VGC Zero: The Ultra-Portable Keychain Video Game Console

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VGC Zero is a pocket‑scale handheld you can actually carry everywhere. Clip it to your keys, plug in, code a game, share it—same device. Retro vibe, modern internals, fully hackable.

Highlights

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What it feels like to own & build on VGC Zero:

• Always‑with‑you size: lives on your keychain, not a drawer
• Hack-first mindset: hardware + firmware intentionally open
• Fast iteration loop: edit → flash → run in seconds
• Unique input: rotary encoder enables scroll, spin, dial mechanics
• Audio flexibility: speaker for casual play, jack/Bluetooth for focus
• Community moddable shells & CAD from day one
• Teaches embedded concepts without overwhelming complexity
• Designed for sharing: small game binaries, simple packaging
• Runs on approachable tooling (forked 32blit SDK + Python/C++)

Development Status

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We have built two prototypes so far, and both run games. Our work can be tracked on our github.

Prototype hardware

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The first prototype was built on a breadboard (see the breadboard guide):

The current prototype is the v1.1.4 PCB (vgc-zero-hardware):

The v1.1.4 board has no battery, charger, headphone jack, rotary encoder or PSRAM yet. The next PCB revision moves to a TFT IPS display and adds audio filtering and a real-time clock.

First public hardware target: 2027.

We’re fully open hardware + open source:

• Schematics, PCB, enclosure CAD: to be published under a permissive license.
• Bootloader, firmware, SDK, tools, sample games: open repo with documented changes.

What’s Coming Next

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Rolling out soon:

• Hardware pinout & electrical notes
• Firmware architecture overview
• SDK & API reference
• Game packaging / distribution workflow
• Contribution & hacking guides

DIY Builds

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We’ll publish guides to assemble a working prototype from off‑the‑shelf parts (MCU module, 128×128 display, buttons, audio + power). Expect:

• Parts list + sourcing
• Wiring / pinout diagrams
• Flashing + first boot
• Optional add‑ons (rotary encoder, low‑power tweaks, audio variants)

Build early. Hack freely. Give feedback before the compact edition lands.

Target Specs

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These are the planned specs for the final VGC Zero, not the current prototype.

Why It’s Different

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Fully open. Small enough to carry daily. A rotary encoder adds an input axis most micro handhelds skip. You can fork firmware, design cases, and ship your own games without a gatekeeper.

Make & Share Games

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SDK features (work in progress):

• C++ & Python game development
• Rotary encoder + button input APIs
• Asset + build tooling
• Packaging & distribution flow

Automated CI:

• Games auto-build via GitHub Actions targeting 6 platforms with artifacts you can download directly from each release:
  • VGC Zero
  • 32blit (console)
  • Web
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • MacOS

Based on a fork of the 32blit SDK with:

• RP2350 hardware bring‑up & memory layout changes
• 128×128 display timings + driver tweaks
• Rotary encoder input layer
• Power management hooks
• Expanded audio path (speaker / jack / Bluetooth)

We plan to upstream improvements where feasible with clear divergence docs.

chili-chip/32blit-sdk

chilichip’s fork of 32blit SDK

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Play Sample Games

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• Minesweeper
• Conway’s Game of Life

Community

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Join us on Discord to discuss VGC Zero, share ideas, and get involved in development.