Nitro Core DX
A 1990s-inspired fantasy console emulator + tooling, built for precise timing and eventual FPGA plausibility.
- Emulation
- Game Dev
- FPGA-Ready
- Go
Projects
RetroCodeRamen projects span emulation tooling, nostalgic web interfaces, tabletop systems, and quick experiments. Browse by category, search by keyword, or jump in wherever looks fun.
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Category A
A) Fantasy Console & Emulation
Timing-sensitive tools, emulator work, and console-era experimentation.
Category B
B) Virtual Desktop & Retro Web
Retro UI shells and nostalgic web experiences rebuilt for the modern browser.
RamenDesk95
A Windows 95-style virtual desktop and project hub.
- Retro UI
- Web
- Virtual OS
Ramen Online
An AOL-era reintroduction built for today, integrated into RamenDesk95.
- AOL-style
- Web
- Nostalgia
Category C
C) Tabletop RPG
Analog rulesets and flavor-heavy systems with 80s/90s energy.
Rad Renegades & Fierce Foes
A campy, d20-adjacent tabletop RPG with 80s/90s energy.
- TTRPG
- d20
- Campy
Category D
D) Experiments / Mini Projects
Small creative experiments, prototypes, and rapid builds.
Bloop Blaster
A tiny AI-generated game experiment inspired by Faceball 2000, created in about 20 prompts when ChatGPT-5 arrived.
- Game
- Experiment
- Retro
Dormant / Archived
Project Graveyard
Old, forgotten, or dormant projects live here until they get revived. Not gone forever, just waiting for the right moment.
These projects matter because they show the shape of the workshop: big swings, weird ideas, and systems that sometimes outgrow the time available to finish them.
RinkOS / T-Deck Cybiko Revival
A LoRa-powered pocket communicator with 1999 energy.
What it was meant to be
A modern reinterpretation of the Cybiko, built on the LilyGO T-Deck. A keyboarded, hacker-friendly communicator focused on text-first networking.
Core ideas
- LoRa-based long-distance messaging
- Mesh + hub architecture
- Retro UI with a lightweight OS layer
- Chat, email-style messaging, and a simple web format
- Possibly its own protocol stack (SubMesh, EchoLoop, Radinet directions)
Why it stalled
Protocol design complexity and the Meshtastic-vs-custom-stack decision turned into paralysis. Also, scope expansion pushed it far beyond a small project.
Revival path
Strong concept with a clear identity. Likely revives best with a narrower messaging-first milestone.
E-Ink Tiger Electronic Handheld
Minimalist LCD nostalgia rebuilt with modern guts.
What it was meant to be
A physical handheld inspired by Tiger Electronics LCD games.
Core ideas
- Gutted Tiger shell
- ESP32 brain
- E-ink display for crisp, low-power visuals
- Simple, focused gameplay
Why it stalled
Hardware momentum slowed after the initial setup. It crossed the proof-of-concept line but not the finished artifact line.
Revival path
A very RetroCodeRamen project: tiny hardware, deliberate limitations, and constraint-as-design-philosophy.
PixelRift (MTGNexus Custom Set)
A crossover fever dream where the Multiverse glitches.
What it was meant to be
A full Magic set centered on digital corruption ripping through reality.
Lore snapshot
- Jace stabilizing a portal
- Master Chief and Jason in tank Sophia
- Corrupted constructs
- Ob Nixilis + Ridley + Glitch King
- Planeswalkers fighting reality de-rezzing
Core ideas
- Pixelate X with Pixel counters
- Color-coded counter spending
- Bit tiers (8-bit / 16-bit / 32-bit scaling)
- Gaming IP aesthetics fused with MTG set structure
Why it stalled
IP scope ballooned into multiversal-litigation territory and the mechanics were extremely ambitious. It also overlaps with Nitro Core DX's aesthetic brainspace.
Revival path
Could return as a smaller original-IP set or a mechanical prototype document.
ToyTactics
Warhammer logic, Saturday morning execution.
What it was meant to be
A tabletop war game system that lets kids use their existing toys as armies.
Core ideas
- Simplified war-game mechanics
- Toy-agnostic stat system
- Structured but accessible design
- Early playable version with room for polish
Why it stalled
It reached playable but not publishable, and attention moved to larger mechanical engines.
Revival path
This one has real legs if it is intentionally scoped and polished around a starter ruleset.