Building a Tiny 3D Renderer for the Playdate Handheld
Building a Tiny 3D Renderer for a Tiny Handheld
I started by testing the Playdate's limits with a raycaster, quickly realizing it couldn't match early 3D accelerators. However, its low-resolution 1-bit screen offered hope for a 3DO or Sega Saturn-like experience. Since the device lacks a GPU, I built a software renderer from scratch using Quake BSP files to handle all geometry, clipping, and shading on the CPU, proving real-time 3D is feasible with clever optimization.
The problem is not just 'can it draw 3D?'. Even a ZX Spectrum can draw 3D, if you give it enough time. The real question is 'can it do it fast enough to be playable in real time?'.