Key findings
- The RP2350 receives its “Doom baptism” just days after its release, courtesy of one of its developers, Graham Sanderson.
- The device used to play Doom was a Def Con badge and had all the buttons needed for the classic game.
- Doom on the RP2350 reached a smooth 50 FPS with full memory support and sound effects – an impressive feat for the tiny screen.
If it has a screen, it can play Doom. That mentality has brought the game to everything from calculators to lawnmowers. And while people try to bring the classic FPS to as many devices as possible, some succeed much faster than others. Such is the case with the RP2350, which was still fresh off the production line before its own developer tricked it into running Doom on a Def-Con badge.
The RP2350 receives the “Doom baptism” days after release
As reported by Tom's Hardwarethe RP2350 has been turned into a Doom gaming machine. If that processor name sounds familiar, it's because it's part of the just-released Raspberry Pi Pico 2. You know, the one that came out four days ago.
However, this story has a few twists that make it even more interesting. First, this feat was not accomplished by just anyone – it was accomplished by Graham Sanderson, who was originally involved in the development of the RP2350.
Second, the device used to play Doom wasn't just any device. It was actually a badge handed out during the hacker convention Def Con last weekend. In the spirit of the event, people were encouraged to hack their own digital badges and add new features to them. And since it had all the buttons you need to play an old-school FPS, it just felt right.
So how do you play Doom on a tiny screen? According to the post that featured it, it hit 50 FPS with full memory support and sound effects – impressive. And if you want to start your own Raspberry Pi Pico 2 with some demon-slaying, check out the GitHub page for the project, which also includes code for the RP2040. And if you like the idea of playing on an SBC, check out these projects and products for retro gaming on a Pi.