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Наталя ХандусенкоGameDev Eng
12 November 2026, 13:47
2026-11-12
A Ukrainian enthusiast created a portable retro console for 810 hryvnias based on ESP32-S3 and made the project open source
A Threads social network user named Oleksandr (under the nickname esp_diy) personally assembled a portable retro game console and published all the developments in the open access. On the project pages on GitHub and MakerWorld, the enthusiast posted the schematic diagram, parts list, firmware, and 3D models of the case so that anyone could repeat the development. The total cost of the necessary parts is about 810 UAH (excluding plastic for printing, 18650 battery, and small radio components).
A Threads social network user named Oleksandr (under the nickname esp_diy) personally assembled a portable retro game console and published all the developments in the open access. On the project pages on GitHub and MakerWorld, the enthusiast posted the schematic diagram, parts list, firmware, and 3D models of the case so that anyone could repeat the development. The total cost of the necessary parts is about 810 UAH (excluding plastic for printing, 18650 battery, and small radio components).
The hardware basis of the device is the ESP32-S3 microcontroller (version N16R8), which works in conjunction with a screen with a resolution of 320×240 pixels, a MAX98357A sound amplifier and a 3-watt speaker. As a software shell, the author used an overlay for the popular Retro-Go platform. This allows you to run classic games for NES/Dendy, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Sega Master System, Game Gear, PC Engine, Atari Lynx, Game & Watch and SNES on the handheld console - however, the most difficult titles of the latter console are no longer supported. Games are loaded from a regular full-size SD card.
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For ease of control, Alexander implemented turbo buttons with a frequency of about 15 Hz for Dendy, and for SNES games he developed a special layout that adapts control to eight physical buttons. Autonomy is provided by one 18650 battery - its charge is enough for about eight hours of continuous play. According to the developer, with rare use, one charge is enough for a whole week, and thanks to the minimum volume setting, you can play in the same room with other people without disturbing them.
The most difficult stage of creating the device was designing the case. The author had to calculate the position of each hole on the breadboard with accuracy to the millimeter so that the screen, buttons, joystick and battery fit tightly in their places. Oleksandr drew all the details himself. The case consists of two covers fastened with four screws, has holes for USB-C and an SD card on the side, and the switch is located on the bottom edge. The enthusiast printed the parts from PLA plastic with a carbon surface texture, and uploaded the finished profile for Bambu Lab printers to MakerWorld.
In the GitHub documentation, the engineer also shared technical nuances he encountered during assembly. In particular, he warned about display modules that are labeled as ILI9341, but actually work on the ST7789 controller, and also reminded about the need to power the analog joystick exclusively from 3.3 V and use external 10 kΩ pull-up resistors through long wires on the breadboard. Ready-made models for 3D printing are also available on MakerWorld .
The first game that Oleksandr launched on his own console was the cult "Tanchiki" - as a reminder of his childhood, when he played them with his father and sister. However, according to the author himself, his friends most often use the console, which he considers the best assessment of his homemade product.
