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A few days after announcing its elegant keyboard inspired by the Sega Saturn, 8BitDo has struck again by unveiling a mechanical keyboard paying homage to the Original Xbox.

With a unique aesthetic that will leave no one indifferent, the keyboard features a translucent green colour and backlit keys.
This resolutely retro look is sure to appeal to fans of the first Xbox.

The backlit keys don't just have a simple white or green light: they're powered by LED RGB, allowing you to customise the lighting with the colour of your choice.

Developed in partnership with Microsoft, the keyboard features a dedicated Xbox button, which opens the Windows Game Bar at the touch of a button.

Another notable advantage is that the keyboard is equipped with a replaceable printed circuit board and supports key inversion for complete customisation.

As usual, 8BitDo offers its - now classic - retro buttons dedicated to volume and connectivity (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB).

A detail that will appeal to nostalgic fans: the arrow buttons are colour-coded to match the A, B, X and Y buttons on the Xbox controller, a nod to the past.

The Retro R8: a matching mouse

8BitDo hasn't just released a keyboard. The brand has also unveiled the Retro R8, a mouse to match the keyboard's translucent green design.

It features four programmable buttons in the colours of the A, B, X and Y buttons. The mouse is battery-powered and comes with a colour-coordinated charging station.

The Retro R8 offers three connection modes and sensitivity settings with six different levels.
All parameters, both keyboard and mouse, will be fully managed via 8BitDo's in-house software.

Availability and price

The keyboard is currently priced at $119.99 on the Amazon US Store, with shipments scheduled to begin on January 15, 2025.
At the time of writing, the price and availability of the mouse are not yet known.

Photos: 8BitDo

The last few days have been particularly busy for Switch Online + Additional Pack. Nintendo's online service has welcomed a number of classic games that will delight retrogaming fans.

The Game Boy was first honoured with the arrival of Donkey Kong Land, released in 1995. This title was a sequel adapted from Donkey Kong Country. A few days later, Nintendo followed up with Donkey Kong Land 2, originally released in 1996.

This week, it's the Mega Drive's turn to be highlighted with the addition of three classic titles, the full descriptions of which can be found below:

ToeJam & Earl Panic on Funkotron (1993)

‘The second instalment of the cult action-exploration game. Toejam and Earl have returned safely to their home planet, ‘Funkotron’, but now find themselves invaded by humans! Use the magic bottle to capture the humans running around this peaceful planet as if they owned it, and send them on their way. You'll quit the game if you find all the humans and force them back to the objective. It's an exploration-based side-view action adventure with fun characters that are now more expressive’.

Vectorman (1995)

‘A robot action game with fluid movement. A rebellion of the planet's cleaning robots has brought all the robots on Earth under its control. Vectorman, humanity's last hope, embarks on a great adventure across mechanised Earth.’

Wolf of the Battlefield: Mercs (1991)

‘This is the second instalment in the popular series of action-shooter games that was well received in the arcades. You play as the American mercenary unit ‘Wolf Force’ and try to defeat the boss while taking out swarms of enemies. You can use a wide variety of weapons such as shotguns and burners, the familiar mega crash, and a variety of actions such as moving and attacking vehicles. In addition to the ‘Arcade Mode’ with 7 missions in which you rescue the former president who has been captured by the revolutionary forces of Country R, the game also includes the ‘Original Mode’ with 8 missions in which you fight using 5 soldiers with different attack capabilities to destroy a ballistic missile. So you can enjoy two different games.

To access all of these games, you must subscribe to the Switch Online + Additional Pack service.

Source: Nintendolife

Photo: Nintendo

Fans of the Game Boy Advance SP, prepare to be seduced! Miyoo** has just unveiled its new neo-retro console: the Miyoo-Flip.

A familiar design with modern additions

The Miyoo-Flip takes the iconic design of the Game Boy Advance SP and its clamshell console concept, while adding modern features.

On the front, there's a headphone socket and a USB-C port for recharging. On the sides, the console has Micro SD slots, volume buttons and a power button.

Controls designed for gaming comfort

The Miyoo-Flip stands out for its controls. In addition to the directional crossbar and four action buttons, it is equipped with two analogue joysticks, offering greater precision and enhanced comfort.

Another notable point is the presence of four triggers (L1, R1, L2, R2), ideal for games requiring advanced controls, particularly those of the PlayStation 1, which the console should be able to emulate thanks to a Cortex-A55 chip.

Four colours available

The console will be offered in four different colours, but neither the price nor the release date has yet been announced.

A manufacturer well known to retrogamers

Miyoo is already well known to handheld console fans. Its previous models have received positive reviews, particularly for their design, where the screen often occupies half the surface of the console.

These consoles generally offer a Wi-Fi connection and the option of connecting to a television set via an HDMI cable, enabling games to be played on a large screen.

This clamshell console format is not new. This year, the Anbernic RG35XXSP also adopted this design, confirming the interest of retrogaming enthusiasts in this type of console.

Watch out for compatibility with Recalbox

**Important: Miyoo-Flip, like all Miyoo consoles, is not compatible with Recalbox. Recalbox is currently available on the Anbernic, GPiCase (RetroFlag), ODROID and PIBOY consoles, but not all models are supported. You can view the full list of compatible consoles by following this link.

Photo: Miyoo

To say that Atari is tapping into gamers' nostalgia would be an understatement. Just a few days ago, we reported on the release of vinyl records dedicated to the Recharged range of games, remasters of Atari classics.

The French company has even unveiled an original set: two whisky glasses and a bottle shaped like the legendary Atari joystick. All priced at $125. An elegant way to combine retro passion and tasting!

Back to basics with console reissues

On a more serious note, last year Atari launched a modernised reissue of its famous Atari 2600. This model, originally released in 1977, has been revisited with some welcome additions: HDMI port, USB-C and an emulation system capable of reading games from the Atari 2600 and 7800 consoles.

The console is compatible with the original cartridges from both models, and Atari has taken the opportunity to reissue a number of classics in physical format, compatible with both the new 2600 and the original console.

7800+: a new reissue to come

This year, Atari is back at it again with a reissue of the Atari 7800, originally launched in 1986. The console, dubbed the 7800+, will be available this winter and will benefit from the same improvements as the 2600+, namely modern connectivity and a high-performance emulation system.

In terms of design, Atari has opted for a look combining plastic, brushed metal and a coloured stripe that adds a touch of modernity without denying its retro DNA.

A modern, backwards-compatible controller

The console will come with a CX78+ wireless controller, equipped with a joystick and two buttons. To ensure compatibility with both old and new hardware, the controller will be supplied with two dongles:

• A USB dongle for modern devices.
• A DB9 dongle** to connect it to an original Atari.

The controller will run on a rechargeable battery.

A game included and an expanded catalogue

Because a console without a game is of little interest, the 7800+ will come with the title Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest. You will also be able to use your original cartridges from the 2600 and 7800 consoles.
If you wish, Atari offers a wide choice of games re-released on cartridge, available on its site at an average price of $27.

To suit your preferences, the console will allow you to choose between a 4:3 display for a faithful rendering of the original, or 16:9 to enjoy your games on a modern screen.

Price and availability

The new Atari 7800+ will be priced at $129.99 and should be available this winter.
However, Atari has not yet given an exact date.

*Photo: Atari

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

You've probably seen it in the news over the last few days: the Recalbox team has been hard at work making the Raspberry Pi 5 2G compatible with your favorite emulation system. Excellent news for this more affordable, less power-hungry and less prone to overheating model. However, we would like to draw your attention to some important points regarding its use.

As its name suggests, the Pi 5 2G features 2 GB RAM, but the changes don't stop there. The Raspberry Foundation has also removed certain components from the board and modified others, such as the Broadcom network chip, for example. These changes initially made Recalbox incompatible with this version. This problem has now been corrected. However, a dedicated installation will be required: a microSD card configured for the Pi 5 4G will not work with this 2G model.

To date, the performance of the Pi 5 2G is similar to that of the 4G and 8G models, with the advantage, as mentioned earlier, of reduced power consumption and less heating. What's more, its attractive price - around 15 euros less than the 4G version (depending on package and purchase site) - makes it interesting for certain uses.

However, we would like to warn you about the future. We are currently working on adding new emulators, including the GameCube, which requires more resources, particularly in terms of RAM. While the 2G model is perfectly capable of running currently supported systems, we cannot guarantee its compatibility with the GameCube. So, if you're thinking of upgrading your Recalbox, we don't recommend buying this model.

On the other hand, if your project is to create a dedicated arcade neo-box, the Pi 5 2G will be sufficiently. This model, compatible with our RGB Jamma / RGB Dual hardware solutions, allows you to enjoy “conventional” systems up to PlayStation 1, Dreamcast or Saturn, without any problems (subject to Pi 5-specific audio limitations, easily circumvented thanks to these tips).

Finally, if you're thinking of buying this 2G model, we recommend you get:

• The official Raspberry Pi 5 power supply.
• The official case with ventilation.
• Update your Recalbox over time.

Also note that RetroFlag is planning a compatible case in the near future, presumably with an integrated ventilation system.

To conclude on the subject of the different Raspberry Pi5 models, we remind you that the 8G model is not useful for Recalbox use, and that the 4G model is more than sufficient, even for GameCube use.

Since 2020, Atari has been re-releasing its greatest hits in the form of remasters called "Recharged ’.

These revamped arcade games feature a host of improvements in terms of gameplay, graphics and soundtrack. The remasters also feature new multiplayer options and a system of trophies and achievements to enhance the experience.

To date, ten iconic titles have joined the Recharged collection: Asteroids, Berzerk, Black Widow, Breakout, Caverns of Mars, Centipede, Gravitar, Missile Command, Quantum and Yars. These games stand out for their neo-retro visual style with a very neon feel.

If you've ever played one of them, it's impossible to miss the electro-pop soundtracks that punctuate every scoring attempt. The talented, award-winning composer Megan McDuffee has penned the music for all ten tracks, and soon forty of them will be available on vinyl.

Casandra Brown, Senior Director of Atari, said:

This limited edition vinyl release is a wonderful tribute to the work of composer Megan McDuffee. We're sure that fans of retro gaming and Atari classics will want to add it to their personal collections.

French publisher Microids Records, already behind the Atari 50 vinyl earlier this year, will be responsible for pressing and distribution. Their expertise in creating vinyl for video game fans guarantees a quality product that will live up to collectors' expectations.

The limited-edition double LP will feature forty tracks on two translucent blue and magenta discs, carefully protected by a gatefold sleeve that will include exclusive visuals inspired by the Recharged universe.

For those interested, pre-orders are already open on the Microids Records website at a price of €39.99, with a release date of 17 January 2025.

If you'd like to rediscover these classics or introduce yourself to the world of Atari Recharged, all ten games are available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.

Photos: Atari and Microids Records

The Harbour Master 64 community recently announced the development of a native PC port of the Star Fox 64 (Lylat Wars) game, called Starship. The game was released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64.

This isn't a first for Harbour Master 64, who were already behind Ship of Harkinian, a native PC port of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Native port versus classic emulation

Before delving into the details of this project, it's essential to distinguish between a native port and classic emulation (such as that found on solutions like Recalbox).

• Classic emulation** simulates the operation of a console to reproduce a game as it was originally played.
• Native porting**, on the other hand, is based on the game's source code. This is decompiled and then reworked to provide an experience more suited to modern systems.

This painstaking process enables a number of improvements to be made, while still respecting the original game:

• Support for high resolution without distorting the interface;
• Compatibility with ultra-wide screens;
• Elimination of emulation problems;
• Increased fluidity with high frame rates (60 fps and above);
• Optimisation for modern configurations;
• The ability to integrate mods.

These improvements were illustrated by speedrunner Rakanai directly on Starship during a live broadcast on his Twitch channel, available for replay on YouTube in a video lasting over two hours.

Promising beta

Currently in beta, Starship is at an advanced stage of development, which has prompted the developers to unveil it to the community.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many people over several months, we've brought the game to a stage where we feel comfortable presenting it to you,’ reads a statement on the team's Discord.

The result is impressive: the graphics of the Nintendo 64 are perfectly adapted to the improvements made. High resolutions and refresh rates bring out the best in this classic, enhancing it without detracting from it.

Scheduled for release in December

Before the release, scheduled for December, the developers still need to fine-tune a few aspects, particularly relating to the graphics and multiplayer mode. But given the content presented, the community can be optimistic!

A classic in a stalled saga

The Star Fox series currently comprises six main titles (not including Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox 64 3D). The adventure began in 1993 with Star Wing for Super Nintendo, and its latest opus, Star Fox Zero, was released in 2016 for Wii U.

Unfortunately, as with F-Zero, the saga currently seems to be at a standstill, with Nintendo content to re-release old opuses on its Virtual Console.

Photos: Nintendo and Rakanai

To mark the release of Sonic 3, Paramount has pulled out all the stops to promote the film. In addition to the traditional trailers and posters, the production company has sent a number of media an exclusive Mega Drive cartridge of Sonic 3.

But this is no mere collector's item! Presented in a Sega Genesis box faithful to the original packaging, featuring Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Eggman and Shadow, this cartridge is fully functional on a real Mega Drive.

**The lucky recipients were able to discover ‘the game’.
After an introduction with the Paramount and SEGA logos, the main menu offers three options:

• Character selection**: each choice is accompanied by a specific line of dialogue.
• Movie posters**: with four posters recreated in 16-bit style.
• Mini-game**: a chase in which Sonic tries to escape from Shadow on a motorbike.

In a nod to fans, Paramount has even included an easter egg: during the mini-game, if you enter the cheat code already known from Sonic 3 (up, up, down, down, up, up, up, up), a bonus is unlocked, revealing the date of a new trailer to be broadcast on 25 November.

A favourable context for the Sonic franchise

The films Sonic and Sonic 2, released in 2020 and 2022 respectively, were well received by audiences and critics alike. Sonic 3* is scheduled for release on 25 December 2024.

This success contrasts with the memory of the first trailer for the first film, which sparked off a storm of controversy because of Sonic's design, which was deemed... surprising. Following feedback from fans, the studio reworked the character to offer a Sonic more faithful to the iconic blue hedgehog, well beyond the world of video games.

In video games, the franchise was also in the news with the release of Sonic X Shadow Generations on 25 October. Available on all platforms, the game received good reviews from the specialist press, confirming the popularity of the Sonic universe.

Developed and published by TAD, Toki was released on arcade terminals in 1989. The game was then ported to the Commodore 64 in 1991, an adaptation by Ocean. Although this port was generally appreciated, it was not without its faults. Today, a team of enthusiasts is working to produce a remaster of the Commodore version.

In Toki, you play as a monkey in a horizontal scrolling game. The controls allow you to jump and spit fireballs. Throughout the levels, you can collect invincibility items as well as various bonuses to improve your shooting: double shot, extended shot, flame thrower, and much more.

David Bottino, head of the remastering project, published a video on X on 21 November revealing the progress of the work. The video shows completely redesigned and recoloured sprites, from the protagonist to the bosses. This visual facelift gives the game a much more polished look than the 1991 edition. The scenery has also been reworked, bringing it closer to the original 1989 arcade version.

As well as the improved graphics, the project includes new music and sound effects faithful to the arcade version, as well as optimised gameplay for greater fluidity.

The first images have been very well received by the community, who praise the care and dedication shown by Bottino and his team.

The remaster does not yet have an official release date, but it is scheduled for the first half of 2025. The game will be available for free, a gesture that reflects the community's commitment to preserving and sharing retro games.

This initiative offers gamers the chance to rediscover an iconic title from the early 90s. Newcomers, meanwhile, will be able to test themselves against the demanding gameplay: one hit and your character is sent back to the beginning of the board. The game has six levels, each culminating in a battle against a boss.

Great news for Nintendo 64 fans! RetroFlag, the retro equipment manufacturer, has just unveiled the 64PiCase, the first case compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5.

For the moment, no technical details have been released. So we're content to share a few photos below, which you've probably already seen on our social networks.

[The 64-bit console (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9CSYcMverU) has been faithfully reproduced in its limited translucent turquoise version. Two USB ports can be seen on the front, while the original Raspberry Pi 5 ports (Ethernet, power, HDMI, USB and microSD card access) are on the rear. As usual, RetroFlag will offer a Safe Shutdown/Reset system with the appropriate buttons.

For the moment, no information or photos concerning ventilation have been revealed. However, given RetroFlag's previous productions, it seems inconceivable that the case would not feature a ventilation system. We therefore remain optimistic on this subject.

As usual, RetroFlag offers a small compartment for Micro SD cards, positioned in place of the memory extension.

The 64PiCase should be available in France early next year at an announced price of 39 €, making it the most expensive case in the RetroFlag range.

⚠️ Please note that the case will only be compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5. If you own an RGB Dual or are planning to purchase the future All in One, these two Recalbox accessories, being HATs, will not be compatible with the 64PiCase.

Finally, as a reminder, Raspberry Pi 4 owners can already enjoy several RetroFlag cases inspired by the NES, Super NES and PlayStation. For fans of portable consoles who own a Raspberry Pi ZERO (and Pi ZERO 2W), RetroFlag offers the excellent GPI Case 2W, inspired by Game Boy.

Since 2022, SONY has been archiving and preserving its PlayStation titles. Although this initiative is not purely altruistic - it also aims to enrich the catalog of the [PlayStation Plus] service more easily (https://www.playstation.com/fr-fr/ps-plus/) - it deserves to be applauded in a context where the loss of data and source code is frequent.

This week, Garrett Fredley, the engineer in charge of the project, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the volume of archived data had reached 500 TB.

"It's strange to think what half a petabyte represents, especially in the age of modern AAA titles. It's an honor to preserve all this, but copying hundreds of millions of files is a very slow process “, he said in his message.

The project doesn't simply involve “copying and pasting” games. Simply put, preservation means ensuring that all the elements of a game - its code, graphic assets, documentation, even its creation process - are not only carefully archived, but also maintained in a state that allows them to be restored and exploited in the future. This extremely complex and technical task goes far beyond simple digital archiving.

As the video game industry evolves, many source codes, design documents and illustrations are lost. Sony seems to have realized the importance of preserving this heritage, which has accompanied gamers for over 30 years.

While this approach will undoubtedly meet, at least in part, commercial objectives, we retrogaming enthusiasts can only be delighted to see this archival work.

Photo: Push Square

To mark the 30ᵉ anniversary of the Sega Saturn, 8BitDo, a specialist in retrogaming accessories, has decided to pay tribute to the famous 32-bit console.

The company has come up with a completely new design for its mechanical keyboard, soberly named "S Edition ”. This model retains the classic features of the brand's mechanical keyboards:

• Interchangeable, programmable keys,
• Retro buttons for volume and connectivity (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB),
• And the same proven build quality as previous iterations.

The main novelty lies in the aesthetics of the keyboard, with updated colors and the addition of six personalized keys in homage to the Sega Saturn controller. These keys feature the famous ABCXYZ letters and their distinctive hues, and can be added or omitted according to your preferences.

A limited, numbered edition

The “S Edition” is a limited series of 1,994 units, a nod to the year the Saturn was released. Each keyboard will be numbered and delivered with a wrist rest and an official certificate, reinforcing its collector's aspect.

A retro receiver for the Sega Saturn

In parallel, 8BitDo has also announced the release of a retro Bluetooth receiver compatible with the Sega Saturn. Simply insert this dongle into the console's controller port to enjoy your games wirelessly.

The accessory works with the M30 (8BitDo's replica Saturn controller) as well as other Sega controllers. Some third-party wireless controllers may also be compatible, but this remains to be verified on a case-by-case basis.

Availability and price

• The keyboard is priced at $109.99 and can be pre-ordered now on 8BitDo's official website. Deliveries will begin on December 20, leaving a tight deadline for delivery in time for Christmas in France.
• The dongle, meanwhile, is available at $24.99, but only via Amazon US for the time being.

Photos: 8BitDo

If you support the Recalbox project via Patreon, your playlist has just received a major addition this week!

We're very proud to announce our partnership with Cartridge 1987, allowing you to enjoy his compositions directly on your Recalbox. And the good news is that you don't have to do a thing! The next time you start up your Recalbox, the playlist will automatically be available.

17 exclusive tracks... and that's just for starters!

17 new tracks are already available. Additional tracks will be added in the future:

• After four months of support as a Patron
• Then again after one year of support.

Cartridge 1987: a well-known sound signature

If you follow Edward's channel (Retro Découverte), you've probably already heard Cartridge 1987's compositions, which accompany his videos with a retrogaming / synthwave sound. More recently, his tracks have also provided the rhythm for Fabrice's live shows on the official Recalbox channel on Twitch.

Many thanks to Cartridge 1987 for his generosity and talent. You can discover and support this French artist by listening to his creations on the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, YouTube, etc.) via his official channels.

Being Patron Recalbox is much more than just a playlist:

By supporting the Recalbox project, you're making a direct contribution to its development while enjoying exclusive benefits:

• Exclusive wallpapers
• Discounts from our partners
• Preview access to new versions of Recalbox
• Access to priority channels on our Discord
• Auto-Scrapping on our dedicated server.

Thank you for your support, and enjoy listening to Cartridge 1987!

Raspberry announces the Pi 5!

The Raspberry Foundation has made it happen: 4 years after the release of the Pi4, here comes the all-new Raspberry PI 5. This new iteration of the Raspberry Pi promises more power in a size that's as compact as ever, while still keeping the price affordable. So let's take a closer look at what it has in store.

Technical specifications

Powered by a quad-core Broadcom ARMV8 Cortex A76 processor clocked at 2.4 GHz, the Pi5 is claimed to be 250% faster than a Pi 4!

On the GPU side, it has a brand-new Broadcom VideoCore VII GPU capable of hardware decoding of H265 at 4k60FPS. This means you can seamlessly manage two 4k60 screens via HDMI.

In terms of RAM, there will be two versions, 4GB and 8GB, clocked at 4267 MHz. 2GB and 16GB versions are due to arrive in early 2024.

Another particularly eagerly awaited new feature: the Pi5 finally has a physical button that can be used to switch it on and off! The Foundation is even confident that it will soon be able to add a deep sleep mode via this button!

On the connectivity front, there's plenty of new features too, including, in no particular order: 1 fan connector Two CSI/DSI ports (for connecting high-definition screens or cameras) 1 UART connector 1 PCIe ×4 connector (non-standard connector for space reasons) 1 RTC battery connector GPIO pins Gigabit Ethernet 2 USB3.0 (each with an independent controller) 2 USB2 (each with an independent controller) 2 Micro-HDMI (as on the Pi4) Hat PoE pins

On the other hand, many of you will notice and regret an annoying disappearance from the Pi4: the disappearance of the JACK connector (audio and video). While this is not a total hindrance (you can always plug in a small USB sound card, or use a HAT), it is understandable that some people are disappointed to see that Raspberry is following in the footsteps of the iPhone, Samsung and others in no longer offering a plug & play analogue output... Shame.

The foundation is also announcing the availability shortly after the release of a HAT adding an M.2 connector.

For wireless connectivity, the same configuration as the Pi4 is used: Dual band 2.4/5G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and BLE.

An official case, with fan, will be available for the release, as well as a radiator+fan kit for those not using the official case.

Release date

Expected to be released in 2024, the Raspberry Pi 5 is now available for pre-order on the website of our partner Kubii.com, and the first wave of deliveries should arrive in October 2023. The price range should vary from €49 to €99 depending on the amount of RAM, with a 'standard' 4GB model advertised at around €70 excluding accessories.

Is Recalbox compatible?

We've been working hard for months to bring you a Raspberry Pi 5-compatible image of Recalbox. An experimental version is already available in the download section of the site!

This experimental version already allows you to see the changes in terms of performance on the Pi5, but as its name indicates, it remains experimental, and the performance of the various emulators may be improved and the bugs corrected before the release of stable version 9.2 of Recalbox.

Recalbox RGB Dual

Unfortunately, the Raspberry Pi 5 has lost its jack, and with it its PWM driver. According to the foundation, a PWM driver may appear again in the near future, but in the meantime, the Recalbox RGB Dual will not be compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5, unless you have a USB sound card with a jack output and an external amplifier.

Recalbox RGB Jamma

We know you're anxious to get your Recalbox RGB JAMMA back, but after talking to several of you, it's clear that support for the new Raspberry is worth waiting a little longer for.

Check out the KissKissBankBank project news for more information!

This article is a continuation of the one previously published on Latency and Input Lag on Arcade in JAMMA

The previous article focused on the Recalbox RGB Jamma, this one will be more general about video games.

Introduction

We regularly hear about input lag and latency problems, particularly in retrogaming.

I'm sure you've come across it when dying in a game and blamed it, in infinite bad faith, on the developers who supposedly coded the game with their feet.

Everyone will feel it in their own way, but in general it's the most demanding gamers (professionals and heavy gamers), or people who want to recapture the original experience, who are most sensitive to it.

What is latency and input lag?

Simply put, latency is the time between pressing a button on your controller, and its visible action on screen, which can vary according to a number of factors.

For puzzle games or turn-based RPGs, it often has little impact on the gaming experience.

However, for faster games that require you to work your reflexes, such as shooters, platformers or fighting games, it can have a greater or lesser impact on the gaming experience.

By misuse of language, we often use the term Input lag when in fact it's only one component of overall latency.

Latency, or lag, can be broken down into three components:

Input lag: As its name suggests, input lag is the delay associated with input. It's the delay between the moment you press a button and the moment the signal reaches the console.

Process lag: This is the time it takes for the system/console to change the state of the game by applying the joystick event.

Video lag: Display lag is the time it takes for your screen to display the video signal supplied by the console.

Latency is usually measured in milliseconds (ms), but it can also be measured in frames.

What elements produce latency?

The controller

The controller (joystick, keyboard or mouse) you use can have an impact on latency.

If you have a no-name, low-cost, poorly designed controller, it won't help, far from it, because the electronics will be generic, inexpensive, and not necessarily designed for this use.

A good controller will have suitable electronics, designed for gaming and therefore reducing this input lag as much as possible.

Secondly, any wireless connection will physically add to input lag, to a greater or lesser extent depending on the type of connection used (mainly 2.4GHz or Bluetooth), and can add a few milliseconds of lag.

Infrared can also be found on older consoles, but is no longer used, as it has a number of drawbacks.

The hardware on which the game runs

In the case of hardware emulation via FPGA, the big advantage is that it emulates the original hardware at hardware level, and therefore without any conversion overlay to a third-party architecture, giving it a process lag equivalent to that of the original hardware.

Software emulation, on the other hand, is more variable: depending on the quality and implementation of the emulation, the complexity of the original hardware, and the computing power, you can get more or less close to the original hardware.

It should be borne in mind that the design of the original hardware remains largely non-public information, so we can only reverse-engineer it to deduce its behavior, and so emulation can hardly be perfect.

The primary aim of emulation, however, is to get as close as possible to the behavior of the original hardware.

The various adapter boxes.

This is not the case for everyone. If you use a box or cable, for example, to connect an original console to HDMI (known as a "scaler ”), or conversely if you use hardware to convert a digital signal to analog, depending on its design, this can add video lag. An HDMI splitter (to send the video signal to different screens) can also play on this video lag.

Similarly, if you're using a box to connect your old joysticks via USB, this can add input lag, depending on its design.

I think you'll have gathered that anything you add between you and your screen, in addition to the console, can potentially add latency.

If you really need this type of box or cable, especially for scalers and splitters, I suggest you watch the videos on the English-language youtube channel RetroRGB, which tries to test as many of these solutions as possible to identify the best ones.

Screens

The screen you use will also have an impact.

By the way, the youtube channel RetroRGB mentioned above has also carried out tests on this subject. As for CRT screens in general, there's no noticeable video lag. One exception is the latest generation of CRT screens, known as HD or 100/120Hz, which can add video lag during processing if these operating modes are activated.

Modern screens, on the other hand, more often cause problems. If you plug an old console directly into a modern screen (SCART, Composite, S-Video or Component), the screen will process the signal, transforming the analog signal into a digital one, and enlarging it to a definition that better matches the screen definition. But this processing takes time, and often affects the quality of the original image. It's often in this case that we think our vintage games were ugly, but it's actually partly the fault of the processing done by our screen (as well as the fact that CRT screens display the signal differently).

In addition to this, especially on modern TV screens, there can be a video lag added by “Cinema Mode” (or other) treatments, which has no impact when watching a movie, but is important for video games in general.

How to remedy it

For the joystick it's not going to be complicated, quite simply, choose a quality joystick, or a latency-free usb controller. This will guarantee good design quality and thus reduce input lag as much as possible.

Likewise for the joystick, choose wired** rather than wireless connections if you want to reduce input lag as much as possible.

For the screen, if possible, avoid any conversion made by your screen, and stick to the same type of signal throughout the chain. For example, connect an analog console (the consoles of your childhood) to a CRT screen that was made for it, and keep your flat screens only for connecting devices operating digitally via HDMI (Raspberry pi, PC, recent consoles, etc.). On these same flat screens, remember to activate the “Games” mode, often present, which will deactivate all potentially lag-adding processing.

Ideal for flat screens are gaming-oriented PC screens, which are designed to reduce these processing times as much as possible (generally between 1 and 5ms of added lag).

As for Recalbox on Raspberry pi, it can operate in both modes, in native digital mode and therefore connected to a modern screen (flat screens) via the HDMI socket, or in analog mode via the mini-jack socket (but with average signal quality) or via the Recalbox RGB Dual, designed specifically for this purpose.

If you can't or don't want to stick with a 100% analog channel for your old consoles, use a scaler made for video games. Avoid the cheap scalers, which are better suited to watching movies but not at all to video games. What's more, some of them are not compatible with RGB signals.

When it comes to emulation, the first thing to do is apply the latest emulator, core or system updates to take advantage of the latest optimizations and improvements. This is done simply by updating your recalbox.

In Retroarch (from which Recalbox inherits a number of cores and functionalities), there are options for reducing latency, by taking advantage of the computing power of our computers, and by calculating certain elements in advance, to adjust the delay and compensate for the delay that may be caused by the various elements in the chain.

How we work to reduce latency on Recalbox

As Recalbox is a software emulation solution, we are concerned by these latency problems and do our utmost to match the original hardware as closely as possible.

But before embarking on headlong development, we first need reference data, and to this end we've carried out a number of measurements.

Measurement methods: what already exists

Several methods exist for measuring latency. Depending on the method used, different components of latency can be measured.

To measure the input lag of a controller, you can use an oscilloscope to measure this lag precisely. More information on this method is available at this address. We used this method to check our input lag measurements.

It's possible to calculate display latency, using the 240p test suite, via its lag test (on the original console or in emulation), by visual comparison (using a camera), with two screens connected to the same source, it's possible to compare the difference in latency between the two screens. If this is done using a CRT screen as a reference (which has negligible display latency), it then becomes possible to calculate the display latency of a particular screen.

Other methods also exist, for example to measure display lag on a screen using Time Sleuth, which outputs a signal via HDMI and, with the help of a phototransistor, reads this signal and measures the display delay on the screen.

As these methods are not always easy to use, sometimes requiring expensive equipment, or are not comprehensive enough, we have also created our own tools, which we have compared with existing methods to check that they work properly.

Measurement methods: our developments

To better meet the need, we went so far as to develop our own tools to simplify these measurements.

First, we developed a software program to test input lag on a Raspberry Pi, which can be integrated and run on any distribution, including Recalbox.

All you need is a Raspberry Pi, a controller, some soldering to connect directly to the controller via the Raspberry Pi's GPIO port, and the program does the rest.

You can find the source code and documentation at this address.

Below are the input lag tools in operation, with the oscilloscope for comparison:

Secondly, we developed hardware: The Latency Bro. This enables us to take two types of measurements: input lag, and end-to-end latency (from button press to screen display), all autonomously.

It takes the form of a card plugged into the buttons on the controller/stick, with a USB port (for input lag measurement and power supply), and a phototransistor to detect a color change on the TV screen (when the controller is pressed). To measure latency, we ideally use the 240p test suite, which offers a test that switches from black to white when the joystick is pressed.

The Latency bro then displays the latency measured over one or more tests (with automatic averaging).

Here's an overview of the latency bro in operation:

Results

We carried out measurements on various controllers/handlers, and also compared original hardware and emulation under Recalbox.

Input Lag

As you can see from the measurements taken, the controller used can add almost up to one frame of delay (for those tested), which is very little in itself, but you need to look at the whole chain right up to the display to see the full impact on the user.

Latency

For latency, we compared two consoles, and their equivalent in emulation on Recalbox: the Playstation 1, and the Super NES, in 60Hz on all hardware.

To be exhaustive on the emulation side, we tested different cores with different parameters.

The Playstation 1 controller used was connected to Recalbox via a “NoName” USB adapter.

On the hardware side for emulation, we used a Raspberry Pi 4 with a Recalbox RGB Dual, these measurements were taken in 2022, so we don't yet have measurements on the Raspberry Pi 5. We'll be taking measurements in the future on this more recently arrived card.

We'd also like to thank @FFVIMan who carried out the lag test for the Super NES hardware.

Following these tests, we can see that the average latency, which we used as a reference, for these two consoles is 41 ms for the PS1 and 30 ms for the Super NES.

In the various tests carried out, you'll also see that we've worked to find the parameters that best optimize the emulation to get closer to the reference for each console. As emulation quality evolves over time, these settings are bound to evolve in order to optimize them.

To simplify the task and give you back the experience of the original hardware, we've pre-configured this in the form of an option to be activated in the menus dedicated to Recalbox RGB Dual, under the heading “Reduce Latency”.

In fact, these options will no longer be limited to *RGB Dual/JAMMA users from recalbox version 10 onwards, and you'll be able to activate them easily even via HDMI.

Conclusion

Emulation is often accused of being the source of latency. However, with the right configuration, the latency added by the emulator becomes imperceptible. Add to this low-latency controllers and a suitable TV/monitor, and Recalbox offers you a solution that comes as close as possible to the original experience. New and even more effective options are coming in version 10!

In any case, I hope this article has enlightened you on the subject of latency.

Since the release of the Recalbox RGB DUAL and even more so since the launch of the Recalbox RGB JAMMA campaign, many of you have been asking questions about input lag.

Input lag is a serious and highly technical subject, which for some remains an eternal debate.

Many talk about it, but few really master the subject. In the midst of fantasies and preconceived ideas, we felt it was vital to provide you with a transparent, factual, technical and rational explanation. That's what we're going to try to do in this blog post!

Before we get down to the technical side of things, let's talk a bit about semantics, to make sure we understand what we're talking about.

What is input lag?

Input lag is a term that's become a bit of a catch-all when it comes to defining a game's reaction time after an action on your part.

Here, we prefer to use the more appropriate term global lag.

To put it simply: global latency is the time it takes for your character to react, when you press a button on your controller.

But behind the term overall latency, there are actually 3 very distinct phases :

• input lag, in the literal sense of the term, which corresponds solely to the time it takes for the emulator to register the press of a key. This time can vary enormously depending on the controller, protocol (wired, USB, i2c, Bluetooth...), emulator configuration or operating system you're using.
• process lag, which is the processing time taken by the emulator to generate a new frame according to the event received
• video lag, which is the time between your console sending the video signal and its display on screen. This is your TV's processing time. Video lag is considered to be non-existent on CRT screens, although it can vary depending on the configuration of your HDTV.

So, you might ask: how can we measure all this in a factual way? Well, quite simply with precise tools and methodologies!

• input-lag-tools will enable us to specifically measure controller-related input lag.
• an oscilloscope will enable us to measure the sum of input lag and process lag.
• finally, the Latency Bro will enable us to measure the famous global latency as a whole.

1 - Measuring input lag

First, we're going to concentrate on input lag. To do this, we're going to try out different controllers and arcade kits, and compare the results obtained according to the systems used.

To do this, we've created a loop: a button on the joystick or arcade panel is connected to one of the Raspberry Pi's GPIO pins.

The Raspberry Pi will then be able to press the button itself, just as a gamer would. All it has to do is time the time elapsing between pressing the button... and receiving information from the system that the button has been pressed.

Of course, each of these measurements was taken dozens of times, to obtain a precise average input lag for each of the controllers tested.

Here's the results table.

In the left-hand column, you'll find the controller or arcade stick used, then its connection type, followed by the card and operating system used, to finally find the average input lag, and the percentage chance of missing a frame (of having a frame lag).

There are a number of interesting findings to be gleaned from these results.

As you can see, even wired controllers are not all in the same boat, with some generating more input lag than others.

What's more, the tests show that the connection protocol used has very little influence on the results. It all comes down to controller design and operating system optimization.

Even if the results are generally convincing for the USB protocol, it nevertheless shows its limits. It is indeed very difficult to go under 1ms with a USB connection. This is a limitation directly linked to the USB protocol: USB communication takes place in the direction PC/RPi to controller. The Raspberry sends a request to the controller at a given frequency to retrieve the status of the buttons: this is known as "polling".

It's precisely to free ourselves from this technical limitation that we have chosen to use another process on the Recalbox RGB JAMMA: interrupts.

When the controller detects a change of state on a button, it instantly notifies the Raspberry Pi of this change.

This is one of the reasons why the Recalbox RGB JAMMA performed so well in this test!

2 - Measuring process lag

With the first step, we've determined the time between pressing a button and it being taken into account by the system.

Now let's move on to measuring process lag, i.e. the time it takes for the system to process the event. Or, to be more precise the time taken for the system to generate a frame, i.e. an image, after receiving a button press event, such as a jump.

Using an oscilloscope, we can measure the time between pressing the button and sending the RGB signal to the screen.

The test protocol is as follows:

• a probe (yellow line) is placed on the button that will be used to change the image, and will therefore pick up the falling edge (the button press)
• a second probe (green line) is placed on one of the RGB signals. It reflects the RGB signal transmitted to the monitor. In RGB, the signal of a completely black frame will be transmitted as a sequence of 0v values, i.e. a flat line. For a white screen, with pixels at their maximum brightness, the signal goes wild and rises to 0.7V.
• For a better interpretation of the results, we're going to use the 240p Test Suite, which allows us to switch from an all-black to an all-white screen.

We'll then be able to measure the time between pressing the button and the image change.

The measurement in video :

It's in this situation that we can understand the effort made on Recalbox RGB JAMMA to reduce input lag to less than 0.5ms.

It's time to solve a little math problem:

If the 20.6ms of latency above contains 0.5ms of input lag on the Recalbox RGB JAMMA, what latency will a JAMMA controller with 10ms of input lag suffer, at the very least?

However, these measurements are laborious and difficult to repeat. That's why the Latency Bro was born.

3 - Measuring overall latency - Switching to arcade and JAMMA solutions

Measuring input lag and process lag is all well and good, but everyone will agree that what we're really interested in is overall latency!

So we're going to measure overall latency, i.e. the complete time that elapses between pressing a button and the corresponding change in image, whether on a CRT or LCD screen.

To achieve this, we have designed the Latency Bro, an electronic circuit capable of pressing a button itself, and measuring the time until a change of image is detected on your TV, thanks to a photosensitive cell. This cell is capable of detecting a change in brightness created by the CRT screen beam or by the brightness of pixels on an LCD screen.

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It is therefore possible to measure overall latency accurately and universally, both on original hardware and on emulation systems.

We had three objectives when we designed the Latency Bro and measured latency on the hardware that follows:

• to answer your questions about the latency of Recalbox products (RGB DUAL and RGB JAMMA)
• take stock of latency on the arcade
• configure and optimize your Recalbox system using precise measurements
• and once and for all, put an end to this misguided notion of "debate" on a problem that is clearly measurable and improvable.

Here's how we went about measuring latency on the various systems:

• we start by accessing the service menu
• place the cursor on the "GRID" menu entry
• press button 1 to display the grid
• we'll measure latency
• then we'll press the START button and button 1.

Disclaimer: For the sake of objectivity, all measurements were made by @gtranche from HFSPlay, on his New Astro City with MS9 29 board. Many thanks to him and to HFSPlay for their time and support.

Here's a look at the latency bro in operation:

Boards tested :

We tested these jamma boards:

Test number 1: CPS2 + Super Puzzle Fighter 2 X

We start this procedure with the original hardware, here a multi CPS2 on which we've "written" the Super Puzzle Fighter 2 X rom (spf2xj.zip). We'll use this to establish a reference time, enabling us to compare other solutions and measure the latency they add.

Result: 80.7 milliseconds! It seems a long time to go from one screen to another, but it doesn't matter, because we now have our reference value on which to base the rest of our measurements.

For each of the Raspberry Pi to JAMMA boards, we decided to take the first measurement with a vanilla installation (without touching any configuration), as many users don't risk modifying the advanced lag options.

However, if options to reduce input lag are available in the system concerned, we activated them to see their impact on latency.

Here's the result, sorted in ascending order of latency:

As you'd expect, in first place in the solutions compared with the original hardware, the mister is very close to the original latency. Beware, however, of the joysticks you use, some of which may add milliseconds you could do without.

In second place, the Recalbox RGB JAMMA adds only 6.70ms or less than half a frame of delay. The default configuration of Recalbox RGB JAMMA, to which we've added run-ahead, brings us within a few milliseconds of the original CPS2 experience.

By deactivating Run Ahead, the Recalbox RGB JAMMA is positioned in 3ᵉ position with an addition of 20.80ms, or 1.25 frames of delay on average in its Vanilla configuration!

The RGB Pi Jamma, meanwhile, is +43.90ms, or 2.63 frames late, which can start to make itself felt on the most nervous games.

Finally, RPI2JAMMA, which was tested on a Raspberry Pi 3 (as it doesn't support RPi4), adds over 4 frames of latency. This can undoubtedly be improved with emulator configuration, but lag improvement options were non-existent at the time of testing.

Technical note: what is Run Ahead?

Run Ahead is a retroarch option that "pre-calculates" any frames that may be generated as a function of controller events. When an event is received, the pre-calculated frame is used directly, rather than having to be calculated on the fly.

So it's really useful, but not compatible with all games/systems.

About the Raspberry Pi

To make it easier for you to find your way around and compare solutions on the Raspberry Pi, we've simplified the results tables.

The first table simply compares the frames added in the fastest configuration for each solution:

And the second compares frames added by vanilla latency:

Test number 2: CPS3 + Street Fighter 3 Third Strike

No original hardware here, and the mister is out of the running as he doesn't (yet?) support CPS3.

So we measured latency on different Raspberry Pi solutions.

First observation: the latency to switch from one screen to another is much closer to what we expected on a menu as simple as the menu service: 20ms for the Recalbox RGB JAMMA with Run Ahead, which is very close to the display time of a frame at 60HZ (16.66ms).

And it's the Run Ahead coupled with the Recalbox RGB JAMMA's very low input lag that puts it in first place. The measurements will be updated once we've managed to recover an original CPS3 :)

The lack of vanilla configuration for JAMMA SD or RPI2JAMMA places them much further down the table, with delays of between 3 and 4 frames compared with Recalbox RGB JAMMA in Run Ahead.

Conclusion

We're delighted to have been able to put numbers, methodologies and test protocols in place for this blog post, but our mission to streamline input lag has only just begun.

And in the next steps, we'll have to :

• continue to improve the Recalbox system to reduce latency on CRT as on HDMI
• measure other systems and consoles, other controllers, and why not gather all this information on a specific site
• send a few prototypes of the latency bro to anyone who'd like to have them, so that we can double-check the results.

If you've read this far, well done! All that's left is to thank you once again for your support in the Recalbox project, which would be nothing without you!

Lots of new features

Recalbox, the free, open source emulation solution, is back with the release of its latest version, Recalbox 9.1, this Sunday June 18. This version brings a host of major new features, which should delight fans of retro video games! The new version 9.1 of Recalbox is available this Sunday: discover the latest additions to the emulation platform preferred by retrogaming fans! But that's not the only new feature. After more than six months of work by the Recalbox team, we're going to bring emulation and retrogaming into the era of the ARCADE on JAMMA cabinet, setting new standards in terms of fidelity, precision, reactivity and accessibility.

RECALBOX RGB JAMMA: Recalbox in your JAMMA arcade cabinet!

With Recalbox 9.1, coupled with the new Recalbox RGB JAMMA module, you can now easily enjoy all the power and user-friendliness of Recalbox, directly on a JAMMA-compatible vintage arcade cabinet! With Recalbox RGB JAMMA, rediscover the sensations of the arcade, pixel-perfect, without any configuration on your part! Just plug in and play. It's that simple!

Discover Recalbox RGB JAMMA on KissKissBankBank !

Indeed, the main criticisms levelled at all JAMMA + Raspberry Pi solutions are their complexity, lack of fidelity, limited compatibility, prohibitive price and limited availability...

With Recalbox RGB JAMMA... ...IT'S HISTORY! ⤵⤵⤵

Recalbox RGB JAMMA, what is it?

Recalbox RGB JAMMA is the new module (H.A.T. - Hardware Attached on Top) that simply clips onto your Raspberry Pi4, Pi400 or Pi3, giving your Recalbox... the ability to connect to any JAMMA-standard arcade terminal!

What is JAMMA?

JAMMA is a connector that appeared in the 1980s, standardizing the connection of the various signals in arcade terminals. Changing the game without changing the whole arcade has become both child's play and a real revolution!

Recalbox RGB JAMMA - Highlights :

• Plug and Play ZERO CONFIG: you plug it, you play!
• 15kHz pixel + frequency perfect: display rigorously identical to the original
• < 0.5ms input lag: the lowest input lag ever recorded!
• 3/6-button mode: original or modified JAMMA compatible
• KickHarness CPS1: the most widely used kick harness
• Mono 15 Watts amp: send mono sound to the jamma...
• MONO/STEREO switch: ... or stereo on an external amp!
• JACK output
• Raspberry Pi 4/400/3 compatible
• TATE vertical mode support
• 40mm fan slot
• Hotkey Patterns (= multiple functions on one button, such as quit, credit, menu...)
• Voltage Barrier: 5v/12v compatible for coin/service/test buttons
• Resin case (optional)
• OLED display for video signal frequency/resolution (optional)
• Automatic launch of the game of your choice at start-up for a dedicated terminal!

Technology approved by almost 5,000 retrogamers!

Recalbox RGB JAMMA inherits the same technology as Recalbox RGB DUAL, used today by almost 5,000 users worldwide, and unanimously acclaimed.

With Recalbox RGB JAMMA, you're assured of unrivalled picture and sound quality, and that every game is launched with its own display mode and era. All games, all platforms, no configuration required.

RECALBOX RGB JAMMA: Where? When? When? How?

As with the Recalbox RGB Dual and the Modder Brothers project, we're relying on the KissKissBankBank crowdfunding platform for the launch of Recalbox RGB JAMMA. A campaign launched at the same time as the release of Recalbox 9.1, for a period of one month.

Campaign objectives :

Finance design and production at a competitive price Send the first components by the start of the 2023 school year Support the Recalbox project ... Save the last JAMMA arcade machines of our childhood!

Recalbox 9.1

Of course, Recalbox 9.1 isn't just for those with arcade machines - it's got something for everyone!

New supported hardware

On the hardware front, Recalbox 9.1 is now compatible with Anbernic's new RG353M, RG353P and RG353V portable consoles. These high-quality handheld consoles offer the same emulation capabilities as a Raspberry Pi 4. Their HDMI output makes them the ideal (trans)portable Recalbox solution!

Recalbox 9.1 now also supports the new "PiBoy XRS" Raspberry Pi 4 box, the "horizontal" version of Experimental Pi's PiBoy. With its large battery and HDMI output, you can enjoy the performance of your Pi4, wherever you are!

Tate mode

A major new feature of Recalbox 9.1: vertical TATE mode management on HDMI and CRT screens (via Recalbox RGB DUAL/JAMMA) IN ONE CLICK! The fruit of a great deal of development work, Recalbox automatically detects your "vertical" games, and suggests whether you'd like to run them "normally" or in full-screen vertical mode if you've rotated your screen. You can also set the entire Recalbox system to vertical mode... with just one click!

Even better: with Recalbox 9.1, you can easily switch to TATE mode with automatic button rotation on Odroid and Anbernic handheld consoles!

Downloading games directly from the interface

Recalbox 9.1 brings an eagerly-awaited new feature: a download manager! Among the first contents available: a game downloader for free games from the WASM4, Vectrex, UzeBox and TIC80 systems. But that's just the beginning...

Quick Savestates selection at launch

Recalbox users have been eagerly awaiting this feature: the ability to launch a game directly from the savestate! Practical, fast and very ergonomic, with its little miniature created at the time of saving, this option makes it very easy to pick up your game exactly where you left off, without the risk of making a mistake!

New systems

As a strong supporter of the indie / homebrew scene, Recalbox 9.1 also features 2 new systems closely linked to the indie / DIY scene: the Arduboy and Wasm-4! WASM-4 is a virtual game console that lets you create small games using WebAssembly, while the Arduboy is an Arduino-based portable game console powered by open source software.

And much more...

Recalbox's many improvements include more ergonomic management of the Super Game Boy. Compatible GameBoy games (often identified as "SGB Enhanced" in their filenames) featured an interface and display optimized for color play!

To take "retro" immersion even further, Recalbox now offers a "CRT-Curved" display option, which, as the name suggests, offers a resolutely retro "curved CRT screen" image rendering, directly on your HDMI output... truly stunning!

With over sixty new features, enhancements and deep optimizations, the release of Recalbox 9.1 is great news for all retrogaming fans, who will now be able to enjoy an even more complete and enjoyable gaming experience, with improved functionality and extended compatibility. And thanks to the legendary simplicity and accessibility of Raspberry Pi nanocomputers, Recalbox is now easier and more affordable than ever.

The Modder Brothers by Recalbox crowdfunding project is coming to an end. The minimum goal of 6000€ to help us has been reached, but it's not over yet, any additional help will allow us to do even better. You still have 3 days to participate in this campaign.

What is Modder Brothers?

ModderBrothers by Recalbox is a range of accessories for repairing and modding (modifying) your retro computers and consoles. ModderBrothers by Recalbox aims to offer you a maximum of existing mods (available in open source/open hardware of course) but also original and innovative ones, created and assembled by enthusiasts, uncompromising on quality!

All the original mods created will have their plans, schematics and sources made public and free, to facilitate their accessibility, under an OpenHardware license.

By supporting us through this fundraising campaign, you will give us the possibility to create these first models, but also to consider developing many new innovative products, such as new composite and RGB mods, Action Replay type cartridges for ZX-Spectrum and C64/C128, flashcards for several consoles, memory extensions or even memory replacement cards to repair and give life back to your old computers... The list of projects is already long!

What if I'm not interested, but I want to support the project?

We have thought of you for that too. We have added to our campaign the possibility to receive a set of 4 "Versus" coasters (reversible) made in PCB for 20€ (+ shipping costs).

What's next?

This funding is just the beginning, we plan to open a permanent shop to make these mods available at attractive prices, and others that we are already developing.

We already have more than a dozen new mods in R&D, and we're exploring new possibilities every day. We'd need 72-hour days to show you everything!

At the end of the campaign and once all the rewards have been sent in, the shop will open its doors with a maximum of stock and different mods.

How to participate

You can find more details and participate in the funding on the project Kickstarter page.

For non-English speakers, we have also put on our official website a French translation of the Kickstarter page.

Introduction

Emulation in a general way is the fact of recreating the behaviour of a specific hardware (e.g. a video game console) by transcribing its functioning to run the games (or programs) developed for this hardware, on another type of hardware initially not compatible (e.g. a computer, a smartphone).

Emulation will often try to reproduce as closely as possible the original behaviour in a more or less successful way. It may slow down the game if it lacks power or requires optimisation, but it can also improve the result, for example by improving the fluidity of a game or its graphic quality for a more modern and pleasant rendering.

This emulation can be done in two ways, software emulation and hardware emulation.

Software emulation

This is the most common form of emulation. In this case, a program (an emulator) will be developed, which will transcribe the behaviour of the original hardware into a language that your computer can understand.

This is what is found in Recalbox, all versions, on all media (Rapsberry Pi, PC, Odroid, etc.).

But it can be found in other contexts. If we stay in the field of video games, for example, on the Nintendo Switch Online service, which includes access to old games, these run on emulators developed for the Nintendo Switch. This is also what Sony uses to run older generation games (notably ps1 and ps2) on their newer consoles.

Hardware emulation

This form is much less common because the hardware required is expensive, and the work to develop an emulator is more complex than software emulation.

Developers usually rely on FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) which are chips containing programmable logic, which are programmed to behave exactly like the original hardware.

This is what is found in the DE10-Nano board (a small board like a Raspberry Pi but including an FPGA) which is used as part of the MiSTer FPGA system for console emulation.

On what basis are emulators created

As you will have understood, emulators will try to recreate the behaviour of the original hardware as well as possible. Depending on who develops it, several sources of information are used to create and improve these emulators. There are two main cases.

Documentation of the original architecture

One can rely, if one has access to it, on the architecture documentation of the original hardware. The disadvantage in general is that these documents are rarely public and therefore often the only ones who can use them are the manufacturers of the original hardware. It is however the easiest way to replicate the original behaviour.

This is what is usually used by manufacturers like Nintendo in their emulators. This statement is not always true depending on the manufacturer and the documentation they have left from the time.

It sometimes happens that some of these architecture documents leak and end up on the internet, against the will of the manufacturer. Emulators available to the general public on the internet, such as those present in Recalbox, do not rely on this information, as there is a high risk of being illegal due to the fact that they are stolen documents.

Retro-engineering

This is the case that we will encounter on Recalbox and on all emulators developed by individuals or teams of enthusiasts, without the agreement of the original hardware manufacturer.

For the development of the emulator, the developers will do what is called retro engineering and will therefore simply rely on what is publicly available, mainly the original hardware, and sometimes its software (firmware or bios) which may have been extracted from the hardware.

This involves analysing this to deduce the behaviour, both at the hardware and software level. This may sometimes involve completely dismantling the original hardware, or occasionally even destroying certain chips in a controlled manner to observe them in detail.

Is it legal

The legality of emulation will depend on the laws of the country you are in.

For example, in Japan, the laws are very protective of manufacturers in this aspect and emulation of old video game consoles is totally forbidden (apart from the one proposed by the manufacturers), and all Japanese youtubers and streamers for example have to play only on original hardware.

In many other countries, like France or the United States, emulation is often legal, and the usage of roms will be conditioned to the different laws, or if the copyright owner has given you the authorization to use it (sometimes with payment).

This will be the case for the games included in Recalbox for free, for which the authors have kindly authorized us to redistribute them. You can find the list of these games at this address

Sometimes manufacturers even use what has been developed by the community in terms of emulation, such as Sony and its Playstation mini, which itself uses an open source emulator: PCSX ReARMed.

Bios

The bios is a firmware that corresponds to the software loaded on the hardware and allowing the console to operate. The bios is generally a proprietary software of the hardware manufacturer and cannot be provided with the emulator publicly if it is necessary.

Some of these bios are freely accessible, such as those included in Recalbox, and the others remain private data and it will be up to you to extract them from the original hardware.

However, they are not always necessary for the emulators to work properly, some developers have succeeded in reproducing their behaviour in the emulator's code, always by reverse engineering.

Roms, Roms quality and groups

A ROM (Read Only Memory) is the program containing the game you wish to play. It is necessary to play the game via an emulator. It can either be extracted from the original media (cartridge, disk, etc.), or be read directly by the emulator, provided you have the right equipment.

For those of you who retrieve roms from the internet, you should know that, depending on the extraction method used, the roms are not always a perfect image of the original media, and therefore the quality of the emulation may be impacted or not work at all with some poor quality roms. Some roms have also been modified by teams of dumpers (those who extract the roms to publish them) to insert their signature in the code or even add an additional intro to the game.

Some groups of enthusiasts have also set themselves the goal of developing methods to extract roms from the original media, without altering the content, in order to help preserve these old games, and the video game heritage more broadly, and to catalogue them.

For example, the no-intro group started this project because of the dumpers who were adding intro to cartridge games (hence the name of the group).

More information about these groups can be found in our wiki at this address.

Quality of emulation

Emulation of a system is rarely perfect because you are trying to reproduce the behaviour of the original hardware on a completely different hardware. Some emulators have greatly improved in quality over the years of development to have a rendering extremely close to the original, especially for emulators of consoles dating from the 16-bit and previous generations.

However, some hardware being more complex from a hardware architecture point of view, and also more recent, for example the Sega Saturn and the Nintendo 64, the work for the developers is more consequent to arrive at a result close to the original.

Below, for example, on the left is an image taken directly from a Nintendo 64 and on the right is an image of the first public version of the Nintendo 64 emulator for the Switch, on the game Zelda: Ocarina of time, you can clearly see the difference in the treatment of the fog and the rendering of the water.

Lesser known or less popular consoles are also often less well emulated because fewer people are looking at them.

It may therefore sometimes be necessary to use different emulators for the same console depending on the game you are playing in order to have better compatibility.

Emulation and Recalbox

Recalbox relies of course on these emulators to integrate the consoles, some of them are even developed by members of our community or our developers.

To integrate an emulator (or core) in Recalbox, we impose some rules on ourselves. The emulators we integrate must be open source, just like Recalbox is, and we only add to Recalbox consoles whose commercial life is over. Finally, we only integrate an emulator if its overall performance is correct for retrogaming in good conditions.

For the same console, you will often see several cores appearing, which we make available to you in order to increase the chances of finding the one that will make your favourite games run as closely as possible to how they run on original hardware.

The world of emulation being in constant development, Recalbox's mission is to test and offer you the latest versions of the best emulators.

Introduction

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or SNES (Super Famicom in Japan), is a 16-bit generation console designed by the Japanese company Nintendo. Released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in North America and 1992 in Europe, it is the replacement for the aging NES, which was beginning to lose market share to Sega's Megadrive released 2 years earlier.

The SNES was very popular and sold over 49 million units worldwide. It introduced many technical improvements over the NES, including more detailed graphics and a wider colour palette, the well known Mode 7 which allows sprites to be rotated and zoomed.

The console also introduced new game genres, including JRPGs which were exported, and horizontal scrolling racing games.

The SNES was launched with titles such as Super Mario World, F-Zero and Pilotwings, all of which were major commercial successes. Other popular games for the console include The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country and Chrono Trigger.

The SNES was also the first console to include online gaming capabilities, thanks to the Satellaview network gaming system, which was launched in Japan in 1995.

Controllers

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) came with a standard controller that has four action buttons, a directional pad, L and R buttons and Start and Select buttons. The SNES standard controller was designed to provide precise and intuitive control for games. It was so innovative that it is often used as a reference when talking about retrogaming. Two versions of the controller exist, with only the colour of the buttons changing to match the local colours of the console.

As a successor to the NES zapper, we also find the Super Scope, which is a little larger and sits on the player's shoulder. Only a dozen games have been developed for this accessory.

There was also the Super Advantage arcade stick, which allowed you to experience the arcade feeling on your SNES.

The Super Nintendo Mouse was originally created for the Mario Paint game but over 60 games are also compatible with it. Most of them, however, were exclusive to Japan.

Other controllers have been released by Nintendo (including a wireless controller) or under official license, but are less common.

Revisions

The console has undergone several revisions over its lifetime, mainly to reduce the cost of production.

The original SNES was produced in several versions, notably the shell was different for North America. Several revisions of the motherboard were made to reduce the size and cost of production. The best known of these revisions in retrogaming circles is the so-called SNES One-Chip (or SNES-1C), which combines the previously separate CPU, PPU1 and PPU2 on the same chip. It is known to output the best video signal, as well as natively generating an RGB signal (if the right cable is used).

The SNES Jr. (Super Famicom Jr.) came later, released only in Japan (1998) and North America (1997), is a more compact version of the original SNES.

The Super Famicom Box is actually a pay-to-play box, only available in Japan and available in hotel rooms.

The Japanese manufacturer SHARP marketed in Japan only a television set directly integrating a Super Famicom, under the name Super Famicom Naizou TV SF1. It was sold in two sizes: 14 or 21 inches diagonal.

A final version of the console was developed jointly by Nintendo and Sony, but remained only at the prototype stage. This model was intended to add a CD-ROM drive to the SNES. Due to contractual and other disputes, it was never produced, and this is what prompted Sony to enter the console world with the Playstation.

Add-ons and extensions

Only one add-on was developed for this console by Nintendo. It was the Satellaview, marketed only in Japan, which connects directly to the bottom of the console. It connected to a network of satellites that provided access to news, audio and video reports, as well as games in the form of episodes updated once a week. The first game broadcast via Satellaview was BS Zelda no Densetsu, a remake of the first Zelda.

Apart from the addons, it was possible to improve performance, especially graphics, via the cartridge port and some games included extra chips for this. The first game to take advantage of this was StarFox (or StarWing depending on the region), in 1993, which integrated the Super FX chip into the cartridge, allowing the console to handle 3D. A second, more powerful version of this chip was produced, the Super FX 2. Only three games benefited from it: Doom, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Winter Gold. With the release of the modern SNES Classic Edition, the game Star Fox 2, using this chip, but cancelled at the time, was added to the list.

A third party manufacturer, Bandai, also managed to get permission to develop a cartridge addon, Sufami Turbo, on the condition that they cover all costs (manufacturing, distribution, etc.). This was only marketed in Japan and consisted of a cartridge with two ports to insert smaller cartridges. The game was played from the first slot. The second cartridge, of another game, was optional and allowed to add content to the game loaded in the first slot.

End of life

The SNES was marketed until 1999 in North America, 2000 in Europe and 2003 in Japan, and was gradually replaced by its successor the Nintendo 64.

It was the arrival of the next generation 32-bit (and above) consoles, with better graphics and performance, that accelerated the end of the console's life.

The SNES was sold and supported until 1998 after more than 10 years of life. It ended its life due to a lack of interest from developers and gamers in favour of next generation consoles (Playstation, Nintendo 64, Saturn), which did not prevent games from being released during its last year (Sonic R and Phantasy Star Collection).

Although the SNES is no longer produced and game production for the console has all but ceased, the SNES is still considered one of the most influential consoles of all time. It is widely admired for its superior library of games, which includes titles such as Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Super Metroid.

Today, the SNES is often considered a classic console and is enjoyed by gamers of all ages. There are even modern reissues of the console, such as the SNES Classic Edition, which allow gamers to play SNES games on a modern TV.