Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Oculus Rift already has a Virtual Boy emulator]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/oculus-rift-already-has-a-virtual-boy-emulator/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/oculus-rift-already-has-a-virtual-boy-emulator/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/oculus-rift-already-has-a-virtual-boy-emulator/#comments
While the Oculus Rift is currently the world's great hope for a future lived inside digital spaces, it's not the first stereoscopic box developers have asked us to cram our faces into. For most of us, that honor goes to Nintendo's Virtual Boy, herald of vectorized headaches (in 3D!) to 700,000 or so hopeful people with $180.

If you're one of the lucky people with an Oculus Rift development kit, however, you can now recreate that ol' black-and-red magic with VBjin-ovr, a freeware Virtual Boy emulator for the Oculus Rift. As seen in this video from YouTuber Cymatic Bruce, wherein VBjin-ovr is used to play the obscure first-person survival horror game Insane Mouse Mansion, the Rift primarily functions as a head-mounted display, as Virtual Boy games have no use for the device's various bells and head-tracking whistles.

Still, the experience seems about as accurate as one could hope for without the real deal. Is there an Excedrin emulator out there?

JoystiqOculus Rift already has a Virtual Boy emulator originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationInsane-Mouse-MansionOculus-RiftpcVBjin-ovrVirtual-BoySat, 27 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GCW-Zero open-source handheld needs a Kickstart]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/21/gcw-zero-open-source-handheld-needs-a-kickstart/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/21/gcw-zero-open-source-handheld-needs-a-kickstart/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/21/gcw-zero-open-source-handheld-needs-a-kickstart/#comments
Enter the GCW-Zero, just in case you weren't already having enough trouble keeping track of startup consoles. The little handheld is a Linux-based, open-source device offering the capability to run classic PC games, emulated consoles and homebrew games. Specifically, the developer promises enough horsepower to emulate older consoles like the NES, all the way to the original PlayStation, with the video above showing off PC games like Quake and Descent running very well.

Of course, it wouldn't be an upstart console without the accompanying Kickstarter campaign. The developer is seeking $130,000 to fund the manufacture of the GCW-Zero, with a pledge of $135 or more guaranteeing backers one of the first units produced. As of this writing, the project has just under $17,000 to go with 7 days left.

[Thanks, Neal!]

JoystiqGCW-Zero open-source handheld needs a Kickstart originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jan 2013 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationgcw-zerokickstarterlinuxMon, 21 Jan 2013 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo patents handheld game emulation on 'low-capability' systems]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/nintendo-patents-handheld-game-emulation-on-low-capability-sys/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/nintendo-patents-handheld-game-emulation-on-low-capability-sys/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/nintendo-patents-handheld-game-emulation-on-low-capability-sys/#comments ImageNintendo has been awarded a US patent for emulation of handheld video games on other platforms, something that may not impress anyone playing a Game Boy game through the 3DS Virtual Console right now.

Nintendo applied for the patent back in 2003, for technology to emulate a handheld game system (examples given: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance) on low-powered systems like cell phones and displays in airplane seat backs.

Nintendo may have been exploring options like in-airplane Game Boy games (SNES-based systems were a staple in airplanes for years), but it's much more likely that the company was attempting to get a footing from which to defend its IPs against other, unauthorized emulation.

JoystiqNintendo patents handheld game emulation on 'low-capability' systems originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationgame-boypatentusptoWed, 18 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Retrode 2 USB device lets you play real SNES and Genesis games in emulators]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/retrode-2-usb-device-lets-you-play-real-snes-and-genesis-games-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/retrode-2-usb-device-lets-you-play-real-snes-and-genesis-games-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/retrode-2-usb-device-lets-you-play-real-snes-and-genesis-games-i/#comments Combining game consoles and emulators, the Retrode 2 is a device that lets you play SNES and Genesis games on your computer. It's a USB device that accepts SNES and Genesis cartridges and controllers, and uses them with any emulator program. When not in use, it folds up into a little clamshell box. It's kind of magical, as far as we can tell.

It's hard to say why you would be playing on a computer, in an emulator, when you have the cartridge and controller handy. Perhaps you want to be able to use save states or other emulator niceties. You might just want to take a bunch of screenshots. Whatever the reason, we like having the option! It'll be available January 23 for 65 euro or $85, depending on your region.

JoystiqRetrode 2 USB device lets you play real SNES and Genesis games in emulators originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationgenesismacpcretrode-2snesTue, 03 Jan 2012 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[iMame app pulled from iOS App Store after a few short days of freedom]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/imame-app-pulled-from-ios-app-store-after-a-few-short-days-of-fr/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/imame-app-pulled-from-ios-app-store-after-a-few-short-days-of-fr/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/imame-app-pulled-from-ios-app-store-after-a-few-short-days-of-fr/#comments Apple has officially pulled iMame, the free, ROM-playing arcade unit emulator, from its App Store, killing one of the very few venues for getting old arcade games onto your iOS device of choice. The move is presumably due to Apple's long-standing policy of not allowing applications running on its devices to play emulated software (despite a few exceptions in Capcom and Atari).

As with other emulators to have somehow sneaked past Apple's App approvals process, it wasn't long before Apple got wind of iMame's uses and shut it down. That said, if you already snagged yourself a copy of the free App, it can't be taken away, though it can't exactly receive updates either. Unfortunate, yes, but at least you've got a few months of unadulterated, portable, emulated gaming ahead of you!

JoystiqiMame app pulled from iOS App Store after a few short days of freedom originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app-storeemulationemulatorsimameiosipadiphoneitunesitunes-app-storemobileWed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free MAME client appears on iOS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/free-mame-client-appears-on-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/free-mame-client-appears-on-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/free-mame-client-appears-on-ios/#commentsAn unofficial port of the MAME arcade emulator is up on the App Store right now, for free. iMame comes with a selection of legal demo ROMs, but if you can find a way to get your own MAME ROMs onto your iPhone (Gadget Lab suggests an app called PhoneView), you can play genuine arcade games on your phone. The app even supports the iCade controller, so iPad owners don't have to use the miserable-looking touch controls.

Oh, by the way: please only use legally acquired ROMs with this program.

Apple has taken a dim view of emulators in the past, but seems to have calmed down in that regard, allowing programs like the Turbografx-16 GameBox, C64, and Capcom Arcade to live on the App Store. Still, just to be safe, we suggest grabbing this nowish if you want it.

JoystiqFree MAME client appears on iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationimameiosipadiphonejim-vandeventermamemobileThu, 22 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NGP backwards compatible with all PSP games (on PSN); smoothing and dual analog support included]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/ngp-backwards-compatible-with-all-psp-games-on-psn-smoothing/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/ngp-backwards-compatible-with-all-psp-games-on-psn-smoothing/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/ngp-backwards-compatible-with-all-psp-games-on-psn-smoothing/#comments The PlayStation Portable's lack of a second analog stick has always been a problem for shooters. Sony Bend's Resistance: Retribution had a clever - albeit complicated - solution for this shortcoming: let players tether a DualShock 3 controller to the handheld. So when Sony showed off the game running in emulation on an NGP last month, with full use of that right thumb stick, we assumed there was some benefit specific to Retribution.

As it turns out, all PSP titles1 will be able to take advantage of that second analog stick, as well as other NGP enhancements. "All PSP titles that are currently available on the PSN can be played on the NGP," VP of product development at SCEA Scott Rohde told a crowd of game journalists. "And they'll take full advantage of the graphics smoothing capabilities of the system and the controls will be remapped to take advantage of the dual analog sticks."

While I can't say much about the graphics smoothing - it definitely looked like it was being zoomed up 400% - I can say that the second analog stick worked wonderfully in Retribution. The game originally mapped the right stick to the four face buttons. It's unclear how the tech will work with other games, and the representative we spoke could only say that the technology we were using was early. In fact, the sole NGP prototype that had the emulation software belonged to SCE's Shuhei Yoshida, who was taking it with him back to Japan that night.

We're hoping to learn more about how PSP games take advantage of NGP hardware at E3. Any specific questions or concerns, let us know in the comments.

1: Of course, the list of PSP games that never appeared on PlayStation Network includes several high-profile titles, like Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, and Lumines.

JoystiqNGP backwards compatible with all PSP games (on PSN); smoothing and dual analog support included originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationNGPplaystationplaystation-vitapre-e3-2011pspResistance-RetributionRetributionsonySony-BendvitaThu, 02 Jun 2011 17:35:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayStation emulator for Android goes free and open source]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/playstation-emulator-for-android-goes-free-and-open-source/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/playstation-emulator-for-android-goes-free-and-open-source/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/playstation-emulator-for-android-goes-free-and-open-source/#comments PSX4Droid, the PSOne emulator for Android that got the smackdown from Google recently, has found a surefire way of getting around the ban: Go free and open source. The latest version of the software does just that, skipping out on Google's market completely and putting both the app and the source code online for anyone to download and check out.

Developer "ZodTTD" says that the original Sony complaint only had to do with a trademarked logo that had snuck into the app's icon, but since then, Google has closed both his Android Market and CheckOut accounts, leaving him unable to publish any apps. As a result, he's self-publishing PSX4Droid, and will be exploring other third-party markets to sell the app in. In the meantime, you can go enjoy the new version, which adds better compatibility and performance, though save files from the previous version will no longer work.

JoystiqPlayStation emulator for Android goes free and open source originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid-marketemulationemulatorgooglemobileplaystationpsx4droidsonyzodttdFri, 08 Apr 2011 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WonderSwan Color shmups return on Xbox 360]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/wonderswan-color-shmups-return-on-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/wonderswan-color-shmups-return-on-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/wonderswan-color-shmups-return-on-xbox-360/#commentsJudgement Silversword is as well-known as a homebrew WonderSwan Color game could be. The Radiant Silvergun tribute was designed for a homebrew competition in 2001, and then published for real by Qute in 2004. Now, it's making a return appearance in the unlikeliest of places: on Xbox 360.

Judgement Silversword and its remixed edition, Cardinal Sins, will be bonuses in Qute's new 360 retail shmup, Eschatos. Both will be faithfully emulated in their original forms -- which means they'll be pretty pixelated and confined to a tiny gameplay window on an HD display.

Check out two trailers for Eschatos (the actual new game on the Eschatos disc) after the break. If it looks cool, be prepared to import it on March 24 -- not many disc-based bullet hell shooters make it outside of Japan.

Continue reading WonderSwan Color shmups return on Xbox 360

JoystiqWonderSwan Color shmups return on Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cardinal-sinsemulationeschatosjapanjudgement-silverswordmicrosoftqutewonderswan-colorxboxFri, 21 Jan 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[TurboGrafx-16 emulation app coming to iPhone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/turbografx-16-emulation-app-coming-to-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/turbografx-16-emulation-app-coming-to-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/turbografx-16-emulation-app-coming-to-iphone/#commentsAnd now, some news that is simultaneously awesome and depressing. Hudson is (officially) bringing Turbografx-16 games to iPhone and iPod Touch "this winter" in a free TurboGrafx Gamebox app. It'll launch with a library of $3.99 games, and will include one, the Olympic-style World Sports Competition, for free. Each day, Hudson will select one game from the library and make it available through the app for a free three-minute trial.

Hudson didn't announce the initial lineup, but we're going to go out on a limb and guess it'll include Bonk's Adventure and Military Madness. And knowing that many people missed out on the TurboGrafx-16, we're happy to see the games being brought to such a popular platform.

And there's the terrible part. Last time we checked, the iPhone continued not to have buttons. So that's $4 each for a potentially great game to be rendered totally unplayable.

Continue reading TurboGrafx-16 emulation app coming to iPhone

JoystiqTurboGrafx-16 emulation app coming to iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationhudsonhudson-softiphonemobileturbografxturbografx-gameboxturbografx16Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Sonic 2 spin-dashing to iPhone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/rumor-sonic-2-spin-dashing-to-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/rumor-sonic-2-spin-dashing-to-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/rumor-sonic-2-spin-dashing-to-iphone/#comments
[VGMuseum]
Those of you who bought Sonic the Hedgehog on iPhone and liked it will be pleased to hear that, according to Appolicious, Sega will release an iPhone port of Sonic 2 next week.

The site reports that the port of the sequel is at least marginally improved over the first iPhone Sonic in terms of control responsiveness, though it still relies on a virtual D-pad and button. Despite the multiplayer capability of Sonic 2 on Genesis, however, this iPhone port is strictly a solo game. Tails follows behind Sonic as an AI-controlled character, but can't be operated by a second player.

If Sonic 2 does make it onto the App Store next week, it means enough of us bought the first game to make continued iPhone emulation worthwhile for Sega, which in turn means the porting is really cheap or the first one sold really well.

Update: Sega has confirmed the existence of the game, now slated for "late April."

[Via Destructoid]

JoystiqRumor: Sonic 2 spin-dashing to iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleemulationgenesisiPodsegasonicsonic-2sonic-the-hedgehogsonic-the-hedgehog-2Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Karate Champ, Amiga games coming soon to iPhone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/karate-champ-amiga-games-coming-soon-to-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/karate-champ-amiga-games-coming-soon-to-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/karate-champ-amiga-games-coming-soon-to-iphone/#commentsTwo companies have announced new iPhone releases of old games. First, Pocket Gamer reports that Cobra Command developer Revolutionary Concepts will release another Data East classic, Karate Champ, on iPhone and iPod touch. The port will feature Bluetooth and local wi-fi two-player, and will simulate the original dual-joystick interface of the arcade game.

In addition, Manomio, developer of the on-again, off-again Commodore 64 emulator for iPhone, has gotten an Amiga emulator working and plans to release Amiga games as standalone apps. According to Touch Arcade's report of a Retro Gamer magazine article, one of the first games in the works is another early karate title, International Karate+ -- a slightly more modern version of a C64 fighter. The two titles will then face off in a one-on-one battle to be the most popular retro fighting game.

JoystiqKarate Champ, Amiga games coming soon to iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amigaAppledata-eastemulationinternational-karateiPodkarate-champmanomioretrorevolutionary-conceptsWed, 10 Feb 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Sega releasing iPhone storefront for Genesis games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/sega-releasing-iphone-storefront-for-genesis-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/sega-releasing-iphone-storefront-for-genesis-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/sega-releasing-iphone-storefront-for-genesis-games/#commentsSega has already put a few of its Genesis classics, like Golden Axe and Sonic the Hedgehog, up on the iPhone App Store as standalone downloads, but now, according to Gizmodo, it's going one step further and releasing an official Genesis emulator app for the iPhone, with individual games available as in-app purchases. Sort of.

As the service will be at its February launch, the free Ultimate Genesis app just allows you to buy the existing Genesis games through a different interface, as well as new releases like Shining Force and Ecco the Dolphin for $3 each. It's essentially a united storefront for the kind of releases Sega is already doing (and has already done). But it'll also come with a free copy of Space Harrier II, which is as positive as any news regarding iPhone ports of console games can be.

JoystiqSega releasing iPhone storefront for Genesis games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleemulationgenesisiPodsegasega-genesisspace-harrier-iiultimate-genesisWed, 20 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo investigating possible copyright infringement in new Nokia smartphone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/nintendo-investigating-possible-copyright-infringement-in-new-no/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/nintendo-investigating-possible-copyright-infringement-in-new-no/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/nintendo-investigating-possible-copyright-infringement-in-new-no/#comments
Nintendo's says it will investigate possible copyright infringement in Nokia's N900 smartphone after a Nokia blog post showcased the device playing retro games through the use of an emulator application. According to Edge, the video (which is no longer available) featured someone playing Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3, and also showed off buttons that supposedly opened emulators for Nintendo's Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, NES and SNES.

Nintendo UK PR manager Robert Saunders told Edge the company was unaware of the smartphone's emulation feature and stated that Nintendo would take "rigorous steps" to protect its intellectual property. "Our legal team will examine this to determine if any infringement has taken place," Saunders added. Even if the feature ends up on the cutting room floor, we imagine some crafty hackers are already taking steps to get emulation software working on the Nokia device. Just like they do with everything else.

JoystiqNintendo investigating possible copyright infringement in new Nokia smartphone originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesscopyrightcopyright-infringementemulationintellectual-propertylegalnintendonokiaromsSun, 29 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Quickdev16 cart opens up wonderful world of SNES homebrew]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/quickdev16-cart-opens-up-wonderful-world-of-snes-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/quickdev16-cart-opens-up-wonderful-world-of-snes-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/quickdev16-cart-opens-up-wonderful-world-of-snes-homebrew/#comments Has your homebrew SNES masterpiece, Secret of Manilow, been trapped within your computer for a decade or so due to technological restraints? Time to dust off your old ROM file -- the Quickdev16 SNES developer cartridge has all you need to get your brainchild up and running on Nintendo's Super console. The cart includes an Atmel AVR ATmega644 with boot loader, a USB connection with which to upload a ROM, 16 megabits of SRAM, and an RS232 converter.

We're assuming that if you possess the technical know-how to craft custom SNES games, then you probably know what all that stuff means. We're also assuming that you'd be more inclined to pony up for the cart's $120 price tag than we are. That's just a tad too steep for an SNES cart -- or rather, an SNES cart that isn't a sealed, mint condition copy of Chrono Trigger.

[Via Engadget]

JoystiqQuickdev16 cart opens up wonderful world of SNES homebrew originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adapteremulationhackhomebrewmodquickdev16romsnesMon, 26 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone Commodore 64 app removed from App Store]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/iphone-commodore-64-app-removed-from-app-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/iphone-commodore-64-app-removed-from-app-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/iphone-commodore-64-app-removed-from-app-store/#commentsWere you happy to hear that C64, the iPhone Commodore 64 emulator app, had been approved by Apple and finally seen release? We were too. Try to remember that feeling, then, as we tell you that after having been rejected, and then finally accepted, it's been pulled from the App Store.

When developer Manomio learned that the C64's BASIC interpreter was the problem the first time, it removed obvious access, but left the interpreter in the software so it could be re-enabled later if Apple changed its mind. However, some users discovered how to access BASIC. Apple found out and removed it before anyone could use the C64's incredible computing power to blow the iPhone platform wide open.

Manomio has (re)re-submitted the app, so hopefully it'll actually make it to the App Store and stay there this time.

[Via Engadget]

JoystiqiPhone Commodore 64 app removed from App Store originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app-storeapplec64commodorecommodore64emulationiPodmanomioTue, 08 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[C64 emulator ready, running on iPhone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/c64-emulator-ready-running-on-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/c64-emulator-ready-running-on-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/c64-emulator-ready-running-on-iphone/#commentsEarlier this summer, developer Manomio's officially-licensed Commodore 64 emulator app for iPhone hit the news -- not because it was released then, but rather because it wasn't. Apple rejected the app because it "launched other executable code," specifically, C64 games.

Now, Apple Insider reports that the app has been given a second chance. Apple approved it, now that the 3.0 SDK allows in-app purchases -- and therefore, we supposed keeps the emulator part, and the ROMS, closed and inaccessible. Now we just have to wait for the official release of the app! Oh, except it's already in the App Store right now for five bucks, with included copies of Dragons Den, Le Mans, Jupiter Lander, Arctic Shipwreck, and Jack Attack.

C64 (Manomio, $5.99) C64

[Via Engadget]

JoystiqC64 emulator ready, running on iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Applec64commodorecommodore-64emulationiPodMon, 07 Sep 2009 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: LucasArts' Steam-distributed games don't work on ScummVM (but they could!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/psa-lucasarts-steam-distributed-games-dont-work-on-scummvm-b/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/psa-lucasarts-steam-distributed-games-dont-work-on-scummvm-b/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/psa-lucasarts-steam-distributed-games-dont-work-on-scummvm-b/#comments
The first thing we did after firing up our Steam client this afternoon to check in on the status of those LucasArts games was ... well, the first thing we did was write a post about the prices for you, dear Reader. The second thing we did, however, was download The Dig to discover if this classic adventure game - as delivered through Steam - would work via ScummVM, allowing this blogger in particular to play the title in another operating system, sans Steam (namely: Mac OS X).

Well, since The Dig is having some issues and won't play in Windows through Steam (@lucasartsgames says it's "looking into Dig issues") we went with LOOM. Another brief, $5 download later and it works ... in Steam at least. Our attempts to get it to run in ScummVM weren't as successful, despite having all the necessary files available to us, unencrypted. So we went digging, and came up with this blog post by ScummVM team co-leader Sev who writes, "As of the ScummVM compatibility, we see that here were some changes that make the games incompatible with the current ScummVM version."

So, did LucasArts intentionally change the files to break compatibility with ScummVM? Doesn't sound likely. Sev calls the changes "very trivial" and says they "do not seem to constitute any kind of copy protection." Since this isn't any kind of copy protection or encryption, patching ScummVM to work with these new releases would be a "five minutes hack." However, much to our surprise, he and his team have "decided to abstain from it at least for now." He writes, "We do not want to interfere with their sales and/or any upcoming plans for other platforms. Also we are really open for cooperation in this regard and will be more than happy to make any upcoming releases run with use of ScummVM."

Sounds like an honorable stance to us, though one that will deprive this blogger of the ability to play these two games anywhere but Windows. We've reached out to LucasArts for a comment on the format changes and their thoughts on ScummVM enabling playback of these games.

JoystiqPSA: LucasArts' Steam-distributed games don't work on ScummVM (but they could!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationLucasArtsScummVMSteamWed, 08 Jul 2009 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[See what Mario Galaxy looks like in HD]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/06/see-what-mario-galaxy-looks-like-in-hd/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/06/see-what-mario-galaxy-looks-like-in-hd/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/06/see-what-mario-galaxy-looks-like-in-hd/#comments
Remember that Wii emulator that boosted the graphics up to 720p? Thanks to a recent update, Super Mario Galaxy is now playable on the emulator -- known as Dolphin (get it?) -- and we have to admit, it looks pretty gorgeous. Granted, Super Mario Galaxy was no graphical slouch in the first place, but the extra resomolutions certainly add to the overall experience, and it gives us an idea of what a Wii HD console would be capable of producing.

Check out a video of the Super Mario Galaxy running in HD after the break (don't forget to turn on HD in the player). It's in HD. Did we mention that yet?

[Via CVG]

Continue reading See what Mario Galaxy looks like in HD

JoystiqSee what Mario Galaxy looks like in HD originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dolphinemulationemulatornintendosuper-mario-galaxyWiiMon, 06 Jul 2009 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony patents software-based PS2 CPU emulation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/sony-patents-software-based-ps2-cpu-emulation/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/sony-patents-software-based-ps2-cpu-emulation/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/sony-patents-software-based-ps2-cpu-emulation/#comments
In Sony's on-again/off-again relationship with PS2 backwards compatibility on the PS3, we've had our hopes raised to the stars and dashed again more times than we imagined possible. Today, Siliconera discovered what appears to be but one more volley in the company's neverending game with our hearts, filing for a patent for software back in December of last year (published publicly just last week). According to the report, the software is intended to "decode and recompile" the hardware used in the PS2's defining chip, the Emotion Engine, possibly allowing for previously unplayable PS2 games to become playable.

While this patent could certainly suggest things to look forward to in the rumored PS3 Slim, we've been burned in the past and aren't exactly holding our breath. Maybe more possible, Sony's Eric Lempel said in February of last year that "There are possibilities through technology and software emulation to make that possible," speaking on the subject of downloadable PS2 titles -- rather than disc-based software support, mind you. If you're into the technical side of things, Siliconera was so gracious as to shoot us the whole patent, which you can see for yourself in the gallery below.

[Via Siliconera]

[Thanks, Bryan!]

Gallery: Sony Emotion Engine Emulation patent

JoystiqSony patents software-based PS2 CPU emulation originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backwards-compatibilitybackwardscompatibilityemotion-engineemulationpatentsceasonySony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericaMon, 29 Jun 2009 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[USB SNES cartridge adapter will keep your PC clean]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/21/usb-snes-cartridge-adapter-will-keep-your-pc-clean/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/21/usb-snes-cartridge-adapter-will-keep-your-pc-clean/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/21/usb-snes-cartridge-adapter-will-keep-your-pc-clean/#comments
We all know that emulation download sites are disease-riddled virtual cathouses, designed to inject your unassuming computer with any number of viruses, spywares and trojan horses -- that's why we can't help but be intrigued by this recently unveiled USB adapter for SNES game cartridges, which was lovingly crafted by modder matthias_h.

The adapter looks incredibly easy to use -- plug in a game cart, then boot or copy the SMC file found therein. Just like that, you're playing your favorite SNES titles -- and without contracting incurable cases of e-syphilis from "russian porn sites." Check out the video demo after the jump!

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading USB SNES cartridge adapter will keep your PC clean

JoystiqUSB SNES cartridge adapter will keep your PC clean originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationhackmodnintendosnessuper-nintendoSun, 21 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How to make Atari games look better by making them look worse]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/24/how-to-make-atari-games-look-better-by-making-them-look-worse/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/24/how-to-make-atari-games-look-better-by-making-them-look-worse/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/24/how-to-make-atari-games-look-better-by-making-them-look-worse/#commentsYou might find it comical that someone's concerned with the graphical presentation of emulated Atari games -- after all, they're pretty much beyond help, right? It might be even more amusing to think that emulation (and modern TV technology) makes Atari games look too good. But it's true! Atari VCS games running in Stella or other emulators don't look like they look on a CRT, and artificial scanlines alone don't make for an authentic presentation.

Ian Bogost presented the challenge to a team of Georgia Tech computer science students, who then modified Stella to simulate the characteristics of a CRT -- texture, afterimage, color bleed, and noise. The results can be seen above, compared with the pixel-perfect original. Enduro really demonstrates the advantages of an authentic display: when the colors blend properly, the sunset actually kind of looks impressive. These features will be added to the public releases of Stella soon. Maybe they can be integrated into the next-generation Atari Flashback console -- if another one ever happens.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqHow to make Atari games look better by making them look worse originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atariatari-2600emulationian-bogostscanlinesFri, 24 Apr 2009 09:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinavision portable emulator plays it all]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/05/chinavision-portable-emulator-plays-it-all/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/05/chinavision-portable-emulator-plays-it-all/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/05/chinavision-portable-emulator-plays-it-all/#comments
Gaming emulation isn't exactly the most legal activity you can take up -- as such, we can't help but admire the bravado of Chinavision's brilliantly named device. CVFH-N03-4G, pictured above. Housed within its minuscule frame is the ability to emulate games from the NES, SNES, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, SNK Neo-Geo and Capcom's arcade platforms, CPS1 and CPS2. It also plays a number of audio, video and image formats, and apparently serves as an e-book reader using text-to-speech technology.

In other words, for just $87.31, you can pick up a device that's capable of playing every form of pirated media known to mankind. Thanks, technology!

JoystiqChinavision portable emulator plays it all originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinavisioncvfh-n03-4gdeviceemulationemulatorhandheldSun, 05 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WiiSX: Play PSone games on your Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/wiisx-play-psone-games-on-your-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/wiisx-play-psone-games-on-your-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/wiisx-play-psone-games-on-your-wii/#commentsFiled under: ,



Though it's been doing the rounds in the homebrew community for roughly six weeks, WiiSX is still very much a work-in-progress, but one with huge potential. As a PSone emulator for the GameCube and Wii that loads ISO files from an SD card (DVD and USB implementation is planned), WiiSX could eventually grant owners of Ninty's white box access to around 8,000 games, including titles that many regard as some of the best ever. The idea of playing Final Fantasy VII on a Nintendo-branded console would probably make a few people weak at the knees.

During an interview with tehskeen last month, co-creator Emu_Kidid (Sepp256 and TehPola are the other names behind this) admitted that sound still needs to be implemented and "numerous bugs" zapped, but it looks pretty playable to us in the video above! Indeed, interviewer brakken reports that "the emulator can handle some games and runs at a very playable speed." As for when it will be ready, Emu_Kidid is hoping to have an initial preview release out before the end of 2008.

Assuming this exciting project does come to fruition, which PS1 title (which we strongly advise you should already own, obviously) would you try out first?

[Thanks, Rengifo!]

JoystiqWiiSX: Play PSone games on your Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationpiracyplaystationps1psxwiisxMon, 20 Oct 2008 20:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Revolutionary: Whip it good]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/revolutionary-whip-it-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/revolutionary-whip-it-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/revolutionary-whip-it-good/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

What is it about Castlevania that gamers have found so appealing for more than twenty years? Is it the story? The atmosphere? The visceral sense of fulfillment from whipping all manner of damned creatures back to the infernal depths? Is it the one-on-one arena battles in Boy George makeup, steam-punk corsets and leather-daddy fetishware? Yeah, it's probably not that last thing. We had in mind a traditional sidescroller for Castlevania on the Wii, with waggle-enhanced whip cracking, so that's why this week, I've set out to capture that fun that we've so desperately desired.

Continue reading Revolutionary: Whip it good

JoystiqRevolutionary: Whip it good originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania sotncastlevania symphony of the nightcastlevania-judgmentCastlevaniaSotnCastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNightemulationglovepiejoystiqfeaturesRevolutionarysuper castlevania ivSuperCastlevaniaIvThu, 07 Aug 2008 09:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Dreamcast emulator for PSP real, really slow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/dreamcast-emulator-for-psp-real-really-slow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/dreamcast-emulator-for-psp-real-really-slow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/dreamcast-emulator-for-psp-real-really-slow/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's time for another edition of "They Did What?" Okay, so it's the first and only edition (so far), but this is pretty darn cool. We're talking about nullDC PSP, the first Sega Dreamcast emulator for PSP. It's the creation of nullDC (a Dreamcast emulator for PC) author "drkIIRaziel" and has just recently gotten to the point where it loads and runs Shenmue ... at, oh, one frame per second. (With games taking 20-30 minutes to load.)

Still, the prospect of walking around with a "DC Pocket" is definitely appealing. Let's hope for the sake of those who'd use it to play games they legally own that Sony's rumored new PSP-3000 doesn't make a mess of the hombrew scene with potential new anti-piracy measures.

[Thanks, Craig!]

JoystiqDreamcast emulator for PSP real, really slow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dreamcastemulationPSPsegaTue, 29 Jul 2008 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: GoldenEye 007 running on Wii 'Homebrew Channel']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/video-goldeneye-007-running-on-wii-homebrew-channel/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/video-goldeneye-007-running-on-wii-homebrew-channel/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/video-goldeneye-007-running-on-wii-homebrew-channel/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The inventiveness of the homebrew scene never ceases to amaze us. Take for instance the above video. What you see in it is, in fact, GoldenEye 007 for Nintendo 64 running on a Wii with the "Homebrew Channel" installed.

The poster of the video states that he was able to get the game ROM working with the emulator used by the Virtual Console version of Sin & Punishment. He gives no details on how he managed the feat, mentioning only that the game works "for the most part" with occasional slowdown and a broken borked save system.

Hopefully Nintendo will see this video and, rather than simply order it pulled offline, realize just how much people really want a proper Virtual Console release of the game.

[Via Wii Fanboy]

JoystiqVideo: GoldenEye 007 running on Wii 'Homebrew Channel' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationgoldeneyegoldeneye-007homebrewnintendorareWiiThu, 03 Jul 2008 22:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Homebrewer hacks GoldenEye to run on Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/homebrewer-hacks-goldeneye-to-run-on-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/homebrewer-hacks-goldeneye-to-run-on-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/homebrewer-hacks-goldeneye-to-run-on-wii/#commentsFiled under:


Sit down if you aren't and don't start taking a sip of something before you click the play button on the video above: someone managed to get GoldenEye 007 to run on the Wii. As evidenced above, the title can be emulated on the Wii, but not in perfect form. There are still some issues with saving and frame rates dipping here and there. But, all in all, pretty impressive and manages to only strengthen our desire to have this one show up on the Virtual Console.

[Thanks, trefox!]

The homebrew community has been hard at work creating wonderful experiences for you to enjoy with your Wii. Did you know about homebrew game Masteroids? Or how about the shmup OpenTyrian? Outside of games, people have been using the Balance Board to come up with some really neat stuff. Keep up with the homebrew scene by staying current with our Homebrew category!

JoystiqHomebrewer hacks GoldenEye to run on Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bondemulationgoldeneyegoldeneye-007hacksjames-bondn64rareThu, 03 Jul 2008 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[TurboGrafx-16 comes to iPhone (unofficially)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/turbografx-16-comes-to-iphone-unofficially/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/turbografx-16-comes-to-iphone-unofficially/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/turbografx-16-comes-to-iphone-unofficially/#commentsFiled under: ,

Attention "jailbroken" iPhone owners: Touch Arcade reports that it's now perfectly okay to Bonk your wunderphone without having to worry about its purty glass screen cracking. Emulator author ZodTTD (shall we kneel before him?) has ported the nifty TurboGrafx-16 emu, Temper, to iPhone as - wait for it - temper4iphone.

Temper was originally developed for the South Korean GamePark 2X handheld and ran ROM- and CD-Based titles designed for NEC's 16-bit system, which was a smash in Japan (as the PC-Engine) but enjoyed modest success in the West under its Turbo-fied moniker. As you can see from the embedded video, the emu is already plenty impressive. Unlike its GP2X counterpart, there's no support (yet) for CD-based game images, but compatibility with TG-16 ROMs (if you don't own the game, don't download em, 'kay?) is said to be high. Like previous emulators ported to iPhone, the retro console's controls are recreated on the touch screen.

Apple is expected to launch its "2.0" refresh of the iPhone along with the iPhone App Store in just a couple of weeks, and we'd be jazzed to see a proper Virtual Console-esque suite of "sanctioned" emulators offered for download via the service.

[Via TUAW]

JoystiqTurboGrafx-16 comes to iPhone (unofficially) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 May 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bonkemulationgp2xiphoneiphone-2.0Mobilenectg-16turbografx-16turbografx16Thu, 29 May 2008 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Who's been converted?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/ds-daily-whos-been-converted/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/ds-daily-whos-been-converted/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/ds-daily-whos-been-converted/#commentsFiled under: ,


Our most evil and dark attempt to introduce you to the disgusting world of legal homebrew has concluded. Now that the dust has settled, we want to know how many of you actually managed to give something a try? Did you rush out and start downloading like crazy? Perhaps turned your DS into a PDA?

All of you who've now decided to take the plunge, what are you enjoying? For those of you that didn't, why? What's keeping you from the wide world of possibilities that come from the DS homebrew scene? We overcame our fears, you should at least try to overcome your own!

JoystiqDS Daily: Who's been converted? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-homebrew-gamesds-homebrew-how-toemulationglossaryguidehb08nintendo-ds-homebrewpdaWed, 28 May 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Homebrew week: the recapping]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/homebrew-week-the-recapping/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/homebrew-week-the-recapping/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/homebrew-week-the-recapping/#commentsFiled under: ,


This week, the staff at DS Fanboy dedicated themselves to all things homebrew. If you own a DS and aren't checking out some of these hobbyist applications, you're missing half the fun of the system. Let us help you get started, find the best games and other software, and troubleshoot your problems, and you'll be reproducing Rembrandts* in Colors! in no time.

*provided you actually have some shred of artistic talent

Getting started

DS Fanboy's (semi) ultimate homebrew guide
Covering some of the most common Slot-1 cards that can turn your DS into a lean, mean, homebrew machine.

Homebrew glossary
DLD-what? Slot where? We've got the answers.

Filling up that SD card


 Widen the horizons of the DS
The best apps for making your DS do all the things a handheld was never meant to do.

Japanese homebrew games that will blow your mind
From the wacky to the completely awesome.

Emulating the gaming world on DS
Your favorite old consoles, back in handheld form.

Don't buy these: homebrew recommendations
There are dozens of amazing homebrew apps available, and we've got a small sampling of our favorites.

Homebrew: Using the DS as a PDA
Why carry two things when one will do just fine?

More Naughtiness on the Nintendo DS
All the pornographic puzzles you can fit on a single microSD card.

Checking out the community

Confessions of a Homebrew Virgin
New to this whole deal? You're not the only one.

Homebrew dev dishes on the DS scene
The man behind Laser Hockey DS on the scene, his recommendations, and the lessons Nintendo could stand to learn from homebrew.

Homebrew support group
Got problems? We bet someone has an answer.

JoystiqHomebrew week: the recapping originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 May 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-homebrew-gamesemulationglossaryguidehb08homebrewhow-topdaSat, 24 May 2008 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Fanboy's week of homebrew]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/ds-fanboys-week-of-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/ds-fanboys-week-of-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/ds-fanboys-week-of-homebrew/#commentsFiled under:


This week, the staff at DS Fanboy dedicated themselves to all things homebrew. If you own a DS and aren't checking out some of these hobbyist applications, you're missing half the fun of the system. Let DS Fanboy help you get started, find the best games and other software, and troubleshoot your problems, and you'll be reproducing Rembrandts* in Colors! in no time.

*provided you actually have some shred of artistic talent

Getting started

DS Fanboy's (semi) ultimate homebrew guide
Covering some of the most common Slot-1 cards that can turn your DS into a lean, mean, homebrew machine.

Homebrew glossary
DLD-what? Slot where? We've got the answers.

Filling up that SD card


 Widen the horizons of the DS
The best apps for making your DS do all the things a handheld was never meant to do.

Japanese homebrew games that will blow your mind
From the wacky to the completely awesome.

Emulating the gaming world on DS
Your favorite old consoles, back in handheld form.

Don't buy these: homebrew recommendations
There are dozens of amazing homebrew apps available, and we've got a small sampling of our favorites.

Homebrew: Using the DS as a PDA
Why carry two things when one will do just fine?

More Naughtiness on the Nintendo DS
All the pornographic puzzles you can fit on a single microSD card.

Checking out the community

Confessions of a Homebrew Virgin
New to this whole deal? You're not the only one.

Homebrew dev dishes on the DS scene
The man behind Laser Hockey DS on the scene, his recommendations, and the lessons Nintendo could stand to learn from homebrew.

Homebrew support group
Got problems? We bet someone has an answer.

JoystiqDS Fanboy's week of homebrew originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 May 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-homebrew-gamesDSemulationglossaryguidehomebrewhow-topdaSat, 24 May 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Emulating the gaming world on DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/emulating-the-gaming-world-on-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/emulating-the-gaming-world-on-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/emulating-the-gaming-world-on-ds/#commentsFiled under: ,


One of the first things homebrewers do when they gain the ability to run unsigned code on a game console is to see what other console's games they can get running. Although the use of commercial ROMs varies from legally ambiguous (in the case of backup copies of your own software) to unambiguously illegal (in the case of just downloading stuff), emulator programs are perfectly legal -- and capable of running legal homebrew software designed for the consoles. We don't really want to get into the legal and ethical issues. We think that programs designed to run like old hardware are just cool.

Just like every other console, the advent of DS flash cards has brought with it a booming emulation scene. And since homebrew is so easy to run on the DS, and MicroSD cards so copious, it's easy to turn the humble DS into a classic gaming Swiss Army System.

We've outlined some of the most important DS-based console emulators below, along with a ton of lower-profile emulators.

Continue reading Emulating the gaming world on DS

JoystiqEmulating the gaming world on DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 May 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadeataricolecovisionemulationhb08joystiqfeaturesnesretroscummscummvmsmssnesThu, 22 May 2008 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Confessions of A Homebrew Virgin]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/confessions-of-a-homebrew-virgin/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/confessions-of-a-homebrew-virgin/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/confessions-of-a-homebrew-virgin/#commentsFiled under: ,



Write us something about homebrew, my overlords command me, and my heart skips a beat. You see, I have a dark secret that, until now, has remained private: you could write what I know about Nintendo DS homebrew on the back of a postage stamp. And not even one of those bigger special edition stamps they introduce at Christmas, but a regular tiny stamp.

A lot of you, I suspect, will be in the same boat as me, and this article is addressed to all of my fellow homebrew neophytes. Rather than simply pretend to know what I'm jabbering about, I thought I would be open about my newbie status, and write something about my first tentative steps into the world of homebrew.

For this exercise, I deliberately set aside three hours (spread over a few days) to learn about and download as much homebrew as possible. I had several questions I wanted to answer: Was getting into homebrew as difficult as I always imagined? What would I gain from it? How useful are current online resources to somebody who knows nothing on the subject? Is it worth the expense? Find out by heading past the break for a view of Nintendo DS homebrew through the eyes of a rookie!

Continue reading Confessions of A Homebrew Virgin

JoystiqConfessions of A Homebrew Virgin originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 May 2008 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balancebubble-wrapchessnetdsorganizeemulationgame-melody-oratoriohb08joystiqfeatureslaser-hockeylaser-hockey-dspocket-physicsWed, 21 May 2008 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the emulator: NeoDS developer interviewed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/18/behind-the-emulator-neods-developer-interviewed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/18/behind-the-emulator-neods-developer-interviewed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/18/behind-the-emulator-neods-developer-interviewed/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We thought that creating a Neo Geo emulator on the DS was a pretty noteworthy achievement. GameSetWatch contributor Alistair Wallis agreed, and he sought out the developer of NeoDS, Ben Ingram, for an interview.

Ingram goes into enough detail about the development of a homebrew emulation program, and assigning functions of the Neo Geo's processors to the DS's, that, well, we pretty much lost him right away. But if you do know anything at all about computing, this is really interesting. It's really interesting anyway, just to see what kind of stuff a homebrew developer has to think about when creating a new DS application.

JoystiqBehind the emulator: NeoDS developer interviewed originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 May 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ben-ingramemulationneo-geoneodssnkSun, 18 May 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Real console parts become virtual Virtual Console parts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/real-console-parts-become-virtual-virtual-console-parts/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/real-console-parts-become-virtual-virtual-console-parts/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/real-console-parts-become-virtual-virtual-console-parts/#commentsFiled under: ,


This seems like an excellent use of a vintage PC: building a dedicated NES emulator. It's basically the same idea as the homemade MAME cabinet, but cheaper. dosman built a custom adapter (using a destroyed NES Four Score) that allowed him to attach NES controllers to vintage 486 PC, then connected a NES Satellite to the system. Now he can play archived NES games using a wireless controller! How novel!

We don't want to argue about the legality of emulation (we're not going to look into whether or not he owns the original cartridges, etc.) because we prefer to focus on how cool the whole project is. The 486 is just powerful enough to run Nesticle (itself a vintage program), and somebody finally figured out a reason for both the Four Score and the Satellite to exist.

[Via MAKE]

JoystiqReal console parts become virtual Virtual Console parts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 May 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationfour-scorenesnes-satelliteMon, 12 May 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Neo Geo Pocket Color almost had Game Boy compatibility]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/neo-geo-pocket-color-almost-had-game-boy-compatibility/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/neo-geo-pocket-color-almost-had-game-boy-compatibility/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/neo-geo-pocket-color-almost-had-game-boy-compatibility/#commentsFiled under: ,

A third-party project was underway during the Neo Geo Pocket Color's short (but beautiful) life to add Game Boy and Game Boy Color functionality to SNK's handheld. Ganksoft Entertainment began by working on a software emulator capable of running GB/GBC software on the NGPC. The project was cancelled before the emulator was finished, due to SNK's dramatic exit from the console market. The screenshot shows roughly what state the emulator was in. Of course, with no software, the hardware never came to fruition either.

Would the system's history have been different if it could run its major competitor's games via an obscure, unlicensed peripheral? The Dreamcast says no.

[Via Insert Credit]

JoystiqNeo Geo Pocket Color almost had Game Boy compatibility originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 May 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationgame-boygame-boy-colorneo-geo-pocket-colorsnkWed, 07 May 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Neo Geo emulator turns the DS into an Advanced Entertainment System]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/neo-geo-emulator-turns-the-ds-into-an-advanced-entertainment-sys/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/neo-geo-emulator-turns-the-ds-into-an-advanced-entertainment-sys/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/neo-geo-emulator-turns-the-ds-into-an-advanced-entertainment-sys/#commentsFiled under: ,

Even though it's totally old now and its games are ported everywhere, the Neo Geo still seems like a special, vaguely magical system -- probably because of the price. It doesn't seem like the DS should be powerful enough to run its games, but homebrewer Ben Ingram has proven that it is possible with NeoDS, a Neo Geo AES/MVS emulator.

Full sound emulation and (most importantly) multiplayer have yet to be implemented, but according to DCEmu, "Games like WindJammers, Metal Slug and Fatal Fury work either perfect or near perfect." Soon you'll be able to compare Metal Slug 7 to its predecessors on the same screen! If you own them, that is. Don't be a pirate.


[Via DCEmu; thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

JoystiqNeo Geo emulator turns the DS into an Advanced Entertainment System originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadeemulationneo-geoneodsneogeosnkWed, 30 Apr 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazing array of homebrew emulators released]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/amazing-array-of-homebrew-emulators-released/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/amazing-array-of-homebrew-emulators-released/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/amazing-array-of-homebrew-emulators-released/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday was a banner day for Wii homebrew. In addition to WiiPaint, a load of console emulators designed for Twilight Hacked Wiis were also unveiled, and DCEmu has rounded them up. They're all based on existing Gamecube-based emulators, but have been extended for the Wii to take advantage of features like the Classic Controller and the Wii's 480p output. Lopst's and RobertFC's ports of SNES9x even allow you to use the Wiimote! In case you always wondered what it would be like to have a really hard time playing an SNES game.

In addition to an SNES emulator, new PC Engine/Turbografx-16, Genesis (with Sega CD!), and Game Boy (which installs into a channel) emulators are now available.

JoystiqAmazing array of homebrew emulators released originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationgame-boysega-cdsnesMon, 21 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Welcome to the Next Generation of Wii homebrew]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/welcome-to-the-next-generation-of-wii-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/welcome-to-the-next-generation-of-wii-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/welcome-to-the-next-generation-of-wii-homebrew/#commentsFiled under: ,

Obviously we don't advocate the use of emulators to play copyrighted games (unless you're Howard Sega and you own the copyrights), but this news is too cool to pass up. Coder ekeeke has released a new version of the Genesis Plus GX emulator that can be run on the Wii using the Twilight Hack exploit.

In addition to its awesome "running on the Wii" feature, this version runs Virtua Racing, which is quite the achievement because of the extra hardware on the Virtua Racing cartridge.

We're mostly pleased with this development as evidence of the rapid progression of Wii homebrew, although we do appreciate the ability to play McDonalds' Treasure Land Adventure on the Wii. We don't see that particular Treasure (yes, Treasure) masterpiece being released on the Virtual Console any time soon.

[Thanks, craig!]

[Update: I totally meant "Welcome to the Next Level." How embarrassing.]

JoystiqWelcome to the Next Generation of Wii homebrew originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emulationgenesissegaMon, 03 Mar 2008 11:15:00 EST