USB flash drive to transfer files from your PC to the RPi.

USB keyboard for easier configuration on the RPi.

Game controller which can be wired/wireless/Bluetooth depending on the RPi model you will use.

Video cable (depending on the RPi that you have).

PC/Laptop with microSD card reader for downloading of RetroPie image and other software for the installation.

MicroSD card where you will load the RetroPie image.

Since it’s built for the Pi, we’ll be focusing on installing it on a Raspberry Pi.Īside from the Raspberry Pi board, there are a number of things you need for the setup: First, make sure that you have all the hardware you need. RetroPie is fairly easy to install with its user-friendly interface and set-up process. RetroPie is loaded with incredible features and you can download it for free from RetroPie’s website. EmulationStation is also responsible for the configuration of your game controller, selecting your themes and any other settings on RetroPie. RetroArch is a front-end for emulators that lets you run retro games on a gaming platform like PCs, game consoles and SBCs, while EmulationStation is the graphical front-end of RetroPie which is basically responsible for the RetroPie’s look and interface. RetroPie packages RetroArch and EmulationStation together. Although it’s built for the Pi, it can also run on other platforms like ODroid C1/C2 or any Debian-based PC. There’s a wide selection of retro games from a variety of classic systems that you can play on RetroPie. RetroPie is an emulation system and management application for retro games built primarily for the Raspberry Pi, hence the Pie in RetroPie. There’s a lot of emulators available but the most popular is the RetroPie.

Aside from the hardware, another important aspect of a retro gaming machine is the emulator- the software that runs retro games. For as low as $50, you can already build your own retro gaming machine which is one of the most popular projects built with SBCs. SBCs (Single Board Computers), such as Raspberry Pis, is a favorite platform of the DIY community in building a retro gaming machine because they’re compact and inexpensive.

Even the new generation of gamers are enjoying the vintage feel of retro games which is a breather for some from the graphic-intensive contemporary games. Despite the rise of modern computer games, many are still allured by the retro games’ nostalgic charm that brings back fun childhood memories in the arcades.

How to set up retropie on a flashdrive