Doom runs, of course, on Nintendo’s Alarmo alarm clock

A game console in an alarm clock

Nintendo’s Alarmo, originally designed to offer animations and music inspired by the brand’s games, is now capable of running the famous game Doom. This project is the work of GaryOderNichts, a tinkerer and tech enthusiast, who circumvented the device’s restrictions by using its USB-C port. Using custom firmware, it was able to load Doom without physically modifying the alarm clock, thus making this hack accessible to other hackers.

Using the USB-C port

This transformation is based on the work of another user, Spinda, who extracted the firmware from the Alarmo using a Flipper Zero, thus paving the way for GaryOderNichts. Using a USB stick he was able to launch Doom in shareware version on Alarmo. However, let’s not get carried away: the alarm clock has limitations, including the absence of sound and a limited memory capacity. This hack requires decompressing the files of Doom on external memory, making the process more technical.

The game on Alarmo remains basic, especially in terms of control: the central button of the alarm clock allows you to move the characterwhile the side buttons are used to shoot. Although this configuration is far from offering an optimal gaming experience, it demonstrates the technical potential of the Alarmo and illustrates once again how devices with initially restricted functions can be reprogrammed for misused uses.

Nintendo will moan

This experiment inevitably attracts the attention of tinkerers, but it could also attract interest from Nintendooften attentive to misuse of its products.

Over the years, enthusiasts have managed to run Doom on other devices that are unusual to say the least. Among the most surprising is a digital pregnancy test, modified to display the game on its small monochrome screen. Tinkerers have also carried Doom on scientific calculators, demonstrating the flexibility of the game. More recently, a pharmacy cross served as a screen for the game. These exploits all show the adaptability of Doom and the creativity of tinkerers!