The sky’s the limit when it comes to programming – well, not exactly. While there are some limitations to just how much someone can mess around with the elements of a code, the community has never failed to spring surprises and achieve seemingly impossible tasks, from running Doom on virtually anything to mapping game controls to everyday objects. Going beyond the capabilities of PC emulators is programmer Constantin Liétard, who has made it possible to play Pokémon Red inside his Twitter avatar.
No, you didn’t read it wrong. Courtesy of some programming magic, the journey to become the very best that no one ever has taken the definition of “hardcore dedication” to new heights. Here’s how it works: players reply to his tweet – which is now pinned on his profile – with one of the game’s controls (Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B, Start, and Select), and the most-tweeted response within 15 seconds is later input into an emulated iteration of the Game Boy title. The frame will then be displayed in Liétard’s profile icon in 400×400 pixellated glory.
The process has been restarted a couple of times with the introduction of new functionalities, including a Discord server that better facilitates the cooperation between members, and a frame-saving feature so that data and progress won’t be lost.
From the look of things, everything is going pretty smoothly. It’ll be a while before players are able to face off against the Elite Four and become Champion, but you know what they say – it’s the journey that counts, and considering how unorthodox this is, we’ll have to agree.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Trinity Sun
