One of the big disconnects between physical gaming and emulation is the removal of a tactile experience that many older players hold dear. Recent attempts to bridge this gap, such as the TapTo NFC system, have introduced methods like NFC cards to launch games on MiSTer FPGA.

However, MiSTer FPGA’s community has now seen an even more immersive approach: using CDs. Wizzo, one of the creators behind TapTo, recently suggested and demonstrated a new evolution—using external CD drives to boot games rather than NFC.

“It feels super legit with the disc spinning up and everything!”

• Wizzo

Key points:

• MiSTer FPGA is exploring innovative ways to create an authentic gaming experience, reminiscent of the '90s when CDs were the norm.
• The proposed method involves placing a simple executable on the CD that tells the system which ROM in its internal memory to open.

Do you miss CDs enough to buy an external CD drive for your MiSTer FPGA?