A YouTuber has turned Nintendo’s iconic NES into a fully functional retro PC, complete with a keyboard, mouse, internet browser, DVD player, and even the ability to run Doom.
Originally released in North America in 1985, the Nintendo Entertainment System wasn’t exactly designed for desktop computing. However, that didn’t stop YouTuber Throaty Mumbo from giving the legendary console a serious upgrade.
In a 55-minute YouTube video, the creator joked that he was getting “kind of sick of video games” and wanted to turn his NES into something resembling a 1990s computer.
Considering Nintendo’s original Japanese console was called the Famicom, short for Family Computer, the project brings things full circle.
Nintendo NES turned into PC that can run Doom
The project, dubbed NESPC, didn’t get off to the smoothest start. Mumbo initially experimented with a bootleg Windows 98 program that barely functioned, followed by an incredibly slow Linux-based emulator.
Eventually, he developed his own Windows-inspired desktop using an EverDrive N8 Pro cartridge and its onboard FPGA, which handles the demanding x86 processing rather than relying on the NES’s original CPU.
The finished product supports a proper desktop environment with a Start menu, file manager, trash bin, and even Minesweeper.
Mumbo also created a custom USB adapter to support a keyboard and mouse, along with a MIDI keyboard for making music.
But he didn’t stop there.
Using his previously developed NESCD accessory, Mumbo managed to get the console playing CDs and DVDs. He even demonstrated an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force running in glorious, extremely crunchy black and white.
“Very strange and impractical, but definitely very neat,” he admitted.
The NES can also connect to Wi-Fi and browse websites, including Wikipedia and YouTube. Videos aren’t exactly HD, but watching YouTube on a 40-year-old Nintendo console is an achievement in itself.
For good measure, he added customizable desktop backgrounds, flying toaster screensavers, and the ability to play Game Boy games like Pokemon.
And, naturally, Doom.
YouTube/Throaty MumboNear the end of the video, Mumbo fires up the legendary 1993 shooter, proving that even Nintendo’s original home console can join the ever-growing list of bizarre devices capable of running it.
The visuals are glitchy, thanks to the NES’s limited graphics capabilities, but the game runs with help from the cartridge’s additional hardware.
Of course, Doom has been popping up everywhere lately. In August 2026, another developer managed to get the shooter running on a Canon DSLR camera.
The project also follows another recent retro computing experiment in which a YouTuber rebuilt his childhood gaming PC, only to discover 30-year-old homework and Doom 2 cheats on an old hard drive.
Mumbo, meanwhile, has made the NESPC project available on GitHub for anyone brave enough to attempt their own build.
Between watching YouTube, playing Pokemon, and shooting demons in Doom, Nintendo’s oldest home console is proving there’s still plenty of life left in it.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
