5 Steps to Transforming the ZimaBoard 2 Into a Nostalgic Arcade Beast

Eva Wong

IceWhale author

Eva Wong is the Technical Writer and resident tinkerer at ZimaSpace. A lifelong geek with a passion for homelabs and open-source software, she specializes in translating complex technical concepts into accessible, hands-on guides. Eva believes that self-hosting should be fun, not intimidating. Through her tutorials, she empowers the community to demystify hardware setups, from building their first NAS to mastering Docker containers.

5 Steps to Transforming the ZimaBoard 2 Into a Nostalgic Arcade Beast - Zima Store Online

We are constantly amazed by the creativity of our community, and today we have a truly special project to share. The talented team at Leap (creators of the Leap Cade) recently embarked on building a custom 3D-printed PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 arcade cabinet. Instead of their usual setup, they decided to power this ambitious project with the ZimaBoard 2.

As the team behind Zimaspace, we are thrilled to transcribe and share their journey. This post highlights their full project reveal, the technical setup, and exactly why they chose our hardware to bring their retro gaming vision to life. A massive thank you to Leap for showcasing what’s possible when creative DIYers meet powerful tech! Here is a breakdown of their incredible build.

The Vision: Moving Beyond the Standard Arcade Setup

For years, the standard approach to DIY arcade machines has relied on traditional 32-bit boards. While a standard Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 works well for older retro games, Leap’s new project demanded much more. They are building complete PS1 and PS2 arcade machines featuring full European game sets.

To handle this massive library and emulation requirement, they needed raw processing power and superior storage options.

While the ZimaBoard 2 is widely known as a hyper-performance single board home server—perfect for handling media streaming, firewalls, homelabs, and AI containers—Leap saw its potential as the ultimate emulation engine. Many call it a mini server that looks like a toy but runs like a beast, and this project proves exactly why.

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ZimaBoard 2 - Hyper Performance Single Board Home Server

Single board computer zimaboard2

🚀 Why the ZimaBoard 2 Outshines the Competition

When building a dedicated emulation cabinet, hardware limitations can quickly become a bottleneck. Here is why Leap found the $250 investment in the ZimaBoard 2 to be completely worth it compared to a standard Raspberry Pi 5 setup:

Flawless Build Quality & Cooling: Usually, traditional boards require a myriad of add-ons (extra fans, heat sinks, and custom cases) just to remain stable. The ZimaBoard 2 comes incredibly well-made with all cooling features and connectivity built right in from the start.
Superior Storage Flexibility: Emulating entire PS1 and PS2 libraries requires massive storage. The ZimaBoard 2 allows users to plug and play an M.2 NVMe drive (up to 2TB) directly. Furthermore, thanks to its Native SATA & PCIe support (no hats, no hassles), Leap easily 3D-printed adapters to pop in standard 2.5" and 3.5" drives.
Raw Processing Power: When running side-by-side tests with a Pi 5, the ZimaBoard 2 delivered significantly smoother gameplay, running Leap's custom PS2 emulator absolutely flawlessly.

Quick Hardware Comparison for Arcade Builds

Feature	Traditional SBC (e.g., Pi 5)	ZimaBoard 2
Cooling & Add-ons	Requires aftermarket fans/heatsinks	Built-in passive cooling, ready to go
Storage Expansion	Limited (often requires USB adapters)	Native SATA, PCIe, and M.2 NVMe support
Performance	Good for 32-bit / early 3D	Handles heavy PS2 emulation flawlessly

The Setup: From ZimaOS to RetroPie

Leap’s approach to building arcade machines is highly systematic: always get the complete setup done outside of the arcade machine before installing it.

Here is the step-by-step software workflow they used to turn this single board home server into a retro gaming powerhouse:

Initial Boot with ZimaOS: They started by booting into ZimaOS (our native, user-friendly operating system designed for easy server management).
Remote Configuration via SSH: From the ZimaOS desktop, they enabled SSH (Secure Shell, a network protocol that gives users a secure way to access a computer over an unsecured network). This allowed them to manage the rest of the setup comfortably from their main PC.
Virtual Machine Deployment: Using the board's robust virtualization capabilities, they built an Ubuntu VM (Virtual Machine, a software-based computer that runs inside another physical computer).
Custom RetroPie Installation: Finally, they installed their heavily modified version of RetroPie, optimized specifically for their plug-and-play USB arcade kits.

The verdict on the setup? Incredibly simple and highly user-friendly.

A close-up of a person playing a retro platformer game using the player one joystick and buttons on a custom green and black 3D printed Leap Cade two-player arcade machine.

The Final Verdict: Out with the Old, In with the New

Once the software was tested and stable, Leap opened the back of their tried-and-tested Leap Cade two-player machine, disconnected the old board, and mounted the ZimaBoard 2. Using a custom 3D-printed mount (which they plan to release for free on Maker World) and some Gorilla Tape for temporary securing, the board fit beautifully into the cabinet.

The results speak for themselves. Testing a huge variety of games, the team experienced zero glitches or performance drops.

If you are a creative DIYer or tech lover looking for a user-friendly platform with serious heavy-lifting power, Leap highly recommends making the switch. In fact, they were so impressed that they have already purchased a second ZimaBoard 2 for their upcoming dedicated PS2 machine!

Want to build your own? Keep an eye on Leap’s social channels for their upcoming free 3D print files and full step-by-step tutorials. And if you're ready to upgrade your own homelab or DIY project, explore what the ZimaBoard 2 can do for you today.