Raspberry Pi 2 Arcade Cabinet – The Porta-Pi Arcade is a fully functional desktop-sized arcade machine that measures just under 13 x 10 x 10 inches (HxWxD) or 1/8 scale of a traditional vertical arcade machine (think Pacman, but 1/8 in size). This incarnation was the launch of this business.
This Porta-Pi Arcade is a DIY kit that turns your Raspberry Pi (Model B, B+, Pi2) or other tiny computer into a fully functional mini arcade game. Why? Because the best retro video games are designed for slot machines! Enjoy all your favorite retro arcade games without a huge case. I made it as a kit so everyone can assemble it. The idea was born on Kickstarter at the end of 2013 and turned into my full-time business. I wrote a guide and filmed two 60 minute videos showing each step of the build so everyone can build their own arcade machine.
Raspberry Pi 2 Arcade Cabinet
The body of the case is designed from the ground up and all electronic components are designed to fit into the case just like a commercial game machine (special audio amplifier, HD video, commercial arcade joystick and buttons).
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I also have a large arcade fan base, many people have designed their own 3D printed accessories, cabinet graphics and even full games to customize their cabinet.
The Porta-Pi Arcade is a full-featured, desktop-sized slot machine measuring just under 13 x 9 x 10 inches (HxWxD).
© 2013-2023 Ryan Bates and © 2013-2023 Retro Built Games, LLC. All photographs, designs, documents and graphics (C) Ryan Bates. All rights reserved.
This site is best viewed on a desktop PC. (Can’t find payment buttons? Use a desktop web browser or Request a work site) Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. ARDUINO® and other Arduino brands and logos appearing on the website are trademarks of Arduino AG. I’ve wanted to build an arcade machine for a long time and was surprised how easy it is to build. My design is based on instructions from ExperiMendel: https:///id/Build-an-arcade-c…. I adjusted it to fit my height, 6 feet, and the bar fridge I use to store my homemade beer. beer kegs. I may add beer taps to the front in the future. The total cost was about $500.
Arcade Cabinet Pack Assembly
If you are like me and it takes a while to get parts online, I recommend that you order them first so that you get them in time for assembly.
I designed my cabinet with internal dimensions of 600mm x 600mm. I chose this to easily place the pieces on a 2400mm x 1200mm MDF.
I highly recommend using a 3D design program to make sure everything fits together. I used SketchUp because it’s free and has a simple layout. I used the models from the ExperiMendel instructions for inspiration and made my model taller and easier to cut.
I have no experience with wood, so this part was the most intimidating for me. It was pretty straight forward and fun once I started.
Our Winter Break Project
I have used RetroPI to run emulators. RetroPI is an image that sits on top of the Raspberry-PI operating system. RetroPI includes Emulationstation which has all the emulators you need to run your games, Retroarch which handles the controls and settings for all emulators.
Setting up the ROM can take some time through trial and error. For the MAME ROM, you may need to try a few different emulators to get it working. Press the button while the ROM is loading to switch the emulator for that ROM.
Enjoy your ready slot machine. Apart from being able to play games, you can also use Kodi to watch movies and view pictures. This is probably the most common do-it-yourself tutorial on the internet (next to coffee tables made from pallets), here’s my take on a proper-sized arcade for the home. Creating an arcade requires many steps, but it can also help with electronic waste. Often the most expensive part, the monitor, can be found for a few dollars, or even free if you focus on some discarded technology. I have a habit of saving parts from discarded electronics. From salvaged ATX power supply fans or speakers salvaged from obsolete surround sound kits, these are all common components for building discount arcade machines. However, the most common treasures are old computer monitors.
I present Exhibit B, a 17-inch 4:3 aspect ratio LCD monitor with CCFL backlight. One of the most common desktop monitors made in the 2000s and now even more common as e-waste destined for trash. All of the arcades pictured were built around discarded monitors of this type. Two of the monitors listed were different brands (HP and Dell) but luckily contained TFT panels of exactly the same size (with mm accuracy) as you walked past the plastic casing. Rescued from a yard sale, let’s take this common junkyard item and build a 2 player arcade machine.
Tabletop Retropie Arcade
Pro Tip: When designing any arcade machine, start with the monitor first. Select the monitor you are going to build around and design the cabinet to match the monitor’s proportions. Some build the cabinet first, knowing the cabinet is big enough to hold the monitor, and then cut out the viewing window, but we take a different approach; First we frame the monitor in the cabinet design. The first thing drawn is the LCD cutout window and the bezel holding the TFT assembly, then I design the arcade cabinet around that base. In the following steps, I’ll show you how to remove the monitor from the plastic case and measure its dimensions. The size of the slot machine I’m building is directly related to the size of the monitor. This keeps the proportions aesthetically pleasing and helps the control panel layout fit the overall size of the arcade. Another tip is to model in 3D.
Cutting. In this way, we can check the location of all finger joints, and there is enough space left to place the rest of the electronics. And if the closet just looks like an arcade.
In this tutorial, I’ll build an arcade game from start to finish, including: cabinet design, graphics creation, material sourcing, electronics/wiring, and a RetroPie setup to create a one-third sized desktop arcade cabinet for two players.
First, find a monitor. These 4:3 aspect ratio LCD monitors are no longer available to consumers, but at any junkyard, second-hand store, and especially yard sales, you’ll find them being given away. I got mine from a blue tarp at a yard sale. The label says “free” which is enough motivation to give this monitor a new lease of life. This DVI/VGA monitor will be our focus. If your city has an annual e-waste donation for tube TVs and electronics that charge a fee, these events could be a great opportunity to purchase multiple monitors. Be sure to contact the organizer if you plan to attend as these events are not for purchase, so be respectful and clear about your intentions.
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I’ve built a few arcade machines with discarded monitors, and a free monitor is enough motivation to complete the build with just the cost of the tree and Raspberry Pi making up most of the budget.
The laser cutter can become an entry barrier for anyone who is not near the workshop. Unfortunately, the workshop in my city is closed (bankrupt), so I feel this pain too. However, there are always options if you are looking for them. Sign stores, local light fixture manufacturers, and online services can cut your design short.
Watch a video that walks you through the build details, including designing, building, connecting, and configuring RetroPie. Estimated burden of total construction costs and time at the end of the video.
A wiring diagram is also included here, as some people may want to print it out to plan their arcade build. A two-player DIY arcade machine based on Raspberry Pi running RetroPie OS. Play original Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man and other retro games. All this for less than $300.
At Home Arcade Build
The cabinet is based on the amazing instructable “Pi-based two-player arcade machine” created by rolfebox. I used hardboard instead of MDF, but only because it is what I already had in stock. The cabinet is 0.5m wide and 0.55m high and is also quite heavy – although not very mobile, it is very stable so you can enjoy the game and push the controls harder.
Most other projects on the web are usually single player and I was specifically looking for a two player version. Unfortunately, I have to admit that there aren’t many retro games for two players (playing at the same time).
The instructions are from 2014, so rolfebox used a Raspberry Pi 1 model B. Today, you should take advantage of the more powerful Raspberry Pi 4. Since the game emulator can be very CPU intensive, you should purchase heatsinks:
The arcade machine runs on RetroPie OS. It is based on Raspbian at the bottom and integrates a set of emulators for computer systems.
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