To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Super Nintendo’s launch in Japan (where it was called the Super Famicom), designer Gustavo Bonzanini created an homage that blends ’90s fashion and technology. The AIR SNES is a highly customized version of the Nike Air Max 90 that’s inspired by other gaming-themed sneakers like the Bull Airs Shoeboys, but Bonzanini’s creation doubles as a functional retro console.
Given the size of the Super Nintendo and the bulky cartridges it used, Bonzanini decided not to try and shrink the console’s electronics to fit inside a shoe that was still wearable. Instead he opted to go the emulation route and used a compact Raspberry Pi Zero W. It has enough processing power to play 16-bit SNES games using the RetroPie emulator, which Bonzanini customized to match the look and feel of the sneaker.
But you won’t find a microcomputer hidden in the sole of the Air Max 90. All electronics, including a battery with enough capacity for up to 30 minutes of gameplay, can be found inside the tongue of the sneaker. The Raspberry Pi Zero W includes an integrated mini HDMI port, but to “make the design feel like it could exist in the 1990s,” Bonzanini added a small analog converter so the AIR SNES can connect to a TV using retro RCA cables.
The sneakers also work with an original SNES gamepad, but to keep cable mess to a minimum, Bonzanini has upgraded the controller using an 8BitDo mod kit so it can connect to a Raspberry Pi wirelessly over Bluetooth. Given the ever-growing popularity of retro gaming nostalgia and sneaker culture, there’s no doubt that Bonzanini can sell as many pairs of the Air SNES as it can make. But unfortunately they are just a one-off creation, with no plans to commercialize the design.
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