Pokémon Emerald Runs Natively on $6 Microcontroller
Pokémon Emerald has been successfully ported to a $6 Raspberry Pi Pico 2 microcontroller, allowing the full game to run natively at 60 frames per second. The port was achieved through recompilation and software reimplementations, showcasing the microcontroller's capabilities.
Key points
- The port was completed by a developer who recompiled the ARMv4T code to Cortex-M33 and reimplemented the Game Boy Advance's video hardware in software on the second core.
- The Raspberry Pi Pico 2 board used is a $6 microcontroller with 16 MB QSPI flash, and the game is executed in place from flash as an 11.7 MB image.
- The port is playable from start to finish, with the game running at a locked 60 frames per second and supporting full PPU modes, sprites, and blending.
- The only limitations reported so far are silent instrument classes in the music and the lack of link cable and RFU implementation.
Pokémon Emerald Runs Natively on $6 Microcontroller
Pokémon Emerald, a classic Game Boy Advance game, has been successfully ported to a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 microcontroller, a $6 device. This achievement showcases the capabilities of the microcontroller and highlights the potential for low-cost, high-performance gaming.
The port was completed by a developer who recompiled the ARMv4T code to Cortex-M33 and reimplemented the Game Boy Advance's video hardware in software on the second core. The Raspberry Pi Pico 2 board used is a $6 microcontroller with 16 MB QSPI flash, and the game is executed in place from flash as an 11.7 MB image.
The port is playable from start to finish, with the game running at a locked 60 frames per second and supporting full PPU modes, sprites, and blending. However, the music has some limitations, with silent instrument classes, and the link cable and RFU implementation are not supported.
This achievement demonstrates the potential for low-cost, high-performance gaming and may have implications for the development of future games and gaming hardware.
Sources
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