Developer recreated 3dfx Voodoo graphics card on FPGA

An enthusiast has successfully implemented the hardware architecture of the legendary 3dfx Voodoo Graphics graphics accelerator based on a programmable logic integrated circuit (FPGA). The project, written in the SystemVerilog hardware description language, allows running classic games from the late 1990s on modern hardware without using software emulators. As the target platform for launch, the KV260 debug board was chosen. The implemented system provides stable operation of the graphics core at a frequency of 100 MHz, which corresponds to the original accelerator specifications. During testing on this configuration, it was possible to launch the Tomb Raider game, demonstrating full compatibility with the original APIs of the time. The project solves the problem of degradation of old hardware and the complexity of its maintenance. Using FPGA allows you to accurately reproduce the timings and behavior of the Voodoo chip at the level of logical gates, providing an authentic gaming experience. The author notes that the implementation required a deep analysis of the documentation for the Glide API and PCI bus architecture. This work opens up opportunities for preserving the historical heritage of computer games through hardware virtualization. Unlike traditional emulators, which load the central processor, the FPGA-based solution transfers the entire computational load to specialized logic, eliminating delays and rendering errors characteristic of software methods.