A Working Nintendo in ~1GB of Qwen Weights

Researchers have compiled a fully functional Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator into the weights of a Qwen language model, enabling games like Super Mario Bros. to run directly within the model's parameters without traditional training. The system works by encoding the 6502 CPU, RAM, and game ROM into the model's state, allowing it to predict the CPU's execution log one token at a time while a host program handles graphics and input. Currently limited to NROM-based games and running at 1-6 seconds per frame, this represents a novel proof-of-concept that repurposes language models as hardware emulators.