McMillen: Publisher in talks with Nintendo for Binding of Isaac on 3DS

January 1st, 2012, 01:49 Posted By: wraggster

You could live through exaggerated childhood trauma ... in 3D! Responding on his FormSpring to a question about a potential 3DS port of The Binding of Isaac, co-creator Edmund McMillen revealed that "A publisher i know is currently asking Nintendo if they would be OK with Isaac on the 3DS." If Nintendo approves, he's willing to "let them port it."

McMillen later said that the 3DS was the "only other system you might ever seeIsaac on." Of course, acquiring Nintendo approval may be difficult considering the violent, grotesque imagery and overarching theme of infanticide.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/mc...ding-of-isaac/

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Rumor: Wii U to host more non-game apps

January 1st, 2012, 01:51 Posted By: wraggster

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Nintendo plans improved app store for Wii U, looks to serve Apple and Google in dance

January 2nd, 2012, 22:13 Posted By: wraggster

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4 million sold for Nintendo 3DS

January 3rd, 2012, 21:46 Posted By: wraggster

The Nintendo 3DS handheld has sold 4 million units since its release, according to official figures. The total puts the machine ahead of the Wii in terms of unit sales for the first 9 months.
Nintendo revealed today that in 2011 it sold 12 million hardware units, including 4.5 million Wiis, the 3DS's 4 million and 3.4 million other Nintendo DS handhelds.
Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 are also the first titles for the 3DS to sell a million each in North America.
"One of the strongest software line ups in our history helped Nintendo have a great holiday season and to close 2011 with a full head of steam," said Nintendo of America VP of sales and marketing Scott Moffitt.
"Not only have the new Mario and Zelda titles already broken records, but with strong reviews and satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences, all three are also shaping up to be the latest long-tail titles from Nintendo. Couple that with a massive first- and third party lineup in the first part of the year and the prospects for 2012 are extremely promising."
The celebratory news is a stark contrast to the current Japanese figures for PlayStation Vita, which saw a 78 per cent drop in sales from its first to second week.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...r-nintendo-3ds

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Metal Gear Solid themed 3DS confirmed by Kojima

January 3rd, 2012, 21:57 Posted By: wraggster

A special Metal Gear Solid-themed 3DS console will be released alongside Konami’s Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater next year.
The rumours were confirmed by none other than MGS creator Hideo Kojima himself, who released an image of the device on Twitter.
The unit features an embossed snakeskin cover.
However, it’s not yet known what regions the machine will be released in. Kojima’s tweet suggests Japan is confirmed, but European and American gamers will have to wait a little longer to find out about the machine’s fate overseas.
Further details will apparently be shared on January 20^th.
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater is due out for 3DS some time this quarter. The game will be compatible with Nintendo’s 3DS Circle Pad Pro.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/metal...-kojima/089293

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Mario's 3DS outings break US sales records

January 3rd, 2012, 22:49 Posted By: wraggster

Both Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 have become the fastest selling games in the history of their franchises in the US.
The pair are the first 3DS games to sell over a million units in the territory.
In addition, the 3DS console itself has officially sold more units in its first nine months on the market than the Wii sold in the same time period.
In total Nintendo sold 12m consoles in the US in 2011, which breaks down as follows – 4.5m+ Wii, 4m+ 3DS and over 3.4m DS.
That takes Wii’s US user base to 39m and the DS to 51m. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword has become the 45^th Wii game to pass the 1m US sales mark.
"One of the strongest software line-ups in our history helped Nintendo have a great holiday season and to close 2011 with a full head of steam," NoA sales and marketing exec Scott Moffitt stated.
"Not only have the new Mario and Zelda titles already broken records, but with strong reviews and satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences, all three are also shaping up to be the latest long-tail titles from Nintendo.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/mario...records/089291

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Nintendo prepping Wii U e-reader service?

January 3rd, 2012, 22:51 Posted By: wraggster

The Wii U’s semi-portable tablet controller could become the central focus of a new content service offering from Nintendo, according to online reports.
As well as being linked with – surprise surprise – a push to get iOS games ported onto the device, Forget The Box has been lead to believe that Nintendo wants to position Wii U as an e-reader.
It alleges that the plan is to get books, magazines, newspapers and graphic novels that would be stored on the console and then streamed to the controller.
Nintendo is said to be “actively seeking publishers” for its new strategy.
Of course, this leads to the same question we’ve all been asking about the tablet. Users will remain tethered to within Wi-FI range of their Wii U. How can this hope to rival devices that are truly portable?
Perhaps this adds weight to the growing rumours that the “new-look” Wii U tipped for a 2012 reveal will break the chain that keeps the controller shackled to the console.
Forget The Box also claims that the e-reader service will be compatible with 3DS, too.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ninte...service/089288

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Epic Mickey 2 accidentally announced

January 3rd, 2012, 22:58 Posted By: wraggster

It appears that Disney Interactive has accidentally announced Epic Mickey 2 in a newsletter – which, incidentally, has subsequently been amended.
Eurogamer reports that the game was dated for a Christmas 2012 release on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.
Hopes of a sequel to the 2010 Wii original had seemingly been dashed following Disney’s closure of the majority of its core gaming business and an apparent re-focusing on the casual and mobile games sector.
The game will for the first time introduce two-player co-op via split-screen.
“In the two-player mode one person can play as Mickey wielding magic paint and paint thinner to dynamically change the world and the second player can play as Oswald the Lucky Rabbit - Walt Disney's first cartoon star - with the power to fly like a helicopter and use electricity to fight or friend enemies and solve challenges,” the blurb explains.
It’s not known whether Warren Spector, the Deus Ex creator who helmed the first Epic Mickey game, will be involved with the sequel.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/epic-...nounced/089287

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Retrode 2 retro gaming adapter brings SNES / Genesis support to your PC for $85

January 3rd, 2012, 23:45 Posted By: wraggster

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Remotely Pat Your Pet With Kinect and a Wiimote

January 5th, 2012, 00:01 Posted By: wraggster

Taylor Valtrop, an enterprising roboticist with a penchant for kitties, has crafted the mother of all Kinect (and Wiimote!) hacks: Theteleoperation of a robot to groom a cat. Using a Nao, a $15,000 robot; a treadmill (for moving the robot forward); a head-mounted display (to see what the robot sees); Kinect (for tracking his movements); and two Wiimotes (to move the robot's hands), Valtrop is able to pat a cat with surprising accuracy and gentleness (except for where he accidentally hits the cat in the face)."

http://idle.slashdot.org/story/12/01...-and-a-wiimote

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Zen Pinball 3D flips out on eShop January 12

January 5th, 2012, 00:40 Posted By: wraggster

Zen Studios is preparing the most realistic fake pinball imaginable: Zen Pinball 3D, which brings a 2D simulation of a real-world, 3D game back into 3D. The developer officially announced details of the 3DS eShop release today, revealing a January 12 date and a $6.99 price. Not quite the "fall" date we originally heard, but it's very close to now.

For those tokens, you'll get four tables, including Earth Defense, Shaman, Excalibur, and Eldorado. Zen Studios plans to follow those with DLC tables, which have yet to be announced. We're guessing they'll come from the lineup of tables made for other versions.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/ze...op-january-12/

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Star Fox 64 3D miniatures do the tiniest, most adorable barrel rolls

January 5th, 2012, 00:45 Posted By: wraggster

You know that shrink ray you've been working on in your attic, Rick Moranis style? Well, rather than a boring old shrunken human, how would you like to be a shrunken Fox McCloud? An upcoming series of miniatures, set to debut in Japan only for now, could let you finally live out that dream.

A new line of Star Fox 64 3D and Steel Diverfigurines will be available starting this May,Siliconera reports. They're modeled after the Arwing, Landmaster tank and Blue Marine sub -- in the case of the Steel Diver figurines, it's a bunch of subs. Did you honestly expect something else? It's a submarine game, folks.

The figures will apparently cost 300 yen each ($3.90) when they hit store shelves, so start saving up your Japanese coins!

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/st...able-barrel-r/

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Skyward Sword's language deciphered, turned into font

January 5th, 2012, 00:47 Posted By: wraggster

Did you ever wonder what all the writing found throughout The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword translated to? Neither have we, but fan "Sarinilli" did, and discovered that it's just our alphabet represented by new characters. A few of the Hylian characters represent multiple letters, but it's a simple substitution regardless.

With this knowledge, Sarinilli then created a font out of the Hylian characters, which you can download here. Now you can write secret messages meant only for Link! We think he'd be very surprised to find out how concerned people are about the Zelda timeline.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/sk...ned-into-font/

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Nintendo 3DS has "turned the corner"

January 5th, 2012, 00:54 Posted By: wraggster

The Nintendo 3DS has "turned the corner" following a shaky launch and early price cut, so says games industry analyst Michael Pachter.Following news earlier this week that the system has passed the four million sales mark in the US faster than the Wii did, the Wedbush Morgan mouthpiece told Eurogamer that, though he was surprised the system didn't take off at its original pricepoint, sales are now well and truly back on track."It's very successful, but ran into a headwind given its relatively high price - which I incorrectly thought was the right price - and lack of third party software support," said Pachter."Now that we are seeing more first party titles at a lower price point, sales have increased. It's definitely turned the corner.""I was surprised that it sold so few at the $249 price point, and its sales to date are exactly what I originally forecasted at that price," he added.EEDAR VP Jesse Divnich agreed that Nintendo's handheld has ridden out the early storm, though added a note of caution for the future."With the strong rebound in 3DS sales, I think Nintendo is clear of the woods for now," he said."Going forward, however, we will closely be paying attention to software attach rates. Selling hardware is great, but it is only the first step. The health of any hardware is directly correlated to the amount of software consumers buy."The 3DS's slow start surprised us all, but once they announced the steep price cut we had little concerns that they would rebound," he added. "At such a great price, backed by strong first-party content, it shouldn't be of any surprise they were able to turn the corner."Screen Digest's Piers Harding-Rolls also warned the platform holder against complacency following its bumper festive period."2012 will be crucial for the platform, as its sales momentum will decide how third-party investment in content development will be prioritised," he said."We expect the 3DS to continue selling, but Nintendo faces an increasingly competitive landscape and the hurdle of convincing third-parties to invest in the platform."All three agreed that it's unlikely the system will manage to catch the DS's lifetime total, which currently sits at around 150 million worldwide."I think anything catching the Nintendo DS will be incredibly difficult," opined Divnich."The key to catching the Nintendo DS would be appealing to the ultra-casual consumers, those who originally bought the Nintendo DS for games like Brain Age and Sudoku, which are now prevalent and cheaper on other platforms - tablets and mobile."But I don't believe topping DS sales is Nintendo's goal for the 3DS. Their goal, however, is to create a sustainable and healthy third-party environment which, as I alluded to earlier, means having high software attach rates that are generally driven by the core audience."Pachter agreed that the rise of the smartphone makes emulating the phenomenal success of the DS a tall order."The emergence of smartphone games is eroding the casual market's support for dedicated gaming devices, and I'd guess that 30 per cent or more of DS sales were to casual gamers. That makes it tough to compete," he said."At the high end, we have renewed competition from Sony with PS Vita, so they should nibble away at the hard core, leaving Nintendo an addressable market for 3DS that is around 60 per cent as big as the addressable market for DS."When asked, in the run up to the Western launch of the Vita, what lessons Sony can take away from the 3DS's rollercoaster first 10 months on shelves, Harding-Rolls replied:"It's important to launch with a strong set of games, strong connectivity functionality, familiar social features and well integrated online platform, and at an aggressive price point."Under current economic conditions and taking into account competition from other types of portable/mobile devices, my own feeling is that PS Vita pricing will be the biggest sticking point for the platform in the post launch period months."Pachter echoed those concerns over the Vita's £229 price tag."Sony is probably learning the hard way that pricing handhelds at the same level as the company's core console makes it hard to gain traction," he said."The 3DS tried and failed, and PS Vita is trying the same thing. We'll see if it works this time."My bet is that Sony will NOT lower the price right away - as Nintendo did - mostly because the 3DS had a pretty healthy profit margin at $249, and I think that the Vita is selling for only slightly above its cost to manufacture at that price."I don't see Sony taking losses to drive market share, so I don't expect them to cut price in 2012."

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...ned-the-corner

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Expect '3DS Lite' this year - report

January 5th, 2012, 01:00 Posted By: wraggster

Just bought a 3DS? A lot of people did over the Christmas break. How about some lovely 3DS Lite rumours, then? Yeah, thought you'd like it.
Japanese magazine Nikkei Trendy has speculated that Nintendo will release a thinner '3DS Lite' in 2012 to help expand the console's user base."To increase the 3DS's install base, there's a possibility for a lighter version that addresses the handheld's weak points, the thickness and the battery life," says the magazine, according to Kotaku translations.
This it puts under the header of 'Spring', placing the release of a revised 3DS at just a few months away.
Calm down though. The key word here is 'speculate' - the magazine isn't reporting a rumour from any given source, just taking an educated guess based on the current lay of the land and previous trends.
The original DS released in Japan in December 2004 and was followed less than a year-and-a-half later by the DS Lite in March 2006. 3DS launched in Japan in February 2011, and in EU and US in March.
So, given that timeline, we'd be buying thinner 3DS units in June. But Nintendo has already previously said that it built the 3DS to be "fully packed right from the start," and thus "we don't have any short-term plans for creating a more compact version of 3DS like we did with DS Lite."
Take that as you will.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...s-year-report/

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LEGO Batman 2 officially announced

January 5th, 2012, 23:59 Posted By: wraggster

We all knew it was coming, but Warner Bros has confirmed that Batman will once again get the LEGO treatment this year.
As was previously leaked, this time the Dark Knight will be joined by other DC Comics superheroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern.
The game will feature the usual co-op gameplay that LEGO games are known for and an all-new storyline that sees Gotham City besieged by the Joker and Lex Luthor.
The original LEGO Batman was released in 2008 and has sold more than 11m units worldwide.
"LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes builds upon the action and cooperative gameplay experience established in our best-selling LEGO video game to date," said TT Games MD Tom Stone.
LEGO Batman 2 will be released this summer for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS, 3DS and Vita.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/lego-...nounced/089378

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Self Balancing Robot with Wii parts

January 6th, 2012, 00:07 Posted By: wraggster


[Moser] is looking to build a quadrocopter sometime in the future, without plunking down a good chunk of change for a kit model. Looking for a good place to start he figured why not work on the control system. Thinking that the balance of the flying platform of doom would be similar to working out a self balancing robot he spent a couple days and made his self balancing robot.
Armed with a plan, and a logic analyzer, he went out and got a Wii Motion Plus, which is an inexpensive three axis gyroscope, and a nunchuck which features an accelerometer which both can be found in just about any strip mall. After fiddling for a day getting the Wii nunchuck and motion plus to play nice all it took was a little more time to code up the self balancing routines.
And while its not perfect, all its going to take is a little tweaking and maybe some faster servo motors to get things up to top notch.

http://hackaday.com/2012/01/05/self-...ith-wii-parts/

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NintendoWare Weekly: Samurai Sword Destiny, Zombii Attack

January 6th, 2012, 01:21 Posted By: wraggster

Today on WiiWare, you can experience a pitched battle against zombies, in which you pitch objects with a slingshot. Oh, and it's called Zombii Attack.Because it's on the Wii. And there are zombies. (See?)

UFO Interactive's Samurai Sword Destiny, a side-scrolling action game starring a samurai in search of her missing elder brother, is the next original release on the 3DS eShop. Said samurai seems to think he's hiding behind a single-file line of several thousand enemies.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/ni...zombii-attack/

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Resident Evil: Revelations demo announced

January 6th, 2012, 01:35 Posted By: wraggster

A demo for forthcoming 3DS survival horror Resident Evil: Revelations is on its way, publisher Capcom has announced.The sampler has already been made available in Japan, but Capcom USA VP Christian Svensson has now confirmed it's coming to Europe and the US too.Speaking in a forum post on the Capcom Unity blog, Svensson wouldn't confirm a date, though seeing as the game is due on shelves from 27th January, it can't be far off."In the case of NA, we're awaiting our date confirmation and code approval from NOA (we have a tentative from them, but I'll have to keep you in suspense)," he wrote."When we have something more concrete to share, you won't be able to miss it on the Capcom-Unity blog."It might not be the first taste the Resident Evil faithful have had of Revelations. A brief demo of the game was also included with The Mercenaries 3D last Summer.For more on how the first traditional entry in the series since 2009's Resident Evil 5 is shaping up, take a look at Eurogamer's Resident Evil: Revelations preview.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...demo-announced

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Nintendo prevents WiiWare developers from sharing sales data

January 7th, 2012, 01:00 Posted By: wraggster

London-based Icon Games has claimed that Nintendo asked it to remove WiiWare sales figures published on the developer's blog.
Icon had listed figures across all the formats it develops for, including Nintendo's console, but was forced to take down digital Wii transactions.
"Yesterday Nintendo got in touch to ask us to remove the figures for the WiiWare titles from the blog," reads an explanatory post on the same blog. "Apparently they don't allow developers to publish the sales numbers of their self-published titles.
"As to why, I can't really be sure - are they scared to reveal how their online services perform or do they just dislike developers being able to run effective businesses? It is a tricky one - and incredibly unfair and damaging to indie developers publishing on Nintendo stores.
"I don't believe Nintendo are necessary alone in this policy, but I believe they are by far the most draconian in enforcing it. I have seen many different reports from developers for games on XBLA, PSN, Steam and so on with details of sales figures, but never anything for a Nintendo store."
Icon's Richard Hill-Whittall then goes on to explain why he feels such a policy is potentially damaging for Wii Ware developers, pointing to the difficulty of maintaining effective business and financial planning, pitching to investors and lenders, and assuring staff of their job security.

http://www.next-gen.biz/news/nintend...ing-sales-data

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Miyamoto working on new original project

January 7th, 2012, 01:07 Posted By: wraggster

Shigeru Miyamoto has revealed that he is working on a new original title along with his already revealed Wii U Pikmin 3 and 3DS Luigi's Mansion 2 projects.
"People have come to expect a lot from me," he said during an interview with Zoomin Games (below).
"This certainly makes me feel some pressure. But if you ask me, 'Is it too much pressure to try to come out with something new?' I have to say no, I'm enjoying myself.
"When I make something I always try to do my best."
During the interview, Miyamoto also expressed surprise and flattery at the public reaction to comments made during a Wired interview that suggested he intended to retire.

http://www.next-gen.biz/news/miyamot...iginal-project

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3DS sets new Japanese sales record

January 7th, 2012, 01:14 Posted By: wraggster

Think the 3DS is a flop? Think Again. Nintendo’s handheld has just set a brand new monthly sales record in Japan.
Andriasang reports that Nintendo sold a total of 1,492,931 units in December. That’s the best performance of any console since Enterbrain started tracking sales in 1997.
The console has been the best selling console in Japan now for seven months in a row.
The second best selling machine in December was PlayStation Vita, which sold a total of 402,794 units following its launch on December 17^th.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/3ds-s...records/089440

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Future relaunches Nintendo magazine

January 7th, 2012, 01:18 Posted By: wraggster

The first issue of Nintendo Gamer has arrived on shelves.
The unofficial Nintendo magazine – formarly NGamer – is available in both print and on iPad. The cover price has been cut from £4.99 to £4.50.
A new website, www.nintendo-gamer.net, will also go live in February, complemented by a strong social media presence.
“With 3DS taking a strong foothold in the market and Wii U on the horizon, the Nintendo sector should be a more vibrant place in 2012,” said Lee Nutter, publisher for Future’s Nintendo portfolio.
“We’ve positioned Nintendo Gamer to deliver that excitement across print, web and iPad, in its own inimitable way.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/futur...agazine/089437

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Rayman Origins 3DS brings beauty to Europe on March 16, still no NA launch date

January 7th, 2012, 23:27 Posted By: wraggster

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'Nintendo needs to stop living in the past' - Pachter

January 7th, 2012, 23:59 Posted By: wraggster

Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter has damned Nintendo for its design decisions with Wii U's unique tablet controller, which he says ultimately guarantees "limited third party launch support".
"Nintendo has to simply stop living in the past in 2012," he told Industry Gamers. "They had a great deal of success since 1985 by making proprietary hardware and supporting it with proprietary software. They attracted third party support based upon the large installed base they generated for their hardware."They appear to me to be confident that 'if they build it, third parties will support it', but I don't think that is the case for Wii U," he added.
Pachter takes issue with Nintendo's decision to adopt an alternative approach to its controller design - as it has done for all of its home consoles. "By trying to be 'different' with the tablet controller, they have complicated game design for developers, who can't figure out if the Wii U will ultimately support only one or multiple controllers."
He has a point there; Nintendo has 'confirmed' that, as originally reported by CVG, the console will only ship with - and be limited to compatibility with - a single tablet controller, blaming cost issues for the limitation. But conflicting reports have since emerged.
Pachter adds: "Nintendo made the device sufficiently different that they are all but assured of limited third party launch support, which ultimately will lead to modest hardware sales."
He goes on to suggest that Nintendo needs to improve its operations "in the areas of digital downloads, a user-friendly online interface and multiplayer gaming".

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-past-pachter/

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UAE Wii 8 released

January 8th, 2012, 21:55 Posted By: wraggster

UAE is a famous Amiga emulator ported to the Wii. UAE Wii can be found on googlecode at uae-wii.googlecode.com, and is based on the source code of E-UAE. It allows you to play Stunt car racer, Turrican, Midwinter and the other good old Amiga games on your Wii. The port uses SDL Wii.

Changelog
Version 8
Added rumble support
Added configurable aspect ratio
Reduced font size of list file menu
Utf8 font support

http://uae-wii.googlecode.com/

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Powder 117-1

January 8th, 2012, 21:56 Posted By: wraggster

A port of POWDER to the Wii using SDL Wii

Updated to version 117 of POWDER, see the POWDER releases page for changes.

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Powder

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Nwancat 1.0 released

January 8th, 2012, 21:58 Posted By: wraggster

This is just the nyan cat for your wii. Source included

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Nwancat

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Super Mario Unlimited Released!

January 8th, 2012, 23:02 Posted By: wraggster

After literally years of development, Super Mario Unlimited has finally been released!
This elaborate hack of the original Super Mario Bros features:

• 40 all new levels
• Tons of new secrets
• New power ups and items
• Updated graphics
• And new music added by Dr. Floppy!

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Glory of Heracles: Snap Story English Translation

January 8th, 2012, 23:04 Posted By: wraggster

Finally, after nearly 10 long years since I started this project, Glory of Heracles: Snap Story translation is finished and completely in English. Snap Story is the Gameboy entry in the series, but it’s still quite fun… If you’re into old-school Dragon Quest clones. The game’s graphics are quite similar to Glory of Heracles II, but instead of gaining permanent party members ala II, you can enlist the aid of various gods as you level up. The gods act as party members that you can choose to use on a round by round basis.
All in all, it’s definitely worth a play if you’re a fan of the series or a fan of old-school Japanese RPGs.
I even went old-school and built an a RPGClassics shrine for the game while I was at it, just in case anybody needs a little help while playing the game. Enjoy. =)
RHDN Project Page
Relevant Link: (http://hti.rpgclassics.com)

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Zooming Secretary released on NES

January 8th, 2012, 23:05 Posted By: wraggster

via http://retroactionmagazine.com/retro...leased-on-nes/

It’s not often we get to play much in the way of NES homebrew games at Retroaction. However, Zooming Secretary is one game we simply couldn’t ignore. Developed by Shiru in collaboration with PinWizz, the game has the player in control of a new secretary who must make it through a week’s trial without getting fired. This involves answering telephone calls, filing and the usual avoidance of the office gossip. Great visuals, gameplay and full of witty observational scenes and dialogue, Zooming Secretary is a class act all the way.

The game’s archive package, which includes the NES ROM, instruction manual, notes and NES/Famicom label images can be freely downloaded from Shiru’s website. While there, why not check out his fantastic back catalogue of games? Also be sure to check out the fantastic review on RGCD (where I first heard about this game) and also this YouTube clip of the game in action. Enjoy.

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N64 Myth flashcart CPLD core upgrade pack v6.0+

January 8th, 2012, 23:09 Posted By: wraggster

A new CPLD upgrade pack for the N64 Myth flashcart has been released!
Changelog:
[1] nothing change,just re-compile the CPLD core,because the previous V6 core have something wrong with the save part when we compile it
You can read up more info by clicking here

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d2x cIOS V8 beta (R41)

January 8th, 2012, 23:12 Posted By: wraggster

davebaol continues the development of version 8 of its cIOS and therefore provides a new beta version of it. Various bugs reported by users, particularly in regard to the stealth mode and emulation of NAND, have been corrected. The installation requires to decompress files d2x beta R40 V8 in the same directory as the d2x cIOS Installer 3.1. Being a beta, it may be buggy or less stable, install and use it knowingly. Changelog Quote:






LIB:
- Minor changes.

ES:
- Fixed return to channel failure when the system menu is not installed on emu
nand.
- Plugin moved forward in memory in order.
- Code clean up.

FAT:
- Disabled file sharing control to overcome a stupid issue made by developers in
The Beatles Rock Band. See issue 11 .
- Minor changes.

FS:
- Fixed black screen in partial emulation when starting a game never launched
before on real nand. See issue 14 .
- Increased 'exe' region size a bit.
- Minor changes and code clean up.


http://wii.gx-mod.com/modules/news/a...p?storyid=3095

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OpenBOR v3.0 Build 3663 - - for Dreamcast, Wii, wiz, gp2x, dingoo and PSP

January 8th, 2012, 23:18 Posted By: wraggster

OpenBOR is a continuation of the Beats Of Rage 2D game engine, which was originally
created by the wonderful folks over at http://www.senileteam.com.

This release is for the Dreamcast, PSP, Wii, Wiz, GP2x and Dingoo:

Heres whats new;


r3663 | utunnels | 2012-01-07 05:27:25 -0500 (Sat, 07 Jan 2012) | 1 line
Changed paths:
M /engine/openbor.c

Forgot to reset ent_max and ent_count, now added.


http://lavalit.com:8080/OpenBOR/down...p?file=OpenBOR v3.0 Build 3663.7z

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Swiss v0.2-r94

January 8th, 2012, 23:31 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

Swiss, the "swiss army knife of Gamecube homebrew" by emu_kidid has been updated version 0.2 revision 94. See the release notes for what's new, and join the on-going discussion for more information about this project. Note that an IDE-EXI, or SD Gecko is needed to use this utility.



QUOTE: Release Notes 12/25/11The 0.2 version revision goals:
•Game compatibility (Luigis Mansion, PSO Ep3)

•Removal of the need for a working DVD drive/disc in the drive (to work with the low patches too)

•GUI to undergo progressive clean-up

•Create Qoob modchip flashable BIOS version

•Streamline build process to also build a GCM (per region too)

•Wiikey fusion support!

http://code.google.com/p/swiss-gc/

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Settings Editor GUI v1.3

January 8th, 2012, 23:32 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

Settings Editor GUI has been updated to version 1.3. This Wii application, made by JoostinOnline and stfour, can be used for changing several facets of your Wii's system, such as screen resolution, aspect ratio, sensor bar position, and internet settings. Check out the discussion link below for the off-site download, and more information about this homebrew project.



QUOTE: Change Log 12/25/11•Settings Editor GUI now has theme support! It will use whatever theme you have for postLoader, or a custom one if you have it on your SD/USB (example included).

http://gbatemp.net/topic/310091-settings-editor-gui/

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ARcardPACK v2.1

January 8th, 2012, 23:34 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

GBAtemp member Snailface has released an update for his 3DS AR card viewer for the DS and PSP, and it is now at version 2.1. You can use this application as a convenient alternative to toting around the actual physical augmented reality cards. Please join the on-going discussion for more information about this homebrew project.


QUOTE: Change Log 12/29/11

• Images centered exactly so there is no 'jitter' while changing cards.
• '?' Card no longer looks like an abomination.
• Sound effects added.
• Title screen book-moded.

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Bitsweeper Release 5

January 8th, 2012, 23:34 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

Bitsweeper, the Minesweeper homebrew for the DS made by Heriberto Delgado, has been updated to Release 5. See the change log for what's new in this version of the game.


QUOTE: Change Log 12/24/11

• [*]
• [*]
• [*]

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msxDS v0.93

January 8th, 2012, 23:36 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

msxDS, the MSX/MSX2/MSX2+ emulator for the DS/DSi made by Popolon, has been updated to version 0.93. Check out the change log for what's new in this edition, and for more information about this homebrew be sure to visit the project's page linked below.


QUOTE: Change Log 01/01/12

• Fixed a small bug in the save state.
• Improved speed of screen10 and screen12 modes.

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ModMii for Windows v5.1.0 -->5.1.1

January 8th, 2012, 23:38 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

Xflak has updated ModMii, the all-purpose Windows application for your Wii, from 5.1.0 to version 5.1.1. See the spoiler below for the extensive change log, and be sure to check out the on-going discussion for the download and instructions about how to use the wide variety of functions this Wii utility has to offer.


QUOTE: Current Features

• It can download all the files necessary to Modify, Upgrade & Downgrade your Wii System Menu.
• Download individual IOS/cIOS files, Official Wii Channels, System Menus, Multi Mod Manager, YAWMM, Dop-Mii, both versions of Bannerbomb, Hackmii Installer etc.
• Install patched IOSs without an wifi connection on your Wii
  This includes an easy to follow Custom guide to setting up a USB-Loader (including how to format/partition your external hard drive)
• Install SNEEK, build emulated NANDs, and Batch Extract WiiGamcube Games for use with SNEEK+DI or UNEEK+DI
• Customize Bootmii, Wad Manager and MMM start-up settings using ModMii Configurators to create a custom config files
  This is also capable of building many different System Menu Themes (csm's and themed SM Wads) using the appropriate 000000**.app for your system menu (also applies to emulated NANDs)
• Provides solutions for the upside-down homebrew channel and the HackMii installer No Vulnerable IOS problems
• Advanced Custom Downloads Feature will allow you to easily patch and change the slot/version of IOSs/cIOSs. It can also build 3 different types of forwarder dol's and iso's (only use this feature if you know what you are doing!!)

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nesDS v1.0

January 8th, 2012, 23:40 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

GBAtemp member huiminghao has updated nesDS, the feature rich Nintendo Entertainment System emulator for the DS/DSi, to version 1.0. See the change log for what's new in this edition, and for more information about this project please join in the on-going discussion linked below.


QUOTE: Change Log 01/06/12

• rom patch database added, which can select a PAL/NTSC timing or fix the header of rom.
• Nifi fixed.
• 'About' flicking fixed.
• Better flicker when PALTIMING is enabled.
• dswifix(which is for nifi) src is added.

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bsnes v085

January 8th, 2012, 23:49 Posted By: wraggster

via http://emu-russia.net/en/
SNES, GB & GBC emulator has been updated recently. Changes:
- fixed auto joypad polling edge case; fixes Ys 5 controls;
- fixed Justifier polling code; Lethal Enforcers should be fully responsive once again;
- rewrote SNES S-SMP processor core (~20% code reduction);
- fixed Game Boy 8x16 sprite mode; fixed some sprites in Zelda: Link's Awakening;
- treat Game Boy HuC1 RAM enable flag as writable flag instead; fixes Pokemon Card GB;
- created far faster XML parser; bsnes can now load XML files once again;
- updated to mightymo's most recent cheat code database;
- internal color calculations now performed at 30-bits per pixel;
- gamma slider now acts as fine-tuned gamma ramp option.
File: Download
News source: http://byuu.org

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puNES v0.45

January 8th, 2012, 23:50 Posted By: wraggster

via http://emu-russia.net/en/

NES emulator has been updated. Changes:
- added the option to choose between mono or stereo (default from now) sound.
News source: http://nesdev.parodius.com

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Glide64 Final

January 8th, 2012, 23:51 Posted By: wraggster

via http://emu-russia.net/en/

Video plugin for N64 emulators has been updated. Changes:
- This is the final 10th anniversary release of Gilde64. Author officially stopped it's development with this release.
File: Download
News source: http://glide64.emuxhaven.net

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DS2x86 version 0.30 released!

January 8th, 2012, 23:53 Posted By: wraggster

It is again time to start a new blog page, as I like to have my blog pages not contain more than half a year's worth of blog posts. Makes it faster for you to read/download the latest entries as well.

DS2x86 v0.30 release notes
This is the first DS2x86 version to use my own completely rewritten transfer system between the MIPS and ARM processors for the DSTwo flash cart. Pretty much nothing in the new transfer code is copied directly from the SuperCard SDK sources. I have used the ideas from their sources, but the actual code is quite completely rewritten. The main differences are that now it is the ARM side that controls when and what data to transfer, the graphics are transferred in the native format of the emulated PC graphics memory and drawn on the ARM9 side, and the AdLib sound is fully generated on the ARM7 side.

I have not had time to implement all the features I had coded for the original transfer system, so not everything is fully working yet. Also, note that there are no compatibility improvements in this version, so if a game did not work in version 0.25, it most certainly will not work in this version either. Rather the opposite, if a game did work on 0.25, it might not work in this version! Here below is a list of features still missing from this version, so any game that needs one or more of these might not work properly:

Exiting to DSTwo menu is not yet supported, so you will need to power off to stop DS2x86. The exit code in the SDK was based on some obsolete devKitPro features, and I haven't studied how to do that with the latest devKitPro yet.
Smooth scaling is not implemented yet. However, the Jitter scaling mode uses the improved jittering algorithm by Sverx, so in the low-resolution modes it will give a result that is very close to the Smooth mode quality.
Graphics transfer in high-resolution modes (640xsomething) will take more time than in the original SDK, and thus the framerate will drop and some tearing might be visible. Improving this would require some extra work on the MIPS side, which would in turn affect the CPU emulation speed.
Hardware mouse cursor is missing, so any game needing that will be unplayable. Also mouse support in general is very poorly tested and might not work correctly.
Some EGA/VGA graphics tricks are not yet supported, so some games might show corrupt graphics.
SoundBlaster digitized audio support is still limited and quite buggy. It works fine in Doom, but that's about it.
AdLib audio buffers all data (notes and tone commands) up to 1/30th of a second, so timing of the music might be somewhat off.

However, there are obviously also some advantages in using the new transfer system. Here is a list of the current advantages, and as I get around to improving the still missing and buggy features, this list will hopefully get longer and the above list will get shorter:

Overall emulation performance is better than with the old transfer system. For example Doom takes only 87% of the time it used to take with the old transfer system (when running the first demo game).
AdLib audio is created on the ARM7 at 32kHz, so it has much better audio quality and also has some (though artificial) stereo effect.
PC Speaker audio is supported, so you will get error beeps etc.
The lower screen (virtual keyboard) is handled fully on the ARM side, so updating it (for example with the blinkin "HDD" indicator) is much faster and does not affect the actual game framerate.
The plugin size is much smaller, as all the graphics blitting code has been moved from MIPS (which needs about two times the amount of code to perform the same task) to the ARM side.
The internal architecture is cleaner, as now there is a clear role for each of the processors.

DS2x86 v0.30 screen blitting speed
The original SDK transfer system always transferred the graphics data using 16-bit color video buffers, so that transferring one screen frame needed 256x192x2 = 98304 bytes to get transferred. Since the card interface runs at 4.2MHz speed, transferring this much data took 23.4 milliseconds, and the frames could be transferred at a maximum speed of 42.7 fps. These numbers are the theoretical maximum, the real speed was somewhat less because of the need to transfer also audio data and various commands.

In the new system I transfer only as much data as is needed, so the amount is usually much less than in the original system, except in the high-resolution modes like 640x480, where I might need to transfer more data per frame than in the original SDK. Also, since the data needs to be transferred in 1024-byte blocks without direct random access, I can not currently skip bytes that are outside of the visible area if the game has set up the graphics memory to have a logical screen width larger than the visible screen width. For example, Commander Keen 4 uses a logical screen width of 1260 pixels in the EGA 320x200 mode during the intro scroller, so that I need to transfer almost 1000 extra pixels for each screen row! This will drop the blitting framerate down to 24 fps, which will cause visible tearing of the screen image. Luckily the game itself uses the normal 320x200 mode.

Here below is a table showing the most common graphics modes, and the maximum (theoretical) frame rate in each of them using the new transfer method:

Mode Original SDK New method Max FPS Notes
80x25 Text 23.4 ms 0.8..4.5 ms >200 fps Depending on changed characters
320x200 CGA 23.4 ms 4.1 ms 244 fps
640x200 CGA 23.4 ms 4.2 ms 238 fps
320x200 EGA 23.4 ms 6.7..40.9 ms 24..149 fps Depending on logical screen width
640x200 EGA 23.4 ms 13.1 ms 76 fps
640x350 EGA 23.4 ms 22.9 ms 43 fps
640x480 VGA 23.4 ms 31.2 ms 32 fps
320x200 MCGA 23.4 ms 13.1 ms 76 fps
360x240 Mode-X 23.4 ms 17.8 ms 56 fps Used in "Settlers"
320x480 Mode-X 23.4 ms 35.0 ms 28 fps Used in "LineWars II"


Future work
For the coming week or two, I plan to still work on the new transfer system, fine tuning it and adding the missing features. First, I hope to come up with a faster way to transfer the screen graphics in the high resolution modes, and in special EGA modes that use a very wide logical screen (like Commander Keen 4 or Supaplex). After that, I need to improve and fix the SoundBlaster audio handling, and then look into the hardware mouse cursor and other mouse features. Also, I can now add all the keyboard-related features (visible upper/lower case changes, key flash when clicked, etc) that are in the original DSx86 but have so far not been possible to implement into DS2x86. I don't plan to work on any game-specific compatibility improvements until I have improved the new transfer system still quite a bit further.

Please report games to seriously misbehave using this new transfer system, or if some core functionality that I have not mentioned above is missing, though! It helps me in improving the new system if I have a list of games to test, so I don't need to guess and hope that my change fixes something. Thanks again for your interest in DS2x86!

http://dsx86.patrickaalto.com/DSblog.html

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DS2x86 progress

January 8th, 2012, 23:54 Posted By: wraggster

Since the release of 0.30 last week, I have been working on the remaining problems in the new transfer system. These are the problems that I have now managed to fix, and which will be included in the 0.31 version. The current plan is to release DS2x86 version 0.31 next Sunday. I hope to still add some additional fixes and improvements during the next week.

Faster EGA 0x0D mode blitting when the logical screen width is larger than 320 pixels.
Fixed EGA LineCompare pixel panning reset, using NDS hardware features.
Fixed AdLib audio buffering problem.
Fixed Warcraft BSOD crash in SoundBlaster detection.

The new EGA mode 0x0D blitting code now has two working modes. If the logical screen layout is 320 pixels wide (so no horizontal scrolling or additional trickery is used), the blitting speed is 6.7 ms (149 fps), and if the logical screen width is more than 320, a separate transfer code is used on the MIPS side. This code only sends 8 extra pixels per screen row (to handle possible smooth pixel panning function), and thus the blitting speed drops only slightly, to 7.9 ms (126 fps). This change got rid of the screen tearing problem in Supaplex and Commander Keen 4 intro.

The EGA and VGA graphics cards have an option to jump back to the beginning of the graphics VRAM memory at a certain scanline (when the card is drawing the image on the monitor). This is activated by giving the EGA/VGA line compare register a scanline number that is less than the number of screen rows. There is also a bit in another register that tells the graphics card to reset the pixel panning to zero in this situation. The pixel panning register is used to shift the screen image 0..7 pixels left during the graphics VRAM scanning and drawing onto the monitor. Since the screen image start address needs to be at a byte boundary, and each byte in the 16-color modes contain 8 adjacent pixels, using the pixel panning register is needed when smoothly panning the image horizontally by less than 8 pixels at a time.

In DS2x86 version 0.30 I simplified the screen blitting code (compared to DSx86 and previous DS2x86 versions) so that I don't handle the pixel panning value in the code (by shifting the pixels before blitting them to the screen), but instead I use the Nintendo DS graphics background registers to emulate the pixel panning, much like the actual EGA/VGA card does it. However, it only occurred to me last weekend that I can also handle the line compare pixel panning reset using Nintendo DS hardware! Since the NDS graphics features include a VCount interrupt, I can use that to get an interrupt at the line compare scanline, and reset the NDS background register horizontal position to zero! The end result is exactly similar to the EGA/VGA card behaviour, with much of the functionality done by the NDS graphics hardware! This is a change I plan to port back to the original DSx86, as it will simplify the EGA blitting code there as well. This change made the Supaplex bottom score panel stay put while the upper area is panning.

Supaplex also helped me in finding the problem in my AdLib emulation. The music seemed to skip a lot of notes during the beginning. I logged the AdLib notes in DOSBox to a file, and also wrote code to log the notes that the MIPS side sends to the ARM9 to a file on the SD card, and noticed that there were no differences. The exact same notes get sent with nearly identical timing from the MIPS to the ARM9 side. And since the ARM7 uses the same code as the original DSx86 (which works fine), it was easy to figure out that the problem must be in the new ARM9 code. And there the problem indeed was. I had a minor bug in the buffering scheme, where the last command in the buffer was never sent from ARM9 to ARM7 until the buffer got additional data from MIPS to ARM9. In Supaplex music there are places where only one instrument is playing, and in these places the game sends only three commands: Note Off, Note Frequency, and Note On. So, when the last new command never got sent, this in effect made the ARM7 see the music as a sequence of Note On, Note Off, Note Frequency commands, so there was no sound output.

After those fixes I then began debugging the Warcraft BSOD crash problem. It is somewhat weird, as the location of the crash (as reported by the BSOD texts) seems to jump all over the MIPS code area. What is even more strange, the location seems to often point to a code that can not crash, that is, it has only some simple aritmetic operations or such. So, my first theory was that perhaps this is some interrupt routine re-entrancy problem in the new more accurate SoundBlaster IRQ emulation. I checked the Warcraft SB emulation code (which I reverse engineered some time ago, when an earlier DS2x86 version had problems with it), and noticed that it sets up an auto-init DMA audio transfer with a buffer length of 2 samples! That is, the SoundBlaster will send an IRQ after every 2 samples have been played! As the playing frequency was 22 kHz, this meant that my emulation code began getting over 11000 IRQs per second!

I experimented by forcibly limiting the auto-init IRQ frequency, but rather annoyingly, even at an IRQ frequency of 366 Hz (24000000/65536) the BSOD problem remained. Only at a frequency of 183 Hz (24000000/(2*65536)) I got rid of the BSOD problem. This made me realize that the IRQ speed itself can not be the actual cause for the BSOD, as for example Windows sets the PC timer to run at 1000Hz, which is also emulated similarly using a hardware IRQ at that speed, and it does work fine. Finally I then realized that my buffer copying code inside the IRQ handler expects the pointers to be word-aligned, and with the transfer buffer length of only 2 samples, the pointer was actually only halfword-aligned! Since Warcraft only uses this buffer setup when testing for a SoundBlaster, it is not so important to play the correct samples, and thus I forcibly aligned the pointers to be word-aligned. This got rid of the BSOD, but still the SB audio does not work quite correctly in Warcraft. I'll continue working on this problem during the next week. There are still various other problems in the new transfer code as well, which I also hope to be able to fix and/or implement during the upcoming weeks. But, you can expect at least the above fixes to be included in the next version.

http://dsx86.patrickaalto.com/DSblog.html

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HBB Updated Applications – Week 1

January 8th, 2012, 23:59 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.codemii.com/2012/01/03/hb...0%93-week-1-2/

The following applications have been added/updated:
3 January 2012

• Cubicle Shooter v0.2 -> v0.3
• Gambol v0.2
• GoodbyeWorld v1.1
• GravityGlide v1.1 -> v1.2
• Ironing Maiden v1.0
• The Lone Pixel v1.0
• SDL MAME Wii v0.6 -> v1.0
• Settings Editor GUI v1.2 -> v1.3
• ThreePointO v1.0 -> v1.1
• UAE v7 -> v8
• WiiMP3 v1.0

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1964mod v1.5.1 Final

January 9th, 2012, 00:02 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

The 1964 derivate 1964mod has been updated.

Quote:
Core Changes & Fixes

Core:

Implement new "Speedup" menu option

WIP - please read "1964mod_Readme.pdf" Q.2

recommend to use in conjunction with existing speed hacks

need to smoothen out audio clipping

it is NOT 60fps but should help in games with long delay

fix GoldenEye damn scene long delay (1x3 for me)

fix Perfect Dark intro video long delay (1x3 for me)

fix Quake II long delay getting in-game (1x3 for me)

fix Quake 64 long delay getting in-game (1x3 for me)

Experimental change

implement full SBCS search on valid internal name for Japanese rom

correct non-english dialog name - probably a misspelling / typo

fix bug in ProtectBlock

Plugin Changes & Fixes

MyGlide64:

Fix Duck Dodgers(E) regression

Other Changes & Fixes

Fix duplicate lang ID assignment from previous language file layout re-mapping

Remove unused variables definition in language support data structures

Fix missing accelerator definition for Close Rom and map into language file

Minor fix on romlist window handling

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Meteor v1.2.1

January 9th, 2012, 00:03 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

Meteor is a new Game Boy Advance emulator for Linux.

Quote:
List of changes

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[NDS] Darkster v1.0

January 9th, 2012, 00:08 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.nintendomax.com/portal.php

Dark Master offers version 1.0 of " Darkster "fighting game for the Nintendo DS, in line with the Smash Bros..

google translation wrote:
This game is unusual characters for the load from FAT files installed on the card, so we can add as many characters in it and we want them to fight in the scenario you want, because very soon they will be also customizable.
About Character: As for now there is no interface to create info files the only way to add characters is to copy the file character (x) (x the number of characters you selected) and change the icon.gif character.gif and movements according to the character, when you have finished editing to change the name of the character of copy (x) character (y) (y is the line number to the last number on the back), if you have a good job and the new character will be fully playable. Controls: In the menu: Left or right of the pad: Change the character of the selected player. Pad up or down: Changing the player. Start button: Start the fight. In a battle: Pad left or right, move to the sides. Pad up or down: Look up or bending. Button: Perform attack button or set of buttons may vary depending on the attack and the character info file. B Button: Jump, the button may vary depending on the file information of the character. L Button: Drag to the side. R Button: activate the shield reduces the damage you take. Note: Some of these actions will have MS, if not performed.

http://mastersite.forosactivos.com/f5-darkster

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[NDS] Powder v117

January 9th, 2012, 00:09 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.nintendomax.com/portal.php

Jeff Lait offers the 117 version of the Rogue like " Powder "for the Nintendo DS.

Quote:
Sunny Saturnalia to one and all! Hopefully I Have the Linux version right this time! Some good news, I found a 32-bit linux box so it Should Be a 32-bit linux build as well. True Aim ​​is now in the book of blades, so you-can-learn Without it year extra skill book. (Robert Barber) Forgetting a spell while wielding a staff imbued That It Will Properly fail now. (Paul Strickland) Failing to forget No Longer uses a turn. Unenchanted weapons and armor Which You Have found the enchantment of now report 0. (Mike Ratzlaff) collapsing Into Objects Properly meatballs now state the result if multiple IS meatballs. (Nathan Bug) Tutorial for signpost for kiwis now mentions the hostile look on the tag description. (Claudio) Signpost added to Surace world. (SilverAnalyst) Someone to greet you on the world surface area. (Andrew Walker) say Unequippable item slots slot Item No. Rather Than Empty slot. Empty slots carry the body appendage name (left hand, radula, etc.) + * and by the reports When praying god lets you know how THEY Much like your fashion sense. (Hotpoo) Frogs Have a bonus to attack vs insects. (Robert Barber) Silver and gold Will Weapons Used Against occasionally dull if non-vulnerable targets. Finally added the cute and cuddly triceratops! If you id the year of enchantment item by throwing it, now the stack from you Threw it wil Also Be ISED . (Mike Ratzlaff) Sleeping creatures Have a visual indication. (Mike Ratzlaff) Swapping worn armor with sword wielded No Longer causes you to wear the sword. (Mike Ratzlaff) Rolling boulder Some works are monsters. Fix minor spelling errors (Gurkan Sengün) Full AI WAS STATE WAS Being cleared When nothing edible Rather Than Just the single bit edible. (Don Collins) Dipping Into nothing crashes along a potion no, you figured a way Provided to Do That in the first place. (Richard Quirk) Two or more items Equipped with extra attacks Properly stack now Invoking the chance of the attacks, Rather Than jumping straight to a 99% chance. (Richard Quirk) One new room type. Mountain and Hills in Ibson The Grey's tileset are now in Their proper positions. The artpack for this version Can Be grabbed here. The Windows and Mac versions are shipped with the SDL, the PSP version compiled with the SDL. You May replace this version with the latest version. POWDER to comply with section 3 of the LGPL: You Can download a tarball of the SDL code here or Directly From http://www.libsdl.org . The WinCE and GP2X Both versions use SDL aims are hosted by parts Other than myself. Note: While the highscore IS Kept, save games are never Preserved Between versions. Please Wait Until your current character dies Before upgrading.


http://www.zincland.com/powder/index...gename=release

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[GBA] Powder v117

January 9th, 2012, 00:12 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.nintendomax.com/portal.php

Jeff Lait offers the 117th version of the Rogue like " Powder "for the Game Boy Advance .

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my SPACE INVADERS v1.2.2

January 9th, 2012, 00:14 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.nintendomax.com/portal.php

Commodore offers version 1.2.2 of " my SPACE INVADERS ", for the Nintendo DS adaptation of the arcade game" Space Invaders ".

Quote:
Here Is version 1.2.2! Added 3 new weapons to remix mode, sprites'n Some Things changed in Remix Mode, Some invader fixed bugs and made ​​the thing work credits by touching anywhere on the touch screen!
Here you go!


http://dsgamemaker.com/dsgmforum/vie...hp?f=14&t=2280

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Report: Activision scoops up blackops2.com

January 10th, 2012, 01:33 Posted By: wraggster

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European Wii sales top 30 million

January 11th, 2012, 23:48 Posted By: wraggster

Wii sales surpassed 30 million units in Europe during the week ended December 25, 2011, Nintendo said today.

Somewhat bizarrely, the milestone figure was announced in a press release trumpeting the fact that the Wii Balance Board has been awarded a Guinness World Record for becoming the best-selling personal weighing device, after consumers snapped up over 32 million units worldwide between launch and November 2010.

Nintendo also said that Wii Fit and follow-up Wii Fit Plus had sold a combined total of close to 42 million copies as of the end of September 2011.

Nintendo of Europe marketing and PR boss Laurent Fischer said: “The launch of Wii Fit with the Wii Balance Board revolutionised the way people got active at home, making it fun and easy to exercise in the comfort of their own living room.

“As the Guinness World Record shows, sales of both Wii Fit andWii Fit Plus have remained healthy since the day they first went on sale and, with Wii now having sold over 30 million units across Europe, Nintendo hopes this trend will remain strong.”

2011 was a quiet year for the Wii, with headlines naturally focused on its successor, which was officially unveiled at E3 in June. Nintendo of Europe launched a revision of the ageing Wii hardware, available at a lower price with Wii Sports and Wii Party but no backwards compatibility with GameCube titles, in early November.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/euro...top-30-million

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Fitness Games

January 11th, 2012, 23:53 Posted By: wraggster

Since Wii Fit in 2008, fitness games have established themselves as evergreen titles for a new type of gaming consumer.Zumba Fitness’ chart dominance over the summer allayed fears that the industry was losing the expanded audience cultivated by Wii Fit and Just Dance.
And it is around New Year that workout games sales really take off. Much like in the DVD and books market, the Christmas season’s many excesses triggers a public demand for self-improvement products. Dieting guides, exercise videos and gym equipment become must-have items – and games publishers aren’t about to miss this window of opportunity.
This year, games companies are using the annual fitness blitz to give their Q4 titles a second lease of life at retail.
REVAMPED WORKOUTS
Microsoft, for example, has already been advertising Kinect Sports: Season Two and Dance Central 2 – games that wouldn’t be traditionally considered workout titles – as new ways to shed the pounds.
“Fitness is front of mind for a lot of people in January,” explains Stephen McGill, director of Xbox and Entertainment. “We’re running an activity with a celebrity trainer to show people how they can use Kinect as part of a healthy lifestyle.
“We’re very proud of the success of these games, both of which have calorie counting modes. Ubisoft’s Your Shape: Fitness Evolved franchise has also been enormously popular, so it’s fantastic to see people enjoying fitness experiences that are exclusive to Kinect.”
Ubisoft’s senior PR manager Louise Marchant adds: “The first Fitness Evolved was the best-selling fitness title on Kinect, and we are looking to build on that success this year with a solid marketing campaign for Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012.”Even mega-seller Zumba Fitness is getting a shot in the arm with more ads planned for the sequel.
“Zumba is a powerhouse of a brand throughout the world with over 10m class participants each week, so it was a natural progression to see the same success with the video game,” said 505’s senior product manager Juliette Green. “The momentum behind Zumba is certainly not going to stop.”
DANCE OFF
Zumba Fitness is a perfect storm of exercise and dancing. Could it be that its appeal is based on the popularity of dance games rather than its fitness benefits?
After all, the genre stole the thunder from Wii Fit as the industry’s blue-eyed broader market success story. And with Dance Central 2 and the Just Dance series incorporating calorie counters and other metrics, has the swell of dance games cannabilised the sales of fitness titles?
No, says Sony’s UK?product manager John Aikins, who explains: “Dance games provide an experience that engages the cardio vascular system while fitness games incorporate a well rounded fitness experience with resistance, plyometric and cardio elements.
“Dance games can be a great entry point into incorporating fitness in your lifestyle.”
Ubisoft brand manager Rachael Grant adds: “There is a place for dance games and fitness games to sit alongside each other. The popularity of dance games is merely expanding the audience, rather than taking away from fitness games.”
NEW CONTENDERS
That major companies like THQ and Sony have entered the fitness market in the last year is further proof that the industry still sees strong potential in the genre.
With its new PlayStation Move motion controller now in its second year, Sony launched a brand new franchise in November.
“Move Fitness offers a fun and exciting entry point into the genre, and provides us with a significant point of interest during January,” says Aikins. “This has helped to establish Move Fitness as a credible fitness product.”
Meanwhile, THQ adapted an already well-established brand to serve as a fitness title with UFC Personal Trainer.
THQ’s senior product marketing manager Mark Fisher says: “UFC Personal Trainer is a unique offering that appeals to a wider audience than the generic fitness title. The New Year sales window is a great opportunity to re-engage consumers with the product, so we are focusing our efforts to ensure that UFC Personal Trainer maximises its potential during this busy period.”
FIGHTING FIT
But few titles have been able to match the success of Zumba or even Wii Fit. And publisher back catalogues are teaming with the early titles in fitness franchises that never truly got off the ground.
Could Zumba’s triumph be hiding the real situation: that the public’s appetite for workout games has dissipated?
“Anything will get a bit stale if you just keep putting out the same game time after time, but we’ve come a long way since the first console fitness titles,” says Marchant. “Fitness is like any other genre: it needs to develop and evolve to provide something new and relevant for the consumer.”
McGill says: “The real key to success, beyond innovation and approachability, is about making it fun. People turn to fitness games because they offer an enjoyable way to stay healthy and within the warmth and comfort of their own home.
“The fact that Zumba Fitness topped the charts for 13 weeks this year tells me there is very much still a market for these games.”
With these companies and so many more finding new ways to get consumers exercising through video games, retailers can expect a strong sales rush for fitness titles over the next month, not to mention in the years to come.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/featu...s-games/089604

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Kid Icarus gets Circle Pad Pro support

January 11th, 2012, 23:59 Posted By: wraggster

The man behind Kid Icarus' return has confirmed that upcoming 3DS title Uprising will be compatible with the new Circle Pad Pro.
The game's director Masahiro Sakurai said the add-on will allow left-handed gamers to control the action shooter in a way that will be much more comfortable to them.
"The way we are using the Circle Pad Pro in the game is to provide support for left-handed gamers," he told Official Nintendo Magazine. "We've made it possible to use the right Circle Pad in place of the left one."
He went on to add that the Circle Pad Pro had not been an option when development on Uprising began, and that he doesn't believe the peripheral is essential for the game.
"I didn't know the specs of the Circle Pad Pro, or what it looked like, until Monster Hunter 3G was announced, so we weren't able to do anything big with it in the time we had," Sakurai explained.
"Even if we had known about it from the start, I don't know whether we woudl have used both Circle Pads in that way."
Kid Icarus: Uprising is currently due for release in March. The Circle Pad Pro debuts on January 27th, alongside Resident Evil: Revelations.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/kid-i...support/089601

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Monster Hunter Tri-G tops 1 million sold in Japan

January 12th, 2012, 01:12 Posted By: wraggster

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Buy Dr. Mario, Majora's Mask with Club Nintendo coins

January 12th, 2012, 01:14 Posted By: wraggster

If you'd rather use your Club Nintendo coins to get actual video games than exclusive swag, you have some new choices, as Nintendo has cycled in some different 3DS eShop, WiiWare, and Wii Virtual Console games for redemption.

For 100 coins, you can get Dr. Mario Online Rx (WiiWare) or the Virtual Console version of Kirby's Dream Land (3DS). For 150 Coins each, you can get The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Wii VC) or Dr. Mario Express (3DS). Note thatDr. Mario Express is actually a DSiWare game, but this offer can only be redeemed for a 3DS download code.

If you're interested in turning your coins (which you got from buying games) into one of these games, you have until January 31. Nintendo will cycle in more games after that point.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/bu...intendo-coins/

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Wii becomes best-selling current generation console in Europe

January 12th, 2012, 01:17 Posted By: wraggster

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Homemade golden Nunchuk is a real treasure

January 12th, 2012, 01:23 Posted By: wraggster

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3DS performance has "confounded naysayers", says Sony

January 13th, 2012, 01:23 Posted By: wraggster

Though the PlayStation Vita is still suffering from low sales in Japan, Sony has been encouraged by the improved fortunes of the 3DS.
That’s according to SCEE president and CEO Jim Ryan, who told MCV that Nintendo’s success bodes well for the portable market.
“One of the encouraging things about 3DS’ sales performance at Christmas is that it is confounding the naysayers who say that there is no room in the market for a dedicated handheld gaming device,” he told MCV in an exclusive interview.
“And to that extent we were encouraged by how 3DS did over the last month.
But doesn’t the appetite for 3DS pose a danger to Vita? Apparently not.
“There are two distinct markets,” Ryan added.
“The quality, the immersiveness, the richness of the experience that we believe we are going to offer on Vita, way exceeds anything that we believe to be available on any smartphone.”
You can read MCV’s full interview with Ryan in tomorrow’s issue (which should be with subscribers today) or read the full thing online tomorrow.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/3ds-p...ys-sony/089678

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Cave Story DSiWare still headed to Europe, but delayed

January 13th, 2012, 01:52 Posted By: wraggster

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Japanese release of Kid Icarus: Uprising stays put with bundled stand

January 13th, 2012, 01:57 Posted By: wraggster

When I playedKid Icarus: Uprising at E3, I called the circle-pad/stylus-based controls "unwieldy" and "basically only possible if you've put the 3DS on some kind of stand." (I'm going to pretend) Nintendo was listening, as creator Masahiro Sakurai has revealed a stand peripheral, to be bundled with the Japanese release of the game. "Touching the screen works better if it's secured," he said (roughly translated).

Nintendo has yet to make an announcement regarding the stand's inclusion with the American or European versions of the game, but given that this stand was designed to solve an identifiable problem, we'd be very surprised if any region left it out.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/ja...-with-bundled/

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More Wii U details before E3, Nintendo hints

January 13th, 2012, 02:10 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo could reveal Wii U details before the expected show-all at E3 2012 in June, Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime has hinted."We will be sharing information throughout the year," Fils-Aime told Spike TV at CES 2012 this week."So I won't say you'll have to wait until E3, but certainly we're not breaking new news here."Nintendo has openly targeted E3 2012 - 5th-7th June - as a destination for new Wii U details.The new console is physically present at CES this week, but only in its old "not final" form. The demos being shown are those we saw last year at E3, too.Fils-Aime explained that Nintendo still wasn't ready to fill in the key blanks - namely a launch date, pricing and launch titles.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...nintendo-hints

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All WiiWare demos return to the Wii Shop Channel

January 14th, 2012, 00:32 Posted By: wraggster

In late 2009, Nintendo put five demos for WiiWare games on the Wii Shop Channel. Inexplicably, it was a limited-time deal and they all went away on January 31. Then, in late 2010 (and also inexplicably) the program returned, and WiiWare demos started trickling in at the rate of one a week. These were also intended as limited-time offers, which continued not to make any damn sense.

Now, in the crowning moment of weirdness for the service, all 50 demos that were previously offered in North America are now available on the Wii Shop in a "demo" section found within the selection of WiiWare "genres," with no explanation at all. Of all the bizarre moves related to this service, this is the one we can most wholeheartedly support.

Go try some demos! Lilt Line, And Yet It Moves, Bit.Trip Beat, and more are there to sample. Use your downloads to send Nintendo the incredibly obvious message that people like demos.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/al...-shop-channel/

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Wii U information drop set for pre-E3

January 14th, 2012, 00:34 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has confirmed it will reveal more information on the Wii U before E3 in June.
Speaking with CNN, Nintendo US boss Reggie Fils-Aime said "Wii U will launch some time between E3 - which is in June - at the end of the year so essentially the second half of the year."We haven't announced pricing and we haven't announced specific details. We'll share more information between now and E3 and after E3."
Reggie's comments follow earlier hints that we might hear Wii U news ahead of the big Los Angeles expo.
Speaking at CES in Las Vegas this week he said: "We will be sharing information throughout the year so I won't say you'll have to wait until E3 but certainly we're not breaking new news here."
Recent reports claimed to have insider information on Wii U's tech specs, allegedly leaked from a 'Japanese developer'.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...et-for-pre-e3/

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Retrobit RetroDuo portable and RetroPort

January 16th, 2012, 01:33 Posted By: wraggster

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Nintendo makes WiiWare demos available again

January 16th, 2012, 01:43 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has made available some 50 WiiWare demos via the US Wii Shop channel.
The reappearance of these previously-released demos is a surprise move considering Nintendo was so adamant that demos would only be available for a limited time in the past.We're hoping this is a sign of their permanent availability, but if you enjoy having a quick play of a game before you purchase it you should get all over this quick - they might not be there for long.
Nintendo launched a trial WiiWare demo scheme in 2009 in a bid to stimulate sales of downloadable titles, which it said made up just a small part of its business.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...ailable-again/

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The Last Stories

January 17th, 2012, 00:22 Posted By: wraggster

While Modern Warfare 3, FIFA Soccer 12 and Saints Row: The Third were all topping the PS3 and 360 sales charts in the final week before Christmas, in comparison, the five best selling games on the Wii were Just Dance 3, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Zumba Fitness, Zumba Fitness 2 and The Legend of... actually no, the fifth spot went to Mario Kart Wii, while sixth, seventh and eighth went to Skyward Sword, an ABBA dancing game and "Now! That's What I Call Music: Dance and Sing".
As a Nintendo fan who grew up with a SNES and N64, these sales figures are a little hard to digest, because while I'm all for the expansion of the videogames industry I don't want it to come at the expense of core console games. And even though No More Heroes 2, Monster Hunter Tri and Sin and Punishment 2 have helped save thousands of AA batteries from dying in wasteful silence, they've been the exception rather than the rule.
But then August came along and something unusual happened. After being disappointed time and time again by the "Japan-only" stigma that struck Captain Rainbow, Fatal Frame IV and Sandlot's Zangeki no Reginleiv, Nintendo of Europe finally came good by localising Xenoblade Chronicles. Was this the act of a company trying to get back in touch with its core audience, or was Nintendo simply filling in a gap during the yearly summer drought?
Just like an episode of Come Dine With Me where the host undercooks the main but then pulls it back from the brink with an epic dessert, Nintendo of Europe seem to be making amends by giving the fans what they want. The only question is, are The Last Story and Pandora's Tower worth the wait?

[h=3]The Last Story[/h]Coming from the same studio that co-developed Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, The Last Story looks spellbindingly promising on paper. Rather than a typically turn-based affair as you'd expect from its creator, the father of Final Fantasy Hironobu Sakaguchi, this is a tight experience that restricts your sidetracking options.
Elza and his teammates can be resurrected a maximum of five times each per fight. It's a tad too generous.

It's a less than conventional action RPG that wants you to stay focused on the titular story, and even though the language barrier obscures the finer plot details in our imported copy, we were still able to grasp the general gist as we played through its 43 chapters.
You play the role of Elza, a typical JRPG lead who was orphaned at a young age and now works as a mercenary-for-hire with his eclectic group of friends. This includes a calm but slightly suspicious looking leader, a feisty female brawler who dual-wields a pair of blades, a meek sorceress who's handy with a healing spell and a young magician with a piracy fetish - all replete with trademark JRPG haircuts and outfits with superfluous buttons. The team are then plonked in a cave for the opening chapter where they have to tackle some Uruk-hai lookalikes.
This dungeon introduces you to the core mechanics and while things start out fairly basic - you simply have to walk up to an enemy to clobber them with your sword - a condensed yet flexible selection of techniques gradually emerges. The first is the Gathering ability that lets Elza coerce the attention of nearby enemies, giving your mages a bit of breathing space to work their magic. But rather than the traditional magic missiles, this casting system lets you place areas of elemental potency which can do everything from heal your team to inflicting debilitating status effects.
The boss battles can seem fairly tricky at first but each of them has a very exploitable weakness. This guy doesn't like bridges.

It's a genuinely refreshing combat system that doesn't involve huge lists of spells or vast spreadsheets of attributes, but instead asks you to put all that crossbow training into practise with an array of venom tipped arrows and banana peel bolts - the latter of which can be used to trip people up. The Last Story surprisingly shares a slither of its genes with Gears of War, as Elza can snap to nearby cover while taking potshots with his rustic sidearm. The game even makes the distinction between so-so shots to the body and booming to the face.
But even though this is an action-RPG that breaks the mould with its mesh of gameplay systems - to the extent where one chapter sees you infiltrating a castle with tranquiliser darts that knock out patrolling sentries - its style and story still smack of a traditional JRPG. The aesthetic is best described as a cross between Renaissance art and anime with a magically arcane twist, while the narrative spirals from a star-crossed love story between Elza and a runaway princess into a war between two island nations.
There's also no escaping the fact that this is a fairly linear game. There are a few sidequests and an obligatory battle arena, but there's only one central city with no supplementary towns to speak of.
But Last Story makes its innovations elsewhere, such as an online multiplayer element that lets you play either cooperatively against bosses or competitively in a battle royal. While it'll unlikely offer much more than a distraction when compared to the main quest, it'll be interesting to see how long this story can keep going once the credits have been and gone.

[h=3]Pandora's Tower[/h]On the face of it, The Last Story is the product of a traditional JRPG team who are trying something a bit different, whereas in comparison, Pandora's Tower is coming from a studio trying something totally new.
Ganabrion's previous work includes anime tie-ins like One Piece Grand Battle and the excellent Jump Super Stars on the DS, and while this lack of genre specific experience could be cause for concern, it seems the developer has pulled off a CyberConnect2 (only in reverse) by switching from fighting games to a JRPG without falling flat on its face. And it's all thanks to some good old-fashioned ingenuity.
If you leave Ceres alone for too long then she starts to go a bit William Birkin. Never a good look...

Pandora's Tower sees priestess Ceres suffering from a nasty curse that's slowly mutating her into a Resident Evil cast-off. The road to her recovery is made up of 13 lofty towers which Ende, a knight, has to summit. But instead of packing a sturdy pair of hiking boots and a backpack full of spring-loaded cams, Ende receives an encouraging smile from Ceres and a length of metal links called the Orichalcum Chain. This isn't a standard piece of climbing equipment, as much like a militarised version of Link's own hookshot, this chain can separate the tower's guardians from their life giving hearts.
The chain also offers some interesting options in the action-orientated combat, as while The Last Story benefits from the more traditional ergonomics of a Classic Controller, Pandora's Tower mixes simple sword combos with the ability to aim and chain with the Wii Remote.
This means you can wrench a sword free from the enemy's hands before swinging it around like a wrecking ball, or simply bind their legs before closing in for some hacking and slashing. There's even a tension gauge that lets you build power by pulling back as your ensnared foe tries to struggle free.
The ascent of each tower is broken up by the occasional perilous platform section as well as some action adventure style conundrums, while the bosses themselves also require a certain measure of lateral thinking. The green giant in the first tower is easily made less jolly, but the demonic crustacean in the third is trickier thanks to a shifting weak-point.
As well as plucking hearts from enemies, the chain can be used to open doors and swing across chasms.

There's a consistent tug elsewhere that breaks up the exploration of each tower, as with Ceres slowly mutating back at the safe-house you have to make regular trips back home to keep the curse suppressed. And the only way to do this is to feed her the hearts of lesser enemies that you've harvested with the chain. The lengths some people go to in order to keep their youthful looks, eh?
Cementing the mechanic is a relationship system that ranks the bond between Ende and Ceres by how often you visit, the dialogue choices you make in conversation and any gifts you bring back from your travels. This can affect the game's ending, for better and for worse.
It's a cute touch in what looks like a solid action-RPG that's set in a bright yet sinister world of ancient curses and charged chain combos. The only thing yet to prove itself is the quality of the dialogue but, just like The Last Story, we're looking forward to plundering the depths of the English translation in the coming months.
It all marks an unexpected twist of fate for a console that arguably did more than any other in ushering in an expanded and more casual audience. As it shuffles its way into retirement, Nintendo is working to conduct a graceful swansong for the Wii.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...e-last-stories

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Download Prince of Persia on Wii, 3DS this week

January 17th, 2012, 00:25 Posted By: wraggster

Two versions of platforming classic Prince of Persia will be re-released this week, Nintendo has announced.Wii fans can download Prince of Persia's SNES incarnation from Thursday. And 3DS owners will be offered the Game Boy Color version on the same day.The Prince's Game Boy Color appearance was back in 1999. This week on 3DS the game will cost £4.50/€5.The Wii Virtual Console version, however, is superior. A port of the extended SNES Prince of Persia, this contains almost double the number of levels as well as various other enhancements.It's also slightly more expensive at 800 Wii Points (about £5.60).Two other DSiWare games will be available this week: 40-in-1 Explosive Megamix (800 DSiWare Points - about £7.20) and strategic action title Come On! Heroes (200 Points - about £1.80).

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...-3ds-this-week

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Rockstar hiring for 'next-gen consoles'

January 17th, 2012, 00:33 Posted By: wraggster

Rockstar is on the lookout for staff capable of getting the "most from next-gen consoles".
The Grand Theft Auto developer is currently running a job ad seeking environmental artists to work on an unnamed project.Posted last year, it reads: "We'd like to hear from the industry's most talented environment artists. You will be designing, building and texturing the world, have the technical knowledge to achieve great looking results and the skill to get the most from next-gen consoles."
Could the position relate to Grand Theft Auto 5? It's possible, depending on when the game will be released, or perhaps if it's going to be released on Wii U, which will launch before the end of the calendar year.
Of course, it's all just speculation. It could just as well be Red Dead Redemption 2 or Manhunt next-gen. It's unlikely to be an FPS though, as Rockstar has said it's deliberately avoiding the genre.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-gen-consoles/

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WiiMednafen 0.1 released

January 17th, 2012, 01:25 Posted By: wraggster

WiiMednafen is a port of the Mednafen [1] emulator.

Emulators supported:

GameBoy/GameBoy Color
GameBoy Advance
Game Gear
Lynx
Mega Drive/Genesis
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Neo Geo Pocket
PC Engine (CD)/TurboGrafx 16 (CD)/SuperGrafx (Fast version)
PC-FX
Sega Master System
Virtual Boy
WonderSwan
It should be noted that the Virtual Boy emulation included with this emulator is much improved over WiirtualBoy. Most games now run at 100% speed without frame skipping. These improvements are due entirely to Ryphecha (Mednafen) who optimized the core emulation code in addition to eliminating idle loops on a per game basis.

Changelog
0.1 - January 13, 2012
Added support for MegaDrive/Genesis.
Added rewind support for the following emulators:
GameBoy/GameBoy Color
Game Gear
Lynx
Nintendo Entertainment System (excludes FDS games)
Neo Geo Pocket
PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 (excludes CD games)
Sega Master System
WonderSwan (excludes large SRAM sizes: Dicing Knight, Judgment Silversword)
VI + GX scaler (eliminates majority of scaling artifacts).
Default screen sizes per emulator (1x, 2x, Full, etc.).
Full widescreen support
16:9 correction option (displays 4:3 on widescreen displays).
Double strike (240p) mode support (can be enabled globally and per-emulator). By default, is explicitly disabled for handheld emulators.
Color trap filter (Eke-eke implementation)
Master system FM sound support (when region set to Domestic/Japan)
Virtual Boy SRAM bug fix (was not being persisted).
Fixed bug where screen sizing controls were not being properly rotated (games with vertical orientation).
Ability to map "rotate screen" button for WonderSwan (Klonoa, etc.).
WonderSwan control mappings now supports "profile" toggle. Allows for saving mappings for both orientations for a single game (Klonoa, etc.).
Updated Game Gear to display with proper aspect ratio.
Ability to set Volume globally and per-emulator.
Additional SMS/GG compatibility
Fixed bug that prevented certain Ogg Vorbis files (multiples of 1024, go figure) from loading as part of a CD image (CUE sheet).
Fixed bug that prevented some FDS games (Metroid) from properly flipping the disk.

http://code.google.com/p/wii-mednafe...dnafen-0_1.zip

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Snes9x GX 4.2.9

January 17th, 2012, 01:26 Posted By: wraggster

SNES9x GX is a Super Nintendo emulator for the Wii based on the PC emulator SNES9x 1.53. The GUI is powered by libwiigui.

Features
Based on SNES9x 1.53
Wiimote, Nunchuk, Classic, and Gamecube controller support
Multi-tap support, up to 4 players
SNES Superscope, Mouse, Justifier support
Cheat support
Auto Load/Save Game Snapshots and SRAM
Custom controller configurations
IPS/UPS patch support
SD, USB, DVD, SMB, Zip, and 7z support
Autodetect PAL/NTSC, 16:9 widescreen support, filtered/unfiltered video modes
Turbo Mode - up to 2x the normal speed
Zoom option to zoom in/out
Open Source!

History
4.2.9 - January 14, 2012
More accurate pixel scaling (thanks eke-eke!)
Other minor changes

http://code.google.com/p/snes9x-gx/downloads/list

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FCE Ultra GX 3.2.7

January 17th, 2012, 01:27 Posted By: wraggster

FCE Ultra GX is a port of FCE Ultra. With it you can play NES games on your Wii/GameCube. The GUI is powered by libwiigui.

Features
Wiimote, Nunchuk, Classic, and Gamecube controller support
iNES, FDS, VS, UNIF, and NSF ROM support
1-4 Player Support
NES Zapper support
Custom controller configurations
SD, SDHC, USB, DVD, SMB, Zip, and 7z support
Cheat support (.CHT files)
IPS/UPS automatic patching support
NES Compatibility Based on FCEUX 2.1.4

Changelog
3.2.7 - January 14, 2012
Updated core to latest FCEUX (r2383)
More accurate pixel scaling (thanks eke-eke!)
Other minor changes

http://code.google.com/p/fceugc/downloads/list

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WiiMC 1.2.2

January 17th, 2012, 01:29 Posted By: wraggster

WiiMC (Wii Media Centre) is an open source media player for the Nintendo Wii. The GUI is powered by libwiigui.

Features
Attractive libwiigui-based interface, designed with the Wii in mind
Picture viewer
Music player
On-line media support, including SHOUTcast, YouTube, and Navi-X
FAT32/NTFS from SD and USB 2.0 (FAT32 recommended)
Network playback via SMB, HTTP, and FTP


1.2.2 - January 14, 2012
Fixed YouTube search
1.2.1 - January 14, 2012
Synced to MPlayer r34540 and ffmpeg a9bd29e15e8d
Fixed HTTP bugs that made YouTube unstable
Added thumbnails for YouTube
Improved video resizing granularity (thanks eric!)
Translation updates
Other minor bug fixes

http://www.wiimc.org/downloads/

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Wire3D 1.0 released

January 17th, 2012, 01:30 Posted By: wraggster

Wire3D (Wii Independent Rendering Engine 3D) is an open source, object oriented, multiplatform 3D engine written in C++, supporting homebrew Wii and Windows (DirectX). It provides a framework to developers for writing platform agnostic 3D applications (including physics using the Bullet Physics library) that run on Wii and Windows out of the box.


Key features
Platform independent renderer
minimizes render state, buffer, light and texture changes
creates displaylists (Wii) from static meshes on the fly
supports 16/32 bit RGB(A) textures (incl. generation of mipmaps using a Gauss filter)
once render objects are bound, no further memory allocations occur at runtime
supports 3 ways of rendering
visible sets of objects from the scene graph
individual objects
low-level rendering by manually controlling render states, buffers, etc.
Scene graph
various nodes (discrete level of detail, billboard, light, switch, ...)
controller system
hierarchical render state, light and effect handling
hierarchical culler
sequential set of visible objects
sorted (by transparency, render state, material and depth) set of visible objects
Math supporting doubles and floats
vector3, matrix34 (Wii specific optimizations)
vector2, vector4, matrix2, matrix3, matrix4, quaternion (generic C++ code)
Object system
custom run-time type information (rtti)
smart pointers (reference linking)
Custom template containers
array, hash set, hash table, list, sorted map, queue, stack

http://wire3d.googlecode.com/files/Wire3D_1.0.zip

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The SMS4 & MD & N64 & SNES & PC-E Myth flash cart_ Pro programmer V1.30 [Jan.15]

January 17th, 2012, 01:43 Posted By: wraggster

The SMS4 & MD & N64 & SNES & PC-E Myth flash cart_ Pro programmer V1.30 [Jan.15 2012]

History:
* Fixed the 128M PC-E cart format issue, and add one "128M format" option also
* Supported the PC-E 20M Street Fighter game
* Updated some myth menu
* Revised the N64 default menu path
............
Click here for more info & downloads

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Mandelbrot Set Explorer

January 17th, 2012, 01:47 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

Mandelbrot Set Explorer is a new DS homebrew made by sverx. Use this application to view and navigate through generated Mandelbrot sets. Check out the author's blog page linked below for more information about this project.



QUOTE: Release Notes 01/09/12The program I made starts showing a small area around the origin: from (-2.5,-1.5) to (+1.5,+1.5)... this gives the first image. Clicking on any point of the touchscreen, it will start recalculating a new image, taking the touched point as a new center of the image and zooming in 2x. After 5 clicks you will see for instance what's shown on the second image. Not bad, right?
Then you can press any of the two shoulder buttons to zoom out, or click on the start button to reset the program to the initial setting.


http://adshomebrewersdiary.blogspot....-fractals.html

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Bagasm r1

January 17th, 2012, 01:48 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

DS coder BassAceGold has released the first version of BAGASM, a new language interpreter for the Supercard DStwo and PC. This tool can be used for building your own DStwo games. Check out the discussion link below for a full run-down of how this application works.



QUOTE: Release Notes 01/13/12•"What is BAGASM?" you might ask. Well I can tell you what it's not! It's not a sandwhich, or an amazing massage. No, it is merely an interpreter for a language I have created similar to the general syntax that Assembly languages may follow.

•What does this allow? Well for one, you don't have to setup and deal with the finicky development environment,the DSTwo SDK, to create content for the DSTwo! All you need is a regular text editor and the PC or DS2 version of the interpreter to get started.

•PC Interpreter you say? Yes that's right! Due to the nature of the language, I was easily able to create a PC version of the same interpreter that runs on the DSTwo. This allows for the easy and fast testing of your amazing creations without the need of constantly transfering files to your DSTwo.

http://filetrip.net/file.php?id=27072

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postLoader 3.54.1

January 17th, 2012, 01:49 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

postLoader3, made by GBAtemp member stfour, has been updated to version 3.54.1. This versatile Wii application can be used in conjunction with Priiloader or as a standard app, as an alternative to the Homebrew Channel and/or system menu, and also supports launching Wii games, GameCube games via DML, and VC/Wiiware titles from real or emulated NAND. See what's new in the change log below, and be sure to check out the on-going discussion for the latest (off-site) download and more information about this homebrew project.


QUOTE: Change Log 01/15/12

• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]

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DS2x86 version 0.31 released!

January 17th, 2012, 01:51 Posted By: wraggster

Okay, this version has various fixes to bugs introduced in the previous version. Sadly I did not have time to fix all the bugs in the SoundBlaster handling, as it took me many days to find the and fix a problem that made Supaplex lose digital sounds immediately when the game began. I managed to finally fix this problem, but it still loses the digital sounds occasionally for a little while. Anyways, here are the fixes in this version:

• Improved the touchpad keyboard handling, now upper/lower case is handled properly and the keys flash when clicked, like in the original DSx86.
• Improved SoundBlaster audio handling, still not completely correct.
• Fixed a problem in syncing to VBlank, which caused jittery horizontal panning in Supaplex and other games using smooth pixel panning.
• Faster EGA 0x0D mode blitting when the logical screen width is larger than 320 pixels.
• Fixed EGA LineCompare pixel panning reset, using NDS hardware features.
• Fixed AdLib audio buffering problem.
• Fixed Warcraft BSOD crash in SoundBlaster detection.

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Casper v0.1

January 18th, 2012, 15:47 Posted By: wraggster

via http://gbatemp.net/t318801-casper-v0-1

giantpune has released Casper version 0.1, a new program for the Wii designed to load bootmii from an SD card. You can use this application with the homebrew exploit of your choice to boot a variety of things, including NEEK, on an otherwise un-modded Wii. Check out the project page for the download, system requirements, and instructions, and be sure to join the on-going discussion linked below for more information about what can be done with this app.


QUOTE: Release Notes 01/16/12
Casper is a program written for the Wii. This program was created to load bootmii from an SD card. Now you can run those fun MINI programs on your little sister's Wii even if your mom doesn't want you to hack away on it.

http://giantpune.zzl.org/casper.html

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1964 1.2

January 18th, 2012, 15:49 Posted By: wraggster

via http://emu-russia.net/en/

Nintendo 64 emulator has been updated. No changes info available.
File: Download
News source: http://1964emu.emulation64.com

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3DS Demos Live Tomorrow

January 18th, 2012, 15:51 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.ds-scene.net/?s=viewtopic&nid=11609

European and North American 3DS owners can get the Resident Evil Revelations demo on Nintendo's eshop tomorrow. While japanese users can already download 3DS demos since December, this marks the first demo release outside of Japan.

A demo for Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic will also be downloadable tomorrow, future demo releases will include Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure and Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. A Rayman: Origins demo has been teased for North America, too!

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puNES v0.48

January 18th, 2012, 15:53 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

The NES emulator puNES for Linux and Windows (SDL) has been updated.

Quote:
Changelog 0.48
More accurate Zapper emulation (thx tepples). Right button of mouse emulates the pointing of the Zapper outside the TV screen. So, to make a shoot offscreen, you must press the left mouse button while holding down the right.
Added Bilinear filter.
Rearranged the menu filter (Hint: reselect the desired filter and then save the configuration).
Fixed many bugs in opengl codes (now, on fullscreen, aspect ratio is maintained properly).

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TR64 v0.9.3

January 18th, 2012, 15:56 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

A new version of the N64 graphics plug-in TR64 OpenGL has been released.

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zBoy v0.51

January 18th, 2012, 15:57 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

A new version of the Game Boy emulator zBoy has been released. zBoy is available for Windows and Linux.

Quote:
zBoy v0.51 [14 Jan 2012]
- Fixed a bug in the emulation of the "POP AF" CPU instruction (was wrongly setting the F register),
- Fixed a bug in the emulation of the "DAA" CPU instruction,
- Fixed a bug in the emulation of RR and RL CPU instructions (the flag Z must be set accordingly to the result),
- Fixed a bug in the emulation of "LD HL,SP+n" and "ADD SP,n" CPU instructions (wrong update of Carry and Half Carry flags),
- Fixed a bug in the command line parameters parser, that could lead to crash of the emulator in case of incorrect parameters passed to zBoy,
- Added a micro tile cache to the backgroung generation engine,
- Added the --nocpuidle option to make zBoy not idling the CPU when having some spare time (this option might give better results on hi-latency systems),
- Added EXPERIMENTAL support for serial link emulation (two player mode over network) - this feature is in early alpha stage, so not rock stable yet (it also requires a very good network connectivity between both peers), successfully tested on Tetris, Tetris 2, Tetris Blast, Kwirk and Dr. Mario,
- Replaced the --skipframes option by --limitfps (allows to limit the FPS emulation rendering in the range 1..60 FPS),
- General code optimizations - the emulation speed has increased about 15x (Super Mario Land passed from 80 to 1200 FPS on my laptop),
- Heavy code cleanup to make zBoy compiling without warnings in -pedantic mode.

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1964mod v1.5.2

January 18th, 2012, 15:58 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

The 1964 derivate 1964mod has been updated.

Quote:
Core Changes & Fixes

Re-write romlist window handling codes

• fix missing or out of focus selection mark in certain scenarios
  - launching rom from rom folder, recent game menulist and commandline
  - switch between romlist listview and boxart
• fix item position shifts when focus is restored after selecting a menu option or popup menu
  - save current item position on romlist window click
• fix auto restore of selection mark after selecting a menu option or popup menu
  - item selection mark scrolled beyond visible romlist window

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YoshiNES v0.4

January 18th, 2012, 15:59 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

YoshiNES is a NES emulator written in Visual Basic and is based on basicNES.

Quote:
v0.4

- Rearranged the menus
- Added pallete viewer
- Added Pattern Table viewer
- Little fixes in mapper 228 (Action 52 still unplayable)
- Added mapper 47 (partial)
- Added mapper 212 (10000000 in 1 and other multicarts) partial
- Fixed mapper 146, now working perfect
- Some minor bugfixes

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HalfNES v0.044

January 18th, 2012, 16:03 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

The NES emulator HalfNES has been updated.

Quote:
0.044 joystick test (1/9/2012)

• - Added preliminary joystick support (thanks to Zlika) To use this, the
  lib folder must be extracted in the same location as halfnes, and also the
  program must be run from the "run.bat" file. The first detected gamepad
  will be used as Controller 1, and the second will be Controller 2.
  Currently the buttons used are not configurable.
• - Also improved the NTSC filter, color is perfect now and it looks
  better than Blargg´s. (Sadly, the speed has taken another hit; I think
  the problem is cache churn due to the order I operate in?)

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[NDS] Explore Hyrule

January 18th, 2012, 16:06 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.nintendomax.com/portal.php

Kazuki offers " Explore Hyrule "in which you can explore the remake of the map Legend of Zelda Overworld.

Quote:
Explore Hyrule Unread postby Kazuki "December 29th, 2011, 7:15 am Explore a remake of the original Legend of Zelda's overworld map. No collision map Other than the first screen as it's just Something I Threw Together using my recreation of the map with LoZ A Link to the Past sprites. Updated with a full collision map. I Had to split up the map due to collision with backgrounds from memory. Some of the trees and stuff (Armos, rocks, tombstone, etc.). Do not have collision maps Since I plan on using objects and sprites for Actual em so the player Can interact with 'em. Also now you go slow When walking up and down stairs / ladders. And Something I forgot to mention: B button attacks, L / R buttons switch-through the different swords, and A button warps you back to the first screen.

http://dsgamemaker.com/dsgmforum/vie...php?f=8&t=2541

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[NDS] WinDS PRO v2012.02

January 18th, 2012, 16:07 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.nintendomax.com/portal.php

New update for WinDS PRO , PC multi-emulator application including 3 for the Nintendo DS (No $ GBA / DeSmuME / iDeaS) and 2 for Game Boy Advance (VBA-M/VBA Link) and tools (customizable emulator / zoom / cheat / etc ...). Remember: completely remove the old version before installing the new.

Quote:
WinDS PRO 2012.2
- DeSmuME r4153 x86 & x64
- 2012/01/05 Kega Fusion Plugins
- VBA-M r1066
- USRCheat.dat 2012/01/15
- MSVC + 2010 SP1


http://windsprocentral.blogspot.com/

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Nintendo doesn't plan on fixing Maka Wahu track in Mario Kart 7

January 19th, 2012, 01:10 Posted By: wraggster

"Wuhu Island" may sound like an innocuous place, but it's apparently rife withdirty, dirty cheaters. And that cheating doesn't sound like it's stopping anytime soon, with Nintendo telling StickTwiddlers that the island's "Maka Wuhu" track in Mario Kart 7 won't be patched or updated to fix the glaring glitch found at the start.

"We are aware that it is possible to navigate a certain part of the track in Wuhu Island in a way that allows a large part of the course to be bypassed," Nintendo rep Buddy Roemer (no, not thatBuddy Roemer) told the site. And though Nintendo acknowledges the glitch, Roemer said there "are no plans to update the game to remove this shortcut." Not for the moment, at least.

The logic behind not updating the game is perhaps even more bizarre than acknowledging the glitch and refusing to fix it. "Doing so would create an unfair advantage for the users of the original release of the game," Roemer said, though he did also say the request for a fix has "been added to our records for Mario Kart 7." We imagine a printout of the email is now sitting in an official three-ring binder somewhere, biding its time next to fan art of Yoshi with a glider.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/ni...-mario-kart-7/

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Mario Party 9 release date announced

January 19th, 2012, 01:14 Posted By: wraggster

Wii minigame collection Mario Party 9 arrives in stores on 2nd March, Nintendo has announced.The latest entry in the long-running series features 80 minigames and a variety of different modes.New additions this time out are co-operative boss battles and Party Adventure Mode, which sees up to four players traversing the board in a vehicle while attempting to railroad opposition onto more challenging squares.It's the first run-out for the franchise since the equally dreary Mario Party DS and Mario Party 8 on Wii launched back in 2007.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...date-announced

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Dolphin Git 3.0-372

January 19th, 2012, 01:45 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

Dolphin Git 3.0-372 is released. This is the trunk of Dolphin Project. Dolphin is the first Gamecube emulator able to run commercial games! Dolphin is a great Gamecube(NGC) and Wii emulator. It has a partial Wii support and plays most Gamecube games. Dolphin has been changed SVN to Git recently.

Dolphin Git changelog:
* Ensure comment strings in CBannerLoaderWii::SWiiBanner are null-terminated. Fixes issue 5012.
Signed-off-by: Shawn Hoffman

http://code.google.com/p/dolphin-emu/

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GameBoy Online (2012/01/17)

January 19th, 2012, 01:45 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

GameBoy Online (2012/01/17) is released. GameBoy Online is a Game Boy and GameBoy Color emulator written in Javascript. It strives to be efficient and try to have a perfect compatibility. Currently the execution speed is not optimal even on browsers. For example on Chrome, which is nevertheless deemed to run Javascript faster on a PC running Windows 7 64-bit version with a double heart 2 CPUs at 2.2 GHz, games run at normal speed but almost skipping some frames.

The sound production is still experimental and rather poor quality. The video portion is by HTML5 or by creating images with BMP string URI. State backups are implemented using the object window.localStorage and are serialized / deserialized JSON. Ditto for backup SRAM.

http://www.emucr.com/2012/01/gameboy...-20120117.html

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DeSmuME SVN r4160

January 19th, 2012, 01:48 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

DeSmuME SVN r4160 is released. DeSmuME is an open source Nintendo DS(NDS) emulator for Linux, Mac OS and Windows. DeSmuME supports save states, the ability to increase the size of the screen and it supports filters to improve image quality. DeSmuME also supports microphone use on Windows and Linux ports, as well as direct video and audio recording. The emulator also features a built-in movie recorder.

DeSmuME SVN Changelog:
r4154
Cocoa Port:
- Update file handling utility methods to use external dictionary lookups instead of hard-coded values.
r4155
Cocoa Port:
- Fix bug in GetNormalPointFromTransformedPoint() function where the angleDegrees parameter was actually in radians. It's now in degrees, as intended.
r4156
Cocoa Port:
- Remove one of the now unused XCode project files.
r4157
Cocoa Port:
- Fix a minor bug in file handling for the Tiger build.
r4158
Cocoa Port:
- Make InfoPlist.strings localizable.
- Update copyright year in InfoPlist.strings.
r4159
Cheat System:
- Rename private method XXcodePreParser() to XXCodeFromString() and make public static.
- Add methods getListPtr() and getItemByIndex() to return pointers to the actual cheat items in the array list.
- Do some minor code cleanup.
r4160
SPU:
- Improve performance of cosine interpolation (making it as fast as linear).

http://sourceforge.net/projects/desmume

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VisualBoyAdvance-M SVN r1066

January 19th, 2012, 01:50 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/


VisualBoyAdvance-M SVN r1066 is released. VisualBoyAdvance-M(VBA-M) is a [Super] Game Boy [Color / Advance] emulator for Windows, Linux & Mac. Here you can get information about the latest development build of the Windows version and download it while you're at it.

VisualBoyAdvance-M SVN changelog:
r1066
reverts ini file generation to pre rev885 behaviour

http://sourceforge.net/projects/vbam/

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Fceux SVN r2383

January 19th, 2012, 01:55 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

Fceux SVN r2383 is released. FCEUX is a cross platform, NTSC and PAL Famicom/NES emulator that is an evolution of the original FCE Ultra emulator. Over time FCE Ultra had separated into many separate branches. The concept behind FCEUX is to merge elements from FCE Ultra, FCEU rerecording, FCEUXD, FCEUXDSP, and FCEU-mm into a single branch of FCEU. As the X implies, it is an all-encompassing FCEU emulator that gives the best of all worlds for the general player, the ROM-hacking community, and the Tool-Assisted Speedrun Community.

Fceux SVN changelog:
r2382
* Tasedit: more refactoring
* Tasedit: resizing TAS Editor window
* Tasedit: INPUT_TYPE_1P
* Tasedit: File->New Project
r2383
* changed taseditlib folder name to taseditor

http://fceultra.svn.sourceforge.net/

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DinoBoy v0.1 Final

January 19th, 2012, 01:59 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

DinoBoy v0.1 Beta is released. DinoBoy is a GameBoy (Color) emulator which is in it's beta stage and author is currently working on it. The emulator has no sound support yet but the next stable version will have sound emulation.

DinoBoy Features:
-> Can emulate GameBoy and GameBoy Color hardware.
-> Keyboard and JoyPad input support.
-> MBC1, MBC2, MBC3 and MBC5 support.
-> Real Time Clock emulated.
-> Battery Pack support. Save format is compatible with VBA-M.

DinoBoy v0.1 Final Changelog:
-> Sound Emulation of channel 1, 2, 3 and 4. (Vin output is not emulated)
-> Save State feature added.
-> Increased compatibility. Graphical glitches in games (like Aladdin(CGB version), Tomb Raider, Shantae, Ken Griffey etc) are fixed.
-> Battery Bug Fixed. Some games have illegal filename characters in their internal ROM name.
-> VisualBoy inspired Turbo Button. Press Space to speed up the game.

http://www.emucr.com/2012/01/dinoboy-v01-final.html

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NES controller uses capacitive touch instead of buttons

January 20th, 2012, 01:33 Posted By: wraggster


Here’s one way to really keep the component count low. [David] developed an NES controller that doesn’t use any buttons. The copper clad has been milled to provide a pad which registers a button push based on capacitance. The board has a SIL header at the top, making it easy to plug into the Arduino board that reads the inputs.
[David] had trouble getting the Arduino pin read functions to respond fast enough for he NES console’s expectations. He ended up using commands to access the ATmega’s peripherals directly in order to achieve the target timing. Speaking of, he did his own sniffing of the communication scheme using a logic analyzer. The results of that work, as well as the board files and code are available at the site linked above. And there’s a demo of the controller used to play Super Mario Bros. in the clip after the break.
This is actually a tangential project using a PCB mill which he’s developing through Kickstarter. This certainly shows that the mills works as designed.

http://hackaday.com/2012/01/19/nes-c...ad-of-buttons/

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NES controller cannibalized for MP3 player enclosure

January 20th, 2012, 01:34 Posted By: wraggster

We know some folks are very upset by the scrapping on vintage hardware, so let’s all observe a moment of silence for this NES controller.Now that that’s behind us we can live vicariously through [Burger King Diamond's] project. He polished up the NES controller and repurposed it as an enclosure for a portable MP3 player.His first step was to remove some of the yellowing of the plastic using Retr0brite. He admits it wasn’t bad to start with but now it’s sparkling like new. Next, he started planning how everything would fit in the case. Luckily the MP3 player operates with one AAA battery which leaves plenty of room.Just above the A and B buttons you can make out an opening that he cut in the case for the MP3 player’s LCD screen. The bezel from the original case works well for cleaning the rough cut opening. The buttons on the controller have been patched into the controls on the MP3 board, and the opening for the controller’s cable now holds the headphone jack. There’s also a USB port mounted next to it for easy file transfers.The one thing we would like to see is a rechargeable battery so you don’t need to open the case to top off the power. But all in all this is a fantastic build!

http://hackaday.com/2012/01/19/nes-c...yer-enclosure/

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3D Classics Kid Icarus is a pre-order bonus for Uprising

January 20th, 2012, 01:45 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo of America has finally revealed at least one way for North Americans to get their hands on the 3D Classics remake of the NES Kid Icarus: by pre-ordering Kid Icarus: Uprising. Nintendo reported today that the download code will be delivered along with pickup of the game, from "select retailers."

In other parts of the world, the eShop download was given out as a freebie with registration of two qualifying 3DS games on Club Nintendo, and then offered separately for sale later.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/3d...-for-uprising/

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Metal Gear Solid 3DS slithers into view, looks snazzy

January 21st, 2012, 00:23 Posted By: wraggster

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Wii U: Everything you need to know

January 21st, 2012, 22:06 Posted By: wraggster

Within the year we'll have a new piece of Nintendo hardware. That fact alone is enough to have us foaming at the mouth with excitement but get this: it'll also be the most powerful console on the market.
For more Nintendo features and retrospectives buy Nintendo gamer online for £4.50 or on Apple Newsstand from £2.99.We love the Wii to its jaggy old bones, but there's something about the idea of an all-conquering HD Nintendo machine that makes us squee ourselves silly. So will it be the ground-breaking wonder-machine we're all hoping for? Does Pikmin 3 actually exist? And do Ubisoft have the usual smattering of rubbish ports ready for day one? All of those questions and more will be answered in the next few pages, as we bring you the inside skinny on the world's most exciting piece of future tech...[h=3]When will it be out?[/h]Everything so far points to a launch between June and December 2012. Ninty boss Satoru Iwata had already confirmed that the console would miss the end of the fiscal year (ie, April 2012), but after stating "we would like to show the final format of the Wii U at the E3 show next year" at Nintendo's most recent financial results briefing, he made it clear it's not going to arrive until well after June.
While it's crucial for Nintendo to get a head-start, Iwata's equally keen to get things right from day one: "As we learned a bitter lesson with the launch
of the Nintendo 3DS, we are trying to take every possible measure so that the Wii U will have a successful launch." With both release date and price set to be announced "when we are able to explain the specific proposals", it looks like we'll have to hang on until June before we find out more.
[h=3]When will anyone go hands on with it?[/h]Nintendo aren't set to reveal the console's final form until E3, so it seems the industry's annual willy-waving contest - sorry, enormously important trade show - will be the first time the world's press get their hands on the real thing. The upside of this delay? It gives developers plenty of time to get their games looking shipshape before revealing them to the world.
[h=3]What are the hardware specs so far?[/h]Nintendo have again partnered with IBM for the console's CPU, which is - warning: techy stuff - a multi-core 45nm microprocessor based on the architecture found in the human-trouncing Watson supercomputer. Its GPU is a custom-designed AMD Radeon HD chip, akin to the three-year-old R770. In layman's terms, that means it's not quite cutting-edge tech, but more than competent, and certainly enough to make Wii look pretty rusty already.
[h=3]So how powerful is it really?[/h]Curiously, all comparisons so far have been with Xbox 360 rather than PlayStation 3, though with what we know about the system's architecture, that's because it has more in common with Microsoft rather than Sony hardware. Darksiders II developers Vigil Games claim it's more powerful than either, "but there's still a question mark about how much you can squeeze out of it. You know how it is: a new system, tricks get learned as the lifespan goes along, so this is where we're starting, and it looks good."
Final hardware details are subject to change, but reports have it pegged as anywhere from 15% to "a lot" more powerful than current-gen hardware. It may not last for long, but when Wii U is released, Nintendo will have the most technologically capable console on the market. When was the last time you could say that, eh?
[h=3]How will it work with 3DS?[/h]Nintendo have been bigging up connectivity since the GameCube years, but few games have really made use of it - outside Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates, how many titles really encouraged players to connect their DS and Wii? Exactly. Sure, we'll see a few titles where 3DS can be used as an optional controller, but with a likely disparity in power terms (not to mention the interface differences) it won't be much more than that.
[h=3]How much is it likely to cost?[/h]It'll be more expensive than the Wii was at launch, that's for sure. "We haven't announced pricing for Wii U, but you can definitely expect that pricing is going to be different," boomed human skyscraper (and president of Nintendo Of America) Reggie Fils-Aime. Industry 'expert' Michael Pachter claims the console's "sweet spot" would be $249, but a lot depends on just how powerful the machine is and how cheaply Nintendo can manufacture those touch-screen controllers. We'd put money on a UK price somewhere between £249 and £299, assuming the global economy doesn't implode before that.
[h=3]What's Miyamoto working on?[/h]Well, there's Measure Up, the E3 curio based on Shigsy's decidedly odd habit of carrying a tape measure around and testing himself to guess the size of everyday objects. The game was demoed at E3 2011 to zero fanfare, but it's sure to form part of a casual-friendly title at launch, if not a downloadable offering. Otherwise he'll be overseeing the next Mario game, though that could take a while to appear. Oh, and Pikmin 3, natch.
[h=3]Will Pikmin 3 be a launch title?[/h]We'd bet Edge magazine's lunch money on it. After all, it was originally in production for Wii, but now development has shifted over to Wii U. And with a 'proper' Mario and Zelda likely some way off, we need a first-party biggie at launch alongside the game that Retro Studios are developing. Which brings us neatly to our next point...

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-need-to-know/

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Hyrulecraft: Ocarina of Time reproduced in Minecraft

January 22nd, 2012, 21:10 Posted By: wraggster

We don't know if you guys are aware of this or not, but people really love Zelda games. Some people, in fact, love Zelda games so much that they've spent nine months completely rebuilding a Zelda game inside of a totally unrelated and entirely different game.

The Hyrulecraft project, which is currently in the middle of live public alpha testing, is a to-scale recreation of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time inside of Minecraft. As you can tell from the above trailer, Hyrulecraft an impressive display of devotion to the franchise, but the team responsible has far more ambitious plans. Ultimately, they want to make Hyrulecraft "a unique Minecraft MMO experience including quests, NPCs, dungeons, free build zones, guilds, and more," according to their website.

If cuboid reproductions of Nintendo 64 games really are your bag, baby, then hit the source link for information about how you can scope out the public alpha test and download the map for yourself.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/21/hy...-in-minecraft/

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BoltThrower 0.62 released

January 22nd, 2012, 21:32 Posted By: wraggster

Bolt Thrower is currently single player Space Shoot 'Em Up. It’s still work in progress and updates will happen whenever I can find the spare time. Every effort is being made to detach game data from the code, being 'data driven' anyone can change the look or functionality of the game. So I've exposed the data through a XML configuration file rather than lock the data into the code.

Version 0.62 is now released - Fixed music playback stopping in 0.61 after loading screen, needing next tune to be clicked to restart the tune.

http://code.google.com/p/wii-bolt-thrower

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ModMii 5.2.1

January 22nd, 2012, 23:34 Posted By: wraggster

via http://wii.gx-mod.com/modules/news/a...p?storyid=3099

XFlak proposes a new version of its program (formerly known as Auto Downloader NUS) that allows you to simply and automatically prepare your SD card in order to implement the softmod your Wii by downloading the files needed for its operation. 's new / fixed: 5.2 .1 - Fixed a bug preventing download DML to create an emulated NAND 5.2.0 - Fixed the support for DML DML rev12 + - The DML are moved from page 1 to 4 - Thanks to crediar for the solution of the relevant slot 257 - Added option to build a DML with the debug mode / logging enabled - Update NeoGamma version R9 to R9 beta50 beta56 (supports GameCube backups from an SD card without NEEK or nand emulated) - Add build Cioss d2x with IOS60, IOS70 and IOS80 - ModMii's SD \ USB Forwarder creator update v11b to v11c - Other forwarder channels have also been updated v11c. -neek2o rev70 + SNEEKInstallerv0.7 now uses instead of NEEKInstallerv0.6c - Change the default directory. "C: \ ModMii \ Program Files" folder is replaced by a program file in the folder modmii Thanks to kash for information and relayed deaphroat for Propal news . ModMii 5.2.1 Homepage: http://code .google.com / p / modmii /

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Savegame Manager GX R119

January 22nd, 2012, 23:44 Posted By: wraggster

via http://wii.gx-mod.com/modules/news/a...p?storyid=3100

dj_skual has just released a new version of its Backup Manager, which fixes some bugs and adds new features.





New / fixed:
* Added two new classes: "NAND" and "Tools"
* change many of the functions to use these new classes
* transformation of the "mii_installer" in a new class "Mii"
* correction random freezes exploring backups wiisave.com
* Fixed a freeze of the browser if no backup is installed or Mii in NAND
* Change, cleaning and storage of sources
* Added a "Mii:: Fixdb ( ) "at startup (fixes file" Facelib "and data from the Mii Channel):
1) Nand real:
* Facelib if data is corrupted, the application will correct the file, but all the Miis will be lost
if the * Mii Channel is set to request the creation of a mii when it starts, the correct application to avoid the problem. So you can now install the Mii from the application before using the Mii Channel and will not have to manually create Mii.
2) Nand emulated (Uneek):
* Facelib if data are not installed, the application will install. Now you can manage without the Mii Mii Channel installed. Practice for games like Mario Kart ...
* if the Mii Channel is installed, but no data is installed (or misconfigured), the application will create and correct the data.
3) the application requires a file "mii_db.bin" to correct FaceLib two possibilities:
* if your wii is not connected to internet, download the file to the GoogleCode and place it in the configuration file
* if your Wii is connected to the Internet, as the file is not found on the storage media and the application is set to "auto_connect", it will download the file. Savegame Manager GX R119 Official site: http://code.google.com/p/savegame- manager-gx /

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Dios Mio Lite R21

January 22nd, 2012, 23:45 Posted By: wraggster

via http://wii.gx-mod.com/modules/news/a...p?storyid=3101

Following the purchase of sources by a team of developers hacked the MIOS originally developed by Crediar, the first results begin to point the tip of their nose with this new version of Dios Mio Lite. little history: DML permits the launch of Gamecube games from the internal SD slot on the Wii. A special effort was made ​​to patching video, which was problematic, especially for PAL and component cables. You can view this issue to see how to create the WAD file matching. Dios Mio Lite R21 Official Website: http://code.google.com/p/dios-mios-lite-source-project/

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WiiFlow R417a4 MOD5 (unofficial)

January 22nd, 2012, 23:46 Posted By: wraggster

via http://wii.gx-mod.com/modules/news/a...p?storyid=3102

FIX94 returned (yesterday) wiiflow the torch using the latest sources available on the GoogleCode and today offers a mod of it. It is not yet an official build, hope that all these changes will be formally incorporated into WiiFlow soon ... The major innovation: the added support of the launch games from the Gamecube's internal SD slot console, supported of course by Dios Mio Lite .

News / Corrections
WiiFlow mod by FIX94 R417 -> r417mod -Added very basic DML support (many thanks to the PostLoad code) -Re-added IOS reload -Added cIOS base 60, 70 and 80 have compatible ones for d2x v8 + r417mod -> r417mod2 -Fixed NTSC video mode r417mod2 -> r417mod3 -Fixed black wii game covers WiiTDB if no file exists, now forcing to white -Set default gamecube game cover to black -Added icon DML -Compressed all PNG files to save space if codedump fixed-May IOS58 games started from DVD (thanks entropy) -Allowing access to the homebrew screen while parental controls are enabled (thanks entropy) -Disable parental controls cover while downloads are enabled (thanks entropy) r417mod3 -> r417mod4 DML-fixed audio streaming if NAND emulator Before WAS enabled boot from DVD-removed DML launch, Makes way faster boot process (still needs a disc inserted) -Added base IOS58 to DVD launch list, May really fixed IOS58 from DVD games: P r417mod4 -> r417mod5 -yellow covers for added "Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games" PAL and NTSC-U -fixed black covers for "Pandora's Tower: Until I Return to Your Side" and "Ikenne no Yoru" NTSC-J -removed Some options in DML coverflow Because THEY doesn't work -fixed global options in coverflow DML -fixed gametdb titles and synopsis (see here ) -moved to new IOS selection page 4

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DS2x86 progress

January 23rd, 2012, 00:25 Posted By: wraggster

via http://dsx86.patrickaalto.com/DSblog.html

The last week has again seen only some slow progress with DS2x86. There were a couple of snow storms, causing blackouts and the need to shovel snow again last week. That meant I only had two evenings where I was able to work on DS2x86 at all. I spent those fixing the mouse behaviour in the new transfer system, so that now both the D-Pad mouse and the Touchscreen mouse seem to work in DS2x86 just like they do in the original DSx86.
Currently I am attempting to improve the screen blitting in the high resolution modes (640x???). I will need to move some of the blitting code back to the MIPS side to be able to avoid sending unnecessary data via the slow card interface. This will cause a slight slowdown to the CPU emulation, but since most of the more CPU-hungry games will use the 256-color modes (where the 640x resolution is not available), this should not cause much of a problem.
There are still problems in the SoundBlaster emulation, but it looks like those will be very difficult to fix using my current transfer method. I think I will still need to rethink the SB digital audio transfer system one more time, to be able to handle all the different methods that the SB card can play digital audio. I have not yet figured out a system that would support all the needs, so I will probably leave this improvement for the later versions.
Thanks for your test reports about the problems in the previous version again! Sorry I probably won't get around to improving the specific problems in the various games before I get the new transfer system working better. This new transfer system was a major architectural change, so it will still take a few releases to get it working properly.

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3DS gets free Wi-Fi access at UK airports

January 23rd, 2012, 23:09 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has signed a partnership that will provide 3DS owners with free Wi-Fi at major UK airports.
The deal with Boingo Wireless covers terminals at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted as well as Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports.
The 3DS will automatically connect to Boingo's Wi-Fi hotspots, allowing players to use the handheld's internet browser and eShop, and receive SpotPass downloads.
"Boingo is an excellent partner for Nitendo 3DS owners in the United Kingdom due to an extensive airport Wi-Fi network," said Nintendo UK's assistant general manager and director of marketing Dawn Paine.
Boingo's SVP of strategy and business development Colby Goff: "Nintendo is a tremendous addition to our list of strategic partners in the UK. Our networks will provide 3DS users with seamless connectivity and fast, reliable service to help them make the most of their travel downtime."

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/3ds-g...irports/090142

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Theatrhythm Final Fantasy box points to first paid DLC for Nintendo 3DS

January 23rd, 2012, 23:42 Posted By: wraggster

3DS owners have been waiting (and waiting) for a chance to take advantage of a downloadable content market, and while Nintendo already accomplished the tough part (read:launching it) a few days back, there's still been no word on when paid content would make an appearance. Pushing those freebies aside is Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, which is seemingly destined to be the first 3DS title in existence to offer up enhancements in exchange for a few yen. The box here is actually an "early retail dummy unit," though the verbiage on the back makes quite clear that downloadable material will be available at a cost. Furthermore, there's a heretofore unseen Nintendo Network badge on the front, which may be a new look for the existing Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. At any rate, the game is scheduled to ship on February 16th in Japan, after which all of this will-it-won't-it drama will presumably be cleared up.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/22/t...-nintendo-3ds/

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Rayman Origins comes to 3DS in North America Feb. 17

January 24th, 2012, 01:07 Posted By: wraggster

You'll be able to take a little happiness (and a lot of frustration) with you wherever you go starting February 17, when Ubisoft releases the 3DS version of the delightful Rayman Origins in North America. The European version will arrive on March 16.

If you would prefer to explore Rayman's world with a slightly bigger, but still handheld, screen, Rayman Origins will be among the games available alongside the PlayStation Vita's First Edition bundle on Feb. 15.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/ra...merica-feb-17/

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Project Cars Wii U version confirmed

January 24th, 2012, 01:25 Posted By: wraggster

Need for Speed: Shift developer Slightly Mad Studios is developing a Wii U version of upcoming racing sim Project Cars.The UK studio has added Nintendo's upcoming home console to the game's official website, alongside the game's already-announced PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions.No release date was mentioned for the game, although the Wii U will not launch until later this year - sometime after the E3 Expo in June.Project Cars is a community-developed game, where feedback from the game's open beta is rewarded with a share of the game's profits.Martin Robinson went under the hood for Eurogamer in our Project Cars preview late last year.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...sion-confirmed

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Ice White, Coral Pink 3DS price hiked

January 24th, 2012, 01:31 Posted By: wraggster

The Ice White and Rose Pink 3DS flavours will be more expensive than the existing range of colours when they launch separately on 10th February.Amazon lists the latest duo of Nintendo 3DS colours at £159.99. That's £20 higher than the standard £139.99 price point for the Black, Red and Blue versions, reports Nintendo Life.Nintendo has refused to publicly set an RRP for the handheld.The Ice White and Rose Pink editions have been on sale since late last year, although up to this point only in bundles; Ice White is already available with Super Mario 3D Land, while Rose Pink comes packaged with Nintendogs+Cats.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...ds-price-hiked

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N64 Texture Packs Now hosted at Emulation64.com

January 24th, 2012, 14:17 Posted By: wraggster

The recent Megaupload saga has claimed a heck of a lot of non piracy related projects including many for the Homebrew and Emulation scene, thankfully our buddys at Emulation 64 are here to help, heres the news from their site:

Since Megaupload was taken down the abililty to download N64 Texture Packs was a whole lot more difficult because most of the packs were uploaded there.

However, we now offer these files through Emulation64 instead for direct download.

Some packs are still missing though so we'd like to ask the authors to provide fresh packs and they will be uploaded and hosted here.

Download N64 Texture Packs

Also, check out the new site we setup for screenshots and more info:

Texture Packs @ Emulation64.com

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This might be fake

January 25th, 2012, 02:15 Posted By: wraggster


If you want a second analog stick for your 3DS, you could wait a month and buy aCircle Pad Pro, or install a PSP analog stick. We’re not sure how this would work – the Circle Pad Pro works over IR, and we’re not seeing an IR transmitter on this build.Here’s the source if anyone wants to give this a shot.

http://hackaday.com/2012/01/24/hacka...nuary-24-2012/

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Crush3D: A second look in the third dimension

January 25th, 2012, 02:33 Posted By: wraggster

Crush3D might be a new game to many of us, but that's only because nobody seemed to notice the original 2007 PSP game, developed back when Zoe Mode was called Kuju Brighton. And with its emphasis on constantly shifting from 2D to 3D in perspective, it seems like an idea that was waiting for the 3DS to come along.

The new version obviously uses stereoscopic 3D effects to highlight the "3D-ness" of the world, but what else has changed for the 3DS release? Well, not much. The only difference I could clearly identify is in the color scheme. While the PSP game was deep, dark and moody, painting the world inside protagonist Danny's mind with subdued colors and nighttime skies, the 3DS game is vividly colorful.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/cr...ird-dimension/