Pokémon Emerald runs on Raspberry Pi Pico 2 microcontroller

A developer has successfully ported the classic Game Boy Advance title Pokémon Emerald to the RP2350 microcontroller, delivering a native 60 fps HDMI output without the need for an emulator. The project involved recompiling the original ARMv4T binary to run on the RP2350’s Cortex‑M33 cores, and reimplementing the GBA’s video hardware entirely in software on the chip’s second core. The result is a fully functional, high‑framerate version of the game that runs directly on the RP2350’s hardware.

The port demonstrates the RP2350’s capability for demanding real‑time graphics tasks, showcasing how legacy console code can be adapted to modern microcontrollers. By leveraging the dual‑core architecture, the developer offloaded the emulation of the GBA’s display pipeline, enabling smooth gameplay and accurate frame timing. The project’s source and discussion are available on Hacker News, where it has garnered 35 points and 16 comments.

This achievement highlights the growing trend of retro game ports to embedded systems, illustrating how older software can be revitalized on contemporary hardware platforms while preserving performance and authenticity.