Your Favorite Retro and Modern Games are Just a Click Away!

Learn how to install games on your Raspberry Pi 3, whether it’s classic arcade titles or modern indie hits. With the right setup, you can enjoy gaming on your low-cost home computer. …


Updated October 26, 2023

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Learn how to install games on your Raspberry Pi 3, whether it’s classic arcade titles or modern indie hits. With the right setup, you can enjoy gaming on your low-cost home computer.

Introduction

The Raspberry Pi has always been a popular choice for those who want to have a powerful and versatile home computer at an affordable price. In this article, we’ll show you how to install games on Raspberry Pi 3, both classic arcade titles and modern indie hits. With the right setup, you can enjoy gaming on your low-cost home computer!

Prerequisites

Before getting started with installing games on Raspberry Pi 3, make sure you have:

  • A Raspberry Pi 3 Model B or later
  • An SD card (8GB or larger) with a compatible microSD adapter
  • A power supply and HDMI cable to connect your Raspberry Pi to a monitor or TV
  • Internet connection for downloading games and updates

Installing Retro Games with Retropie

Retropie is an easy-to-use system that allows you to play hundreds of classic video games on your Raspberry Pi 3. It’s designed to be user-friendly, so even if you haven’t used a command line interface before, you can still get started with Retropie in no time.

  1. Download the latest version of RetroPie from the official website and extract it to an empty folder on your computer.
  2. Insert the SD card into your PC using a microSD adapter, then copy all files from the extracted RetroPie folder to the root of the card (replace any existing files if prompted).
  3. Eject the SD card and insert it into your Raspberry Pi 3. Connect an HDMI cable and power on the device.
  4. After a few minutes, you should see the Retropie menu appear on your screen. Use the arrow keys to navigate and select “Setup” to configure your system.
  5. Follow the prompts to set up your Wi-Fi connection, enable SSH (for remote access), and install any additional emulators or game systems that you’d like.
  6. Once everything is installed and configured, use the arrow keys to navigate back to the main menu and start playing!

Installing Modern Games with EmulationStation

EmulationStation is a lightweight front-end for gaming on Raspberry Pi 3, allowing you to play games from various systems like Nintendo, SNES, PS1, and more. It’s designed for use with RetroArch, which can emulate many popular game systems.

  1. Download the latest version of EmulationStation from the official website and extract it to an empty folder on your computer.
  2. Insert the SD card into your PC using a microSD adapter, then copy all files from the extracted EmulationStation folder to the root of the card (replace any existing files if prompted).
  3. Eject the SD card and insert it into your Raspberry Pi 3. Connect an HDMI cable and power on the device.
  4. After a few minutes, you should see the EmulationStation menu appear on your screen. Use the arrow keys to navigate and select “Set up” to configure your system.
  5. Follow the prompts to set up your Wi-Fi connection, enable SSH (for remote access), and install any additional emulators or game systems that you’d like.
  6. Once everything is installed and configured, use the arrow keys to navigate back to the main menu and start playing!

Installing Native Raspberry Pi 3 Games

In addition to classic and modern games that require emulation, you can also install native games for your Raspberry Pi 3. These are games designed specifically for the platform and can take advantage of its hardware features like the touch screen or the camera.

  1. Open a terminal window on your Raspberry Pi 3 and update your system:
    sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
  2. Install the necessary dependencies for games:
    sudo apt-get install -y libsdl2-mixer-dev libsdl2-image-dev libsdl2-ttf-dev libsdl2-dev \
libportmidi-dev libavformat-dev libswscale-dev libavcodec-dev libglu1-mesa-dev libgles2-mesa-dev \
libasound2-dev libpulse-dev libopenal-dev libogg-dev libvorbis-dev libflac-dev libphysfs-dev \
build-essential git cmake python3-pip
  3. Install the Raspberry Pi Game Pack:
    sudo apt-get install -y rpi-games
  4. Open a terminal window on your Raspberry Pi 3 and type raspberrypi-games-launcher to start playing!

Conclusion

With Retropie, EmulationStation, or native games, you can enjoy a wide range of gaming experiences on your Raspberry Pi 3. From classic arcade titles to modern indie hits, there’s something for everyone. With the right setup and some patience, you can have hours of fun with your low-cost home computer!