Cores and Features on Analogue Consoles not (yet) on MiSTer & Vice-Vera
A question that comes up a lot, especially on the Discord, is "What is on the Analogue consoles that we don't have (yet) on MiSTer?" so I though I would put it in a post here so we have a reference. This is covering purely emulation, and it is worth noting that the Analogue consoles are primarily a means of playing your original carts and are an excellent means of doing this, however at this point MiSTer surpasses the Analogue products on the rom playing front so comprehensively it's really not a competition any more. That being said there are still a few cores and features which we don't have.
NT Mini & NT Mini Noir Cores
The following console cores are available on the NT Mini and NT Mini Noir Jailbreak that we don't (yet) have:
GameKing (contains a CPU we don't have a core for)
RCA Studio II (chips converted to Verilog and development under way)
VideoBrain Family Computer(CPU available thanks to the Fairchild Channel F core)
If you want to know more about these systems I have them included in my write up of potential MiSTer cores here:
viewtopic.php?t=4902
There is also a core for a Mandlebrot Zoomer (NT Mini Noir only). This is a fractal generator / visualiser. We have an unofficial core that is quite broken, hopefully a dev will consider forking and cleaning it up at some point.
https://github.com/jacquesdriessen/MiSTer-mandelbrot
Sega Master System
The SMS core on the NT Mini and Mega SG has the ability to load BIOS files from the menu, one perk is this allows playing the inbuilt snail game. We have a feature request here:
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/SMS_MiSTer/issues/77
MiSTer SMS core fails the following 2 tests which the SG passes:
X-Scroll Latchtime
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/SMS_MiSTer/issues/113
VCounter chg time
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/SMS_MiSTer/issues/112
It's possible some obscure unofficial east Asian games have mapper support on the Analogue core we don't have support for, but would need more investigation.
Sega Mega Drive / Genesis
Eprom Saves - The Mega SG core supports Eprom saves on the carts which had this which we don't currently have in the Genesis core. srg320 has done this however and is in the 32x core and will be backported to the Genesis core at some point.
Super Nintendo
ST011 special chip - Super NT has this chip which is used for AI functionality in the shogi board game Hayazashi Nidan Morita Shogi. Note this cart uses a NEC µPD96050, clocked at 15 Mhz. Not an exciting chip, but the fact it is in the Super NT shows it can be done.
There is a SNES music player on the Super NT, which may have a visualiser which we don't have on MiSTer, but would need to check is the Super NT version does indeed have one (anyone know off hand?).
Gameboy Advance
The Pocket core can play the 64MB video cart roms, which is the following carts:
Disney Channel Collection - Volume 2 (USA) (Rev 5).gba
Shark Tale (USA) (Rev 5).gba
Shark Tale (USA) (Rev 6).gba
Shrek (USA) (Rev 6).gba
Shrek + Shark Tale (USA) (Rev 5).gba
Shrek 2 (USA) (Rev 6).gba
There is an issue raised for the issue here:
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/GBA_MiSTer/issues/95
It is worth noting that the MiSTer GBA core is limited to four save states per game, but unlimited total saves while the Pocket GBA core has 128 save state slots in total, which could all be used on one game.
NES
Microphone support - you can connect an actual Microphone to the NT Mini to use with Famicom games that support it like Zelda and various Korean and Japanese Karaoke games. You can map microphone to a button to simulate noise on MiSTer but you can't speak/sing/sob into an actual Microphone.
Keyboard support - the NT Mini Noir can support the original (and rare) Famicom Keyboard, and has mappers for various computer carts that utilise the keyboard. There is no keyboard support on the MiSTer NES core currently and does not support these mappers.
The NT Mini, especially the Noir, boasts a much wider Mapper support, however it is worth noting that most of these mappers are used for Asian bootlegs, hacks, and multicarts. There are 125 Mappers on the Noir not supported currently on MiSTer, and curiously 8 mappers listed as being on the NT Mini but not the Noir (7 of which are also not on MiSTer). So across both that is 132 Mappers. I have Mapper support across FPGA platforms tracked here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0
Here is a list of them ones on the NT Mini and Noir not on MiSTer at the time of writing:
012 an MMC3 variant with a simple twist, maybe the only game that uses this mapper is Dragon Ball Z 5
039 use on “Study & Game 32-in-1”, looks identical to oversize BNROM fully supported with iNES Mapper 241
040 used in several cartridge conversions of the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2
043 conversions of Super Mario Brothers 2 (Japanese) from Famicom Disk System to ROM cartridge
044 This mapper is an MMC3 based multicart Super Big 7-in-1
045 multicart PCBs, an MMC3 clone with four outer bank registers
049 MMC3 multicart, Super HIK 4-in-1
050 the N-32 conversion of Super Mario Bros. 2 (J). A hack of the YUNG-08 conversion
051 Submapper 1 is used for 11-in-1 Ball Games (JY-010)(850828C)
052 multicart mappers
053 used by Supervision 16-in-1
054 allocated for the board containing the multicart Novel Diamond 9999999-in-1
055 used by several bootleg versions of the first Super Mario Brothers that add a great number of cheats
056 reportedly represents a specific unlicensed reproduction of Super Mario Bros. 3
057 multicarts, GK 47-in-1and 6-in-1 (SuperGK)
058 used for a number of simple NROM-/CNROM-based multicarts
059 used for a multicart with the UNIF board names BMC-T3H53 and BMC-D1038
060 used for a Reset-based NROM-128 4-in-1 multicart
061 multicart mapper, 20-in-1
062 multicart mapper, Super 700-in-1
063 used for NTDEC's "Powerful 250-in-1" multicart and "Hello Kitty 255-in-1"
096 used with the two games that use the Oeka Kids tablet
099 a simple mapper used by Vs. System games such as Vs. Super Mario Bros
102 alternative assignment for Quietust's Drip port. See NES 2.0 Mapper 284 for details.
103 a specific pirate port of the FDS version of Doki Doki Panic
104 unlicenced Famiclone cartridge, which consists of 5 Codemasters' games
106 used by Super Mario Bros 3 bootleg
108 denotes at least four different PCBs used for FDS-to-cartridge conversions
109 a duplicate assignment for Sachen's The Great Wall. iNES Mapper 137 is the mapper which should be used
114 an MMC3-clone-bearing board: Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocohontos, Super Donkey Kong, Boogerman
115 Chinese releases including Thunderbolt Fighting Plane
116 used by releases from Gouder including Girl Fighting
117 used for Crayon Shin-Chan (Ch) and San Guo Zhi 4 - Chi Bi Feng Yun by Future Media
120 used by a particular pirate port of Tobidase Daisakusen from the Famicom Disk System
121 Hacks of games including Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat 3 and Somari
122 part of a family of Sunsoft mappers used largely by Japanese games, possible duplicate of 184
123 Used by non SuperGame versions of Mortal Kombat 3 and Earthworm Jim 2
124 assigned to the Super Game Mega Type III pirate arcade board
125 conversion of the FDS game Monty no Doki Doki Daisassō, Monty on the Run
126 denotes an MMC3-based multicart mapper: Power Joy Classic TV Game 84-in-1, Gamezone 118-in-1
127 used for a particular pirate version of Double Dragon II - The Revenge (Japan)
128 used for a particular 1994 Super HiK 4-in-1 pirate multicartridge containing four UNROM games
129 a duplicate assignment for the behavior of iNES Mapper 58
130 an alternative assignment to the mapper behavior later implemented by NES 2.0 Mapper 331
131 an alternative assignment to the mapper behavior later implemented by iNES Mapper 205
134 an MMC3-clone-based multicart
135 Sachen 8259 board
142 used for several of Kaiser's unlicensed ports of FDS games
144 allocated for the game Death Race
151 represents the VRC1 on the Vs. System
156 used on Korean games: Metal Force, Buzz and Waldog, General's Son, Koko Adventure
157 used for games using the Datach Joint ROM system
166 used by Subor Famiclone with keyboard
167 used by Subor Famiclone with keyboard
168 represents the board used for Racermate Challenge 2
169 used in Yuxing's ROMs
182 possible duplicate of INES Mapper 114
183 supposedly assigned to represent the pirate port of Gimmick! known as Suikan Pipe
186 used for Fukutake Shoten's Japanese edutainment game Study Box
187 MMC3-clone-bearing board: Street Fighter Zero 2, The King of Fighters '96
188 describes the board used for Bandai's Karaoke Studio
193 represents boards that use NTDEC's TC-112 mapper IC, Fighting Hero
198 used for the original Hong Kong release, Tūnshí Tiāndì - Sānguó Wàizhuàn
200 used on multcarts: 1200-in-1, 36-in-1
201 assigned to a multicart mapper designed to contain multiple NROM-256 games
202 used for the 150-in-1 pirate cart (which was shipped with dual sloat SP60 famiclone console)
203 multicart mapper, 35-in-1
204 used by several pirate multicarts
205 multicart mapper
212 another simple discrete logic pirate multicart mapper
213 a duplicate of INES Mapper 058, used on multicarts
214 used for the Super Gun 20-in-1 pirate multicart
215 used for later single-game as well as multicart releases from Sugar Softec
216 used for certain games in Russian, including Bonza and Videopoker Bonza as well as Magic Jewelry II
217 used for a 500-in-1 and a 2000-in-1 pirate multicart
226 76-in-1, Super 42-in-1
229 used on multicart "BMC 31-IN-1", is a simple mapper
230 multicart mapper, 22-in-1
231 multicart mapper, 20-in-1
233 multicart mapper, 42-in-1
235 used in "Golden Game" 150 in 1
236 used for a number of multicarts
237 represents the Teletubbies 420-in-1 multicart
240 used in Chinese games, Jing Ke Xin Zhuan, Sheng Huo Lie Zhuan
241 used natively by games from Henge Dianzi, a few educational computer cartridges, and mapper hacks
242 used in Chinese games, Wai Xing Zhan Shi
244 used for Decathlon by C&E
245 used in Waixing's Chinese translation of Dragon Quest IV
248 mistakenly assigned to some Chinese games, for instance, Bao Qing Tian
250 a mapper by Nitra, used for pirate games such as Time Diver Avenger and the Queen Bee V
254 used in Pikachu Y2K of crypted ROMs which is one of the pirate hacks of Felix the Cat
System
A nice quality of life feature the Analogue products got in their last FW update was having the SPD HDMI packet to identify as the console name. This means means on supporting screens the input the device is plugged into is named accordingly instead of "HDMI 1" etc. It can also be seen on the newer consoles like the XBOX. Sorg says this is doable for MiSTer and there is a feature request:
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/issues/355
There may be other small things I have missed, so let me know if anyone knows of any. The Analogue consoles have their place, but as you can see from this list, MiSTer eclipses them when it comes to playing roms.
Update: For those asking for a list of what MiSTer can do for the systems on the Analogue consoles that MiSTer also has cores for, here is my stab at a similar list. Of note across all these cores is the general emulation is now more accurate across the board, with more accurate audio and fewer bugs.
MiSTer’s system also boasts excellent scaling options and features such as scanlines and shadowmasks. In addition to the myriad of other cores on MiSTer not found on Analogue system that is growing by the week, there are too many perks in the MiSTer system across all cores to mention. This list focuses on the individual cores. You really shouldn't need me to tell you how amazing MiSTer is if you are reading this.
SNES Core:
The following special chips are supported on MiSTer SNES core but not natively on the Super NT:
S-DD1
Used in: Star Ocean and Street Fighter Alpha 2
S-RTC
used in one game: Daikaijuu Monogatari II
SA1
Used in 34 Super NES games:
Asahi Shinbun Rensai: Katou Ichi-Ni-San Shougi: Shingiryuu
Daisenryaku Expert WWII: War in Europe
Derby Jockey 2
Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension
Habu Meijin no Omoshiro Shōgi
Hayashi Kaihou Kudan no Igo Oodou
Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1
J.League '96 Dream Stadium
Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius
Jumpin' Derby
Kakinoki Shogi
"Kirby Super Star NAHoshi No Kirby Super Deluxe JP
Kirby's Fun Pak EU"
Kirby's Dream Land 3
Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima
Masters New: Haruka Naru Augusta 3
Mini 4WD Shining Scorpion Let's & Go!!
Pebble Beach no Hotou: New Tournament Edition
Pachi-Slot Monogatari - PAL Kougyou Special
PGA European Tour
PGA Tour 96
Power Rangers Zeo: Battle Racers
Pro Kishi Jinsei Simulation: Shōgi no Hanamichi
Saikousoku Shikou Shougi Mahjong
SD F-1 Grand Prix
SD Gundam G NEXT
Shin Shogi Club
Shogi Saikyou
Shogi Saikyou 2
Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Robot Taisen Gaiden: Masō Kishin - The Lord Of Elemental
Super Shougi 3: Kitaihei
Taikyoku Igo: Idaten
Takemiya Masaki Kudan no Igo Taishou
Also used in recent SA1 rom hacks, that resulted in versions of these games with improved frame rate consistency, shortened load times, and an increased sprite limit.
SPC7110
used in three games by Hudson:
Far East of Eden Zero
Momotaro Dentetsu Happy
Super Power League 4
Super FX GSU-1
Used in:
Star Fox (Mario Chip version)
Dirt Racer
Dirt Trax FX
Stunt Race FX
Vortex
Star Fox 2
Super FX GSU-2
Used in:
Doom
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Winter Golf
MSU-1 audio is supported on MiSTer so you can play rom hacks with CD quality audio and FMVs.
MiSTer core has virtual lightgun support.
MiSTer supports cheats.
NES Core
Mister currently supports 5 mappers not on the NT Mini Noir:
162 Variant of 163, Chinese hacks & pirates including Pharoh and Fire Emblem III
165 Fire Emblem (Uhl) - Chinese pirate
195 Chinese translations of several games
268 Multicarts, rereleases, Chinese RPGs
547 denotes games for the Konami QTa adapter, Space School games
MiSTer core has virtual lightgun support.
MiSTer supports cheats.
Mega Duck
The Mega Duck support is built into the Gameboy core, and supports Gameboy palettes.
Adventure Vision Core
The Adventure Vision core supports Gameboy palettes (utilising two colours).
Gamate Core
The Gamate core supports Gameboy palettes.
Supervision Core
The Supervision core supports Gameboy palettes.
There is support for Journey To The West mapper, which is (presumably) not on the NT Mini Noir core.
Atari 7800 Core (Included Atari 2600 Support)
The Atari 7800 core also includes Atari 2600 support and includes the following features (I think are) not found on the NT Mini Noir core:
Supports High Score Cart saving.
Supports Light Guns, Trakballs, Mice, Quadtari, and Paddles.
XEGS Keyboard support via POKEY at $450 or $4000.
Dual Pokey audio.
YM2151 Audio using Jotego's JT51.
Supports Covox.
Support for XM and XBoard modules.
Supports Activision, Absolute, Souper, and Supergame mappers up to 1mb.
Choice of Cool, Warm, or Hot system temperature color output.
MiSTer core has virtual lightgun support.
Note: MiSTer currently does not support cheats for the 2600, but it will be added in the future for the few games that have cheats created (there are currently no 7800 cheats). The Noir core does not and presumably will never support cheats.
Gameboy Colour Core
Rumble support via controller on the GBC carts that supported it.
Two Player support via the sister Two Player Gameboy core.
Super Gameboy Support by the (currently unofficial but coming to Main soon) Super Gameboy core.
Note: MiSTer has support for various unofficial Mappers for carts by companies like Sachen, which may not be supported on the NT Gameboy core (further investigation would be needed).
Note: can you connect a MiSTer to a real Gameboy via SNAC for connected play?
Gameboy Advance
Rumble support via controller on the GBC carts that supported it.
Two Player support via the sister Two Player Gameboy Advance core.
Turbo, Rewind and double resolution support.
It is worth noting that the MiSTer GBA core is limited to four save states per game, but unlimited total saves while the Pocket GBA core has 128 save state slots in total, which could all be used on one game.
Genesis/Mega Drive Core
MiSTer has support for the Sega Virtua Processor special chip used in Virtua Racing.
Although technically part of sister cores (currently) MiSTer has support for Mega CD and Sega 32x games.
MiSTer core has virtual lightgun support.
MiSTer supports cheats.
Note: MiSTer’s Genesis core currently does not have Mapper support for Beggar Prince, Star Odyssey and Legend of Wukong (neither does Mega SG) however support for these seems to be in the 32x core and will be backported to the Genesis core at some point.
Sega Master System Core
The Mega SG Master System core fails the "Frame IRQ HCount" test which the MiSTer core passes (see above for info on the two tests the SG passes and the MiSTer core fails.
https://github.com/SmokeMonsterPacks/Me ... issues/104
The audio chip is using the correct instruments that were dumped a few years back, which the Mega SG is not.
MiSTer core has virtual lightgun support.
MiSTer supports cheats.
ColecoVision
The MiSTer now has complete Coleco Adam support, turning the console into a full computer.
I am sure I have missed some features, so let me know if there are any egregious omissions.
