The tiny, affordable computer the Raspberry Pi has been used to do a lot of pretty cool things over the years, everything from recreating a Fallout Pip Boy to a BMO from Adventure Time. Raspberry Pi is a $35 computer that can be used for just about anything, so of course, it makes sense to use it for emulating videogames.
One gamer took it upon himself to take the smaller of the Raspberry Pi models, the Raspberry Pi Zero — the one that costs $5 — and installed it inside of an old NES cartridge to create the most retro of all retro game systems, The Pi Cart. All it took was the Pi Zero, a few USB cables and a USB hub, along with the RetroPie software that emulates older gaming systems, and that’s pretty much it. Of course, there needs to be an SD card with games on it and that has always been a bit of a legal gray area, but it’s still pretty damned cool.
The video not only shows off the fully operational cartridge system but gives a step-by-step guide for assembling your own Frankenstein Nintendo cartridge that can somehow house tons of games and systems. This is truly something that would’ve blown minds back in the 80’s and would perhaps make for an awesome, easy-to-create gift for a friend who loves retro games.
If you spent your early days blowing on cartridges, there is something oddly offsetting about seeing a Nintendo cart ripped open and having its guts replaced, but he uses Back to the Future, which was a truly horrible game, so there was absolutely no loss there.
But still, you have to think that a system inside of a cartridge is the final possible tiny system mod, right? We’ve jumped the modding shark now, right?
(Via LifeHacker)