This Custom Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 Handheld Looks Just Like a Nintendo Switch

While virtually every single piece of hardware that Nintendo has every designed has been a hit, the Switch, which is Nintendo’s most recent console, has proven to be something truly special. Even ignoring the great selection of games, the hardware alone is fantastic. The same console can be used for both handheld and TV-connected gameplay, and the innovative Joy-Con controllers can be used in a variety of ways. The Switch has obviously inspired a lot of DIY projects, but Daniel Juckett’s custom Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4-equipped handheld, named “Aegis,” is the sleekest and most refined example we’ve seen yet.

Aegis could easily be mistaken for an actual Nintendo Switch if you aren’t looking closely. It has very similar proportions and a similar size. The controls on the side are a bit wider than official Joy-Con controllers, but the difference is only noticeable if you pay attention. Those controllers can’t be detached for multiplayer games, unfortunately. But there are USB ports, so external gamepads can be connected if need be. It also doesn’t have any kind of docking capability, which means it can really only be used for handheld gaming. With those minor caveats aside, Aegis seems just about perfect for gamers who want to play the classics while they’re out on the town or on an airplane.

Most projects like this that we see are built around a full-size Raspberry Pi single-board computer or the Raspberry Pi Zero W, but Aegis utilizes the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. That is essentially a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, but without any of the ports. It is a card that can be slotted into a carrier board, which gives you the ability to place ports wherever you want them or to omit them entirely if they aren’t needed. Juckett designed his carrier PCB himself, and that board moves the ports to the top of the handheld and provides connections for the 7” touchscreen, speakers, vibration motors, and battery. A Teensy LC microcontroller development board is also connected, which handles the controller inputs. All of those electronic components are housed with a custom 3D-printed enclosure, which was, of course, designed to look like the Nintendo Switch.

Because the Aegis is built around a Raspberry Pi, it can run a huge range of software. In this case, Juckett is using it to run RetroPie. That is a Linux-based operating system designed to run on single-board computers and intended specifically for emulating retro video games. That gives Juckett the ability to play games for the SNES, N64, Sega Genesis, and many other consoles. Best of all, Juckett has made the entire Aegis design open source, so you can build your own.