Raspberry Pi & “Adventure Time” Come Together in Maker’s Version of Game Console Character, BMO

What do you get when you combine a Raspberry Pi with “Adventure Time”? Nope. The answer to our query is definitely not, “A mess that probably won’t clean up very easily and would likely get you into trouble with someone?” In fact, the answer is: “A cool project for fans of the Cartoon Network series, ‘Adventure Time,’ who know their way around a Raspberry Pi (or want to learn).”

That’s right. Thanks to maker, Mike Barretta, you can now 3D print (plus a few other steps) your own version of BMO (sounds like “Beemo”), the “Adventure Time” character that’s basically a living video game console. BMO, who speaks English with a slight Korean accent (voiced by Niki Yang, who is also the voice of another character, Lady Rainicorn), is pals with the show’s two main characters, 12-year-old Finn and his dog and best friend, Jake.

Cartoon Network just announced that Warner Brothers is developing a full-length, big screen “Adventure Time” feature film, which will be produced by Chris McKay and Roy Lee, so Barretta’s project couldn’t have been more timely.

BMO looks like a hybrid of Game Boy Color and Mac, with Atari 2600 controllers. Sometimes he–or should we say “she” or “it” as gender pronouns referring to BMO shift from episode to episode–appears in the show with a controller or two and when he’s not being played–remember, he’s a video game console–he has a sweet, 8-bit face. BMO has other functions as well, he or she plays music, serves as an electrical outlet, a video player and editor, a toaster, a flashlight, a camera, and, of course, a loyal, lovable sidekick.

The animated BMO has arms and legs resembling slender electrical wires that protrude from the sides and the bottom of the body-console. Barretta’s BMO is missing the limbs but has plenty of appeal to make up for that. If you’d like to take on this project, solo, or with a junior maker who can fill you in on the tremendous appeal of “Adventure Time,” which, we should add, appeals to adults as much as children, you’ll need to check out Barretta’s MakerBot Thingiverse page, but please note: The instructions are a work in progress.

We can tell you what you’ll need for the project. In addition to the 3D printed parts, you’ll need a Raspberry Pi A+, a RetroPie (OS), a 3.5” TFT (display), a 7.4V 2200 mAh Li-ion battery, a full set of SNES (Super Nintendo) buttons (D-pad, 4 actions, start/select, L/R) that are built around a 2.0 HID device driver, and stereo speakers with slide potentiometer volume control and a headphone jack. Of course, there are other materials required but the list is fairly lengthy. However, this very organized maker has provided a Google spreadsheet that includes all materials, cost for shipping, and links to sources for online purchasing.

In lieu of step-by-step instructions, Barretta has included videos and photo albums (around 160 photos to date), which should help make sense of the project. The rewards of this project are pretty immediate, too. Imagine booting up your own little BMO and settling in to play a rousing game of “Super Mario World,” although this BMO isn’t likely to intervene on your behalf if you find your “Super Mario” skills are no longer up to par.

Let us know if you have taken on this project.  Feel free to post pictures in the RaspBMO forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out a video of the BMO system in action: