MiSTer FPGA News – Taito F3, DVD Discs, Computer Cores & More

Taito F3

An Taito F3 core is in development for the MiSTer FPGA. Games supported are:

• Ray Force (US) ~90 %
• Gunlock (World) ~85%
• Ray Force (Japan) ~85 %
• Elevator Action Returns ~65 %

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?t=10721
• https://github.com/spacestate1/Arcade-rayforce_MiSTer

SF II Xiang Long (Bootleg)

A user on Reddit created an MRA that adds a bootleg version of Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition. You can see a video of it running on the Reddit thread and also a link to the mra download.

Sources

Double Wings

Double Wings, a vertical scrolling shooter by Mitchel corporation, is now playable on the MiSTer FPGA. You can obtain the core by running Update All.

Sources

• https://www.patreon.com/atrac17/posts/coin-op-presents-165306904

Degausse

Another GUI for MiSTer has been released. Called Degauss, the developers claims it is a blazing-fast and lightweight frontend. It reads existing game libraries, folders, and artwork without altering MiSTer’s file structure or scripts. Degauss supports MGL launch files, favorites, and multiple layouts including List, Details, Tiled, and Carousel. Downloads are available on Github and you can read more information about the frontend on the reddit post or GitHub.

Sources

• https://github.com/giancarloerra/Degauss

Macintosh LC

The Macintosh LC core was updated with the following:

• mt32-pi info overlay (like ao486)
• mt32-pi full support
• 57600 PPP working over UART (tested with MacPPP 2.0.1)
• Midi over SCC (Use the Modem port)

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=111937&sid=f01ed792b4451ef80dd37e7ab940c360#p111937

RCA Studio II

There is a core that supports some of the RCA Studio series of consoles and compatible systems. The core has

• Full Studio II support (monochrome, NTSC)
• Full Studio III (MPT-02) support (color, PAL & NTSC)
• Full Visicom COM-100 support. This is a clone of the Studio II (color, NTSC)
• Per-game controller automapping
• Jaguar-style numstick
• Place games and BIOS in /media/games/Studio-II

The types of games that ran on this console were very simple as were its sound capabilities.

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=112889#p112889

Cave and CaveBanpresto

The Cave and Cave/Banpresto cores have recieved the following updates:

Cave:

• Add save states (thanks wickerwaka)
• Add high score saving
• Add HScale CRT adjusting (thanks, again, wickerwaka)
• Fix Music and backgrounds in Gogetsuji Legends and Power Legends 2
• The worm in Guwange is fixed again (but I didn’t do anything to directly fix that)

CaveBanpresto:

• Add save states (waka again)
• Add high score saving
• Add HScale CRT adjustments (perhaps you’re sensing a pattern here)
• Fix Metamoqester’s intro sprites

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=112989#p112989

Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS hybrid core has been getting constant updates. It’s still in beta but recent updates include:

• Faster 3D prformance
• Smaller fit onto the FPGA
• Touch preview
• Reliable saves & more

You can download the latest core and view instructions on installing it on the Github page.

Sources

• https://github.com/SplashDev88/NDS4MiSTer

NeoConnect VirtualBus

On Reddit, someone revealed a project called NeoConnect VirtualBus. This project restores Neo Geo system-to-system communication on hardware and software emulators. This means that instead of using netplay to use link enabled Neo Geo games, you physically link two machines together. It even works with Mame to MiSTer connections using ESP endpoints.

Sources

RoboCop 2

Coin-Op Collection has released a RoboCop 2 core. This is an arcade run-and-gun game tied to the film of the same name. The core adds a new stage select and cheats. It also restores the Japanese-only prologue, translated into English across all three regional builds. Download it via Update All.

Sources

• https://www.patreon.com/atrac17/posts/coin-op-presents-161193914

Nintendo 64 DD

With an updated MiSTer Main binary, the Nintendo 64 core now has 64DD support. The 64DD was a Japan exclusive peripheral that gave the N64 the capability of using rewritable magnetic disks. There were also exclusive games developed for it.

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=112717&sid=903b357949b6761a93a66a8dd924cf2e#p112717
• https://github.com/ElektroStudios/Video-Game-Consoles-Exclusive-Game-Lists/blob/main/Tables/Nintendo%2064DD%20(Exclusives).md

Ring King

New Arcade core for Ring King has been released. This is an arcade boxing game.

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=113405&sid=a017ffbcda69b3554ab72eeedc859397#p113405

MiSTer Addons Core Explorer

If you want to find out if a specific system or game is available to play on the MiSTer FPGA, then you can try out the MiSTer Core Explorer created by MiSTer Addons. Cores are filterable, and there’s a timeline view so you can see how old a core is.

Sources

• https://x.com/MisterAddons/status/2063425710413517277

Macintosh Quadra 800

Development is ongoing for a MiSTer FPGA core for the Apple Macintosh Quadra 800. The core features an MC68040 CPU running at 33 MHz. It can run System 7 and 8. Also A/UX, a Unix based operating system from Apple, now boots.

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?t=10752
• https://github.com/danifunker/MacQuadra800_MiSTer

z486 Core

The z486 core was updated with the following:

• 22% faster than ao486_MiSTer
• Improved 486/x87 support: Duke Nukem 3D, Humpty’s Scramble, Superfrog and TekWar now work
• Now supported by official MiSTer Main binary

Sources

• https://x.com/nand2mario/status/2094395017687445868
• https://x.com/nand2mario/status/2092553219641848230

Amiga/CD32/CDTV

The Amiga core was updated with the following:

• Support for CD32 and CDTV (Kasper Olesen).
• A2065: emulate the Commodore A2065 ZorroII Ethernet card (Nigel Shearman).
• DosAllocMem/DosFreeMem size mismatch in MiSTerFileSystem (Chris Young).
• Updated framework.

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=112717&sid=f01ed792b4451ef80dd37e7ab940c360#p112717

Mac LC

With the updated MiSTer Main binary comes important additions to the Mac LC core. It now supports BlueSCSI Toolbox, CD changer and CD-ROM images.

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=112717&sid=f01ed792b4451ef80dd37e7ab940c360#p112717

Cadash Link Player

rmonic79 has been working on link play for the arcade game Cadash. This means having two MiSTers connected together to have 4 players play at the same time. This feature is still in an unfinished state so there is a lot of work left to do.

Sources

• https://www.patreon.com/IBeceriVideoludici/posts/cadash-link-play-168348382

DVD Core Release

The DVD Core by Joe Daniels on Github has been released. This core can play actual DVD discs and DVD images. Instructions on how to install it are on GitHub. There is one caveat when playing encrypted DVD’s. It needs a separate file that decrypts it in order to play them. You will have to obtain that file on your own.

Sources

Irem M72

Martin Donlon updated the Irem M72 core with the following:

• Extremely cycle accurate V30 CPU implementation
• Datasheet accurate 8051 MCU implementation
• Save state support
• DB15 SNAC support
• Fix R-Type missile sound

A video that shows off a comparison between the new core, the PCB and the old core was also posted.

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=113502&sid=a017ffbcda69b3554ab72eeedc859397#p113502
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UuW6-d4zFk

Miscellaneous Updates

NES:

• Fix mapper 487 savestate support (misteraddons).
• Add Vs System support and Mapper 99 (Jamie Blanks).
• MMC3: add 4KB PRG-RAM at $5000-$5FFF for mapper 195 (awangs1986).
• Fix mapper 112 Work RAM (greyrogue).
• Updated framework.

SMS:

• SaveStates and Pause for System-E, enhanced SaveStates for SMS (Fabricio Breve).
• Add Game Gear external BIOS and EEPROM support (Fabricio Breve).
• Enhance mapper detection for Zemina and Codemasters games (Fabricio Breve).
• Other fixes and tweaks (Fabricio Breve).
• Updated framework.

AY-3-8500:

• Updated framework.

SNES:

• DSPn: Fix for when both DSP and CPU write to DR (TG3000 speed) (paulb-nl).
• CPU: Defer savestate HDMAEN restore until HDMA init (Timothy Mario Redaelli).
• MSU1 fixes (Daniel Harms, littlegamer87).
• Add CX4 coprocessor savestate support (Fred B. Night).
• CPU: Fix HDMA disable mid line (littlegamer87).
• SA1: fix divide by 0.
• PPU: Keep video sync alive during reset (littlegamer87).
• Updated framework.

C128:

• More REU timing fixes
• Drive OSD (Videodr0me)
• Fix for undocumented Z80 block I/O flags (from ZX-Spectrum core, by alfishe)
• Incorporate upstream changes from C64:
• Sid rework to get it closer to reSIDfp reference (Rok Krajnc)
• Cartridge fixes (EZFlash, Ocean Type 1)
• Updated framework

IGS PGM

• Add Region DIP switches to games that support it
• Added DB15 SNAC support
• Added auto save state loading (to skip long boot sequences and/or preserve high scores)

Atari Jaguar:
Fixes CD Saving for single ram builds
Fixes for cart saving if the save doesn’t already exist (Thanks kconger)
Add standard MiSTer video option (5x crop, integer scaling, etc)

Sources

• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=112759&sid=6c1d23166c9db8a6612e23038cfacea3#p112759
• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=112774&sid=6c1d23166c9db8a6612e23038cfacea3#p112774
• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=113288#p113288
• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=113033#p113033
• https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?p=111723&sid=f01ed792b4451ef80dd37e7ab940c360#p111723