Picade

by Pimoroni

The ultimate desktop retro arcade machine! Picade is a Raspberry Pi-powered mini arcade that you build yourself, with authentic arcade controls, a high resolution 4:3 display that's ideal for retro gaming, and a punchy speaker to hear those 8-bit game soundtracks at their best.

We've been making compact Raspberry Pi based arcade cabinets since way back in 2012 when Picade became the first UK Kickstarter project. Since then we've been prodding, poking and refining our Picade kit to make it better than ever :) Here's some things we love about it!

  • Solid, desk friendly cabinet made from powder-coated MDF, with a quality look and feel similar to a full-size arcade. It has an inbuilt speaker for surprisingly loud bleeps and bloops, and a proper joystick and low profile buttons, thoroughly tested by over-enthusiastic pirates.
  • Top notch 10" screen with a Pimoroni-designed and manufactured driver board and keypad controls. The display panels are IPS, so they look great from any viewing angle!
  • Our USB-C Picade X HAT makes it easy to connect everything up and can power even a hungry Raspberry Pi 4 through its pins. You can turn on your Picade and shut it down safely with the illuminated power button.
  • Snazzy, retro styled artwork (or you can DIY your own!)
  • Comes with a PICO-8 license (worth $14.99!) and cheatsheet, to help you make your own tiny games! You can also download and play games written by others, with 1000s of community made projects and resources to play with.
  • Extra goodies! A bunch of stickers, an enamel Picade pin and a big, luscious Picade poster.

Picade comes in kit form, and it'll take around two to three hours to build. All you'll need to add is a Raspberry Pi 4, USB-C power supply, and micro-SD card. Or you could pick up our convenient starter kit, which contains everything you need to get going!

Starter Kit Includes

  • 10" Picade
  • Raspberry Pi 4 (8GB)
  • USB-C power supply (with interchangeable heads for UK, US, EU and Australia)
  • 32GB microSD card

Cabinet features

  • Black, powder-coated panels
  • Acrylic marquee and console with authentic artwork
  • Push-fit arcade buttons
  • Joystick with black ball top
  • 3" speaker (5W, 4Ω)
  • Easy access with removable back panel
  • Dedicated illuminated power button
  • Grippy rubber feet
  • Approx dimensions: 310 x 260 x 250mm (H x W x D)

10-inch display features

  • 1024x768 (4:3 ratio) IPS (wide viewing angle) display
  • Pimoroni-designed and manufactured HDMI display driver board and keypad controls
  • Powered by micro-USB cable (included) from your Pi

Picade X HAT features

  • Easy DuPont connectors for buttons and joystick
  • Push-fit speaker terminals
  • I2S audio DAC with 3W amplifier (mono)
  • USB-C power management, power switch pins, and power button
  • 4-way joystick inputs
  • 6 player buttons
  • 4 utility buttons
  • Metal standoffs to hold your Picade X HAT securely

Extras

Building your Picade

All Picade assembly instructions are available online.

If your Picade has a square PICO-8 sticker on the box and has marquee and bezel artwork that looks like this then your Picade is 2020 edition (or later) and you'll need to follow these instructions:

If there's no PICO-8 sticker you'll need to follow this tutorial and video.

Software setup

We recommend the RetroPie operating system for your Picade. You can download it  and burn it to a micro-SD card using Raspberry Pi Imager.

Connect a USB keyboard to your Pi, and connect to Wi-Fi in the RetroPie menu. Press F4 to exit to the terminal and then type curl https://get.pimoroni.com/picadehat | bash to run the Picade HAT installer.

Reboot your Pi, if it doesn't prompt you to. Press the "Alt" key on your keyboard and then select "Configure input" to configure your Picade's controls. You'll find that the sound and power button should both be working now too!

Notes

  • If your Picade display doesn't show anything when you first power it up, then it could be because the HDMI display is not being detected by the Raspberry Pi. This can happen because power isn't supplied to the USB ports on the Raspberry Pi for the first few seconds of booting. The solution is to edit the /boot/config.txt file on your RetroPie SD card, and add hdmi_force_hotplug=1 on a new line at the bottom of the file.
  • Want to make your own custom artwork for your Picade? Click here for a PDF template for the printed pieces.

222 customer reviews

a year ago
I had some problems with the X-Hat when it arrived, but PIMORONI was quick to get a replacement sent out to me. Had a few problems with setting up sound on first boot, but have been able to configure it to eliminate most of these issues. I had an older 8" Picade, it was physically much larger, but I like the smaller form factor better. Its just as ergonomic but takes up less space when languishing on the shelf! Plus there are many new, improvements. I also purchased the Plasma Light kit and installed it during assembly. Highly recommended! I want to try to poke around to make certain pertinent buttons flash at the proper times (like the START button for instance). I'll report back when I have that all working. Thanks!
by Charles about Picade via REVIEWS.io
a year ago
I hadn't read the details about the PICO-8 license, so I just assumed it was only the hardware and then I had to figure it out with retropie or something else on the software side. I was surprised about the tools provided and it will be a great learning experience for my nephew into the world of programming, electronics and everything else around these topics. Will surely get some other things in the future.
by Vlad about Picade via REVIEWS.io
a year ago
The Picade is an absolute gem for anyone diving into Raspberry Pi arcade projects. Having delved into my second unit, I leveraged an existing RP4 and found the assembly process remarkably smooth, thanks to the comprehensive and user-friendly instructions provided on Pimoroni's website. Remarkably, I didn't need to scour YouTube for tutorials. However, while this kit is fantastic, I'd caution potential buyers about one minor flaw: the Picade X hat's USB-C socket can loosen over time with use. Fear not, though—I ingeniously fixed this with a bit of Araldite glue once the issue surfaced. Since the repair, it's been rock solid, meaning the need to order a replacement Picade hat or to solder it back on is then no longer required. But let's talk brilliance: those plasma buttons! Enhancing the unit with these buttons was a game-changer. Initially dazzlingly bright, a simple tweak allows for customizable colours, patterns, and brightness, transforming the gaming experience. And the software? Well, let's just say the possibilities are endless. While I can't delve into specifics here, scouring the web for RetroPie images will unlock a treasure trove of possibilities. I've elevated my Picade to an ultimate retro gaming paradise, thanks to a 1TB image teeming with classics. Now, onto my ambitious plan: linking two Picade units for epic two-player action. It's possible but will require thoughtful consideration and a specific 'player x module' also avail to buy on the site. Or you can also use 'netplay' features supported by some RetroArch cores which is easier to setup.
by Ilyas about Picade via REVIEWS.io
a year ago
sympa a monter, je l'ai fait avec mon fils, on a passer un bon moment, et en final, tout est ok, marche bien, amussant, je recommande pour le fun
by Anonymous about Picade via REVIEWS.io
a year ago
Super fun project! Easy assembly following the text directions online as well as some videos that Pimoroni has on youtube! Enjoying a lot playing!
by Anonymous about Picade via REVIEWS.io
a year ago
This was a fun build! Everything was clearly labeled, and the end result is something that really stands out. I've always wanted an arcade machine, and having this little guy around always puts a smile on my face.
by Anonymous about Picade via REVIEWS.io
a year ago
A fun kit and easy to build. I think I may buy another...
by Troy about Picade via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
I've got loads of options for 'retro gaming' - Pi in a NES case, Emulators galore on Mac & PC....but nothing feels as good as playing old arcade hits on a real [but minature!] cabinet. The build is a really fun project and very well documented, both by Pimoroni and all across the web & YouTube. Nothing more challenging than taking your time and handling a screwdriver. The quality of the components is pretty good. All the parts are a perfect fit and the buttons & stick feel solid. Screen (10 inch for me) is very bright and crisp. Software set up was as easy as flashing the included SD with Retropi and running a cURL script for the X Hat. Needed a tweak to the Alsa driver for the volume but pretty easy to google and find. The volume was loud on first boot!! But, not at all distorted. Impressive. Only issue I suffered was that the USB -C power input on the X Hat was soldered on badly and failed :(. Credit to Pimoroni support - they offered to replace straight away. Quality aftersales support as always!
by Select about Picade via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
Very nice project, though the build is rather on the cheap side. Still a lot better than anything I could have built myself. Software-wise you are pretty much on your own but there are enough blogs out there to help out with the OS and getting rom images. I had the unfortunate surprise of being hit by import tax and DHL fees amounting to about 100€ for a delivery to France. Fair is fair but just be warned that this ends up being a lot more expensive than it first appears.
by Anonymous about Picade via REVIEWS.io

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