Nintendo’s latest Zelda-playing device, the Switch, is having no issues basically printing money for the japanese gaming juggernaut. Its novel design that bridges the gap between portable and home console by essentially being each at the same time has clearly struck a chord with the trendy gamer, and even eight months after its release, stores are still reporting problems getting enough of the machines to meet demand.
But for our money, we’d rather have the Raspberry Pi powered version that [Tim Lindquist] slaved over for his summer project. each a part of the finished device (which he refers to because the “NinTIMdo RP”) appearance professional, from the unimaginable job he did designing and printing the case down to the little details just like the five led show on the top edge that displays volume and battery level. For those of you wondering, his version even permits you to connect it to a TV; mimicking the handheld to console conversion of the real factor.
[Tim] has posted a fascinating time-lapse video of building the NinTIMdo RP on YouTube that covers each step of the method. It starts with a look at the 3D model he created in Autodesk inventor, and then goes right into the post-printing preparation work where he cleans up the printed holes with a Dremel and installs brass rib inserts for strength. the bulk of the video shows the insane amount of hardware he managed to pack inside the case, a real testament to how much thought was put into the design.
For the software side, the Raspberry Pi is running the ever popular RetroPie along with the very slick EmulationStation front-end. There’s also a teensy microcontroller on board that handles the low-level functions like controlling volume, updating the led display, and mapping the physical buttons to a USB HID device the Raspberry Pi will understand.
The teensy source code as well because the 3D models of the case are put up on GitHub, but for a project like this that’s just the tip of the iceberg. [Tim] does mention that he’s currently working on creating a full build tutorial though; so if Santa doesn’t leave a Switch under the tree for you this year, maybe he can at least provide you with a roll of filament and enough electronics to make your own.
While this isn’t the 1st time a Raspberry Pi has dressed up as a Nintendo console, it may represent the 1st time someone has tried to replicate a current-generation gaming device with one.
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Source:hackaday.com
