Build your own Raspberry Pi-powered arcade cabinet with a glorious 19" screen, stereo sound and layouts for one or two players. Ready, player two?
Your arcade, supersized
Go solo for a high-score session or bring a friend for some button-bashing rivalry. Picade MAX includes both one-player and two-player console panels, so you can choose your layout during the build. The assembly guide covers both options.
- A glorious 19" screen: a 1280 × 1024 IPS display with vibrant colours, wide viewing angles and a retro-friendly 5:4 aspect ratio.
- Proper arcade controls: joysticks and low-profile buttons for an authentic arcade feel.
- Stereo sound: twin speakers with a dedicated volume dial.
- A sturdy cabinet: black powder-coated 6mm MDF, finished with galactic red-versus-blue artwork.
Assembled dimensions: 51 × 44 × 39cm. Product specifications.
Designed for Raspberry Pi 5
Three dedicated boards handle power, controls and audio:
- Picade MAX Power HAT: powers your Raspberry Pi and display from the included 12V supply, with safe shutdown through the illuminated power button.
- Picade MAX USB Controller: an RP2040-powered board that connects the joysticks and buttons to your computer as a USB game controller.
- Picade MAX USB Audio: an RP2040-powered sound card with 3W amplification per channel and a separate rotary volume control.
There’s also room for an optional NVMe Base if you’d like SSD storage. Older Raspberry Pi models with a 40-pin GPIO header are supported too; see the Raspberry Pi installation guide.
Play (and make) tiny games
A PICO-8 licence is included, giving you tools to make, share and play tiny games. Explore thousands of community creations, then try building your own.
What you’ll need
Add the following, sold separately:
- Raspberry Pi - we recommend Raspberry Pi 5
- microSD card
An Active Cooler is recommended for Pi 5, and a USB keyboard is useful for software setup. The 12V power supply is included.
Allow around two to four hours for assembly, with a couple of basic screwdrivers to hand. Our step-by-step assembly guide walks you through the build.
What’s in the kit
- Pre-cut, black powder-coated MDF cabinet panels
- One-player and two-player console panels with artwork
- Acrylic console and marquee panels, plus screen surround
- Two joysticks with black ball tops and push-fit arcade buttons
- Two 3" speakers
- Volume control dial and illuminated power button
- 19" IPS display, HDMI driver board and screen controls keypad
- Picade MAX Power HAT, USB Controller and USB Audio boards
- 12V power supply
- Cables, adaptors, wiring looms and fixings
- Grippy rubber feet
- PICO-8 licence and stickers
The assembly guide includes a detailed parts checklist.
Software setup
Choose your preferred Raspberry Pi emulation software. We’ve enjoyed using Recalbox; the USB controller lets you map your arcade controls within your chosen emulator.
Make it yours
Create custom artwork or explore upgrades such as a Galactic Unicorn LED marquee, rear-mounted fan or alternative computer. These modifications are experimental, and additional hardware is sold separately. See the customisation notes for details.