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Wolfenstein 3D for Gameboy Color on custom cartridge (2016)

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Why This Matters

This project demonstrates how enthusiasts are leveraging custom hardware and open-source resources to create fully functional Gameboy cartridges, including Wolfenstein 3D, using off-the-shelf components and CPLDs. It highlights the potential for DIY hardware innovation, reducing reliance on proprietary chips, and expanding possibilities for retro gaming enthusiasts and hardware developers. Such advancements could influence future hardware customization and preservation efforts in the gaming industry.

Key Takeaways

Wolfenstein 3D – Gameboy Color

On custom cartridge with co-processor

Source code and hardware schematics are available on Github: https://github.com/agranlund/wolf

Cartridge Rev.D

The new cartridge revision is fully working and runs Wolfenstein just as good as the previous revision.

It is identical to Rev.C in terms of functionality but use an ATF1502 CPLD instead of Nintendo MBC1.

I can’t think of anything more I want to change so I consider the project complete at this point!

Implementing MBC1 on a CPLD

Boards with the new design arrived and after much debugging I finally managed to get ROM bank switching to working correctly. Getting RAM banks working should be pretty much the same thing so I’m pleased with the progress so far.

Quite happy that I can now make Gameboy cartridges using only off-the-shelf parts and don’t have to salvaging any chips from official Gameboy games.

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