In an unexpected turn of events, modder and YouTuber, DeCrAzYo, pushed the boundaries of retro gaming by successfully installing a Linux-like operating system on the NES console. Despite the hardware limitations of the NES, DeCrAzYo sought to run Linux directly on the NES processor. However, due to processor limitations, it turned to a UNIX-like operating system called Little UNIX, originally designed for the Commodore 64.
Faced with another obstacle – the NES lacks a keyboard and RAM – he ingeniously turned to the Japanese Famicom, which includes keyboard peripherals and floppy disks. Adapting Linux to run on the Famicom Disk System, DeCrAzYo has shown significant progress. Despite challenges such as slow disk access speed and the lack of a keyboard interface, DeCrAzYo experimentation produced promising results. He successfully loaded an experimental version of UNIX onto an Everdrive cartridge and ran it on the original NES hardware, although navigating beyond the boot screen proved difficult without a keyboard.
DeCrAzYo’s achievement showcases the ingenuity of modding communities and the potential for repurposing obsolete hardware. This project not only explores the versatility of retro consoles, but also highlights the evolving landscape of open source software integration.