WaveShare Game Hat

The WaveShare Game Hat is a horizontal handheld released in 2018 that turns a Raspberry Pi into a pocketable retro gaming device. Rather than a self-contained console, it is a HAT board compatible with the Raspberry Pi A+, B+, 2B, 3B and 3B+, built around the ARM architecture of Broadcom SoCs. Assembly is easy, and a reference price of around 40 USD makes it one of the most affordable options of its kind.

Performance depends entirely on the Raspberry Pi you install. The supported platform list is very broad: from Atari 2600, NES, Game Boy, Sega Genesis / Mega Drive and Super Nintendo to arcade via MAME and Final Burn Neo, plus computers such as the Commodore 64, Amiga, MS-DOS and ScummVM. The list also includes PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, Sega Dreamcast, Sega Saturn and PlayStation Portable, but how far up you can go depends on the Pi model used.

The 3.5-inch IPS screen offers HVGA resolution at 480 x 320 pixels, a 3:2 aspect ratio, a 60 Hz refresh rate and a density of roughly 165 ppi. There is no dedicated lens, only a screen protector, and brightness is adjusted with dedicated buttons.

For controls, the Game Hat provides a single analog thumbstick in the lower position, four face buttons and L1 and R1 shoulder buttons. With no d-pad, classic 2D games are played on the joystick, and there is no rumble. The plastic body measures 180 x 86 x 30 mm and weighs 300 g, with dedicated volume buttons and a power switch.

Power comes from a swappable 18650 battery, charged over Micro USB. Audio is handled by dual front-facing stereo speakers, with a 3.5mm headphone jack. Storage is on microSD, while ports and connectivity depend on the Raspberry Pi board used.

The operating system is Linux with RetroPie support, giving access to the open Raspberry Pi ecosystem and plenty of room for customization.

Ideal for: DIY enthusiasts who already own a Raspberry Pi and want a cheap, easy-to-assemble and highly customizable portable retro console.