Can a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W act as a real handheld game console instead of a desktop toy? UncleStem answered yes with a square, Game Boy style PICO-8 handheld.
What is actually inside?
PICO-8 is a fantasy console: a virtual machine that runs on any modern OS, so no real 8-bit chip is involved. UncleStem wanted it in his pocket, so he put a Pi Zero 2 W at the core. It is overkill for a 128 x 128 pixel VM, but it was already on his bench and it keeps the build simple. The star part is a 720 x 720 IPS display, chosen because its square shape matches the PICO-8 screen. That panel takes up most of the front face, and it also brings HDMI input and audio support.
The technical answer
Everything sits on a custom PCB with full-colour silkscreen, which gives the buttons, battery, and display board solid mechanical support instead of a rat’s nest of jumper wires. The case went through three tries: a printed shell, an aluminium version he milled himself, and a final one made by a professional shop. The gotcha is licensing: the PICO-8 runtime is not open source, so you have to buy a copy before the handheld does anything. The PCB files and other design assets are shared through a Google Drive linked from the Hackaday write-up.
- Board: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (quad-core Cortex-A53 at 1 GHz, 512 MB RAM)
- Display: 720 x 720 IPS, square aspect ratio
- Extras: buttons, a lithium cell, and audio out, all wired to the custom PCB
Try it yourself
Start smaller: flash Raspberry Pi OS Lite on a Pi Zero 2 W, run the PICO-8 runtime, and map four GPIO pins to a D-pad with pull-up resistors before you design any PCB. For a school robotics club or a capstone, a handheld game device teaches display timing, battery power, and enclosure design in one build. Pi Zero boards and small displays are available at circuit.rocks, so check PHP prices before you commit to a parts list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the PICO-8 handheld use a 720 x 720 display?
PICO-8 renders to a square screen, so a square 720 x 720 IPS panel fits it without black bars and fills most of the handheld’s front face.
Is the PICO-8 handheld build fully open source?
Not fully. The PCB and design files are shared, but the PICO-8 fantasy console itself is commercial software, so you must buy it to finish the project.
What will I learn if I build this?
You will learn to run a Pi Zero 2 W headless, wire buttons to GPIO with pull-ups, power a device from a battery, lay out a custom PCB, and design an enclosure that fits a display.
