DIY Console Uses CDs to Run Retro Games
A modder named Emmet built a homemade game system that reads game data from optical discs. The device runs Batocera on an Intel N150 single-board computer, and each disc stores a ROM plus a script that adds it to the library. Emmet also created 3D-printed cases, labels, and box art, and designed a wireless controller for the setup.
Emmet's homemade system combines an Intel N150 single-board computer with Batocera, a Linux-based retro gaming operating system. Each optical disc stores a game ROM and a shell script that places it into Batocera's library. The build was featured by Hackaday.
Beyond the electronics, Emmet created 3D-printed cases, labels, and box art, and designed a wireless controller for the setup. The project evokes earlier disc-based habits, such as using chipped PlayStation discs or installing PC games from CDs.
Projects like Emmet's could energize DIY and retro gaming communities by demonstrating how single-board computers and optical media can be repurposed. Makers may be inspired to create custom consoles, while players with disc-era memories might feel a nostalgic pull. It may also encourage hands-on tinkering and sharing, though mainstream adoption could remain limited because such builds demand technical effort and spare time.