Developers at Ninjalerts, an NFT analytics platform, just inscribed a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator onto the Bitcoin blockchain.
Now users can play the classic 1990s game from their browser across Ordinals marketplaces and explorers. The initiative comes as part of a PFP NFT project called “Pizza Ninjas” that also offers tools and directions for uploading video games onto Bitcoin.
According to the news, Ninjalerts took inspiration from a study from the Video Game History Foundation and the Software Preservation Network released last year. The report revealed that nearly 90% of classic video games released in the U.S. were “critically endangered” — meaning they could disappear if nothing is done to preserve them.
Besides releasing a Super Nintendo emulator on Bitcoin, Ninjalerts is also recommending people “find legal methods” to back up video games. One way would be to back up personal copies of the games they own, which according to to U.S. Copyright Law, is completely legal.
The gaming system emulator was inscribed on Bitcoin through the Ordinals protocol, which enables users to inscribe NFTs and metadata onto the immutable blockchain. Each Ninja PFP NFT comes embedded with an SNES emulator, which they can use to play classic games from the now nostalgic video game system.
The CEO of Ninjalerts, Trevor Owens, warned that uploading games to Bitcoin Ordinals has its limitations. He said that “a 16-bit system like SNES” is probably the largest file that can be uploaded, so it’s unlikely the innovation will lead to the preservation of newer games. Furthermore, it is not cheap to inscribe data on Bitcoin, which could deter most people from imitating the move.
Nevertheless, the development from Ninjalerts signifies a substantial progress in the functionalities of Bitcoin Ordinals. In time, it could potentially redefine the intersection of gaming, art, and blockchain technology through NFTs, expanding their capabilities beyond static images into a more interactive realm.
A demo of the Super Nintendo emulator featuring the once popular Ninja Turtles game is available on YouTube.
The Brief But Powerful History of Bitcoin Ordinals
If someone had said a year ago that Bitcoin would one day become the leading blockchain for NFTs, most people in the space would have rolled their eyes. But today, nearly a year after the launch of the Ordinals protocol on January 20, 2023, Bitcoin is the #1 blockchain for NFT sales volume over the past thirty days, and it’s not even close.
As per data from CryptoSlam, Bitcoin has done $888.5 million in NFT sales during the thirty-day period, with Ethereum claiming around $318 million and Solana at $307 million. So how did Bitcoin become a popular blockchain for inscribing NFTs and meme coins?
Here’s a brief look at the history of Ordinals through the lens of Rarity Sniper headlines from 2023:
- January. Ordinals to Launch NFTs on Bitcoin Network
- February. Yuga Labs to Release 300 Bitcoin Ordinals
- April. Magic Eden to Debut Bitcoin Ordinals Launchpad
- May. Bitcoin Ordinals & Meme Coins Reach All-Time Frenzy
- May. Binance to Add Support for Bitcoin Ordinals in Late May
- November. Ordinals Heat Up as Bitcoin Flips Ethereum in Trading Volume
- December. Sotheby’s Holds First Ordinals Auction: BitcoinShrooms
It’s worth noting that the increased activity in NFT trading on Bitcoin is not due to classic PFP NFT collections. Instead, the jump in sales comes from BRC-20 standard tokens, which are part of the Ordinals protocol but more like meme coins than traditional NFTs.
Now with the introduction of Super Nintendo emulator on Bitcoin, it appears yet another use for the world’s most popular and powerful blockchain has arrived. At Rarity Sniper, we’ll keep our eyes and ears open for any updates to the story.