Get Your Retro Gaming On with these Simple Steps!

Learn how to install emulators on your Raspberry Pi 4 and enjoy playing classic games from yesteryear. Follow our step-by-step guide for a seamless setup experience. …


Updated August 25, 2023

Need help with your Raspberry Pi?
Contact Me!

Do you love silly Raspberry Pi Projects?
Check out my this YouTube Channel!


Learn how to install emulators on your Raspberry Pi 4 and enjoy playing classic games from yesteryear. Follow our step-by-step guide for a seamless setup experience.

The Raspberry Pi is a versatile device that can be used for many purposes, but one of the most exciting features it offers is the ability to emulate classic consoles and play retro games. In this article, we will show you how to install some popular emulators on your Raspberry Pi 4 so you can relive the glory days of gaming.

Before we begin, make sure your Raspberry Pi 4 is up-to-date with the latest software by running the following commands in the terminal:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Install RetroPie

RetroPie is an emulation station that allows you to play games from various systems on your Raspberry Pi. To install it, follow these steps:

  1. Download the latest version of RetroPie from the official website: https://retropie.org.
  2. Extract the downloaded archive and copy the retropie folder to an SD card using a tool like Etcher or Win32 Disk Imager.
  3. Insert the SD card into your Raspberry Pi, connect it to power and a display, and boot up the system. RetroPie will automatically launch and start scanning for games.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to configure your controller and other settings.

Install EmulationStation

EmulationStation is another popular emulator frontend that allows you to manage multiple emulators from a single interface. To install it, follow these steps:

  1. Download and extract the latest version of EmulationStation from its GitHub repository: https://github.com/RetroPie/EmulationStation.
  2. Copy the emulationstation folder to your Raspberry Pi’s /opt/ directory using a tool like SCP or SFTP.
  3. Navigate to the /opt/emulationstation/ directory and run the emulationstation script to start the interface:
cd /opt/emulationstation/
./emulationstation
  1. Configure EmulationStation by editing its configuration file located at /opt/emulationstation/es_settings.cfg.

Install RetroArch

RetroArch is a powerful emulator that supports numerous systems and has an extensive library of games. To install it, follow these steps:

  1. Download the latest version of RetroArch from its website: https://www.retroarch.com/index.php?page=downloads.
  2. Extract the downloaded archive and copy the retroarch folder to your Raspberry Pi’s /usr/bin/ directory.
  3. Install the required dependencies by running:
sudo apt install libsdl2-dev libfreetype6-dev libasound2-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libegl1-mesa-dev libxrandr-dev libxi-dev libudev-dev libpng-dev libjpeg-dev zlib1g-dev libssl-dev
  1. Run RetroArch by executing the following command:
retroarch
  1. Configure RetroArch by navigating to the Settings menu and adjusting the options according to your preferences.

Install Other Emulators

There are many other emulators available for Raspberry Pi, such as MAME (for arcade games), ScummVM (for point-and-click adventure games), and DOSBox (for DOS games). To install these or any other emulator, follow the instructions provided by their respective websites.

Remember to always keep your system up-to-date with the latest software and firmware updates for optimal performance and compatibility. Enjoy playing your favorite retro classics on your Raspberry Pi!