GamePad Zero: A Retro Gaming System Inside an NES Controller

Back in the 1980s, or even today for most TV-based games, you need a controller and a console to actual interact with the game you’re playing. On the other hand, what if you could forgo the console altogether and have everything you need in a controller?

Well now you can. This build from howchoo lets you embed an entire retro system inside a modified NES controller. The top of the gamepad, along with its buttons, is separated from the bottom, then replaced with a 3D-printed version containing a Raspberry Pi Zero (or Zero W) running RetroPie.

The original cable is wired into the Pi’s GPIO pins, and everything is nicely output via HDMI. You can also connect a second controller via the USB port or over wirelessly if you’re using a Zero W or Bluetooth dongle.