MiSTer just got Gradius 3 and reliable Neo Geo Pocket saves

FPGA developer Jotego has released a large batch of updates. The release brings a Gradius 3 core to large FPGA devices and fixes Neo Geo Pocket save states on MiSTer.

Jotego is a prolific FPGA core developer. The sheer volume of arcade preservation he produces is hard to overstate.

Gradius 3 needs a big board

Gradius 3 joins Gradius 2 and Parodius Da in the JTCORE lineup. Skutis prepared the schematics, Fulvio built the initial version, and Jotego's assistant spent two weeks making it compliant with the framework and the reverse-engineered chips.

The arcade version of Gradius 3 launched in 1989 on custom Konami hardware. It is infamous for its brutal difficulty. The popular Super Nintendo port had to cut content and suffered from heavy slowdown to run on home console hardware. Because of the arcade board's complexity, this core only runs on large FPGA devices. You need a MiSTer, an Analogue Pocket, or a SiDi128 to play it.

The pain of regenerating ROMs

The JTCPS1 core implementation has changed to comply with current JTFRAME development practices. Jotego needed this as an intermediate step for an upcoming speed fix. The catch is that your old .rom files will no longer work. You have to regenerate them using the new MRA files.

Capcom Play System 1 is the hardware behind massive arcade hits like Street Fighter II: The World Warrior and Final Fight. Rebuilding the ROMs is a minor disruption, but it paves the way for better performance across a huge library of classics.

Save states and graphical fixes

Neo Geo Pocket saving is finally reliable on the MiSTer version after heavy testing. The Analogue Pocket uses a completely different framework for saving. That platform is next on the list for study.

Two interns finished a new graphics patch for Ghosts 'n Goblins. The KAI zip file includes new graphic assets and fixes original tile layering bugs. In the original 1985 arcade release, the bridge ropes were drawn behind Sir Arthur. That layering error is fixed now.

Several smaller bugs got squashed across other cores. Golfing Greats now applies the correct zoom at all distances in the overhead view. Skykiddx has its missing score fixed. Caliber 50 received an improved CRT signal and better spinner sensitivity. On the Analogue Pocket, pressing L, R, and Start together now sends a simultaneous 1P and 2P start command. You need this exact input to save the configuration in Alien vs Predator.

Public releases and the CPS3 headache

Two cores moved out of beta and into public release. JTTHUNDR (Rolling Thunder) and JTRUNGUN (Run 'n Gun) are now available to everyone. Run 'n Gun is still missing some sound chip features, but it is playable enough to leave beta. There is one more game that could possibly work on the JTTHUNDR system, but the graphics are not displaying correctly yet.

The CPS3 core is still fighting back. Getting the 32-bit CPU and its encryption to play nice with 16-bit and 32-bit devices is causing some headaches. Emulating the hardware that runs Street Fighter III is notoriously difficult. Capcom used a complex cartridge system with a CD-ROM drive and heavy encryption to prevent piracy. Jotego is working non-stop to get it to boot, so the wait continues.