Picade MAX kit – Pimoroni
£495 (requires Raspberry Pi 5 and a microSD card)
Product description from their website:
A deluxe one or two-player desktop/bartop arcade cabinet that you build yourself, sporting a gorgeous 19" IPS screen and loads of space for customisation.
We've had a lot of requests to make a bigger, more versatile, 2 player version of our Picade and after a lot of work (and plenty of helpful feedback from our beta testers) we're very excited to share its final form.
Here are some of our favourite features:
Glorious 19” Screen
Selected for its 5:4 aspect ratio (1280x1024 pixels) which is perfect for retro gaming. This IPS panel has vibrant colours and remains clearly visible from any viewing angle.
Arcade Joysticks + Low-Profile Buttons
Connected up via a new standalone RP2040 powered Picade Max USB Controller board. The dedicated microcontroller lets Picade read lots of inputs accurately with super low latency!
High Quality Stereo Audio with Volume Control
Built-in speakers powered by a custom RP2040-based USB stereo 3W per channel sound card. A tactile rotary encoder allows you to adjust the volume at any time, no more fiddling with it in software!
1 & 🔴 2 Player Control Surfaces
For the first time on Picade you can deck out your unit with either a one or two player layout. Both are included!
Black Powder Coated Cabinet
Sturdy 6mm MDF with a hardwearing powder-coated finish gives a premium feel, while retaining family-friendly proportions that don't take over the room. Stronk, not Chonk.
Vibrant Artwork
A galactic red vs blue theme is provided for the marquee and console panels. Alternatively, see below for details on how to design your own!
Made for Raspberry Pi 5 ❤️
Picade Max sports a trio of custom-designed, dedicated, boards that augment your Raspberry Pi 5 by providing the power, audio, and control handling features.
PICO-8 Fantasy Console License Included!
PICO-8 is a fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games and other computer programs. It feels like a regular console, but runs on Windows / Mac / Linux. When you turn it on, the machine greets you with a command line, a suite of cartridge creation tools, and an online cartridge browser called SPLORE.
Choose Your Own Adventure Emulator
There are a wide range of emulators supported on Raspberry Pi. The Picade MAX electronics have been designed to behave like a standard game controller which means mapping controls should be straightforward no matter which emulator you prefer to use.
Here at Pimoroni we've been enjoying using Recalbox which provides comprehensive emulation of over 100 different consoles, handhelds, and computers - phew!
Picade MAX Kit Includes
Picade Max comes in kit form and you'll need to build it yourself when it arrives. The build process takes between 2 and 4 hours depending on how ready your caffeine supply and how deft your fingers are.
You need to supply a Raspberry Pi 5 and microSD card. The only tools necessary are a couple of basic screwdrivers.
Assembly instructions are available online.
Contents:
- Black, powder-coated, pre-cut MDF panels
- Two console options with artwork (one or two player layout)
- 2 x joystick with black ball top and push-fit arcade buttons
- 2 x 3" speaker (5W, 4Ω)
- Volume control dial and illuminated power button
- 19" 1280 x 1024 IPS panel with HDMI driver board
- External screen controls keypad
- Picade MAX Power HAT
- Picade MAX USB Controller Board
- Picade MAX USB Audio Board
- 12V power supply
- All necessary cables and adaptors
- Grippy rubber feet + fixings
- Assembled dimensions: 51cm x 44cm x 39cm - perfect for a counter top or desk!