Fans have a lot of reasons to like FromSoftware’s Edlen Ring. The action RPG combines the tense combat, great environmental storytelling, and grand visuals of Dark Souls with a sprawling open world. Even those who aren’t fans of the challenging Soulslike gameplay can still respect the game’s breathtaking landscapes and immersive atmosphere.
Of course, Elden Ring’s great visuals would not be possible without modern technology. It also benefits from having a screen that is at least large enough for players to tell what’s going on. However, one creator on TikTok decided to see how the game would look on a portable TV from 1999.
TikToker YourOldPalJosh uploaded the video to show how he connected his PlayStation 4 to a handheld RCA television from the end of the last century. As he explained, the first steps were finding a surge protector and power adapter so that he didn’t have to keep feeding it batteries. Then, he needed to connect his PS4’s HDMI cable to a downscaler, which reduces its resolution to something that the tiny LCD screen could use. He then connected the downscaler to a bundle of tri-colored composite cables, which he then fit with an AV input adapter that he could plug into the portable TV.
That is a lot of connections separating the two devices, but they enable YourOldPalJosh to play Elden Ring on a tiny, 23-year-old screen. Naturally, this is not the ideal graphical quality for Elden Ring. The title screen looks like something from a GameBoy Advance. Meanwhile, the grainy display does not do the game justice, and it seems almost comically too small to be practical. Still, the TikToker managed to get it running, and it is theoretically playable.
A few commenters jokingly suggested YourOldPalJosh actually try playing through Elden Ring on the portable screen. This would obviously make the already challenging action RPG even more difficult, potentially to the point of impossibility. Still, it would be an interesting challenge for someone to attempt.
Another joked that he should try “pulling a Tom [sic] Howard” and playing Skyrim on this setup. Considering that there’s already an Alexa version of Skyrim, that’s not even as silly as it sounds. YourOldPalJosh accepted the challenge, uploading a follow-up video where viewers can watch Skyrim’s opening sequence on the portable TV. The audio quality is poor, with Ralof sounding like he’s on the other side of a wall, and the game’s contrast is well beyond what the handheld TV is capable of. However, it does technically work
Notably, this isn’t the first time YourOldPalJosh connected a console to that mini-TV. An earlier video shows him using the same RCA handheld to play Metroid Prime for the Nintendo GameCube. In that case, though, he at least benefited from using two machines from roughly the same period.
Elden Ring is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.