The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Google never released a Google Maps cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Its 2012 NES-and-Famicom Maps announcement was an April Fools’ gag with an online demo. Nine years later, maker ciciplusplus built an interactive, Raspberry Pi-assisted NES prototype inspired by the joke—but it was an unfinished hardware experiment, not an official Google or Nintendo product.
Was the original Google Maps NES cartridge real?
No. In 2012, Google presented an 8-bit version of Google Maps framed as a Nintendo Entertainment System and Famicom experience, alongside an online demo. The cartridge was part of the April Fools’ joke, not a retail product. Engadget’s 2021 coverage also describes the original concept as a gag rather than a released cartridge.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Nintendo NES Classic Mini EU Console (Renewed) | $175.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Original NES System by Nintendo (Renewed) | $171.72 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition | $279.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Hyperkin RetroN 2 HD Gaming Console for NES/Super NES/Super Famicom | $74.99 | Buy on Amazon |
What appeared on real NES hardware in 2021?
In 2021, a pseudonymous maker using the name ciciplusplus created a working experimental implementation inspired by Google’s earlier gag and previous NES hardware projects. The contemporary report from Hackster.io describes custom cartridge hardware and a Raspberry Pi-based graphics accelerator. It was a maker project, not an official Google or Nintendo release.
The distinction matters: this was not simply a standard NES game cartridge running a Maps ROM. The NES’s limited built-in resources made the additional graphics hardware central to the experiment. Hackster reports that the console has 2 kB of work RAM and 2 kB of video RAM; the project’s Pi-assisted setup handled graphics work beyond the ordinary cartridge-and-console arrangement.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
#1 Best Overall
- Nintendo NES console Classic Mini European version with 30 built-in games.
- Installed Games: Balloon Fight - Bubble Bobble - Castlevania - Castlevania II: Simon's Quest - Donkey Kong - Donkey Kong Jr. - Double Dragon II: The Revenge - Dr. Mario - Excitebike - Final Fantasy - Galaga - Ghosts Goblins - Gradius
- Ice Climber - Kid Icarus - Kirby's Adventure - Mario Bros. - Mega Man 2 - Metroid - Ninja Gaiden - Punch-Out !! Featuring Mr. Dream - StarTropics - SUPER C - Super Mario Bros. - Super Mario Bros. 2 - Super Mario Bros. 3 - Tecmo Bowl - The Legend of Zelda - Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
- Includes 1 joystick Nintendo Mini Classic: NES (Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro Wii compatible), 1 HDMI Cable, 1 USB power cable (to power the console, the USB cable must be connected to an AC adapter not included)
- Does not include: Commemorative poster, USB plug.
How did the Raspberry Pi-assisted hardware work?
Hackster identifies a Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ in the custom cartridge, serving as a “PiPU” graphics accelerator. The design draws on earlier NES Doom hardware work by TheRasteri. In the separate PiPU project documentation, a Raspberry Pi 3A+ interfaces with the NES through a Cypress FX2LP controller, which takes control of the Picture Processing Unit’s graphics memory bus.
That documentation explains the broader Pi-assisted cartridge architecture; it should not be treated as a complete parts list or build guide for ciciplusplus’s Maps project. PiPU’s own project describes components including a Pi 3A+, FX2LP board, SD card, and donor or reproduction cartridge, and says its design works on stock, unmodified NES consoles. Those details establish the hardware lineage, not that the Maps prototype used every component or had an equivalent published build.
Rank #2
- Comes with console, 1 controller, power cord, video cord
- Controller is original OEM (not 3rd party)
- Tested and works well. Nice condition
How were maps rendered, and could you interact with them?
According to Gizmodo’s August 27, 2021 report, the map conversion divided imagery into a 16×16 grid, averaged the colors in each cell, and substituted a pixelated tile based on graphics from the original NES version of The Legend of Zelda. Place names were automatically generated in an NES-style font.
The result was a deliberately coarse retro interpretation of map imagery, not modern cartography at normal detail. Gizmodo reported that users could scroll and zoom, giving the prototype some interaction with the map rather than presenting a static screen. That does not make it a practical replacement for phone navigation: the coverage describes a visual hardware experiment, not a dependable navigation service.
Rank #3
- The system comes bundled with: an HDMI cable
- an AC adapter
- one NES Classic Controller
- and all 30 games, installed and ready-to-play.
- E10+ w/ Mild Violence
Was the NES Maps project finished or available to buy?
Hackster’s August 2021 report described the project as unfinished. At that time, the maker had not published a build guide and was still addressing a tile-rendering bug and missing functionality, while planning to consolidate the electronics onto a cartridge board. These are the reported status at publication in 2021; later project status is not established here.
The available reporting therefore supports calling it an interactive prototype, not a released kit or a Google Maps NES cartridge people could buy. The separate PiPU documentation offers useful context for the kind of custom hardware involved, but does not establish that ciciplusplus published instructions for reproducing the Maps build.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- HD audio and video (720p) with 16: 9/4: 3 Switch (HD cable only); 3 ft. HD cable; includes AV ports with AV cable
- High compatibility with (NTSC/PAL) NES, Super NES, and Super Famicom cartridges
- Hyperkin-engineered perfect pin (patent pending) Technology sets a new standard for state-of-the-art, high-quality pins
- Comes with a “Cadet” and a “Scout” Premium classic-style Controller; Controller ports support two compatible controllers for each Console
- Includes 6 ft. Micro charge cable and AC Adapter. If AC adapter is not included, We strongly recommend that you use a USB wall AC adapter that has a minimum output of 5V 1A.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
