It Runs DOOM #10

*“But can it run DOOM?” is the techie’s go-to joke for just about any piece of hardware with a screen – and for good reason. The original DOOM’s software was so ubiquitous during the height of shareware era that fans took it upon themselves to get it running on as many devices as possible – no matter how impractical or ridiculous. *

They may not be optimized for playing shooters, but these feats in wild workarounds, fresh novelty or pure engineering deserve a shout-out because, well, they run DOOM.

Using Old Potatoes

No, we don’t mean your computer rig. (ha, gottem) In this case, ‘potato’ refers to literal, born-of-the-earth, edible tubers.

YouTuber Equalo set out to accomplish a twist on the usual “can it run DOOM?” challenge; rather than modify a device to play the classic shooter, Equalo wanted to see if the game could be played using power generated exclusively from potatoes – a “can it power DOOM?” challenge, if you will.

For those who missed out on the classic grade school experiment, potatoes produce energy when connected to a circuit using a galvanized nail and a penny. The zinc in the nail reacts to the phosphoric acid in the potato, producing energy that is harnessed by potassium in the tater and conducted by copper in the penny. Boom, potato battery.

We urge you to check out the full video to follow Equalo’s journey to running DOOM on potato power but the final, ridiculous setup involves a graphing calculator version of the classic shooter running on several hundred slices of wired potato slices.

The feat came at a cost, however, as the process required Equalo to work in an enclosed room with a hundred pounds’ worth of rotting potatoes stinking up the room. “I hate potatoes now,” concludes Equalo. “Please don’t ever do this yourself, it’s not worth it.”

The accomplishment may have taxed its creator heavily but here in the Slayers Club, the sacrifice is not in vain! Not only do we appreciate any obscure method of running DOOM, but should demons invade Earth and leave us with nothing but potatoes, we can rest a little easier knowing we can still pass the time. That and get really into gnocchi.

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