MAME
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Introducing the world's smallest way to play 'Donkey Kong'
Once upon a time, video games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong were the absolute height of entertainment technology, imperfect pixels packed into six-foot-tall cabinets in arcades and pizza shops around the world. Now, those same games run on a machine that fits inside a teacup. Adafruit tinkerer Phillip Burgess created the world's smallest Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator cabinet using a Raspberry Pi Zero computer, 0.96 inch RGB OLED displays and an audio amplifier. It's fully playable and totally adorable.
Lost 'Sonic' arcade game will soon be playable
Even the most diehard Sonic The Hedgehog fan could be forgiven for missing out on playing Waku Waku Sonic Patrol Car. The 1991 arcade game was released exclusively in Japan for small kids, placed within a car-shaped cabinet that was big enough for junior and their adult minder. Thankfully, the title, which had been thought lost for the better part of two decades, has now been found. If you're prepared to wait a little longer, then the game will be available on the MAME arcade emulator along a forthcoming software update.
Big toys for the big kid in all of us
Some of the toys we played with as children have grown up along with us and now they pack adult-sized fun. Memorable designs have bubbled up into lifestyle products with smarts, but most offer what we always loved them for: an action-packed thrill. Sure, we can drive real cars now, but that doesn't diminish the urge to drift on a motorized Big Wheel. Skateboards and pogo sticks have powered up over the years, too, and hoverboards can now actually hover. This week we pay tribute to the big kid inside each of us with a lineup of reinvented, rebuilt and improved versions of playtime classics. [Image: Local Motors]
Now you can play 'Defender' and 900 other arcade classics in your browser
It seems like the Internet Archive was just getting started when it resurrected WordStar and The Hobbit from floppy-disk purgatory. Now, the latest additions to the Javascript MESS emulator are of the arcade variety. Specifically, games including Defender, Mr. Do!, Zaxxon and Joust are now playable in your browser. The IA's website says that most of the Internet Arcade's games should work, although some better act as a "verification of behavior programming" than anything else. Jason Scott, who runs the collection, has a blog post detailing what browsers perform best (a 64-bit version of Firefox is tops, apparently) and how to setup a gamepad for the whole shebang. You know, if digging through gaming's origins is your thing. Be careful, though. Playing Millipede as a kid may have cost you a few quarters, but if you get caught playing it at work it could be a whole lot more expensive now. [Image credit: Rob Boudon/Flickr]
Build your own Game Boy with a Raspberry Pi, SNES pad and 3D printer
What's a maker to do when they don't have access to a classic Game Boy, but happen to have a 3D printer and a few other parts lying around? Craft their own, no Legos required, of course. With some patience, you too can build a copy of Nintendo's 25-year-old handheld using a Raspberry Pi, Super NES controller (for its buttons and circuit board) and a few other bits and bobs. Adafruit has print files for the iconic portable's case as well as step-by-step instructions for how it all goes together, but, as 3DPrint points out, it likely won't be easy and the project requires a decent grasp on soldering and circuitry. Emulated games run off of an SD card, and the DIY-Game Boy can even play any classic Nintendo ROMs you might find online too. We'll leave wading through the legalities of that whole process up to you, though.
Custom arcade cabinet puts games, projectors inside a work of art
We fell for Love Hulten's R-KAID-6 device, a custom-designed MAME machine made of interlocking handcrafted wooden pieces, back in 2011.Hulten has evolved the concept to add wireless controllers, a trackball accessory, and a built-in projector – all still encased in a custom, decorated wooden case that allows the joysticks to be stored on top. Hulten's designs show us what it looks like when game machines are designed not for efficiency by engineers, but for beauty by artisans. The result turns out to be pretty efficient in its own way.
Joyride to joystick: Atari controller custom-built from car seat adjuster
So you've survived the robot revolution and you're waiting for either a full-blown apocalypse, or Mr. Anderson. But how are you going to kill time when our new masters are eating controller PCBs for breakfast? With a steampunk joystick, of course. Jason Torchinsky from Jalopnik has done just that, making an Atari 2600 controller by repurposing a power seat control switch panel from a 1980s Oldsmobile. It's no Avenger Controller Elite, but it certainly does the job, and due to a standardized wiring layout it's functional on other hardware of the same era. And for all you MAME heroes, Jason says it would be no more complicated to hook it up to a PC or Mac using a USB keyboard encoder. Follow the source link for a neat walkthrough of the project and jump over the break to see a video of the seat switch in action, shot in the mancave of yesteryear. Update: We've removed the video at the owner's request, but you can check it out at the source link below.
MAME gets Chrome Native Client port, is awesome case study
We've already seen MAME burn brightly (and briefly) on iPads across the world and now it's been delicately ported across to Chrome's Native Client. Admittedly, the graphics may not stand up against recent gaming wares seen on Google's new platform, but it's still able to cope with the likes of Pac-Man. Managing to turnaround the whole project in a mere four days, Google engineer Robert Muth branded the brief exercise as "relatively challenging" and has noted down all the deep and meaningfuls in a full case study, available at the source below. For anyone unwilling to dip their toes into Native Client waters, however, there's still plenty of power pellets to be downed online.
iMAME app gets pulled from iTunes
In barely enough time to get out of the app store and into the hearts of retro gamers everywhere, the iMAME emulator on iOS has already been erased from iTunes -- just days since its release. Alas, that lack of any official endorsement may have reared its ugly head. Well, it was good while it lasted. Guess we'll carry on saving up for that Vita purchase... [Thanks Zac]
Arcade emulator iMAME punted out of App Store
Fans of vintage arcade games know that the popular and free emulation tool MAME (stands for "Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator") can be used to recreate the experience of classic coin-op and console videogames on PCs, Macs and jailbroken iOS devices. The catch, of course, is that in order to run the old games you need a copy of the game ROM code; said copies are essentially unavailable via legitimate licensing (except for a few Exidy games). The other catch is that full-scale emulators aren't particularly welcome on the iOS App Store; the ones that have made it through the review process are careful to lock down the ability to run arbitrary third-party programs. That's why it was more than a little bit surprising to see iMAME show up in the App Store this week. The game emulator (which, if you judge it by its splash screen, seems to be a straight-up clone of the jailbreak-only iMAME4All app) plays the ten Exidy legit games as one would expect. The unsung trick, however, is that by using a file transfer tool like PhoneView or iExplorer, it's trivially easy to throw in additional ROMs and have iMAME spin them up. (I've been playing Track & Field for days and still haven't gotten past the long jump.) It seemed too good to last, and sure enough it was. Running arbitrary emulated code is an App Store no-no, and as of 1:30pm today the iMAME app is no longer available in the US store. Sad news for everyone who ran out to buy a discounted iCade cabinet for the holiday. Commenter Spencer points out that he & at least one other developer have built patched versions of the jailbreak-only iMAME4All project that will compile in Xcode and install on properly provisioned, un-jailbroken devices. This only applies, however, to active participants in Apple's $99/year iOS developer program; otherwise there's no way to install the patched app.
Free MAME client appears on iOS
An 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.
iMAME emulation app hits the App Store, humanity cheers in unison
No interest in snapping up an iCade? No sweat. Jim VanDeventer has just pushed today's app-to-end-all-apps into Apple's App Store, and while it's only been live for a few hours, iMAME is already on a mission to change the world. Built-in titles include Circus, Crash, Hard Hat, Fire One, Robot Bowl, Side Track, Spectar, Star Fire and Targ, and while it's not officially endorsed by Nicola Salmoria or the MAME Team, you can certainly pretend. It's available now in the source link for precisely nothing, and yes, both the iPhone and iPad (and iPod touch!) are supported. Get it while the gettin' is good. [Thanks, Gary]
R-Kaid 6 console is impossibly classy
Finally, a console you wouldn't want to hide inside a cabinet under your TV. Love Hulten's R-Kaid-6 is a beautiful custom-made wooden console that sort of resembles an Octorok. Unlike those weak Zelda enemies (as far as we know!) the R-Kaid-6 is built for MAME, with the Maximus Arcade interface installed, two custom-built joysticks that fit into a recess at the top when not in use, and a glowing red light at the front. It's highly unlikely you'll be able to get one of these for your home. While Hulten's website notes that some works are for sale, there's no indication as to whether this is one of them, and it's not exactly mass-produced anyway.
Jailbreak app iMAME4All adds iCade support
The latest version of iMAME4All, a jailbreak app that lets you play retro arcade games on your iOS device, added support for the iCade desktop arcade cabinet for the iPad. It lets you play any MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) compatible ROM on your iCade and opens it up to a variety of previously unsupported games. If you don't want to go the jailbreak route, iCade recently released a SDK so any iOS game developer can officially support the gaming cabinet. When it launched earlier this year, the iCade only supported the Atari's Greatest Hits app which has a collection of retro Atari 2600 games. With an SDK and iMAME4All support, the iCade is now a lot more interesting to hard-core gamers with an iPad. [Via Engadget]
iMAME4All gains experimental support for iCade, iOS gamers gain infinite happiness
Guess what, emulation junkies? iMAME4All, a staple amongst retro iOS gamers, can now support iCade. Thanks to one Todd Laney, there's now a 3.5MB download that'll bring the joys of iCade to a relatively commonplace MAME application (and vice-versa). We're told that the best way to use these two is in fullscreen portrait mode, and after tapping the option button (and selecting "Options), the onscreen controls will fade out and the iCade buttons will appear. Looks like that Benjamin you just saved up now has yet another reason to be spent. [Thanks, Jim]
World's smallest Donkey Kong cabinet delivers authentic arcade experience for tiny fingers (video)
This, friends, is a work of art. Above is a stunning, fully-functional recreation of the original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet -- and it's only 8.25 inches tall. The accomplished modder Bender posted his handiwork on the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum and it's sure to wow even the most cynical of folks. At the heart of this build is a hacked up GamePark GP2X Wiz running MAME, but it's the attention to detail, including the printed vinyl decals and light-up marquee, that really pull this (supposedly world's smallest) 1/8 scale project together. Check out the gallery below and the pair of lengthy demo videos after the break. En garde Mr. Heck! %Gallery-122811% [Thanks, Brian]
Nanocade kit now on sale in the USA, somewhat less pricy at $229
If you asked us to drop $350 for 23 pieces of laser-cut plastic, we'd probably shoo you away, but it's hard to resist the incredible charm of the Nanocade. Besides, designer Rasmus Sorensen's actually selling the miniature arcade cabinet parts for just $229 right now, which makes the decision to finally build your own MAME machine a wee bit more affordable. You'll still need to supply all the internals yourself, including buttons, an arcade stick, a monitor and glue, and even should you succeed, good luck prying guests away from your new coffee table conversation piece. Find the basic kit in your choice of Midnight Black or Arctic White at our source link. Note: It's a bit of a bummer, but the Nanocade website says that handsome curved control panel displayed above actually isn't part of the initial kit -- it comes with a pair of flat pieces that meet at a (seemingly) wrist-chafing angle instead.
Nanocade turns your netbook into a lap-friendly arcade cabinet
We'd all like our own personal arcade like Flynn's, but sadly personal finances and a lack of square footage can make that a challenge. The Nanocade is much more affordable and, conveniently, much smaller too. It's a kit from designer Rasmus Sorensen that enables you to turn a netbook or mini-ITX motherboard and 10.1-inch display into a wee MAME cabinet. If you have such a donor machine when this kit starts shipping in March all you'll need is a little adhesive and technical know-how to make your own. Oh, and $349 plus shipping. %Gallery-115399%
Your decision to buy a home arcade cabinet just got slightly less irresponsible
Want to make your game system or computer less convenient, but infinitely more awesome? X-Arcade has announced that "in celebration of its hometown Pittsburgh Penguins recent Stanley Cup Victory," it is offering a version of its X-Arcade Mame Cabinet for $799, down from its usual $999. That's a great deal (relative to the normal cost)!The cabinet includes a 2-player X-Arcade stick, though if you're crazy enough to buy this kind of stuff, you'll probably want to swap out your own Sanwa sticks and buttons. You'll need to provide your own game system or PC, your own monitor (or add one for $425), and your own speakers, unless you use a TV with speakers. Of course, with your all-Rush mixtape, you won't even need arcade audio.[Via Arcade Junkies]
Video: GP2X emulation goes down on T-Mobile G1
We never really pegged the HTC-sourced T-Mobile G1 as a hardcore gaming handheld, but obviously it handles the stresses of Ghosts 'N Goblins and Samurai Showdown admirably. Have a peek at a "pre-alpha" demonstration video just past the break, and feel free to let your hopes and expectations reach new heights.
