All 54 Clickwheel iPod Games Now Preserved for Future Generations

The complete collection of all 54 downloadable clickwheel games for the iPod has been successfully preserved, marking a significant achievement for the classic iPod community. This effort, led by GitHub user Olsro, involved overcoming Apple’s stringent FairPlay DRM to ensure these games remain playable for future generations.

Last year, the community initiated a project to gather playable copies of these games, which Apple offered briefly in the late 2000s. The preservation process required users with original game copies to sync their accounts through a coordinated Virtual Machine. This central library would then enable access to the games on any compatible iPod, effectively bypassing the original DRM restrictions.

The project faced challenges, particularly in tracking down owners of the remaining games. As of now, the inclusion of Real Soccer 2009 means all official iPod clickwheel games are available in one easily accessible format. Olsro stated that he connected with several individuals who had extensive game libraries shortly after launching the project in October 2022. This included a YouTuber who had purchased and maintained copies of 39 distinct games, even acquiring upgraded versions for later iPod models.

After initial success, progress stalled as the community encountered technical issues and false leads. Olsro dedicated considerable time to assisting users facing problems during the transfer process. He noted, “I kept motivation to continue coaching anyone else coming to me (by mail/Discord) and making regular posts to increase awareness until I could find finally someone that could, this time, go with me through all the steps of the preservation process.”

Retrieving the final game, Real Soccer 2009, proved particularly difficult. Olsro described multiple failed attempts over the summer, including one case where a user’s iPod appeared empty despite having a playable copy. “I was worried about people losing their Apple ID or their game files, or about how mechanical hard drives that are storing the games are all dying,” he added.

The project faced an additional pressure: the uncertainty of Apple’s servers, which could have disabled authorization for new games at any moment. Fortunately, Olsro indicated that the version of iTunes 12 they used for their Virtual Machine remained functional, enabling them to continue the preservation efforts. This version, dating back to 2018, is crucial as it also supports the downloading of iOS apps, although its future availability is uncertain.

Now that the collection is complete, owners of any iPod 5G or later, including the iPod Nano 3G and beyond, can sync the entire library to their devices fully offline. This can be done by following instructions provided on GitHub or through a torrent available on the Internet Archive, which includes the necessary files for setting up the Virtual Machine.

Olsro believes this project ensures that this particular chapter of gaming history remains intact. He expressed hope that the Virtual Machine could be valuable for researchers interested in understanding how DRM functioned during that era.

For many gamers, the preservation initiative holds personal significance. One Reddit user reflected on their experience with the iPod version of Sonic the Hedgehog, stating, “It was my introduction to the franchise as a kid, and it got me into speedrunning. To this day, it’s the easiest version of the game for me to play due to the ingrained muscle memory.”

With the completion of this project, the legacy of these clickwheel games is secured, allowing both nostalgia and historical appreciation to thrive. The effort exemplifies the dedication of the iPod community to preserving a unique slice of digital gaming history.