An FPGA recreation of IGS’s PolyGame Master (PGM) arcade hardware is now available for the MiSTer FPGA platform.

Originally released by IGS (鈊象 Electronics) in 1997, the PGM was a cartridge based arcade system that became home to a wide range of popular Taiwanese and Chinese arcade titles. Its library includes the acclaimed Knights of Valour beat ’em up series, the fantasy adventure Oriental Legend games, fighting titles such as Martial Masters and The Gladiator, as well as several highly regarded Cave shoot ’em ups.

The MiSTer PGM core currently requires a dual SDRAM memory module configuration (2 x 128MB). The IGS PGM platform is currently memory intensive, so this build of the core is designed to use two SDRAM modules installed on the MiSTer stack.

Support for a single SDRAM memory setup is not available with this new core release, although according to the developers GitHub response to a query, a dedicated single SDRAM version is expected in the very near future.

A couple of the greatest shootem ups ever created are available on the IGS PGM platform these being DoDonPachi Dai-Ou-Jou and Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi. Developed by Cave at the height of the arcade bullet hell era, both titles are widely regarded as genre defining masterpieces, combining razor sharp gameplay, intense challenge, and some of the most rewarding scoring systems ever designed. So fire up your MiSTer FPGA and have some bullet hell fun!

MiSTer IGS PGM Core GitHub: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Arcade-IGSPGM_MiSTer

MiSTer FPGA PGM Core Supported Games

Knights of Valour Series – (Horizontal, Beat ‘Em Up)

Oriental Legend Series – (Horizontal, Beat ‘Em Up)

Fighting / Action (Horizontal)

Shoot ‘Em Ups (Vertical)

Puzzle / Quiz / Compilation (Early PGM Titles)

MiSTer Organize, the creator behind the MiSTer Organize project has released the hybrid PICO-8 core for the MiSTer FPGA, bringing the much loved fantasy console experience to the MiSTer FPGA hardware platform for the first time, with this core the MiSTer’s ARM CPU runs the PICO-8 emulator, while the FPGA handles video timing and output directly bypassing the MiSTer scaler for zero lag CRT support. The PICO-8 core is currently a work-in-progress but from initial testing is running very well so far.The PICO-8 is developed by Lexaloffle.

The PICO-8 has an overwhelming library of games, it is certainly worth checking out some of the highly rated PICO-8 games using the MiSTer FPGA core. Give the following a try: Celeste Classic its a precise and challenging platformer. Poom is another awesome title, being a reimagining of classic DOOM gameplay in a minimalist format. If you are looking for some exploration and crafting, try Terra, this is a demake of Terraria. Other titles worth mentioning include High Stakes, a tactical card game, Birds With Guns, an excellent arcade shooter, and finally Porklike, a roguelike dungeon crawler. Overall, a huge library of games exists to explore on the MiSTer FPGA with the PICO-8 core.

MiSTer PICO-8 Core GitHub: https://github.com/MiSTerOrganize/MiSTer_PICO-8

Martin Donlon, the developer behind the MiSTer Laggy and some excellent MiSTer FPGA cores, including the acclaimed Irem M72 and M92, featuring classics like R-Type, Ninja Spirit, and In the Hunt, is now diving into creating the M107 core. His latest work-in-progress core currently only supports Air Assault/Fire Barrel.

Information on the IREM M107 core and setup instructions are available on GitHub for the project.

MiSTer IREM M107 Core GitHub: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Arcade-IremM107_MiSTer

The Irem M107 arcade PCB list of known published games includes “Air Assault/Fire Barrel” and “Dream Soccer ’94”, as well as “World PK Soccer”.

The MiSTer N64 SNAC adapter allows the Nintendo 64 core to interface with native controllers and accessories, including the Rumble Pak, Transfer Pak, Controller Pak, VRU, microphone, and more. For the lowest possible latency with Nintendo 64 controllers, using a MiSTer FPGA N64 SNAC adapter is the best option.

The Nintendo 64 MiSTer SNAC Adapter is an stand-alone accessory featuring four controller ports. This N64 SNAC (Serial Native Accessory Converter) eliminates the need for an additional level shifter board and connects directly to the MiSTer via a USB 3.0 extension cable plugged into the User Port on the MiSTer’s I/O board. The N64 SNAC adapter is only compatible with the MiSTer FPGA system and the respective N64 core, and is not compatible with any other gaming systems.

It is recommended to use a short USB 3.0 male to female extension cable when connecting the SNAC adapter to the IO board, in order to prevent straining the User IO USB connector on the MiSTer’s IO board.

Nintendo 64 SNAC Adapter Setup Instructions:

• Update to the latest MiSTer FPGA N64 core.
• Connect the Nintendo 64 SNAC adapter to the USB 3.0 extension cable.
• Connect the USB 3.0 extension cable to the User Port on the IO board.
• Load the N64 core in the menu set the controller up as Pad1 : Type –> SNAC.

Robert Peip (FPGAzumSpass) has dedicated considerable effort to developing a Nintendo N64 core for the MiSTer FPGA. Recently, his hard work has reached a milestone where it’s ready for the public release. By running the ‘update_all‘ script on your MiSTer, you will now find Robert’s core available for download, truly a remarkable accomplishment indeed.

Information on the N64 core and setup instructions are available on GitHub for the project.

MiSTer N64 Core GitHub: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/N64_MiSTer

Get ready to relive classic titles and explore new possibilities with the Nintendo 64 core for MiSTer FPGA!

Exciting times lie ahead in the area of MiSTer FPGA arcade core development as in a recent update on his Patreon page, Jotego, the skilled developer behind many MiSTer FPGA arcade cores, shared the following news:

‘On the core development side, the focus is on closing the open betas. JTSHOUSE is one of them. We have continued working on it, and all Namco System 1 games boot up in the core now. However, most of them are unplayable due to graphics problems. Splatter House was already available, and we are adding Galaga ’88 this week. Pac-Mania is close to being ready for beta as well. The rest of the compatible games need more work, though.’

Galaga ’88 represented a significant evolution from its predecessor, Gaplus, in several key aspects. Firstly, the game introduced more advanced graphics and animations, leveraging improved hardware capabilities to create vibrant and visually appealing alien designs and backgrounds.

MiSTer Laggy is a lag testing device developed by Martin Donlon, also known as WickerWaka, a renowned MiSTer developer with many notable contributions to the MiSTer project, including creating the impressive Irem M72 arcade core. His latest MiSTer project is a hardware addon coupled with the new MiSTerLaggy core which is downloaded when you update your MiSTer FPGA and located in the Utility folder, using the MiSTer Laggy enables you to assess the lag or latency on your display devices.

Setting up the MiSTer Laggy is easy just connect it using a USB type A to type C cable. Plug the type A end directly into the User IO port on the MiSTer, and insert the type C end into the USB C socket on MiSTer Laggy.

Next boot up the MiSTerLaggy core from inside the Utility folder from the MiSTer main menu. The core operates by displaying a test pattern on the screen and gauging the time it takes for the sensor to detect this pattern. The resulting latency is displayed at the centre of the screen, accompanied by average, minimum, and maximum measurements in milliseconds. The test pattern comprises of three white flashing rectangle sections where the sensor can be positioned, allowing for latency measurement at the top, middle, and bottom of the screen.

More information and setup instructions are available on the GitHub for the project.

MiSTer Laggy GitHub: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/MiSTerLaggy_MiSTer

If you have a MiSTer FPGA then this addon is an excellent low cost combined hardware and software solution capable of accurately measuring the lag on your displays.

In the late 1980s, amid the dimly lit arcades, one game redefined horror gaming forever. Splatterhouse unleashed players into a nightmare filled mansion as Rick Taylor, where every swing and strike against grotesque foes delivered an adrenaline rush. It’s visceral graphics and eerie soundscape set a new standard, pushing boundaries and offering a cathartic escape.

The talented MiSTer FPGA developer Jotego, in a recent Patreon post shared the following news:

‘Work started on JTSHOUSE, a Namco System 1 compatible core (Splatter House, PacMania, etc.). This is a very sophisticated system with four CPUs that can all talk to each other through several devices. This is quite unusual. Most arcade systems feature two CPUs and only one of them can talk to the other.’

As the anticipation builds I am sure many arcade horror fans are looking forward to delving back into the blood-soaked corridors of Splatterhouse on MiSTer.

In October 1989, a significant event occurred across arcades in North America and Europe. This event marked a pivotal moment for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the gaming world, establishing its enduring legacy and setting new benchmarks for the beat-em-up genre. The game’s release, aptly named “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” granted players the unique ability to simultaneously control all four ninja turtles, resulting in exhilarating chaos and indelible memories.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles core for the MiSTer FPGA is available on Furrtek’s GitHub:
https://github.com/furrtek/Arcade-TMNT_MiSTer.

Furrtek’s Beta Release Tweet:
https://twitter.com/furrtek/status/1651959708201234437

Furrtek’s Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/furrtek

Update 16th September 2023:

Paulb-nl a talented MiSTer core developer has recently fixed a number of issues with Furrtek’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles core. Improvements are as follows:

Shadows Are Visible
DIP Switches Working (Difficulty)
Fixed MIA Flipped Tiles
Fixed Missing Parts Of Some Sprites
Add Video Options & Pause (Y/C, Gamma, Scandoubler, Crop, Integer Scale)
Add CRT H/V Adjust

The discolouration on CRT can be fixed by adjusting the image to the right. This core has a lot of overscan and currently the default horizontal position is too far to the left probably going too far into blanking.

Download here:
https://github.com/paulb-nl/Arcade-TMNT … p/releases

If you have never heard of a Tamagotchi, they were a virtual pet device that originated in 1996 and was invented by Akihiro Yokoi of Bandai. This small electronic toy with a screen and buttons was typically shaped like an egg. Users are responsible for caring for a digital creature, which requires feeding, playing with, and attending to its various needs to keep it happy and healthy. The virtual pet evolves and grows over time, and neglecting its needs can lead to its demise.

Adam Gastineau’s MiSTer Tamagotchi core features, savestates, automatic restoration upon core launch, a turbo mode allowing up to 1800x speed to quickly evolve your Tamagotchi and custom backgrounds.

You can support Adam Gastineau by sponsoring him here on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/agg23/

The Tamagotchi core for MiSTer currently requires a manual installation more detail are available on the Tamagotchi FPGA GitHub.

Tamagotchi Core from agg23