Arcade Machine

I built an arcade cabinet using two sheets of plywood and a box of screws. This project greatly expanded my knowledge of woodworking and Raspberry Pi programming. The final product turned out amazing - sturdy, functional, and even wifi-controlled. This was really fun to make, and watching it come to life felt like uncorking a tiny universe in a bottle.

I built the cabinet using half inch plywood for the frame, a 15.6" monitor, and a trusty Raspberry Pi. The USB ports allow for nearly any device to be connected, so I used a nearby Xbox controller.

Installing sticks and buttons into the frame was a consideration as it would be authentic to a real-life arcade. But taking the USB route was way more flexible and left the surface clear for putting drinks on top of. Also, it could get cramped with two people sharing the machine, which is authentic too, but not necessary. 

Before cutting anything, I set up the Raspberry Pi. I plugged it into an external monitor, connected it to Wi-Fi, and opened an SSH connection from my laptop. From there I installed RetroPie through the terminal and transferred my (legally obtained) ROMs over the network into the correct folder. 

Most games ran right away, but getting Mugen working was another story. Since there isn’t a simple ROM for it, I used the Ikemen GO scriptmodule to build an ARM-compatible version that RetroPie could launch through EmulationStation. Installing characters and stages meant two steps: dropping their files onto the Pi over SSH, and tweaking the Mugen config so they’d show up on the select screen.

With the software side stable, I moved on to the cabinet itself. I modeled the side panels in CAD to calculate how much wood I’d need. Each panel came out to about 22 by 17 inches, and after some digital Tetris I managed to fit all the parts onto just two 2×4 sheets of plywood.

Without a table saw, every cut was a test of patience and precision. The jigsaw had a mind of its own, wiggling just enough to keep me on edge. But a few passes with the detail sander turned mistakes into clean lines. It felt less like carpentry and more like debugging in wood. 

 

Though I probably won't be cutting wood for a career, I'm very happy I learned how to do it. In my opinion, having background knowledge on a lot of subjects is really helpful for engineering. And when you understand a tool, even imperfectly, you start seeing more creative ways to solve problems. It's also cool unlocking new aisles at Home Depot, and if my hardy friends talk about plywood grades or lumber dimensions, I know exactly what they're talking about. 

 

One issue I faced was the HDMI and power cables not fitting because I hadn't accounted for the wood's thickness. Fortunately, an easy solution came in the form of angled adaptors, which plugged in and immediately solved the problem. Plus, they made swapping the cables easier, which came into play later.

In the end, the cabinet isn't just a piece of furniture, it's a little time machine that happens to run on plywood and Linux. Every round of Tetris or Street Fighter on it reminds me that with the right mix of tools and patience, you can turn a couple sheets of wood into something that sparks joy (and maybe even a little nostalgia).