MAD-65 Custom Retro Console Impresses at NRG 2026 With Dual 65C02 Processors and Working Games

Mateusz Matysiak demonstrates the MAD-65 at NRG 2026, an original custom console using two parallel 65C02 processors and discrete TTL logic.

A particularly interesting hardware project emerged from NRG 2026 in Poznań, where developer Mateusz Matysiak presented the MAD-65, a custom-built videogame console inspired by classic eight-bit computing architecture. Unlike many modern retro systems, the MAD-65 does not simply package an existing emulator inside an inexpensive computer. Instead, it is designed around two WDC 65C02 processors operating in parallel, supported by conventional logic circuitry and programmable components. According to the event's official programme, the system uses TTL logic and several CPLDs, with construction intended to remain accessible to hobbyists using through-hole components. Its video-generation circuitry is particularly unusual because the display signal is produced through dedicated hardware logic rather than a conventional modern graphics processor. The developer presented the project during a scheduled technical session on October 25, explaining the division of responsibilities between the processors and the challenges involved in creating the video system. The event programme confirms that games are already running on the hardware. The project also appeared in two NRG competition categories. MAD65 Tech Demo finished second in the retro-systems demo competition with 165 points, while Escape from Saturn, an alpha-version game running on custom hardware, placed second in the game competition with 255 points. These results demonstrate that the system has progressed beyond a purely theoretical electronics experiment. However, no commercial launch, mass-production plan or confirmed consumer price has been announced. The MAD-65 represents a different approach to retro hardware development from FPGA-based recreation or software emulation. Rather than reproducing an existing computer exactly, its creator is building something new using familiar historical components and design principles. Apparently the future of videogame hardware can still involve two 65C02 processors and a determined refusal to take the easy route.