SNES Classic Mini microSD mod

I wanted to make the all-in-one mini console for everyday use without having to deal with flaws from the individual variations. The hardware of most of the mini consoles share similar specs, with an ARM-based quad-core processor with a Mali-4XX GPU. Then there is the C64 Mini, which has weaker specs, and the PlayStation Classic Mini, which has some great specs and a lot of storage space (16GB), compared to the others that only have around 256–512 MB.

The games that I want to play on the system are, for the most part, 8- and 16-bit games. This includes primarily games for the PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16, Nintendo NES / Famicom and Super Nintendo.

The specs on the Nintendo Classic Mini, Famicom Mini, and Super Nintendo Classic Mini are similar. Because of this, I chose the SNES Mini to be the platform to build upon, mainly because of the controller, which has all the buttons needed, compared to the NES / Famicom Mini, where I couldn't have used the controller on a lot of 16-bit games. I could have used the PlayStation Classic because of the specs, but since the purpose mainly was 8- and 16-bit games, I wanted to keep the aesthetic from this era.

Often 8- and 16-bit games don't take up much space and only take up a few MB. This is also the case for a lot of great PC Engine games stored on HuCards, but if I wanted to play some of the CD-based games, I would run out of space before I could add a single game to the system. This is why I chose to add more space on the system!

There are different options regarding adding space to the mini consoles. The easiest and probably the most popular method is using an OTG adapter and a USB flash drive. The downside to this method is that it is an external mod, where the USB drive is visible. Besides that, it has been some time since I last used my soldering iron, so this was a great opportunity to do some soldering again.

The mod itself is both easy to perform and cheap. I bought a 32GB microSD card, which included an SD adapter. The SD adapter is needed for the mod, and therefore it's very convenient that these 2 items are bundled together. Besides that, I used some thin Kynar wire and a 100nF 50V SMD capacitor. The capacitor is basically not required, since I will never hot-swap the microSD card with the system on, but I added one just for good measure and for the fun of hand-soldering an SMD component that my old eyes can barely see :D

With the hardware modding done, the next part was to get the software up and running. The SNES mini was already hacked with Hakchi2 CE (v3.93). With the SNES Mini connected to my PC through Hakchi, i used the "Tools -> Format SD card" feature. After completion, the Mini was now booting up, using the SD card as storage.

From now on, there are a lot of free space to play with, and should i need more space in the future, i can just replace the micro SD card with a larger one.

 

Time to play some Gate of Thunder with my modded Score Master!

Building a game room from the ground

I have been collecting video games for the past 25 years, and during that time, I’ve had a few game rooms. As the years have gone by, my collection has grown significantly, both in terms of the number of games and consoles. The biggest challenge that comes with this is running out of space to display my collection the way I want.

A few years ago, my wife and I had twins, which meant our house became too small for our growing family. With three kids and a space-consuming hobby like game collecting, it was time to move into something bigger. After searching for a suitable house for a while, we decided to build a brand-new home. There are plenty of benefits and considerations that come with building a house, but that’s a story for another time.

In this article, I’ll focus on the most important part: the game room. A brand-new space, built from the ground up, designed specifically for gaming and game collecting. I’ll share my thoughts on everything from the planning phase to the details of creating this space.

> Planning for the Future

One of my initial considerations was to ensure the house would remain marketable in case we ever needed to sell it due to unforeseen circumstances (loss of income, divorce, etc.). With that in mind, I designed the game room to be easily convertible into three "normal" rooms in the future.

In practice, this means the room can be divided evenly into three smaller spaces, each with its own window and floor heating. I wanted the room to only have one entrance, but the walls are prepared in the other two sections with door lintels, allowing doors to be added later if needed. These features are hidden and have no impact on the current design of the game room but make the space adaptable for worst-case scenarios. Should we (or a future buyer) need to make changes, it would involve closing the openings that connect the sections, cutting out spaces for two additional doors, and transforming the area into three functional rooms.

> Managing Sunlight and Windows

When planning the house, I knew sunlight would be a major concern. Sunlight can fade the colors on cardboard boxes over time and cause glare on TV screens, which isn’t ideal for gaming. To address this, I placed the game room with its windows facing north to minimize direct sunlight. This placement also worked well for the rest of the house, where natural light is more welcome.

In our area, there are minimum requirements for the size of windows and light incidence. At one point during the design process, the game room was treated as three separate rooms (due to the individual floor heating). However, when calculating light incidence, we considered it as one large room. This approach allowed us to meet the minimum requirements while keeping window surfaces small. Smaller windows not only reduce sunlight but also provide more wall space - essential for storing games.

> Optimizing Wall Space and Layout

Maximizing wall space was a critical part of the planning process. A square room offers less wall space than a rectangular one, but if the room is too long and narrow, it feels more like a hallway and becomes impractical for gaming. I carefully considered factors like my preferred distance from the TV, walking space between sections, and enough floor space to comfortably use PSVR or play Wii light gun games without bumping into my collection.

To maximize usability, I divided the game room into three smaller sections. This approach not only created more wall space but also allowed me to assign each section a specific theme or purpose:

PC and Retro PC Section: A workspace for my desktop, soldering, 3D printing, and other hobby-related activities.
Retro Gaming Section: Dedicated to my retro game collection.
Modern Gaming Section: Focused on newer consoles, VR, and light gun games.

> Window Placement for Functionality

The windows were designed with these sections in mind. The workspace features a large floor-to-ceiling window, which provides natural light and creates extra floorspace beneath it for my desk to fit in.

In the retro and modern gaming sections, smaller windows are positioned high on the wall to minimize sunlight exposure and allow for wall-mounted storage beneath them.

> Electrical and Network Planning

Another crucial aspect was the placement of electrical outlets. I wanted to avoid power cords running across the floor, so I planned outlets where I anticipate needing power. Similarly, I accounted for Ethernet connectivity by having the electrician install 16mm conduit pipes in strategic locations. This setup allows me to easily run cables to connect my PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and other devices directly to the router. Keeping all game room-related networking on the same router ensures better organization and an optimal Wi-Fi connection for my PlayStation Portal.

> Choosing the Right Shelves

Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about selecting shelves for a game collection. Many shelves are unnecessarily deep, taking up valuable floor space. I prefer shelves with just enough depth to fit games, as this saves about 15cm of space around the room. Additionally, I favor wall-mounted shelves because they keep the floor visible, making the room feel larger and easier to clean.

Gennemførte spil @ 2025

 #1 Let Them Come (PS5)

Gennemført 1. januar 2025

 #2 The Enigma Machine (PS5)

Gennemført 6. januar 2025

 #3 Withering Rooms (PS5)

Gennemført 16. januar 2025

 #4 Silent Hill 2 (PS5)

Gennemført 26. januar 2025

#5 Thomas Was Alone (PSV)

Gennemført 1. februar 2025

#6 Project 13: Taxidermy Trails (PS5)

Gennemført 13. februar 2025

#7 Prodeus (PS5)

Gennemført 18. februar 2025

#8 Enotria (PS5)

Gennemført 22. maj 2025

#9 Santa's Monster Shootout (Portal, PS5)

Gennemført 14. juni 2025

#10 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Famicom Mini, NES)

Gennemført 9. august 2025

#11 ActionCam: Supernatural Case (Portal, PS5)

Gennemført 20. august 2025

#12 Super Metroid (SNES Mini, SNES)

Gennemført 28. august 2025

#13 Metroid (SNES Mini, NES)

Gennemført 29. august 2025

#14 Metroid II: Return of Samus (SNES Mini, GB)

Gennemført 4. september 2025

PlayStation 5 Casemod / Paintjob

After experiencing Demon's Souls on my PlayStation 3 back in the days, I have been a huge fan of From Software and their games ever since. Even though Demon's Souls defined a whole new gaming genre, that many developers have since taken inspiration from, From Software has created a good amount of really great games before the release of Demon's Souls. Games that have some of the same depressing vibes and mystique, that we would later see in the Souls games.

I love the Souls games, and I like to modify consoles. With that in mind, I decided to mod my PlayStation 5, representing some of my best memories with From Software games over the years.

After mixing and blending some From Software wallpapers together, my mother-in-law printed the result as a vinyl sticker, which covers the front and sides of the console. I did a gold paintjob on the top / button console cover with a crackling effect, which I think matches the theme very well.

Unfortunately, I managed to make some undesired markings on the top cover, by repeatedly placing my controller there, when not using it.

Besides the modification of the case, I also added some more space to the system, with an M.2 SSD. I chose the WD_Black 1TB SSD, since it was on sale and the additional 1TB should be enough for my needs.

When installing the drive, I wondered if I should reinstall the dust cover for the M.2 slot. There are both pros and cons regarding this matter. By reinstalling the cover, it prevents dust buildup in the slot, which is a good thing. The downside to reinstalling the cover, is that the M.2 SSD gets hotter, since It's now covered up.

I chose to go for a compromise and modding the cover plate with some small ventilation holes. Before reinstalling it, I also added some Elden Ring to the mix.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the result!