Doom on earbuds? It’s true! Playing this classic game on a set of headphones has become a reality. But fitting the game, which is about 4.2MB, onto earbuds like PineBuds, which have just 4MB of memory, was quite a challenge. To make it work, developers created a compact version called “squashware.” This slimmed-down version cuts out some animation frames and music tracks, allowing for a portable gaming experience.
The earbuds also have limited RAM, just under 1MB. Here’s where the coding magic happens. Developers had to optimize the game to fit in this small space. They pre-generated lookup tables and adjusted variables to free up memory. As Sarkisan, one of the developers, explains, “Every little change made a difference.”
For those who don’t have PineBuds, there’s good news. You can try out Doom through an interactive Twitch stream. Just visit doombuds.com to control gameplay in short bursts. It’s an amazing way to see how far technology has come. A game that once needed a hefty computer now runs on $70 earbuds!
This innovation sparks interest on social media, with many gamers and tech enthusiasts sharing their excitement. It’s a peek into how gaming continues to evolve, making classic experiences accessible in new ways.
As technology advances, who knows what will come next? Maybe a whole console in your glasses? The future of gaming is bright, and it’s fun to imagine where it could go from here.
For more details on how this went down, check out the development process here and see the coding specifics here.
