MiSTer FPGA Forum

I am new to this forum so I am not sure whether this would be a good question to ask in the GB(C) subforum.

My question is how do I simulate inserting a GB(C) game into a GBA? Some games gain additional features when done so like the Legend of Zelda Oracle games. I would like to play through these games as if they were inserted into a GBA.

It's possible but you have to use a program called Goomba Front to convert the .gbc filenames to .gba so that the gba core will recognize them. It's a pretty easy program to use and there is a tutorial on youtube if you get stuck.

The files need to be pre-patched with GBC to GBA enhanced ips patches first then converted to work with the GBA enhancements on the GBA core. You'll know you did it right when you get the gba enhanced icon on shantae.

Wow.
I never knew that.
Thank you both for the education

Goomba is actually an emulator https://www.dwedit.org/gba/goombacolor.php. While is is very impressive for what it is, you would be much better off overall using the Misters GB/GBC core. Not all games run correctly with it.

That being said, for those particular games it probably works fine since those are some of the more popular games. I even remember seeing repro/bootleg GBA carts being sold for Zelda Oracle GBA Edition that were just the GBC roms with Goomba.

EDIT: I just looked and sure enough there is a patch for Oracle of Ages that patches the game to enable the enhancements on a GBC https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/3580/. You would definitely be better off using this than Goomba. There are probably similar patches for the other games you want to play.

To the best of my knowledge the GBA enhanced games never actually use any of the GBA hardware as the GBA itself boots into GBC mode when playing GB/GBC games. The games were programmed to simply be aware they were being played on a GBA and enabling the enhancements.

EDIT 2: There was a recent video by Modern Vintage Gamer on this very topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qqg4VCZ0k8

Sorry its actually called Goomba Front, its a compiler that changes the header on gbc files to gba. You just download the patches from romhacking.net then pre patch the gbc files then convert them to .gba to use them on the gba core on Mister.

It's not that exciting as there are only 4 gbc patches as of now: both Zelda seasons, Wendy and Shantae. The patches just trick the GBA core into unlocking the gbc enhancements.

All 4 games work on the gba core, there are some slight differences such as better color palettes and Wendy has a gameboy advance exclusive level selectable from the main menu.

What exactly is the advantage of playing GBC games on the GBA core vs the GB core?

Not a whole lot, but the option is there if people want to. The only difference is imo the color palettes are slightly better for the zelda games on the gba core.

You can still run the gbc patched games on the gameboy core if you want to with the gba enhancements.