

 What You’ll Need

  • Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 (Pi 4 recommended for better emulation)
  • MicroSD card
  • HDMI-compatible screen (old monitor or TV)
  • USB game controllers or arcade joystick + buttons
  • Breadboard (if wiring buttons manually)
  • USB keyboard (for initial setup)
  • Power supply for Pi
  • Optional: Laser-cut or cardboard arcade cabinet

Best Raspberry Pi kits for schools often include everything above.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Install RetroPie

  • Download RetroPie image from retropie.org.uk
  • Use Raspberry Pi Imager or balenaEtcher to flash it to your SD card
  • Insert into Pi and power on

2. First Boot

  • Use a USB keyboard to navigate setup
  • Configure Wi-Fi and enable SSH for remote access
  • Pair your game controller

3. Add Games (ROMs)

Only download legally free games or use backups of games you own.

  • Transfer ROMs via USB, SFTP, or network share (\\retropie\roms)
  • Restart EmulationStation to see your games

 Wiring Custom Arcade Buttons (Optional)

If you’re building your own arcade controller:

  • Use arcade push buttons + joystick (Amazon has full kits)
  • Connect to GPIO pins on Pi using jumper wires or USB interface
  • Example: Button → GPIO 17, GND → any ground pin

Use libraries like gpiozero or install GPioneer to map buttons to keyboard inputs.

 Learning Outcomes

  • Get hands-on with Raspberry Pi hardware and OS setup
  • Understand file systems, emulation, and GPIO basics
  • Build confidence with Linux-based systems
  • Explore the history of gaming through tech!

This is a favorite in any tech lab for students, combining electronics, programming, and design.

 Classroom Ideas

Here’s how to make this project part of your Raspberry Pi-based STEM curriculum:

  • Tech History Lesson: Discuss how gaming evolved over time
  • Design Challenge: Build a cardboard or laser-cut arcade cabinet
  • Code Challenge: Program your own retro-style game in Python or Scratch
  • Art & STEM Fusion: Customize cabinet artwork and button layouts

Perfect for clubs, competitions, or interdisciplinary projects.

 Expansion Projects

  • Build multiplayer gaming setups using multiple Pi devices
  • Add a high-score tracker with Python and SQLite
  • Integrate a coin acceptor (for that real arcade feel)
  • Create a mini online leaderboard system using Flask

These all push your coding lab setup in schools beyond the usual.

robo