We heard you like playing games from yesteryear, so how does a DIY handheld retro-gaming build sound to you? If your Pi interest levels have been piqued then the Waveshare Game HAT should be high on your Christmas list. First launched a couple of years ago by prolific Shenzhen-based manufacturer Waveshare, the latest version of its Game HAT is a kit-based handheld display and controller solution. There’s no battery or Raspberry Pi supplied, but for around £40 the device is still reasonably priced.
It’s a straightforward yet ingenious little solution. Waveshare has taken a 480x320 3.5-inch IPS display, mounted it to a PlayStation Portable-style PCB, attached an average joystick, mediocre four-direction buttons, a couple of tiny paddle buttons and a speaker. With a backplate attached and six supplied bolts you effectively create a sandwich PSP-lookalike powered by your Pi.
The HAT side of the equation, which delivers the controls and audio.