A Mexican content creator known as DAVIDXGAMESmx has been working on something that’s catching attention in the retro gaming community: a custom Nintendo 64 cartridge that features a front-facing LCD screen and a USB port on top. The project, showcased in a recent video, represents a modern twist on the classic everdrive-style flash cartridge.
A cartridge that shows what you’re playing
The standout feature here is the small LCD display embedded right into the cartridge’s front panel. When you power up the N64, the screen comes alive with a small gif animation at startup.
As you scroll through the game library, the display shows individual stickers for each game, giving you a visual preview of what you’re about to play.
Games without proper ID information simply don’t display anything, but that’s a minor quirk in an otherwise slick implementation.
The cartridge itself appears to follow the everdrive format, allowing multiple ROM files to be loaded onto a single cartridge.
DAVIDXGAMESmx demonstrated navigating through the ROM files and booting up Mario Kart 64, and the gameplay footage shown in the video confirms the cart handles actual N64 games without issues.
According to the creator, 99.9% of the games tested have worked flawlessly on the device.
The Tetris exception and what’s next
There was one notable exception: Tetris refused to cooperate. But DAVIDXGAMESmx wasn’t trying to play it for fun. He needed it to test a biosensor he’s been developing as part of the project.
The biosensor is reportedly functional now, with just some final tweaking needed before it’s ready for prime time. We don’t know what this biosensor actually is or what it does, adding an intriguing layer to an already interesting build.
The creator mentioned that the cartridge housing still needs some finishing touches, but the core functionality is clearly there.
The USB port sitting on top of the cartridge hints at easy ROM loading or possibly power delivery, though specifics weren’t detailed in the video. What’s clear is that DAVIDXGAMESmx plans to release a full tutorial soon, walking viewers through the entire build process.
For retro gaming enthusiasts who’ve been tinkering with everdrives and flash carts, this project offers something different: the ability to see what game you’re loading without having to look at your TV screen.
It’s a small quality-of-life upgrade that adds a touch of modern convenience to 90s hardware, and it’s being done by someone in the homebrew community rather than a major manufacturer.
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