Do you have an extra computer lying around? With decent specs? If it's gathering dust, why not turn it into something better? Arcade machines are a great project to pull a computer out of its old case and give it a much more interesting role. But the equation also needs a piece of software, and that's where Lakka comes in—a Linux distro that can emulate more than twenty classic consoles.
Most arcade machine projects we've seen on the web showcase precision woodworking, dedicated LED screens, speakers connected to an amplifier, retro-style joysticks and buttons, full-size stickers, and other elaborate aesthetic details... but it all starts with a simple computer. It could be your old PC, or something new and compact like a Raspberry Pi. Many people bought a Pi and discovered they didn't have an application in mind, yet the current state of compatible distros makes the Raspberry Pi an extraordinary candidate to be the "soul" of a modern arcade unit. RetroPie is usually the first option, but if it feels too intimidating, there's something a bit simpler: Lakka.
Lakka installs like any other Linux distro: burn the image to your preferred medium, boot the system, and configure the main parameters. Its interface reminds us of modern systems like the PlayStation 4. Emulation options scroll horizontally, while each detected game appears in a vertical list. The menu on the far left contains all the advanced configuration options, letting you tweak things like the video driver, audio, network settings, interface colors, and much more. In other words, Lakka offers a menu detailed enough to do without a keyboard—something RetroPie hasn't fully achieved, even in its latest versions.
Lakka can emulate more than twenty different systems and instantly detects any controller from the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, and PS4, though others may need a bit of extra work. Lakka is still in active development, which means a few rough edges—like the lack of support for wireless connections (you'll need a physical network connection to load games remotely). Of course, there's always the chance that a particular computer has components that aren't fully compatible with Lakka, but it's definitely worth a closer look.
