Just over a year ago we published an article with a similar title. That was our first look at the project now known as Tiny Arcade, but a serious competitor has just appeared in every sense. Tempest in a Teacup is powered by the Raspberry Pi Zero, letting it run MAME in almost all its glory. Its creator admits that the arcade cabinet is impractical and uncomfortable, and there won't be a kit for sale. Still, if you're looking for a new DIY challenge, well...
Some ideas in the DIY world have strange origins. We've seen projects that struggle for months to reach a good end, while others are born over a weekend, as a product of boredom, spare time, or having the right components on hand. Tempest in a Teacup is a perfect example. Its creator, Phillip Burgess, said that his intention to build the world's smallest arcade machine came about during an improvised weekend hackathon, while discussing the creation of a "bonnet" for the Raspberry Pi Zero—a case with essential controls and a monochrome OLED screen. The concept went from a monochrome OLED to a color one, and somehow ended up as a mini arcade loaded with MAME.
Size and Specifications
How mini is it? The official measurements for Tempest in a Teacup are 67.2 by 33.6 by 35.8 millimeters, with the microSD card installed. Could it be even smaller? Burgess's words were "without a doubt," since he used factory parts without major modifications. Perhaps the biggest exception is the use of the version 1.0 Raspberry Pi Zero, which lacks the physical camera connector (a feature revision 1.3 does have). The OLED screen is 0.96 inches, and a good portion of the cabinet was built from protoboard pieces. Even so, it manages to integrate a small amplifier and a one-inch speaker, enough for classic 8-bit sound effects.
Practicality
Tempest in a Teacup is very interesting from an electronic point of view. There's a lot of "trial and error" in its design, and anyone wanting to practice concepts like space optimization will have their hands full. Now... playing on such a tiny arcade machine is not at all practical. We all remember the precision and speed required by those classics, and the arcade controls are merciless. In short, the plan is to build this arcade just because we can... and because we want one, of course.
