This Portable Console Runs on a Pi Pico, and You Can Actually Buy It!

Believe it or not, but the tiny Raspberry Pi Pico is perfectly capable of running games. In fact, it’s such a fun little platform that Pimoroni turned it into a portable console—the PicoSystem. And you can buy this console pre-assembled for $59.

The PicoSystem is primarily a development console; it features a custom gaming API so users can easily write games in C++ or MicroPython. And yeah, people are really pushing the Pi Pico’s capabilities with this thing. There’s even a port of Celeste for the PicoSystem!

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And hardware-wise, we’re looking at a 1.54-inch LCD, a 525mAh battery (which lasts about 6 hours), a Piezo speaker, and a USB-C charging port. The case is CNC milled aluminum and has a built-in look for a wrist strap. Note that this console has just four action buttons, a D-pad, and a power button.

Tinkerers can open the PicoSystem by undoing just four screws. And if you’d like to modify the console, Pimoroni has a nice little schematic on its website. You can also drop new firmware on the PicoSystem over USB-C cable (just hold X and press the power button).

The PicoSystem is available for $59 at the Pimoroni webstore. It comes with a handful of pre-loaded games, and developers can install the PicoSystem API for free. Oh, and I just realized that it can run Doom!

Source: Raspberry Pi Foundation