A retro PC enthusiast has taken a nostalgic plunge into the world of vintage computing by modifying the VBIOS of an S3 ViRGE DX graphics card to include a playful version of the classic game Snake. This innovative twist allows users to enjoy a brief session of serpent gameplay each time they boot their system, seamlessly transitioning back to the normal boot process once the game is exited. The project, undertaken by the YouTube channel Bits und Bolts, involved hacking the VBIOS and embedding Snake 512, a compact rendition of the game that occupies a mere 512 bytes and is crafted in x86 assembly language.
Technical Journey to Gaming Nostalgia
Before diving into the Snake 512 integration, Bits und Bolts first enhanced the VBIOS by introducing a dynamic text splash screen that displays the GPU’s operating frequency. This initial modification builds upon earlier efforts where a graphical splash screen was injected. The process of embedding Snake 512 required careful navigation through assembly code, making it an ideal candidate for inclusion in the VBIOS.
The implementation of Snake 512 followed a systematic approach:
- Power up the system
- Display the embedded modded image splash screen
- Present a prompt offering the option to play Snake (press N) or skip (press Esc)
- Include a timeout for the prompt, allowing the boot process to continue without user input
- Pressing N launches the Snake game
- Pressing Esc allows the system to read and display the actual GPU clock
- Continue with the booting process
It’s important to note that this implementation does not support USB keyboards, and there is no sound during gameplay. With the core functionality in place, Bits und Bolts proceeded to further customize the game by adjusting the colors of Snake 512. Utilizing Ghidra, the enthusiast edited the color values for various elements such as the border, background, snake head, and body, selecting new hues from the VGA color palette using hexadecimal values.
As the video concludes with the game fully operational and visually appealing, the TechTuber humorously remarks, “Who says the ViRGE can’t play games?” This latest endeavor follows previous projects by Bits und Bolts, including a modification that disabled the ‘pedestal bit’ in the S3 ViRGE DX VBIOS, which had previously caused blacks to render as dark grey. The channel has also explored other creative avenues, such as a Doom port released as a Coreboot BIOS payload, showcasing the endless possibilities within the realm of vintage computing.
