Thanks to a Raspberry Pi and the free software Recalbox, it is possible to emulate most retro game consoles. That’s how.
To cope with the long hours of boredom, stuck at home during confinement, we decided to create a retrogaming console using two essential ingredients: on the one hand, a Raspberry Pi, on the other, the Recalbox software. .
Recalbox allows you to emulate more than 40 game systems and at the same time dive back into the games of our childhood. But how do you turn your Raspberry Pi into a console?
The necessary equipment
To create your Recalbox, you will therefore need a Raspberry Pi, we have chosen the 3B + model which is currently the last model compatible with Recalbox. Please note that other nano-computer platforms, such as Pine64, are not compatible with this software.
You will also need a micro-SD card (minimum 8 GB), an HDMI cable, a screen, and a USB keyboard.
Software installation
To get started, go to the Recalbox website and download the latest version of the software compatible with your Raspberry box.
Then download software to format the micro-SD card like BalenaEtcher. Then insert the micro-SD card into your computer, and “flash” the software onto the card.
Configuring the Raspberry Pi
Insert the micro-SD card into the Raspberry Pi, power the case, connect it to the screen and plug in the USB keyboard. You can now turn on your Raspberry Pi.
The software launches in a few moments. You will now have to connect your console to your Wi-Fi network in order to possibly carry out updates, and to install new games.
To access the Recalbox menu, press the Enter key on your keyboard and navigate using the arrows. The Q key will be used to validate. Access to Network options, activate Wi-Fi, find your box and enter the password. You are now connected to the Internet.
You will then have to configure a controller, it can be both Bluetooth and wired. If it is wireless you will first have to associate it in the menu Pair a bluetooth controller.
You can then configure it, and associate the different buttons with the different commands.
Your console is ready, and even if Recalbox comes with a few games, you will quickly want to add new ones. Remember, however, that downloading game ROMs from the Internet is illegal.
Install new games
To add new games, from your computer access the folders of the Recalbox which now appears in the shared folders of your computer.
Add the game file to the folder corresponding to the correct console.
From the Raspberry, access the menu, and go to the option Updating the game list and new games will appear instantly.
Your Recalbox is ready. You too. Welcome back to childhood, to the wonderful world of video game nostalgia …