Modder gets a version of Linux running on the Famicom

Even when the NES originally released, it wasn’t on the cutting edge of technology. Sure, it was pretty impressive for a home console at the time, but it was still leagues behind what was going on with gaming on the PC side of things. Still, it was surprising to see what developers could pull off on the platform, and that only grew as the years rolled on and dev teams learned more tricks.

While the NES is absolutely ancient in the tech world nowadays, that doesn’t mean people have lost interest in the platform. Some people out there are still pushing the limits of what’s possible on the platform, and one perfect example comes from modder DeCrAzYo. Rather than letting the system languish, they decided to see if their know-how could help them breath new life into the platform in a very unique way.

DeCrAzYo originally had the crazy idea of trying to get Linux running on the NES, but quickly realized this wasn’t going to be possible due to some limitations. Rather than giving up, DeCrAzYo turned their focus to the Famicom Disc System, which gave them just enough wiggle room to get a modified version of Linux up-and-running. It’s a pretty amazing feat of programming and technical knowledge, and you can see how it all came together above.