Retro Hacker Boots Windows Desktop Environment on Original NES Hardware
A YouTube creator has engineered a functional Windows-like operating system to run on a classic NES console, leveraging specialized emulation hardware and custom firmware.
Content creator Throaty Mumbo, who runs a YouTube channel focused on retro gaming experiments, has successfully implemented a Windows-like desktop interface on the NES. The feat relies on the EverDrive N8 Pro, an FPGA-based cartridge designed to handle demanding x86 emulation tasks. Throaty Mumbo has released the NESPC project on GitHub, complete with firmware for an RP2350 microcontroller that serves as a USB adapter, enabling support for keyboard, mouse, and MIDI input.
The creator's journey began with experimentation using existing ROMs sourced online. An initial attempt with a Chinese Windows 98 ROM proved disappointing—while it contained Paint, Windows Explorer, and visual representations of various Windows 98 applications, none of these programs actually functioned. They were merely graphical approximations rather than working software. Throaty Mumbo also tested NES86, a Linux-based project developed by decrazyo, but found it prohibitively slow and impractical for actual use. These limitations prompted him to develop his own custom ROM from scratch.