03-31-2006, 12:00 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 349
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Going Back In Time With PocketCultMAME
Since the early days of Windows Mobile, many developers have tried to recreate the good ol' days of coin-operated games on our devices, but few gave that true sense of nostalgia, or even improved on the original. Yes, there were a few underground attempts in making good emulators of games from extracted ROMs, but development became spotty, even for programs like MorphGear. Some big name companies even jumped in to cash in on the idea, such as Atari Retro and the Namco Pocket Editions, though they were sometimes more costly than titles that were generations ahead of their time.
Luckily, someone had the brains and time to take it up a notch. Manuel Castrillo Mart�nez of PocketCult was very gracious enough to send me an advanced copy of PocketCultMAME 0.4a, a new Pocket PC port of the infamous Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME) code. Though his site is under renovation, this new version, full of enhancements and configurable options, should be available within the next day or so. I have tested it with a number of games, many of which are very playable and all-too enjoyable all over again. Of course, the legality of using extracted ROMs for use in emulators is a grey area in many parts of the world, so proceed at your own risk. And, don't blame me if you inadvertently pop a quarter in your device's SD slot.  Which old coin-op game have you been aching to play on your Pocket PC?
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03-31-2006, 12:25 AM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,097
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Two words: SPY HUNTER
The first video game to take 50 cents! It's nowhere near as much fun as the old arcade version was, with its steering wheel and flashing red call button in the middle, but it's still quite fun.
I'd love to be able to play the old Star Wars game again, but you really need the steering yoke for that one... Galaxia's probably my favorite, most available game.
Does MAME support the old TurboGrafx-16 games? I currently use Pocket Engine to play Military Madness (yes, I still own the original cart), but the controls are a little funky and I wish it were a little easier to use...
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03-31-2006, 12:51 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 109
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by imperium999
Two words: SPY HUNTER
The first video game to take 50 cents! It's nowhere near as much fun as the old arcade version was, with its steering wheel and flashing red call button in the middle, but it's still quite fun.
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Ahh yes, but it must have sound. There's no point in playing Spy Hunter without the music, and the sitdown coin-op had a big speaker right behind your head.
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I'd love to be able to play the old Star Wars game again, but you really need the steering yoke for that one...
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From the screenshots it looks like the emulator can map analog controls to the stylus, though it might be a bit unwieldy with one hand firing and holding the PPC and the other manning the stylus. Moot point though, I don't think most vector monitor games would look all that hot at QVGA res... VGA would be ok with anti-aliasing.
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Does MAME support the old TurboGrafx-16 games? I currently use Pocket Engine to play Military Madness (yes, I still own the original cart), but the controls are a little funky and I wish it were a little easier to use...
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MAME doesn't support consoles (unless you count machines like the Nintendo Playchoice). I thought there was a PPC port of MESS (The computer and console equivalent of MAME) in the works a few years ago but I think that project has been abandoned.
If you're interested in turn-based strategy games like Nectaris (aka Military Madness) you might want to check out SMK's Pocket UFO, a terrific port of the old PC classic X-com. The game is freeware now, after a bit of a copyright kerfuffle with other PocketPC deveopers and Microprose.
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03-31-2006, 01:02 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 349
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Spicy Pixel's MorphGear has a TurboGrafx-16 plug-in. Have you tried that? Is that any better than Pocket Engine? www.spicypixel.com
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03-31-2006, 04:50 AM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,097
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Originally Posted by rob_ocelot
If you're interested in turn-based strategy games like Nectaris (aka Military Madness) you might want to check out SMK's Pocket UFO, a terrific port of the old PC classic X-com. The game is freeware now, after a bit of a copyright kerfuffle with other PocketPC deveopers and Microprose. |
Ohhhh... X-Com..... I must check it out.
The Spy Hunter I played wasn't the sit-down one. Besides, I played it on my NES long ago and it was just fine coming out of my 80's TV speakers...
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Originally Posted by Raphael Salgado
Spicy Pixel's MorphGear has a TurboGrafx-16 plug-in. Have you tried that? Is that any better than Pocket Engine?
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I have not tried it, but Pocket Engine's kinda clunky, so I gotta check it out.
Thanks guys! 
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03-31-2006, 10:58 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1
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i was pretty bored a few weeks back and decided to try the original beta of pocketcultmame on my C550, and it freaking worked!, its a little hard to use and i only tried strider. When overclocked strider runs at full speed (no sound)
This is great, any chance tou could get in touch with the developer and ask him if he could make a smartphone specific version?
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03-31-2006, 01:05 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 66
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Mr Do! was my fave... I almost blew a whole term's student grant playing that game (over 20 years ago!) :roll:
__________________
Graveyard: 4 Newtons, 4 Palms, 2 Casios, iPaq 3660, Jornada 720, 2 Clies, i-Mate Jam, Treo 750, Samsung i620.
Current PDA: HTC Touch Diamond
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03-31-2006, 03:12 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 351
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GALAGA & DIG DUG !
:-)
__________________
iPhone / iPod(s) / Mac Desktop & Portables.. yet I'm a Windows/MS Platform Dev ;)
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03-31-2006, 03:47 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 53
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Originally Posted by kiwi
GALAGA & DIG DUG !
:-)
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They are available via PocketNES - and play quite nicely on my 700w.
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03-31-2006, 05:16 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 351
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by jlc, just jlc
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Originally Posted by kiwi
GALAGA & DIG DUG !
:-)
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They are available via PocketNES - and play quite nicely on my 700w. |
sweet - will check it out. I got the Namco Pack for my PSP the other day. perfect replication of the game, but small on the PSP screen.
I got the PSP so I could play games enroute to NZ next week on the aeroplane home. The controls on the Hx2410 PPC arnt the best for gaming
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iPhone / iPod(s) / Mac Desktop & Portables.. yet I'm a Windows/MS Platform Dev ;)
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Linear Mode
