ESP32-S3 handheld packs retro emulator, FM synth, and Guitar Hero clone in one device

A Reddit user known as KixASS1 has built a portable device around the ESP32-S3 that combines four functions: a retro emulator, an FM synthesizer, a Guitar Hero-style rhythm game, and a voice assistant. The idea stemmed from a childhood dream — the author wanted a Game Boy and Guitar Hero but couldn't afford either, and now, with money and skills, decided to craft his own gadget instead of buying the original consoles.

The device runs on an ESP32-S3 with 16MB of flash memory and features a 2.8-inch ILI9341 SPI display, a line-out jack, an onboard speaker, LEDs, and an SD card slot. Each application resides in its own partition on the SD card, allowing firmware to be flashed independently for each one.

One app, dubbed GROOVEBOX, acts as an FM synthesizer with wavetable support and Serum patches, plus a sampler with a step sequencer. Another, WC-HERO, is a rhythm game modeled after Guitar Hero, controlled via buttons. The third, RETROGO, serves as an emulator for classic gaming systems. The fourth app, BADRUL, is a voice assistant: to interact, you hold a button and speak into the microphone.

The author notes that a long-standing desire for OP-1 or Elektron synthesizers — which, as he puts it, cost "thousands of moonies" and were too pricey — also drove him to add a synth to his invention. KixASS1 hasn't released any build guides or schematics for replication, but the project shows how modern electronics can turn a dream device into reality.