Classic consoles are fantastic, but they’re even better when they have been shrunken down, it just makes them that much better. Earlier this year, we saw a creative chap make a tiny, 3D printed NES that was inspired by the mini NES Nintendo plans to release this fall. At the heart of this device was the ever-versatile Raspberry Pi, which many have used for the purposes of retro gaming for years. Not to be outdone by that previous small wonder, another person has taken it upon themselves to create an even smaller machine based on the SNES.
Instead of 3D printing a SNES, Hugo Doris decided to take a more hands-on approach and make it out of clay. To begin, Doris created two halves out of sheet plastic. The size of these was just big enough to fit a Raspberry Pi Zero and a USB hub. After that, he molded clay on the outside of the two halves and began to shape it all into the SNES form that we’re all familiar with. Doris notes that it is difficult to mold clay in parallel walls, so he sanded the device after the clay had hardened.
After removing the plastic scaffolding, Doris added more details using a rotary tool and used a paint brush to give the tiny SNES its distinct colors. Doris then took the Raspberry Pi and wired it to the hub and epoxyed everything in place. When all of the work was completed, Doris ended up creating a system that is smaller than even an original SNES controller.
This is easily one of the most impressive projects we have seen. We have to give Hugo Doris bonus points for opting to create this small masterpiece out of clay. Even though the video is somewhat on the short side, it does serve as a good tutorial on how to make one of these yourself — provided you have the tools and capability to do so. With the NES and the SNES covered, which console is next?!
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