In-house Retro Arcade Game Cabinet

Proposal

We propose a retro arcade game cabinet machine to be built and situated in the hackspace.

Description of retro arcade game cabinet

Arcade games from the last 40 years have been preserved on the internet and are freely distributable as ROMs. These ROMs can run on various platforms, including one of the cheapest and smallest options, the ARM processor powered Raspberry Pi. It would also need:

• A screen that could be mounted in the arcade game cabinet easily
• Speakers mounted in the arcade game cabinet
• 8-way arcade stick and various buttons mounted in front of the screen
• The arcade game cabinet itself

The electrical equipment all needs to be powered.

The screen would need the most power, and may be mounted on steel parts, made using a CNC developed and built in-house, see Plasma_CNC in projects in this wiki.

Overall, the arcade game cabinet must be built to be clean and safe to use as well as durable.

Why do it and how would benefit the Hackspace?

Norwich Hackspace already have plans for a games corner. This would be an amazing start to it.

The arcade game cabinet can help relieve stress, give people a place to do something non-working in the hackspace and may make the hackspace more popular.

Similar projects have been finished and very referenced/documented on the internet, making it a very achieveable project.

The project would directly benefit those planning and working on it by developing their skills and their selves.

Research materials

Which emulators and games are available?

Currently the Raspberry Pi runs a very decent emulator named RetroArch which is cross-platform.

The most extensive game list with most desired games belongs to Final Burn Alpha, which also incorporates the MAME ROM games and many more. For a full list of included emulators in Final Burn Alpha (FBA) see http://www.lakka.tv/doc/Arcade/

A full game list of compatible roms can be found here.

Which front end for emulator meets the requirement and why?

The RetroArch team created a deployable RetroArch with a front-end called Lakka which after a test was also superior and more customisable than the RetroPie front end.

How can the Raspberry Pi can be connected to which peripherals?

Requirements for Display

Requirements for Joysticks & Buttons

Requirements for Audio/Speakers

Requirements for Cabinet & Mounting gear

Items and Materials needed broken down

Cost of items

Labour and possible roles broken down