How Much Does It Cost To Build a Retro Games Console?

As the avid retro gamer that I am it is an exciting time to be alive. We are currently being flooded with retro mini consoles, retro arcade venues are shooting up all over the place and getting access to all our well loved retro games has never been easier. Why, even a person with little computing/coding experience should be able to build a retro games console themselves, with the resources now available to them.

But how much would it cost to build a retro games console? You may be surprised to hear that it isn’t very much at all. The final figure can vary depending on a number of factors that I’ll discuss in this article, but as a ballpark figure you’re probably talking about between £40 and £100. That figure can actually be reduced even further as a lot of the items needed are ones that most gamers already possess.

For the purposes of this article let’s assume that we don’t already own any of the items needed so that we can consider all costs. Now, let’s address the decisions we need to make to achieve that retro gaming freedom that we so crave.

What Games Do I Want To Play?

Ultimately, your answer to this question will determine how much you will need to spend when you build your retro games console, so it’s certainly a decision that warrants significant consideration. Do I just want to play the old school retro games such as Atari 2600, Snes and Megadrive games, or am I looking to play the more recent retro games from consoles such as the Sega Dreamcast and Playstation 2?

The reason this is such a big decision is your choice will directly affect the type of single board computer you will need to use. The more modern the games are that you want to play, the more powerful your SBC needs to be, and therefore the more expensive it is likely to be.

What Single Board Computer (SBC) Do I Need?

So, you’ve now decided which games systems you would like to run on your new retro games console. The next decision should be an easy one to make as it is generally dictated by your previous decision.

Below is a table showing the most popular SBCs on the market, their cost and what caliber of console they are capable of running.

The only other thing to consider when selecting your SBC is how well supported the system is. While the Raspberry Pi is not the most powerful SBC out there it is by far the best supported. You may find you run into some issues when building your retro console, in which case you will likely find answers related to the Raspberry Pi a lot quicker than you would for any other SBC.

That said, the other SBCs do have a reasonable amount of support out there so they should not just be disregarded for that reason.

What Software Do I Need?

This is not a huge consideration when building a retro games console as the decision is generally made for you when you select an SBC. The great news is, the majority of them are free so it won’t add anything to your budget.

What Controllers Do I Need?

Once again, we need to go back to the types of games we want to play in order to determine which is the best controller for our needs. If you are playing the older retro games then you are not going to need an all bells and whistles controller that includes 20 buttons and 5 analogue sticks (don’t go looking for a controller like this because it probably doesn’t exist).

For the more basic retro games consoles you will probably be looking to get a controller that best replicates the feel of your favourite retro games machine but also is versatile enough to cover all the necessary systems you have incorporated.

For the advanced retro gamers who are looking to play the PSP and Dreamcast games amongst other more modern machines, you would most likely be looking for something resembling an Xbox One controller or something with the equivalent number of buttons. The good news is that most people interested in retro gaming will likely already have a compatible controller so this could be something to cross off the budget. That being said, it doesn’t hurt to consider you’re option so I have compiled a brief list below of controllers that I would recommend and for which systems.

Are There Any Hidden Costs?

In some cases there may be a few hidden costs although these will likely be minimal. Some examples could be if you’re SBC does not come with either a power supply or an HDMI cable. Obviously these are both necessities and you may be surprised to find out that some SBCs do not come included with them and you may have to pay extra for the bundle. 

Are There Any Optional Extras?

There are a few optional extras that you may like to invest in when building your retro games console. Some of these are almost necessities but you can get away without purchasing them if you’re really struggling to stick to your budget.

Single Board Computer Case – Pretty much any SBC you buy is going to come naked and you can see all it’s parts. Dodgey innuendo set aside, what I am trying to say here is that the SBC will be without a shell or case and all electrical components will be exposed. I would seriously recommend that anyone building a retro games console invest in a case for the sake of keeping the internal elements clean and protected.

There are a host of different cases out there for many of the SBCs. Some are basic and very affordable, while others are slightly more expensive but also serve other functions such as providing a heat sink for the computer.

Then there are other themed cases which allow the owner to express themselves through their retro games console.

On/Off Switch – A lot of these SBC are stripped down to the bare bones to make them as affordable as possible. This means that many of them don’t even possess an on/off switch, and so count on you turning the machine on by simply plugging it in, or rely on you to turn it off correctly by jumping through the hoops of the menu structure and selecting the shut down option.

By adding an on/off switch you eliminate the possibility of losing data by incorrectly shutting down the machine, and you also add to the authenticity of the retro games console by providing a more traditional method for starting up and shutting down.

Related Questions

Can I use my old PC to build a retro games machine? Absolutely, yes you can. Sometimes this is an ideal money saving option to building a retro games machine, however for me this would not be a console as such as it would be less portable and more of a frustrating task to wire up and disconnect.

Do I have to pay for ROMs? No! It is illegal to sell ROMs so if anyone tries to get you to pay for them you can tell them where to go. For legal reasons we can’t tell you where to go to get hold of any ROMs you require, but you can easily track them down with the help of our good friend Google.

Do I need any coding knowledge to build a retro gaming console? Yes, a little bit, but don’t let that scare you. The internet is chock full of resources and tutorials to help you on your way to creating your ultimate retro machine. Persevere and you’ll find that any coding isn’t merely as daunting as you thought it might be.