Should you haven’t heard of Steel Gear, you in all probability haven’t performed video video games these previous few many years. The unique Steel Gear dates again to 1987 and launched on the MSX, however the actual rise to fame in all probability began with Steel Gear Stable on the unique PlayStation in 1998. What wanted a hefty console in 1998 can comfortably match on a microcontroller in 2026, although, as [David Montero Crespo] demonstrates together with his port of MGS to the ESP32-S3.
[David] is — as we at all times are — standing on the shoulders of giants with this hack. Most particularly, the venture depends solely on the [FoxdieTeam] MGS Reversing decompliation venture. In fact what one crew decompiles, one other can recompile, and on this case [David] selected to recompile the sport for Expressif’s distinctive ESP32. It wasn’t fairly as straightforward as simply forking the repo and compiling with the ESP32 as a goal although, because the weblog publish explains.
We gained’t spoil it, however [David] did should make some modifications to account for the completely different quirks the MIPS processor within the PlayStation has in comparison with the Xtensa cores on the microcontroller. Then to make it playable, he put the ESP32-S3 module onto some perfboard with an analog stick from a drone controller, an ILI9341 LCD panel, and a resistor ladder to run the buttons for a barebones handheld.
Followers of MSG and its many sequels might recognize this replica of the codex communicator. Followers of the ESP32 might bear in mind the Wipeout clone we featured earlier, which already proved the favored microcontroller might deal with PlayStation-level graphics. Should you have been hoping for precise stable metallic gears, you can cut your own at home.