So... You're saying it might be a bit more authentic than the sprite-swapped and level rebuilt version of Great Giana Sisters we've had for a few decades?
Old Computers
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So... You're saying it might be a bit more authentic than the sprite-swapped and level rebuilt version of Great Giana Sisters we've had for a few decades?
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And it is here!!
Super Mario Bros. 64 has been released
After 7 years of development...
Super Mario Bros. 64
Download link:
Super_Mario_Bros_64_-_Zeropaige.zip (tinyupload.com)
Super_Mario_Bros_64_-_Zeropaige.zip (uploadfiles.io)
Super Mario Bros. 64 has been released
After 7 years of development...
Super Mario Bros. 64
Download link:
Super_Mario_Bros_64_-_Zeropaige.zip (tinyupload.com)
Super_Mario_Bros_64_-_Zeropaige.zip (uploadfiles.io)
Quote:
DESCRIPTION
This is a Commodore 64 port of the 1985 game SUPER MARIO BROS. for the Famicom and Nintendo Entertainment System. It contains the original version that was released in Japan and United States, as well as the European version. It also detects and supports a handful of turbo functionalities, and has 2 SID support.
CONTENTS
The disk-image contains 2 programs:
SUPER M. BROS.64 - the game (everything in one file)
SMB.64 DOCS - this manual
A cartridge-file is also provided. It only contains the game and can be used with a C64GS.
VSP (VARIABLE SCREEN POSITIONING)
This port relies on the VSP-technique for scrolling. If you experience crashes while playing the game, this is most likely the issue. You may find out if your computer is prone to crashing by running VSP Lab.
https://csdb.dk/release/?id=120810
If this is the case, there are a number of things to try (some options cheaper than others):
- Try another C64.
- Use an emulator instead.
- Use a C64 Reloaded motherboard - they are designed to be VSP-safe.
- Use a Turbo Chameleon - because of how it works, VSP glitches will not alter the Chameleons memory, thus preventing the game from crashing. This port will also benefit from its turbo functionality.
OPTION MENU
Before the game starts, an option menu will let you:
- select a version of the game.
- disable turbo (if detected).
- configure a second SID-chip.
- see the background (based on Shigeru Miyamotos artwork that was used for the Japanese and European release).
The option menu is (just like this manual) controlled using a joystick (or gamepad) in either control port.
The details of these options will now be described.
VERSIONS AND TIMING
The original game was released in two versions:
- Japanese/US-release - the original for NTSC, 60 Hz video systems.
- European-release - adjusted for PAL, 50 Hz video systems.
This port will try to run the game at the intended speed (as well as having the sound in the correct pitch); this means you can play either version on any type of C64. It also means that the Japanese/US-release will not play 20% slower on a PAL-system. Likewise, the European-release will not play 20% faster on an NTSC-system.
The program will automatically detect your hardware (including any turbo functionality). Based on this, it will suggest the best version for you.
The reasoning behind the suggested version is as follows:
- If you play on a stock C64 (PAL, Drean or any NTSC) without any turbo functionality, the European-release will give you the least slowdowns, since the original game-engine is tuned for a 50 Hz refresh-rate which uses less CPU-cycles per second than the original Japanese/US-release.
- If turbo functionality is detected, the version aimed for your video-system will give you the smoothest scrolling. This means: Japanese/US-release on any NTSC C64, European-release on PAL and Drean C64.
You can override the suggested version, if you wish.
COMPATIBILITY AND TURBO
VSP issues aside, this port should be able to run on all regional C64 models. PAL, NTSC (new and old) and Drean (PAL-N) are all supported.
Since the NES-processor is clocked (roughly 70%) faster than a stock C64 there can be slowdowns during gameplay. A pixel indicates this on the time-watch graphics in the status bar.
This port will try to detect and use any kind of turbo functionality, such as:
- Commodore 128 (2 MHz in the border)
- C64 DTV
- Schnedler Systems Turbo Master CPU (untested)
- Swisscomp Turbo Processor (untested)
- Rossmoeller Flash 8 (untested)
- CMD SuperCPU Accelerator (untested)
- Icomp Turbo Chameleon 64
You can disable the detected turbo functionality if you experience problems with it enabled (or wish to see how the game performs without it).
2 SID SUPPORT
- This port emulates 4 channels of the NES APU (audio processing unit): 2 pulse channels, 1 triangle channel and 1 noise channel. The SID-chip has 3 voices, so this is handled by sharing 1 SID-voice for the triangle and noise channel.
- If a second SID-chip is configured, the program will instead dedicate 2 APU-channels to each SID-chip.
- In the option menu you are able to configure and test your SID-setup. You can use the following addresses for the second SID-chip: $D420, $D500, $DE00 and $DF00.
- In the test you should be able to hear 2 tones being played simultaneously for 2 seconds. The first tone has a lower pitch and fades out. The second tone has a higher pitch and fades in.
- If a second SID-chip has been configured, the higher pitched tone should be playing on that SID, otherwise they will both be playing on the first SID.
CONTROLLERS
The game is controlled using joystick (or gamepad) in either control port and supports 2 button joysticks (using POT X, like the C64GS joystick).
The joystick used to start a game will control Mario. If a 2 player game is selected, the other joystick will control Luigi.
You can press F1 or F3 to toggle between the 4 modes for control port 1 or 2 respectively. A message on the screen will display what mode you have selected. These modes are:
Mode 1 - Up > Jump (Default)
Mode 2 - Up > Jump, buttons swapped
Mode 3 - Standard
Mode 4 - Standard, buttons swapped
The mapping scheme is by default setup for 1 button joysticks, where pushing up will trigger jumping (and swimming).
On the C64, this is the most common way to control your character in platform games. Examples: Bubble Bobble, The Great Giana Sisters, Mayhem in Monsterland, Turrican, Wonder Boy.
If you have a joystick which supports 2 individual buttons, the second button will also trigger jumping (and swimming) in mode 1 and 3.
Depending on the physical layout of your joystick, you can change the control scheme to swap the action of the buttons (mode 2 and 4) so that they correspond physically with a NES-controller.
Reference of a NES-controller:
- The A-button (placed to the right) is jump (and swim)
- The B-button (placed to the left) is throw fireballs (and accelerate)
For 2 button joysticks it is also possible to use mode 3 and 4 which disables the UP > Jump-mapping. Do not use these modes on 1 button joysticks as you will not be able to either jump or throw fireballs.
KEY DESCRIPTION
<- - Exit to title-screen (during a game)
RUN/STOP - Pause game
F1 - Toggle joystick mode for control port 1
F3 - Toggle joystick mode for control port 2
F5 - Decrease SID volume (on some 6581 SID-chips the audio can sound distorted on the highest volume)
F7 - Increase SID volume
DESCRIPTION
This is a Commodore 64 port of the 1985 game SUPER MARIO BROS. for the Famicom and Nintendo Entertainment System. It contains the original version that was released in Japan and United States, as well as the European version. It also detects and supports a handful of turbo functionalities, and has 2 SID support.
CONTENTS
The disk-image contains 2 programs:
SUPER M. BROS.64 - the game (everything in one file)
SMB.64 DOCS - this manual
A cartridge-file is also provided. It only contains the game and can be used with a C64GS.
VSP (VARIABLE SCREEN POSITIONING)
This port relies on the VSP-technique for scrolling. If you experience crashes while playing the game, this is most likely the issue. You may find out if your computer is prone to crashing by running VSP Lab.
https://csdb.dk/release/?id=120810
If this is the case, there are a number of things to try (some options cheaper than others):
- Try another C64.
- Use an emulator instead.
- Use a C64 Reloaded motherboard - they are designed to be VSP-safe.
- Use a Turbo Chameleon - because of how it works, VSP glitches will not alter the Chameleons memory, thus preventing the game from crashing. This port will also benefit from its turbo functionality.
OPTION MENU
Before the game starts, an option menu will let you:
- select a version of the game.
- disable turbo (if detected).
- configure a second SID-chip.
- see the background (based on Shigeru Miyamotos artwork that was used for the Japanese and European release).
The option menu is (just like this manual) controlled using a joystick (or gamepad) in either control port.
The details of these options will now be described.
VERSIONS AND TIMING
The original game was released in two versions:
- Japanese/US-release - the original for NTSC, 60 Hz video systems.
- European-release - adjusted for PAL, 50 Hz video systems.
This port will try to run the game at the intended speed (as well as having the sound in the correct pitch); this means you can play either version on any type of C64. It also means that the Japanese/US-release will not play 20% slower on a PAL-system. Likewise, the European-release will not play 20% faster on an NTSC-system.
The program will automatically detect your hardware (including any turbo functionality). Based on this, it will suggest the best version for you.
The reasoning behind the suggested version is as follows:
- If you play on a stock C64 (PAL, Drean or any NTSC) without any turbo functionality, the European-release will give you the least slowdowns, since the original game-engine is tuned for a 50 Hz refresh-rate which uses less CPU-cycles per second than the original Japanese/US-release.
- If turbo functionality is detected, the version aimed for your video-system will give you the smoothest scrolling. This means: Japanese/US-release on any NTSC C64, European-release on PAL and Drean C64.
You can override the suggested version, if you wish.
COMPATIBILITY AND TURBO
VSP issues aside, this port should be able to run on all regional C64 models. PAL, NTSC (new and old) and Drean (PAL-N) are all supported.
Since the NES-processor is clocked (roughly 70%) faster than a stock C64 there can be slowdowns during gameplay. A pixel indicates this on the time-watch graphics in the status bar.
This port will try to detect and use any kind of turbo functionality, such as:
- Commodore 128 (2 MHz in the border)
- C64 DTV
- Schnedler Systems Turbo Master CPU (untested)
- Swisscomp Turbo Processor (untested)
- Rossmoeller Flash 8 (untested)
- CMD SuperCPU Accelerator (untested)
- Icomp Turbo Chameleon 64
You can disable the detected turbo functionality if you experience problems with it enabled (or wish to see how the game performs without it).
2 SID SUPPORT
- This port emulates 4 channels of the NES APU (audio processing unit): 2 pulse channels, 1 triangle channel and 1 noise channel. The SID-chip has 3 voices, so this is handled by sharing 1 SID-voice for the triangle and noise channel.
- If a second SID-chip is configured, the program will instead dedicate 2 APU-channels to each SID-chip.
- In the option menu you are able to configure and test your SID-setup. You can use the following addresses for the second SID-chip: $D420, $D500, $DE00 and $DF00.
- In the test you should be able to hear 2 tones being played simultaneously for 2 seconds. The first tone has a lower pitch and fades out. The second tone has a higher pitch and fades in.
- If a second SID-chip has been configured, the higher pitched tone should be playing on that SID, otherwise they will both be playing on the first SID.
CONTROLLERS
The game is controlled using joystick (or gamepad) in either control port and supports 2 button joysticks (using POT X, like the C64GS joystick).
The joystick used to start a game will control Mario. If a 2 player game is selected, the other joystick will control Luigi.
You can press F1 or F3 to toggle between the 4 modes for control port 1 or 2 respectively. A message on the screen will display what mode you have selected. These modes are:
Mode 1 - Up > Jump (Default)
Mode 2 - Up > Jump, buttons swapped
Mode 3 - Standard
Mode 4 - Standard, buttons swapped
The mapping scheme is by default setup for 1 button joysticks, where pushing up will trigger jumping (and swimming).
On the C64, this is the most common way to control your character in platform games. Examples: Bubble Bobble, The Great Giana Sisters, Mayhem in Monsterland, Turrican, Wonder Boy.
If you have a joystick which supports 2 individual buttons, the second button will also trigger jumping (and swimming) in mode 1 and 3.
Depending on the physical layout of your joystick, you can change the control scheme to swap the action of the buttons (mode 2 and 4) so that they correspond physically with a NES-controller.
Reference of a NES-controller:
- The A-button (placed to the right) is jump (and swim)
- The B-button (placed to the left) is throw fireballs (and accelerate)
For 2 button joysticks it is also possible to use mode 3 and 4 which disables the UP > Jump-mapping. Do not use these modes on 1 button joysticks as you will not be able to either jump or throw fireballs.
KEY DESCRIPTION
<- - Exit to title-screen (during a game)
RUN/STOP - Pause game
F1 - Toggle joystick mode for control port 1
F3 - Toggle joystick mode for control port 2
F5 - Decrease SID volume (on some 6581 SID-chips the audio can sound distorted on the highest volume)
F7 - Increase SID volume
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You can now download the source code for all Infocom text adventure classics
Titles include, but are not limited to, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Planetfall, Shogun, and several Zork games
Titles include, but are not limited to, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Planetfall, Shogun, and several Zork games
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In related news for the C64:
Ozmoo - a new Z-code (Infocom) interpreter
Ozmoo is a brand new Z-code interpreter for the Commodore 64, written by Johan Berntsson and me, Fredrik Ramsberg. As of two days ago, we consider it ready for real-world use.
Z-code is the text adventure format invented and used by Infocom, for games such as Zork, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Planetfall and more. Z-code allows an author to write a game 100-200 KB in size, and have it playable on a machine with 32-64 KB of memory and a disk drive. This was the first usage ever of virtual memory on micro computers.
Ozmoo can be used to play all the Infocom games which were released for the C64, but it can also be used to play hundreds of different Inform 6 games which have been developed since then.
I suppose it shouldn't be called Super Mario Bros. 64, as that is way too similar a name to the Super Mario 64 N64 game, which is totally different... I just thought of that. lol
I did have to try it, this, though. As a kid who played a lot of SMB at my friend's house on his NES, I have to say I'm really impressed. I had to keep reminding myself I was playing a port, and not the exact ROM on some strange type of emulator. There are definitely some slightly different things that really impact gameplay, though. Jump height and jump hits are a big one. I hit ceiling on a few spots I shouldn't have. It caused me to have to take different routes. Also, if you're playing on a one button joystick, button + right-to-diagonal-right-up sequence doesn't register as run and then jump, the way it would when you'd hit the jump button while holding run and right like you would on a real NES. This totally tripped me up every time I needed to grab a flag. No fireworks for me. I didn't happen to have a proper C64GS style two button stick to try, so it might work like that. The strangest bug I saw was that a kicked and then chased shell passed through (instead of hitting) a couple goombas that started offscreen, but came into view while I was chasing the shell. That resulted in an attempted emergency "oh crap!" jump. That I missed, because diagonal-up didn't jump. So, embarrassingly, I lost a life to a goomba (that should have been hit by a shell) in 1-2.
Still, very impressive, overall!
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Well you aren't really wrong for thinking this. This game is a direct port from reverse engineered original source code from the NES. Apparently all cheats and secret levels are there, including some kind of glitch "negative level".
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I picked up a neat ancient "luggable" off eBay last week for just $110 shipped, most of the cost in shipping. It is called a Panasonic Sr. Partner.
NAME Senior Partner
MANUFACTURER Panasonic
TYPE Transportable
ORIGIN Japan
YEAR ? 1983
KEYBOARD Full-stroke QWERTY keyboard with numeric keypad and function keys
CPU Intel 8088
SPEED 4.77 Mhz
CO-PROCESSOR optional 8087 mathematic co-processor
RAM 128 kb (512k max.)
ROM 16 kb
TEXT MODES 80 x 25
GRAPHIC MODES CGA graphics :320 x 200 (4 colors), 640 x 200 (2 colors)
COLORS Monochrom (built-in 9 inch CRT green display) and 4 colors (CGA) with external monitor
SOUND Beeper ?
SIZE / WEIGHT 14 kg
I/O PORTS Serial/RS232c, Centronics/Parallel, 1 x ISA expansion slot, RAM expansion slot, RGB monitor ouput
BUILT IN MEDIA Model RL-H7000 : 1 x 360k floppy + optional second floppy
Model RL-H7000W : 2 x 360k floppy drives
OS MS-DOS 2.0A
POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU. Doesn't work with any fuse less than 20 Amp !...
PERIPHERALS Hard-disk
PRICE $2495 (USA, november 1983)
It also has a builtin thermal printer. Below are a few quick and dirty pics taken this Saturday during my initial testing. I used Print Master to print a test page with the builtin thermal printer.
It came as advertised. Besides some issue with the hard drive (which should be an easy fix), it works fine. Cosmetically, it needs clean up and some Retrobrite.
View media item 98
View media item 99
View media item 100
Besides the weight, this is one of the nicest old school luggables I have seen. I'm thinking the builtin thermal printer is largely responsible for the extreme weight. I have a hard time seeing some dainty little secretary lugging this beast around back in the early-mid 80s. I'm a rather large guy, and me carrying it around is a bit cumbersome. I'll have fun cleaning this one up and using it.
NAME Senior Partner
MANUFACTURER Panasonic
TYPE Transportable
ORIGIN Japan
YEAR ? 1983
KEYBOARD Full-stroke QWERTY keyboard with numeric keypad and function keys
CPU Intel 8088
SPEED 4.77 Mhz
CO-PROCESSOR optional 8087 mathematic co-processor
RAM 128 kb (512k max.)
ROM 16 kb
TEXT MODES 80 x 25
GRAPHIC MODES CGA graphics :320 x 200 (4 colors), 640 x 200 (2 colors)
COLORS Monochrom (built-in 9 inch CRT green display) and 4 colors (CGA) with external monitor
SOUND Beeper ?
SIZE / WEIGHT 14 kg
I/O PORTS Serial/RS232c, Centronics/Parallel, 1 x ISA expansion slot, RAM expansion slot, RGB monitor ouput
BUILT IN MEDIA Model RL-H7000 : 1 x 360k floppy + optional second floppy
Model RL-H7000W : 2 x 360k floppy drives
OS MS-DOS 2.0A
POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU. Doesn't work with any fuse less than 20 Amp !...
PERIPHERALS Hard-disk
PRICE $2495 (USA, november 1983)
It also has a builtin thermal printer. Below are a few quick and dirty pics taken this Saturday during my initial testing. I used Print Master to print a test page with the builtin thermal printer.
It came as advertised. Besides some issue with the hard drive (which should be an easy fix), it works fine. Cosmetically, it needs clean up and some Retrobrite.
View media item 98
View media item 99
View media item 100
Besides the weight, this is one of the nicest old school luggables I have seen. I'm thinking the builtin thermal printer is largely responsible for the extreme weight. I have a hard time seeing some dainty little secretary lugging this beast around back in the early-mid 80s. I'm a rather large guy, and me carrying it around is a bit cumbersome. I'll have fun cleaning this one up and using it.
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As long as it doesn't suddenly rain, and no bird shits on it
In that video at the end when the dogs are looking at the computer stuff sitting out, I was just waiting for one of them to lift a leg on it.
But it is interesting that basically it seems to be the sun, itself, that brightens the plastic, while heat and filtered light darkens it. Kind of fits what I've seen, though. With all the statements that it was sunlight that yellowed Amigas, I always wondered why my 500 (and later 1200) never yellowed while sitting in bright sunlight streaming in from an old window. (Lots of natural light, and there was an air conditioning vent right there.) And then I wondered why my 1200 yellowed after I moved, despite purposefully finding it a shady spot. (Warmer upstairs room, and little direct natural light.)
Also, various instructions for Retrobrite usage I've seen specify applying the Retrobrite and then leaving the parts out in the sun. It now makes me wonder how much was the Retrobrite formula, and how much was just lightened by sitting in the sun. lol
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It is pretty interesting. Retrobiting was discovered what? 10 years ago? It was pretty revolutionary at the time because no one prior thought reversing was possible.The guy claimed to be a chemist and had a detailed theory. It worked, so hats off to him. Almost immediately someone stated that he got the same results going from 3 ingredients to just one. He just used peroxide and also deviated from the original formula by only using 3% peroxide. He just submerged the parts in peroxide and put them in the sun.
I have my own theory forming now. The sun is obviously the key here. Anything else just amplifies the sun. Liquid amplifies the sun's rays. Oxyclean just removes dirt/grime exposing the surface more.
As for cause of the yellowing? I think we are getting closer to the truth. I think long term exposure to HEAT is the primary cause. As the video stated some people put a still fresh looking 64/Amiga in an attic with no sunlight at all, and took it out a decade ++ later to find it horribly yellowed/browned.
The anti-retorbrite people claim the chemical process makes the cases brittle over time. (I personally doubt this, knowing a local gentleman who's one of the most well known retrobrite people).
The anti-sun only crowd think the sun will dry the case out too much and damage it over time (I too doubt this. It seems more like they don't like their reality changing.).
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Not good. Who want to bet the systems will now be hooked up to an unsecured server connected to the internet?
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A technician adjusting the wiring network between the light sensors and association unit of scientist Frank Rosenblatt's Perceptron MARK 1 computer, at the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, Buffalo, New York, circa 1960.
The machine was designed to use a type of artificial neural network, known as a perceptron. (Photo by Frederic Lewis/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
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I bought this game for my Oculus Quest this morning - lockdown cabin fever - and they most certainly are modelled Amigas.
The area shown is the between levels "screen". I say "screen" because it's actually a little room, that you move about in. It's filled with Amigas and 1084 monitors. Some of the big-box models have their cases open and you can peer inside at the hardware boards.
Seriously nostalgic.
There's also a virtual-virtual-reality headset, dangling from the ceiling on a spring cable.
In order to progress to the next level, you have to pick up a virtual floppy disc with your real hands, insert it into a virtual Amiga, then reach up above your head with your real hands and pull the virtual-virtual-reality headset onto your virtual head.
Surreal.
Oh, and it's a fun game that gives you quite a work out. Lots of ducking and dodging.
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Curious Amiga story from the 90s on El Reg today:
Fatal disk errors on an Amiga 4000 with 600MB external SCSI unless the clock app is... just so
Only when the big hand reaches the little hand will the Amiga copy those files
Fatal disk errors on an Amiga 4000 with 600MB external SCSI unless the clock app is... just so
Only when the big hand reaches the little hand will the Amiga copy those files