ESP32 Emu Turbo
Handheld gaming console based on ESP32-S3 for retro game emulation — SNES (primary) and NES (secondary).
Goal
Build a portable battery-powered device with USB-C charging and an ILI9488 3.95" color LCD display, capable of loading and playing retro games from an SD card.
Development Phases
| Phase | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Feasibility | Component analysis, schematics, budget | Completed |
| 2. Hardware Design | KiCad schematics, OpenSCAD enclosure, GPIO mapping | In Progress |
| 3. Prototype | Breadboard assembly, testing and validation | Pending |
| 4. Final version | Custom PCB + 3D-printed enclosure | Pending |
Key Requirements
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| MCU | ESP32-S3 N16R8 (16MB flash, 8MB Octal PSRAM) |
| Display | ILI9488 3.95" 320x480, bare panel + 40P FPC 0.5mm |
| Power | LiPo 3.7V, 5000mAh |
| Charging | USB-C (IP5306, charge-and-play) |
| Emulation | SNES (primary), NES (secondary) |
| Budget | ~$42-55 for the prototype |