New Linux port for the Nintendo 64

[Deleted User]

There is a new Linux port to the Nintendo 64 from open-source developer Lauri Kasanen.
This new port was made in part to help port emulators and frame-buffer or console games.
There is a binary of the Linux port available on her github.
The binary is a 64-bit MIPS build that can be loaded on the Nintendo 64 with a Flashcart.
The port does note that uClibc-ng was found to be broken for MIPS N32 so the Musl C library was used.
It's also noted that Linux on the Nintendo 64 is still a big buggy and "constantly flirting with [out of memory]."​

 

[Alex4nder001]

OK this is cool but what could you possibly do with this?

 

[KleinesSinchen]

According to the README file in the archive it requires the additional 4MB of RAM (Expansion Pak) -- no surprise. This shows once again: Linux can be run on almost everything. Sounds like a proof of concept right now.

Always nice to hear from such developments. Will probably try out later.

 

[NocturnalMoon]

OK this is cool but what could you possibly do with this?

There's not much you can do with this at this point. As KleinesSinchen said this is just a proof of concept and the author, Lauri Kasanen, even said himself that he did it just because he could.

It's fun porting software to old hardware and thus creating an obscure project and I think it's interesting to see Linux running on the N64 even if nothing else comes out of it.

 

[spotanjo3]

Great for people who still own N64 can enjoyed emulators such as NES and SNES emulators on N64, perhaps ? Neat!