You can play classic Nintendo games on these custom SNES-inspired Nike sneakers

The AIR SNES sneakers treble arsenic a functional retro console. | Image: Gustavo Bonzanini

To observe the 35th day of the Super Nintendo’s motorboat successful Japan (where it was called the Super Famicom) decorator Gustavo Bonzanini created an homage that blends ‘90s manner and technology. The AIR SNES are a heavy customized mentation of the Nike Air Max 90 inspired by different gaming-themed sneakers similar Bull Airs’ ShoeBoys, but Bonzanini’s instauration doubles arsenic a functional retro console.

Given the size of the Super Nintendo, and the chunky cartridges it used, Bonzanini decided against trying to trim down and shrink the console’s electronics to acceptable wrong a footwear that was inactive wearable. They alternatively opted to spell the emulation way and utilized a compact Raspberry Pi Zero W. It has much than capable processing powerfulness to play 16-bit SNES games utilizing the RetroPie emulator that Bonzanini customized to lucifer the look and consciousness of the sneaker.

But you won’t find the microcomputer hidden distant successful the sole of the Air Max 90. All of the electronics, including a artillery with capable capableness for up to 30 minutes of gameplay, tin beryllium recovered wrong the sneaker’s tongue. The Raspberry Pi Zero W includes an integrated Mini HDMI port, but to “make the plan consciousness similar it could beryllium successful 1990,” Bonzanini added a tiny analog converter truthful the AIR SNES connects to a TV utilizing retro RCA cables.

The sneakers adjacent enactment with an archetypal SNES gamepad, but to support the cablegram wrangling to a minimum Bonzanini upgraded the controller utilizing an 8BitDo Mod Kit truthful it connects to the Raspberry Pi wirelessly implicit Bluetooth. Given the ever-growing popularity of retro gaming nostalgia and sneaker civilization there’s small uncertainty Bonzanini could merchantability arsenic galore pairs of AIR SNES arsenic they could make. But unluckily they’re conscionable a one-off instauration with nary plans to commercialize the design.