LEGO NES case for Raspberry Pi: make a retro games console
By Russell Barnes. Posted

Turn toy bricks into a NES case for Raspberry Pi retro gaming
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LEGO plastic bricks is the toy that many makers love the most. The toy bricks lend themselves to building and making lots of cases. We love this LEGO NES kit.
The idea of building a case for the Raspberry Pi from LEGO is by no means unique. There are many, many designs on the internet for Raspberry Pi LEGO NES cases.LEGO has provided a sturdy start in life for many a maker.
See also:
- Control LEGO Mindstorms through GPIO
- Raspberry Pi-controlled LEGO MINDSTORMS
- LEGO and Raspberry Pi plus Weekend Projects in The MagPi 62
- The 10 best Raspberry Pi cases
Bernardo is a digital maker who runs RasPi PC, a Spanish retailer specialising in Raspberry Pi equipment. He designed this NesPi kit.
We like this NesPi design LEGO NES the best. Made from 111 pieces of regular LEGO, it is a tender homage to the 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System.
Build a LEGO NES console with a Raspberry Pi
The result is a design that looks close to a NES Classic, but has openings on the side enabling access to all the ports on your Raspberry Pi. This makes it possible to connect USB peripherals and the HDMI cable.
You can pick up a NesPi for just under €35 (including VAT) from the Spanish retailer, RaspiPC . The website is in Spanish, but it’s easy enough to navigate (leave the telephone field blank, as it may struggle with international phone numbers).
The NesPi kit contains 111 pieces of LEGO and a 30-page manual. Like all LEGO kits, it’s a lot of fun to put together as you build the case
Putting the parts together results in this Raspberry Pi case. It looks like a classic NES console, but with access to the Raspberry Pi ports. The lid (used for cartridges in the original NES) provides access to the GPIO pins
Alternatively, if you already have the required LEGO pieces, it’s possible to create a similar-looking NES case from scratch. One maker, André Rinas, used the LEGO Digital Designer to create a similar case. You can find the instructions on his website.

Russell runs Raspberry Pi Press, which includes The MagPi, Hello World, HackSpace magazine, and book projects. He’s a massive sci-fi bore.
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