P4 Launcher: ESP32-P4 Boards Get a PC-Style App Menu

Microcontroller projects usually do one job until you flash them with something else. P4 Launcher, an open-source project by developer Gil Tal, takes a different approach on ESP32-P4 touchscreen boards: the firmware stays in flash, while applications live on a microSD card and load into PSRAM when you tap them. It behaves much like a small PC running programs from a disk.

• 21 applications are available today, mostly emulators and games, including Doom, Quake, Duke Nukem 3D and OpenTyrian
• Apps are .papp files on a microSD card, so adding one needs no reflashing and no reboot
• Supported boards are the Guition ESP32-P4 4.3-inch, the Guition JC1060P470C 7-inch and the M5Stack Tab5
• The project is on GitHub at launcher version 0.21.0, built with ESP-IDF v5.5.2

How Does P4 Launcher Run Apps From an SD Card?

Each PAPP (PSRAM App) is loaded from the card into PSRAM, relocated, linked to the launcher's services and started. When it exits, every resource it used is reclaimed. The README's point about flash wear is a practical one too, because trying a new game never touches the firmware.

The same .papp files and SD card work on all three supported boards. A compositor scales the LVGL-based interface to each display, from 800 x 480 on the 4.3-inch Guition up to 1280 x 720 on the Tab5. The audio engine handles up to eight streams at 4 to 192kHz, and up to four input devices are supported for multiplayer, with PS3 and Nintendo controllers among the options.

Firmware updates can come from the microSD card or GitHub, and the launcher rolls back automatically if a new version fails to start. That is a thoughtful safety net on a hobby platform.

What Games and Emulators Does P4 Launcher Include?

CNX Software reports that the lineup ranges from Neo Geo and Atari 2600 emulators to native ports of classic PC shooters, with Clock and Files utilities alongside them. The README describes emulator coverage running from NES through Neo Geo. This continues a run of impressive retro work on the chip, including the OpenLara Tomb Raider port on ESP32-P4.

The dual-core RISC-V ESP32-P4 runs at up to 400MHz, so it is no replacement for a Raspberry Pi. Its value here is cost and instant-on simplicity. A cheap touchscreen devkit becomes a small retro console that boots directly into its menu.

Can You Write Your Own PAPP Apps?

Yes. The project ships an SDK, along with two compatibility layers for existing code. One reimplements the odroid_* API, and the other implements the older PAPP v1 service table, which lets Doom, Quake, Duke Nukem 3D and OpenTyrian run with their original glue code.

Do note the status label. The README marks the project as under active development and calls the app ABI a preview that may still change, so apps built today could need a rebuild later. CNX Software adds that development was heavily assisted by Anthropic's Claude coding assistant, while judging the project well-structured and properly documented.

If you need a board to start with, our look at the Adafruit Metro ESP32-P4 covers another option in this growing family, though the launcher does not list it as supported yet. More projects like this appear in our mini computers section.

Sources: CNX Software — November 5, 2026; P4 Launcher on GitHub — accessed November 5, 2026.