pico-infonesPlus.

Introduction

pico-infonesPlus is a NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) emulator for Raspberry Pi Pico, Pico 2, and other RP2040/RP2350-based microcontrollers. It provides NES emulation with SD card support, an integrated menu system, and HDMI video output, enabling users to build compact, affordable retro gaming systems.

Features

NES Emulation – Execute NES ROM files directly from an SD card
SD Card Menu System – Browse and launch games from an on-screen menu interface
Dual Controller Support – Two simultaneous controllers for multiplayer gameplay (details)
Save State Management – Automatic battery-backed SRAM persistence and manual save states
Famicom Disk System – Support for FDS game images with user-supplied BIOS. More info on this in the FDS Games section below.
Multi-Region Support – NTSC, PAL, and Dendy region compatibility
NSF Audio Playback – Play NES music files (.nsf) with visual VU-meter overlay. More info on this in the Playing NSF Audio Files section below.
WAV Audio Playback – WAV (.wav) format audio playback in the menu (RP2350 only). More info on this in the WAV Music Playback in Menu section below.
Flexible Hardware – Compatible with standard DVI/HDMI breakout boards, with optional custom PCB and 3D-printed case

Regional Support

Platform	NTSC	PAL	Dendy
RP2350	✓	✓ (native speed)	✓ (native speed, untested)
RP2040	✓	✓ (60Hz)	✓ (60Hz, untested)

Note: RP2040 boards operate PAL/Dendy games at 60Hz instead of 50Hz due to hardware constraints.

Setup Overview

Prepare an SD card formatted as FAT32 or exFAT
Transfer NES ROM files to the card, preferably in /roms/NES (subdirectory organization is supported).
Optionally include metadata files for game information
Insert the SD card into the device
Use the menu to browse, select, and play games. Save data is automatically persisted to the SD card.

Famicom Disk System (FDS) Games

To enable FDS game support, provide your own BIOS file:

Copy the FDS BIOS file to the /bios directory on your SD card
Name the file: fds-bios.rom

Note that FDS games can only be played on RP2350.

FDS ROM images will then be available alongside NES ROMs in the menu.

For more info on FDS Game see the FDS section in this README.

Project Information

This project is based on Infones by Jay Kumogata, ported to Raspberry Pi Pico by Shuichi Takano. This implementation extends the core emulator with comprehensive SD card integration, menu functionality, and additional enhancements.

For detailed setup instructions, refer to the Setup section. For hardware configurations and controller options, consult Possible Configurations and Gamecontroller Support. Additional guidance is available in the Adafruit tutorial.

There is also an emulator port for the Sega Master System/Sega Game Gear, Nintendo DMG Game Boy/Game Boy Color and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. You can find them here:

Sega Master System/Game Gear: https://github.com/fhoedemakers/pico-smsplus
Nintendo DMG Game Boy and Game Boy Color: https://github.com/fhoedemakers/pico-peanutGB
Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: https://github.com/fhoedemakers/pico-genesisPlus
If you have an Adafruit Fruit Jam: See this multi emulator project: https://github.com/fhoedemakers/retroJam. Plays NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear and Sega Genesis.

Video

Click on image below to see a demo video.

Possible configurations

You can use it with these RP2040/RP2350 boards and configurations:

A custom printed circuit board (PCB) designed by @johnedgarpark. (requires soldering) Up to two NES controller ports can be added to this PCB. Can also be used with a USB gamecontroller. You can 3d print your own NES-like case for the PCB. The Pimoroni Pico Plus 2 is not suitable for this PCB because of the SP/CE connector on back of the board
An additional PCB design for Waveshare RP2040 & RP2350 Zero including case design by DynaMight1124 based around cheaper but harder to solder components for those that fancy a bigger challenge. It also allows the design to be smaller.
A further PCB design has also been created for the new Waveshare RP2350 USB A board, this allows a very small PicoNES console to be made using USB control pads only. By far the most challenging to solder, if thats your thing!
Adafruit Feather RP2040 with DVI (HDMI) Output Port. For use with a USB gamecontroller, up to two legacy NES controllers, or even a WII classic controller. Requires these addons:
- Breadboard
- SD reader (choose one below)
  - Adafruit Micro-SD breakout board+.
  - FeatherWing - RTC + SD. (not tested by me, but should work)
Waveshare RP2040-PiZero Development Board

For use with a USB gamecontroller, up to two legacy NES controllers, or a WII classic controller. (No soldering requirerd)

You can 3d print your own NES-like case for for this board. This does require some soldering.
Waveshare RP2350-PiZero Development Board Supports the optional PSRAM chip. When installed, the emulator loads ROMs from PSRAM instead of flash memory for significantly faster performance. When PSRAM is installed, the board must have a Winbond flash chip installed. See #191 Fully functional even without PSRAM.
Adafruit Metro RP2350 Supports the optional PSRAM chip. When installed, the emulator loads ROMs from PSRAM instead of flash memory for significantly faster performance. Fully functional even without PSRAM.
Pimoroni Pico Plus 2

Use the breadboard config as mentioned above. Works also on the discontinued Pimoroni Pico DV Demo base. This board does not fit the PCB because of the SP/CE connector on back of the board. The PSRAM on the board is used in stead of flash to load the roms from SD.
Adafruit Fruit Jam No additional hardware is required apart from a USB gamepad. Audio is output through the monitor or the included speaker, with the option to connect external speakers and a Wii Classic controller via Stemma QT. The PSRAM on the board is used in stead of flash to load the roms from SD.
SpotPear HDMI See downloads in the releases page for the correct binary to use with this board.
Murmulator M1 and M2 boards. See downloads in the releases page for the correct binary to use with these boards.
Pimoroni Pico Plus 2 Requires one of these addons:
- (Discontinued) Pimoroni Pico DV Demo Base hdmi add-on board. For use with a USB gamecontroller or up to two a legacy NES controllers. (NES controller ports require soldering)
- Breadboard and
  - Adafruit DVI Breakout For HDMI Source Devices
  - Adafruit Micro-SD breakout board+.
  For use with a USB gamecontroller or up to two legacy NES controllers. (No soldering requirerd)

See below to see how to setup your specific configuration.

Gamecontroller support

Depending on the hardware configuration, the emulator supports these gamecontrollers. In some configurations, an USB-Y cable is needed to both connect power and a gamecontroller to the usb-port.

USB game Controllers

Sony Dual Shock 4
Sony Dual Sense
BUFFALO BGC-FC801 connected to USB - not tested
Genesis Mini 1 and 2
Retro-bit 8 button Genesis-USB
PlayStation Classic
Keyboard
XInput type of controllers like Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers and other XInput compatible controllers like 8bitDo.
Mantapad, cheap NES and SNES USB controllers from AliExpress. Although cheap and working i do not recommended them.

Note

There is some input lag when using USB controllers.

Optional Second USB-Port for game controller use.

In some configurations, a second USB port is available for connecting a USB game controller. The built-in USB port remains dedicated to power and firmware flashing, so there is no need for a USB-Y cable.

This feature is enabled by default on the Adafruit Fruit Jam and Waveshare RP2350-PiZero. For other boards, you’ll need to build the firmware from source to enable it, as the pre-built binaries do not include this option.

For more info, see pio_usb.md.

Legacy controllers

One or optional two original NES controllers for two player games. In some configurations, soldering is required.
WII-classic controller: Adafruit Feather RP2040, WaveShare RP2040 Pi-Zero, Adafruit Metro RP2350, Adafruit Fruit Jam boards only

Parts list for legacy controllers

NES Controller. A second controller port and controller is optional and only needed if you want to play two player games using NES controllers. Two player games can also be played with a USB controller and a NES controller.
- NES controller port
- An original NES controller
WII-Classic controller
- Adafruit Wii Nunchuck Breakout Adapter - Qwiic / STEMMA QT
- Adafruit Feather RP2040: Adafruit STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin Cable
- Waveshare RP2040-PiZero Development Board: STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin Cable with Premium Female Sockets
- WII Classic wired controller

About two player games

The emulator supports two player games using two NES controllers, two USB gamepads connected via a USB hub, or a USB gamepad combined with a NES controller.

When using a USB hub with a Raspberry Pi Pico, you need an OTG USB-Y cable to connect both power and the hub. On the Adafruit Fruit Jam, two USB gamepads can be connected directly to the two USB ports without a hub.

Note

USB hub support for two gamepads has been tested on Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico 2 configurations. Not all setups are supported — for example, a USB hub connected to the PIO USB port of the Waveshare RP2350-PiZero does not work.

	Player 1	Player 2
Two USB gamepads connected (via USB hub)	USB 1	USB 2
One USB gamepad connected	USB	NES port 1 or NES port 2
No USB gamepad connected	NES port 1	NES port 2

PSRAM

Some boards support additional memory called PSRAM with a capacity of 8MB On certain boards this comes pre-installed, while on others it is optional and must be soldered manually. When PSRAM is detected, the emulator will automatically make use of it.

Without PSRAM, selecting a game ROM triggers a reboot: the ROM is written to flash memory during startup to prevent the system from locking up. This process is relatively slow, taking several seconds before the game starts.

With PSRAM, this step is no longer needed. Games are loaded directly from the SD card into PSRAM and executed immediately, resulting in much faster startup times.

Board	PSRAM Included
Waveshare RP2350-PiZero	No – optional, must be soldered (PSRAM module) See also issue #191
Adafruit Metro RP2350 with PSRAM	Yes – pre-installed
Pimoroni Pico Plus 2	Yes – pre-installed
Adafruit Fruit Jam	Yes - pre-installed

Note

The Waveshare RP2350-PiZero requires a Winbond flash chip for PSRAM to function correctly with the emulator. However, some boards ship with a flash chip from a different manufacturer, causing the emulator to crash. See issue #191. In this scenario the board can only run the emulator if no PSRAM is installed.

Warning

The emulator overclocks the Pico in order to get the emulator working fast enough. Overclocking can reduce the Pico's lifespan.

Use this software at your own risk! I will not be responsible in any way for any damage to your Pico and/or connected peripherals caused by using this software.

I also do not take responsability in any way when damage is caused to the Pico or display due to incorrect wiring or voltages.

Setup

Click on the link below for your specific board configuration:

Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico 2, setup with Adafruit hardware and breadboard
Pimoroni Pico Plus 2
Adafruit Feather RP2040 with DVI (HDMI) Output Port setup
Adafruit Metro RP2350
Adafruit Fruit Jam
Waveshare RP2040-PiZero Development Board
- 3D printed case for this board
Waveshare RP2350-PiZero Development Board
- 3D printed case for this board
Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico 2
- 3D printed case for this PCB
PCB with WaveShare RP2040/RP2350 Zero
- 3D printed case for this PCB
PCB with WaveShare RP2350 USB A
- Build Guide
(Discontinued) Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico 2, setup for Pimoroni Pico DV Demo Base

Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico 2, setup for Pimoroni Pico DV Demo Base.

Note

This board is discontinued and no longer sold by Pimoroni

materials needed

Raspberry Pi Pico, Pico 2 or Pimoroni Pico Plus 2 with soldered male headers.
Pimoroni Pico DV Demo Base.
Micro usb to usb OTG Cable
Controllers (Depending on what you have)
- Dual Shock 4 or Dual Sense Controller.
- one or two NES Controllers.
  - NES controller port. Requires soldering.
  - An original NES controller
  - Optional: A second NES controller port and controller if you want to play two player games.
  - Dupont wires
  - Mail or female headers to be soldered on the board
HDMI Cable.
Micro usb power adapter.
Micro usb to usb cable when using the Duak Shock 4 controller
USB C to USB data cable when using the Sony Dual Sense controller.
FAT32 or exFAT formatted Micro SD card with roms you legally own. Roms must have the .nes extension. You can organise your roms into different folders.

Note

An external speaker can be connected to the audio jack of the Pimoroni Pico DV Demo Base. You can toggle audio output to this jack with SELECT + LEFT.

flashing the Pico

When using a Pico / Pico W, download piconesPlus_PimoroniDVI_pico_arm.uf2 from the releases page.
When using a Pico 2 or Pico 2 W or Pimoroni Pico Plus 2, download piconesPlus_PimoroniDVI_pico2_arm.uf2 from the releases page.
Push and hold the BOOTSEL button on the Pico, then connect to your computer using a micro usb cable. Release BOOTSEL once the drive RPI-RP2 appears on your computer.
Drag and drop the UF2 file on to the RPI-RP2 drive. The Raspberry Pi Pico will reboot and will now run the emulator.

Pinout

NES controller port(s) (if you want to use legacy NES controllers).

	Port 1	Port 2 (optional)	Note
GND			GND (- on board)
VCC (Power)			Connect to 3V3
NES Clock	GPIO14	GPIO1
NES LATCH	GPIO16	GPIO20
NES Data	GPIO15	GPIO21

Note

Soldering is required. There is only one 3v3 pin header on the board, the other 3V3 must be soldered directly onto pin 36 (3V3 OUT) of the Pico. For GND there are two pin headers available on the board. Clock Data and Latch for NES controller port 1 must be soldered directly onto the Pico. The Clock, Data and Latch for NES controller port 2 can be soldered on the available pin headers on the board, no need to solder them directly onto the Pico.

setting up the hardware

Disconnect the Pico from your computer.
Attach the Pico to the DV Demo Base.
Connect the HDMI cable to the Demo base and your monitor.
Connect the usb OTG cable to the Pico's usb port.
Depending which controller you want to use:
- Connect the controller to the other end of the usb OTG.
- Connect legacy NES controller(s) to NES controller port(s).
Insert the SD card into the SD card slot.
Connect the usb power adapter to the usb port of the Demo base. (USB POWER)
Power on the monitor and the Pico

Image: Usb controller only

Image: one or two player setup with usb controller and NES controller port 2

In this image the NES controller port is wired to port 2.

For single player games: use USB controller.

For two player games: Connect a USB controller for player 1 and a NES controller for player 2 or connect a USB hub with two USB gamepads.

Image: Two player setup using two NES controllers or a USB controller and a NES controller

Controller port 1 pins must be soldered directly onto the Pico.

Controller port 2 pins can be soldered to the available headers of the Pimoroni DV.

For two player games:

Connect two NES controllers or
Connect a USB controller for player 1 and a NES controller for player 2. You can use either NES controller ports.

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