Raspberry Pi Forums

Hey,

My daughter (12) and I wanted a project that we could work on together. She likes programming "coding" as she calls it and I wanted to encourage that. So I purchased a Pi4 along with the needed accessories in order to get us started. However I am diving a little deeper into the "how to" and am finding posts saying that Pi4 does not support retropi as a gaming console. Did I make a mistake with the purchase of the Pi4 or is there a way to make the Pi4 work?

Thanks, Ran

Ranukic wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:06 am

Hey,

My daughter (12) and I wanted a project that we could work on together. She likes programming "coding" as she calls it and I wanted to encourage that. So I purchased a Pi4 along with the needed accessories in order to get us started. However I am diving a little deeper into the "how to" and am finding posts saying that Pi4 does not support retropi as a gaming console. Did I make a mistake with the purchase of the Pi4 or is there a way to make the Pi4 work?

Thanks, Ran

Yes it is clearly stated by the Retropie Developers that the 4B is not yet supported:

https://retropie.org.uk/news/

Ranukic wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:06 am

Hey,

My daughter (12) and I wanted a project that we could work on together. She likes programming "coding" as she calls it and I wanted to encourage that. So I purchased a Pi4 along with the needed accessories in order to get us started. However I am diving a little deeper into the "how to" and am finding posts saying that Pi4 does not support retropi as a gaming console. Did I make a mistake with the purchase of the Pi4 or is there a way to make the Pi4 work?

What fruitoftheloom said is correct. The operative word is "yet". The Raspberry Pi Foundation makes sure that Raspbian runs on any new Pi that is released. Other programs and operating systems are maintained by people outside the RPF and need time, post-launch, to get those programs and OSes in a state to run on new hardware.

So the short answer is: Not ready yet, but it will happen.

You can install Lakka (which is working on the Pi 4 and also what retropi is based on) in the meantime. Also, while it is a fun project there's no programming or coding of any kind involved with setting up either unless you're doing something extra.

fruitoftheloom wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 03, 2019 11:29 am

Ranukic wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:06 am

Hey,

My daughter (12) and I wanted a project that we could work on together. She likes programming "coding" as she calls it and I wanted to encourage that. So I purchased a Pi4 along with the needed accessories in order to get us started. However I am diving a little deeper into the "how to" and am finding posts saying that Pi4 does not support retropi as a gaming console. Did I make a mistake with the purchase of the Pi4 or is there a way to make the Pi4 work?

Thanks, Ran

Yes it is clearly stated by the Retropie Developers that the 4B is not yet supported:

https://retropie.org.uk/news/

That appears to be true. Most of the software that makes up Retropie is open source and available separately--much even as part of Raspbian. Moreover, a new version of Retropie seems likely to run on the Pi 4B in the near future.

While your daughter is too old to want to program Scratch, a web browser can be useful for finding help and examples when writing code in other languages and working on physical computing projects. Because of the improved technology in the Pi 4B, web browsers work much better on that model.

From an educational point of view, it might anyway be better not to start building a full Retropie gaming console and begin with using the GPIO to sense a switch, blink a light and turn on a motor. By the time those smaller things are done, one is in a better position to understand what is going on with Retropie. By then the Pi 4B may be supported as well.

Thank you for the replies.

Ejolson, you have given me some good ideas to help educate and encourage my daughter to learn how to develop programming skills. I just so happen to work for a company that manufactures Servo and stepper motors along with all kinds of sensors and electrically controlled pneumatic devices and with some persuasion I should be able to get some samples for her to communicate with. Starting with LED's, push-buttons and simple breadboard circuit components first =)

Any suggestions for websites that offer educational type projects?

Thanks again!

Start with https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/projects

Try back issues of the MagPi magazine https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi/issues/ and some of the specials in there.

Have a look for a local Jam