The 8bit Processor Built into Minecraft can Run its Own Games

Computer chips are so tiny and intricate that it may be difficult to remember the physical principles they are based on. Mega blog Mega blog They're not just a bunch of ever-increasing numbers. For a concrete (well virtual) example, check out the latest version of a computer processor that is built exclusively for the Minecraft game engine.

Minecraft builder "Sammyuri" spent seven months developing what they call the Chungus 2, an enormously complex computer processor that is within the Minecraft game engine. This isn't even the first time a computer processor has been virtual rebuilt within Minecraft however the Chungus 2 (Computation Humongous Unconventional Number and Graphics Unit) might very well be the biggest and most complex, as it simulates an 8-bit processor with a one hertz clock speed and the capacity of 256 bytes of RAM.

Minecraft processors make use of the physics engine of the game to recreate the structure of real processors on a large scale, with materials including redstone dust, torchers, repeaters, pistons, levers, and other simple machines. To give you a sense of scale, each block in Minecraft is a virtual meter across. This means that it would be roughly the same size as the size of a cruise ship or a skyscraper if this build were to be recreated in the real world.

When connected to an in-game 32x32 "screen" and "controller" (manipulated by a Minecraft avatar player jumping around on buttons of the size of blocks) Chungus 2 Chungus 2 can play interchangeable 2D games like Tetris, Snake, or even a graphing calculator. Some programs need the Minecraft server to be artificially sped up to make the processor fast enough to use. Every program is developed entirely in Minecraft and connects to the computer as an arcade game cartridge that is the size of the freight train.

This project is a stunning example of computer science in action. It's done in a way that makes its principles immediately and visually. The video showcasing the Chungus 2 is dramatic enough and if you'd like to test it yourself you can download and run it on your own server at mc.openredstone.org. If we wait several years, we might just acquire a Minecraft CPU that is capable enough to run Minecraft, at which point the universe will probably collapse.