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

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the release of the Super Nintendo in Japan (where it was called the Super Famicom), the designer Gustavo Ponzanini Create a tribute that blends 90s fashion and technology. The AIR SNES is a heavily customized version of the Nike Air Max 90 inspired by others Gaming-themed sneakers like the ShoeBoys from Bull Airsbut Bonzanini’s design can also be used as a functional retro console.

Due to the size of the Super Nintendo and the large cartridges it used, Bonzanini decided against trying to shrink and shrink the console’s electronics to fit into the shoe, which was still wearable. They instead chose to go the emulation route and used compressed software Raspberry Pi Zero W. It has enough processing power to run 16-bit SNES games using the RetroPie emulator that Bonzanini customized to match the look and feel of the sneaker.

But you won’t find the microcomputer hidden in the sole of the Air Max 90. All the electronics, including a battery with enough capacity for up to 30 minutes of play, can be found inside the tongue of the sneaker. The Raspberry Pi Zero W has a built-in Mini HDMI port, but “to make the design look like it could have been there in 1990,” Bonzanini added a mini analog converter so the AIR SNES connects to the TV using old-fashioned RCA cables.

The sneakers also work with the original SNES gamepad, but to keep cable tangling to a minimum, Bonzanini upgraded the controller with 8 BitDoo Mod Kit So it connects to the Raspberry Pi wirelessly via Bluetooth. Given the ever-growing popularity of retro gaming nostalgia and sneaker culture, there’s no doubt that Bonzanini can sell as many pairs of AIR SNES as possible. Unfortunately, it’s just a one-off creation with no plans to commercialize the design.