It’s without a doubt that the original Doom is a timeless classic, and it’s unsurprising that most electronic devices nowadays are more than capable of running the game. In fact, it can be considered as the complete reverse of the whole “can it run Crysis?” memes of yore.
Well, that now brings us to this article’s main subject of interest. Twitter user Nic Magnier, also a UI/UX designer for Keen Games, had successfully ported Doom over to the crank-equipped Playdate handheld console. While that may sound unremarkable at first, this version has introduced a new feature never before seen in any port of the game. You can actually use the crank to fire the chaingun.
Yes, and you can watch that in action via the video below.
Due to popular demands, here a video of the crank being used to fire the chaingun. pic.twitter.com/UuBbojKSmk
— Nic (@NicMagnier) June 2, 2020
Nic explained that the Doom port is based on the Chocolate STM32Doom code, which is sourced from the GitHub developer platform. And instead of a regular straightforward port, Nic geniusly included support for the Playdate crank for some added fun.
If you’ve seen the demonstration video, you’ll also immediately notice that the game is running in mono, rather than the flashy bright colours that we’re all accustomed to. This is attributed to the Playdate’s hardware as its display could only output in black and white, as well as in a lower resolution.
Speaking of which, those who are eager to own your very own Playdate device may need to wait a while longer. Like most upcoming product releases that are affected by the current pandemic, the handheld console has been delayed as well. However, Panic – the company behind the device – assured fans that it will still be shipped out sometime within this year.
Oh, and did you know the Playdate is assembled here in Malaysia?
(Source: Nic Magnier via Twitter)
