The Raspberry Pi is a fantastic platform for reliving your favorite classic video games, and RetroPie is one of the best dedicated operating systems for the job. It bundles a user-friendly graphical interface (EmulationStation) with a powerful configuration tool (RetroArch) and a wide array of emulators for different classic consoles and computers. This guide will show you how to set up RetroPie and get your first game running.
Table of Contents
What You Will Need
- A Raspberry Pi (any model, but a Pi 4 is recommended for more modern systems)
- A good quality microSD card
- A monitor or TV with an HDMI input
- A USB keyboard for initial setup
- A USB game controller for an authentic feel
Installing RetroPie
The easiest way to get started is by using the official Raspberry Pi Imager tool, which simplifies the process of writing the OS to your microSD card.
- Download and install the Raspberry Pi Imager from the official website (www.raspberrypi.com/software).
- Open the Imager and click Choose OS. Navigate to the Emulation and game OS category and select RetroPie. There will be different versions for different Pi models, so choose the correct one.
- Select your microSD card under Choose Storage and click Write.
- Once the process is complete, eject the microSD card, insert it into your Raspberry Pi, and power it on.
First Boot and Controller Configuration
On the first boot, RetroPie will resize the filesystem and reboot. On the second boot, you will be prompted to configure your controller.
- When you see the ‘Welcome’ screen, hold down any button on your connected game controller to begin the configuration process.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to map each button on your controller to the corresponding action (Up, Down, A, B, Start, Select, etc.).
- The final button to configure is the Hotkey Enable button. This is an important button used in combination with others to access in-game menus and exit emulators. Assign it to a button you won’t press accidentally, like a ‘Home’ or ‘Guide’ button if you have one.
Adding Games (ROMs)
RetroPie does not come with any games pre-installed. You will need to provide your own game files, known as ROMs. It is important to only use ROMs of games that you legally own.
- Connect to your Network: For the easiest transfer method, ensure your Raspberry Pi is connected to your home network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- Access the Samba Share: RetroPie automatically sets up a network share. From another computer on the same network, open your file manager and you should see a network location called ‘RETROPIE’.
- Copy ROM Files: Inside the ‘RETROPIE’ share, you will find a folder named roms. Inside this folder are subfolders for each supported system (e.g., ‘snes’ for Super Nintendo, ‘arcade’ for arcade games). Copy your ROM files into the appropriate system folder. For many arcade games, you should leave them as .zip files.
- Restart EmulationStation: After you have copied your games, press the Start button on your controller to open the main menu, select Quit, and then choose Restart EmulationStation.
After restarting, you will see a new menu for the system whose ROMs you just added. You can now browse your games and start playing!
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