In a fresh entry of “The Raspberry Pi is a party and you can't miss it,” our web adventure has landed us at the doorstep of the Pitendo project, which includes everything from the Raspberry Pi to the case, so you can assemble your own miniature Nintendo NES and emulate over twenty systems without any trouble.
A Growing Raspberry Pi Ecosystem
The high density of Raspberry Pi–based projects is no coincidence. If its creators keep the rules and current prices, the only thing we can expect is an acceleration in sales of the SBC computer. Its future hints at some very ambitious plans, such as special support for Windows 10, though personally I have doubts about Microsoft's commitment to the hardware. In the meantime, here's another idea to reproduce, or why not buy it if you're in the United States: Pitendo.
The idea is based on the BabyNES case, which anyone can download from Thingiverse and print in 3D. BabyNES is compatible with the Raspberry Pi B+ or the Raspberry Pi 2, but the Pitendo package brings the latest version of the hardware.
What's Included
Besides the Raspberry Pi, each Pitendo includes an 8 GB SD card loaded with the RetroPie platform, a USB controller similar to the Super Nintendo gamepad, a compatible power supply, and an HDMI cable. The adoption of RetroPie is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, given its very interesting interface and wide emulator support.
Some of the compatible systems include the Atari 2600, Apple II, Commodore 64, all three Gameboys, Sega Game Gear, MAME, NeoGeo, NES, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Sega Master System, Sega Mega Drive, PlayStation 1, and PC, among others. Performance may vary in each case, but RetroPie optimizations should be enough to make the Pitendo a solid entertainment option.
Price and DIY Alternatives
The official price for each Pitendo is $139, and according to the official page, it only ships to the United States. However, with your own Raspberry Pi and the BabyNES case, you can put together something very similar. In fact, I think a DIY variant would be more economical. Custom 3D prints are getting cheaper, and a memory card isn't that expensive. The only thing the user has to do in both cases is load their ROMs manually. The ROM issue remains as delicate as ever, and preloading game images could cause serious problems for the seller.
For more information, visit the official site.
