This Rugged Raspberry Pi Portable Offers "Distraction-Free Gaming" On the Go — and More

from hackster.io

Pseudonymous maker "crookdmouth" has shown off a portable computer designed to offer distraction-free gaming in a robust housing — complete wtih arcade controls, a compact full-color screen, and a mechanical keyboard.

"About 9 years ago I made a handheld computer that was pretty usable but I found the keyboard unfriendly," crookdmouth explains of the origins of the project. "Since then I wanted to make a very usable version. My first computer was a TRS-80 MC-10 so I decided to gain my inspiration from the Coco family of computers."

Designed primarily for gaming, the system is built around a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B single-board computer connected to Pimoroni's 1:1 aspect ratio HyperPixel 4.0 square display — chosen for its suitability for classic arcade and vintage video games run through emulators.

To the left of the display are four arcade buttons, a single smaller button, and a rotary encoder; to the right are another six arcade buttons, a small button, two square buttons, and another rotary encoder, alongside a second joystick — an analog one, this time, rather than digital.

"The analog stick is the mouse," crookdmouth explains. "The two knobs are horizontal and vertical scroll wheels. I don't mean to brag but it is literally my dream machine. It works so flawlessly and just how I want."

The bottom half of the build houses an SK-64 mechanical keyboard for text input, while hidden inside the housing — which includes robust grab handles to either side — is a USB power bank which can run the whole system for 12 hours of active use, charging from empty in around six.

Crookdmouth has published images of the build in progress to Imgur, with more details available in the project's Reddit thread.