Developer Creates Fully Functional 3D Racing Game on ESP32-S3 Microcontroller

A developer known as davidmonterocrespo24 on Reddit has successfully created a fully functional 3D racing game that operates entirely on the ESP32-S3 microcontroller. This project demonstrates remarkable optimization techniques, pushing the capabilities of the low-cost hardware beyond typical IoT applications into the realm of interactive gaming.

The game implements a segment-based pseudo-3D rendering system similar to classic arcade racers like OutRun, complete with a textured 3D car model containing 428 vertices and 312 triangles. Using scanline affine texture mapping techniques, it renders smooth visuals on a 320×240 ILI9341 SPI display. The system employs double buffering in the ESP32's 8MB PSRAM to maintain fluid animation at the chip's 240MHz clock speed.

Gameplay features include:

• Procedurally generated tracks with curves, hills, tunnels, and environmental elements
• Dynamic day/night cycles with lighting transitions and fog effects
• Traffic AI controlling opponent vehicles
• Automatic acceleration with steering handled through GPIO buttons (GPIO 17 for left, GPIO 16 for right)

The project exemplifies how modern microcontrollers can handle complex graphical workloads when optimized effectively. Unlike traditional gaming hardware, the ESP32-S3 costs just a few dollars while delivering surprisingly capable performance. This expands potential applications beyond typical IoT sensors into interactive displays and portable entertainment systems.

Developers interested in embedded graphics programming can examine the complete source code on GitHub. The repository includes all necessary components to build the game, offering valuable insights into resource management techniques for memory-constrained environments.

This achievement follows other innovative ESP32 implementations like the local-first Ring Doorbell alternative that bypasses subscription fees, demonstrating the platform's versatility. The racing game project provides both an entertaining demonstration and educational resource for developers exploring the boundaries of embedded systems.