Tito from Macho Nacho productions recently showcased a brand new, fully open-source optical drive emulator for the Nintendo GameCube. The software for the Raspberry Pi Pico-based mod was written by Makeo and SilverStee created the flex cable & mount. While it does require some soldering, it should be beginner-friendly. Also, like the FlippyDrive, PicoLoader allows you to keep the optical drive, retaining the full functionality of the unit. After installation, just insert a MicroSD card via either a memory card SD adapter, or SD2SP2 and have it boot to Swiss. Tito shows all the details in the video and more thoughts below the links:
PicoLoader: https://github.com/makeo/PicoLoader
Raspberry Pi Pico: https://amzn.to/3HLkADf
Memory Card SD Adapter: https://amzn.to/45wfe7X
SD2SP2: https://retrorgb.link/sd2sp2
MicroSD: https://www.amazon.com/shop/retrorgb/list/2ZTMQP0SZ7GRK
As someone who’s a massive fan of ODE’s that let you keep the original drive, this is a pretty big deal! Making your own isn’t too hard, but some people might want to wait for reputable resellers. Don’t forget that there’s a minimum order quantity for flex cables and like Tito said in the video, shipping for the diode required will be far more expensive than the part itself. Plus, you’ll either have to print your own mount, or pay to have one printed.
My guess is if reputable shops start selling kits, you’ll be able to buy just one cheaper than making it. And who knows, some shops, might also offer fully-soldered versions, allowing this to be a completely plug & play option – Just a screwdriver and game bit required!
Also, the team is working on a completely custom version of this that should be solder-free as well. This is definitely an exiting time to be a GameCube fan! Check out Tito’s video above and the Github for all the info and instructions you’ll need for this project!
