Games and joystick/controller guidance

pieinthesky

Hi! I'm very new to the RPI so forgive me if my questions seem simple. I am excited my recently Raspberry Pi 3 B gift and would like to make into a retro game machine. I have few questions:

I like to play Galaga & Super Smash Bro., can RetroPie be used for this purpose?
I like to have a joystick to play with Galaga with but I don't know where to start. Can I just buy a USB joystick on Amazon and have it work with RetroPie and Galaga?
I have an Amazon Game Controller. I'm not sure if it uses bluetooth, but can I use this as a game controller?
I also have Xbox 360 and 4 wireless controllers. Can I use these controllers as the RetroPie game controller?
Is there a guide on the 'how to' on game controllers?
Is there a guide on the 'how to' loading up retro game ROMs to RetroPie?

Thank you for your advise!

markyh444

@pieinthesky Answers to every single one of these questions are in the Wiki. Please read it.

pieinthesky

@markyh444 Thank you! I read "Setting up the XBox360 controller"

https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Setting-up-the-XBox360-controller

and it says I need an Xbox receiver. However, I have a USB Xbox 360 cable that I got from MicroCenter.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/357766/Play_and_Charge_Cable_for_Xbox_360_-_White

Will this not work? Must I get a wireless Xbox receiver? Can you at least let me know if I got the right equipment? Thanks!

herb_fargus

@pieinthesky I've update the wiki page adding a note that play and charge cables will not work based on the feedback from here.

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Setting-up-the-XBox360-controller

You can test to confirm but from what I understand you will need a wireless receiver.

dankcushions

@pieinthesky said in Games and joystick/controller guidance:

@markyh444 Thank you! I read "Setting up the XBox360 controller"

https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Setting-up-the-XBox360-controller

and it says I need an Xbox receiver. However, I have a USB Xbox 360 cable that I got from MicroCenter.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/357766/Play_and_Charge_Cable_for_Xbox_360_-_White

Will this not work? Must I get a wireless Xbox receiver? Can you at least let me know if I got the right equipment? Thanks!

https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Setting-up-the-XBox360-controller

very first bit:

Note that if you have wireless controllers you will need a wireless receiver plugged into your raspberry pi (Official Microsoft xbox360 receiver, or knock offs like zettaguard, VicTsing also work. Play and charge cables will not work. You need a wireless receiver), then to connect:

dankcushions

haha, whoops look like that was new to the wiki :) but yeah, that's my understanding too. you need a wireless receiver for a pc too. this is why so many buy the wired version for pc gaming.

pieinthesky

@herb_fargus OK, that's helpful. I'll order a wireless receiver.

I have a different question, I was following along a Retropie Tutorial,

It got to "Retropie-Setup" and it has a "5. Install individual emulators from binary or source" (about 12 mins into the video). However, I don't see that option. Has the menu being reorganized and it's now elsewhere? Or, where do I go to install emulators?

dankcushions

@pieinthesky everything is in the wiki :)

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/First-Installation#installing-additional-emulators--ports

markyh444

@dankcushions I did say that...