RetroPie

Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted

What RetroPie is

RetroPie turns a Raspberry Pi or PC into a system for playing arcade, home console, and classic PC games. It brings together RetroArch, EmulationStation, and other projects, with EmulationStation providing the graphical front end. Raspberry Pi users can start with a bootable pre-made image or install the system manually. The setup script is designed for Raspberry Pi OS on Raspberry Pi, OSMC on Vero4K, or Ubuntu on ODroid-C1 or PC. Raspberry Pi installations can use binary or source installation; the other supported environments use source installation. The pre-made image includes multiple emulators, and users can install additional emulators from within RetroPie. Configuration tools support customization, and a first-boot menu configures controls for EmulationStation, RetroArch emulators, and select standalone emulators. RetroPie is free, and its setup project is available on GitHub. ROMs and BIOS files are copyrighted and are not included. Documentation, an FAQ, and a community forum are offered for help.

Who it suits

RetroPie suits people setting up a Raspberry Pi or PC for retro gaming who are comfortable installing and configuring software. It also suits users who want to add emulators to a pre-made image.

What it does well

Free to use.
Offers a bootable Raspberry Pi image.
Additional emulators can be installed within RetroPie.
Configuration tools support customization.
First-boot menu helps configure controls.

What to know first

ROMs and BIOS files are not included.
Manual setup supports only listed environments.
Installation guide lists several required hardware items.
Project is maintained by a few enthusiasts in their free time.

Verdict

RetroPie offers a free route to a customizable retro gaming system, with a ready-made Raspberry Pi image and manual setup options. Users need to provide their own copyrighted game and BIOS files.

Facts from RetroPie's own pages

Additional emulators: The pre-made image includes multiple emulators, and additional emulators can be installed from within RetroPie. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Components: RetroPie combines RetroArch, EmulationStation, and other projects. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Controller support: The first-boot menu configures controls for EmulationStation, RetroArch emulators, and select standalone emulators. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Customization: The project provides configuration tools for users to customize the system. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Documentation: The project points users to RetroPie Docs for component information and frequently asked questions, and invites documentation contributions through pull requests. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Emulators: The pre-made images include emulators for common systems, and additional emulators or ports can be installed separately. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Game files: ROMs and BIOS files are copyrighted and are not included with RetroPie. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Hardware requirements: The installation guide lists a Raspberry Pi, MicroSD card, display, power supply, and game controller as required hardware. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
How it works: RetroPie combines RetroArch, EmulationStation, and other projects, with EmulationStation serving as the graphical front end. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Install methods: On Raspberry Pi, the setup script supports binary or source installs; on other supported platforms, only source installs are available. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Maintenance: The project says it is primarily maintained by a few enthusiasts in their free time. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Manual installation: The setup script is designed for Raspberry Pi OS on Raspberry Pi, OSMC on Vero4K, or Ubuntu on ODroid-C1 or PC. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Other setup tools: The documentation lists Wi-Fi configuration, SSH, additional controller setup, and cheat codes as setup options. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Purpose: RetroPie turns a Raspberry Pi or PC into a retro-gaming machine for arcade, home-console, and classic PC games. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Ready made images: Bootable pre-made images are available for Raspberry Pi. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
ROMs and BIOS files: ROMs and BIOS files are copyrighted and are not included with RetroPie. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Setup options: Users can install a ready-to-go SD image or install RetroPie manually. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Source code: The RetroPie-Setup project is hosted on GitHub and can be downloaded by cloning its repository. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Support: The project points users to its documentation, FAQ, and community forum for help. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Supported setup environments: The setup script is designed for Raspberry Pi OS, OSMC on Vero4K, or Ubuntu on ODroid-C1 or PC. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026