Gaming and Raspberry Pi projects go together like peanut butter and jelly (or maybe flux and solder). Today we’re excited to share a really cool drop-in kit developed by a maker known as Zarcadeuk called the Zega Mame Gear II. This custom PCB fits snugly inside of an original Game Gear shell and features support for the Raspberry Pi CM4 module.
The system is designed to run RetroPie and even has an HDMI out option so users can output video to a larger screen. This is actually an update to a project we featured last year. The previous Game Gear drop-in kit featured a Raspberry Pi 3A+ but this new one is made just for the CM4.
Some of the best Raspberry Pi projects repurpose old hardware and, with retro gaming, that’s almost always a big win. The custom PCB is designed to fit neatly inside of an original or reproduction Game Gear shell and requires very little modding. The only physical change necessary is the addition of two buttons and it requires drilling into the shell to make room for them.
USB port access is made available through the original cartridge slot, aided by an expansion board that fits into place where the original cartridge guard goes. The module is intended to function as a portable system, as well. According to Zarcadeuk, the CM4 Game Gear system lasted about 4 and a half hours on one charge using two 2000mah lithium-ion batteries.
The kits have not been released yet but are intended to be sold fully assembled. Check out the original thread at Reddit and be sure to follow Zarcadeuk to get your hands on this cool Raspberry Pi Game Gear board.
