The Nintendo Switch’s design is one that is beloved by gamers the world over. It’s one of the main reasons why it’s close to becoming the best-selling console of all time and is a console that is universally recognised by young and old gamers alike. So, there’s no surprise that someone would want to borrow the design to create a handheld console to play all of their favourite classic games, and while Nintendo might not end up being too happy about it, it’s about time that we saw Twilight Princess on a Nintendo Switch-esque console!
A modder and maker by the name of BBoHK has used a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 to create their CM5 Retro Console, bringing many of the games that we’ve wanted to see on the Nintendo Switch and indeed many of the consoles that emulator enthusiasts want to see on handheld devices such as GameCube, PSP, Wii, and the Dreamcast to the palms of our hands, as well as all of the early 8-Bit titles that we grew up with.
Here is a short video for my @Raspberry_Pi CM5 Retro Console in action! pic.twitter.com/ktCXiMBXcV
— BBoHK (@BBoHK1) January 18, 2025
According to Tom’s Hardware, the CM5 Retro Console has a 2500 mAh battery and uses 3D printed components for mounting. This is a handheld that has a lot of flexibility when it comes to running multiple emulation apps and operating systems and one that has a lot of power behind it that should certainly make playing games like Ghost of Sparta and Twilight Princess a breeze. You could also choose to make it one of the most powerful RetroPie handhelds of all time!
My @Raspberry_Pi CM5 Retro Console is done! pic.twitter.com/ocenVym5kw
— BBoHK (@BBoHK1) January 16, 2025
The finished product might not look as slick as the Switch when it comes to the finishing on the ports (it looks like we have USB-C on the bottom for charging and multiple ports on the top for headphones and other methods of connectivity), but the pictures shared on BBoHK’s X page certainly show some tidy and impressive work when it comes to the internal components inside the console. The console even has joycons that connect via Bluetooth which would imply that this handheld can offer multiplayer capabilities just like the original Switch.
Listen, I love this idea, but I don’t know how long Nintendo will allow it to last. Even the fake Nintendo Switch that we bought from AliExpress which uses 8 AA batteries doesn’t look like a complete Nintendo Switch clone. Still, if this just serves as a concept to show how powerful the CM5 is and isn’t distributed, I’m sure BBoHK will be just fine. Check out their X page for more pictures and information about the build to find out more about how they put it all together!
