Hacking EZFlash IV and original Game Boy roms

[Entroper]

Not sure why I didn't think of this sooner, but, will the EZFlash IV play games from the original 1989 Game Boy? If so, do the roms need to be patched in the same way as GBA games? Will they save? Do I need to put them anywhere special on the miniSD card?

Thanks!

 

[tiduscrying]

You can play GB/GBC roms, but not natively like you can with GBA roms. You need to dump/add/compile them into a single emulator file called Goomba. It works well, supports saves, save states, and runs pretty much everything perfectly. Here is a link to the GBATemp wiki about Goomba, with instructions on how to use it. Searching this section of GBATemp will also get some good results on using it and everything. Have fun!

 

[DanTheManMS]

Note, you should use the latest version of Goomba Color which is located here: http://www.dwedit.org/dwedit_board/viewtopic.php?id=639

You can use the other page to grab the Goomba Frontend if you don't want to compile the ROMs through the command line, but just replace the goomba.gba file with the one from the link above. Proper, working save states in Goomba Color, I never thought I'd see the day. Major props to Dwedit on accomplishing that.

Once you've packaged your choice of GB/GBC games into a single *.gba file, there may be one or two more steps involved with getting it fully working on the EZ-IV, and it perhaps might need to go through the patcher software. I unfortunately know absolutely nothing about the EZ-IV carts so someone else may need to fill in here.

 

[SeongGino]

Note, you should use the latest version of Goomba Color which is located here: http://www.dwedit.org/dwedit_board/viewtopic.php?id=639

You can use the other page to grab the Goomba Frontend if you don't want to compile the ROMs through the command line, but just replace the goomba.gba file with the one from the link above. Proper, working save states in Goomba Color, I never thought I'd see the day. Major props to Dwedit on accomplishing that.

Once you've packaged your choice of GB/GBC games into a single *.gba file, there may be one or two more steps involved with getting it fully working on the EZ-IV, and it perhaps might need to go through the patcher software. I unfortunately know absolutely nothing about the EZ-IV carts so someone else may need to fill in here.

*Steps in*
Actually, from here, nothing more is really necessary to get it working. I personally did patch it through the EZ Client (I believe using standard SRAM save format), and it does save the in-game GB save. I just tested with Donkey Kong ('94) and the game saved without issue, even when reflashing the game the save... er, was saved.

So basically, it works like this:
Grab the Goomba.gba from Dan's link.
Grab Goomba Front from this link.
Extract both into one directory, for simplicities sake.
Add the goomba.gba as the emulator file in the first input box, and add in an output file (What the frontend poops out at the end of conversion) in the second box.
Add games. Use the directory tree on the left side.
Convert.
Add to EZ-Client. Name it whatever, and make sure Save Patch is checked (Set save type to SRAM).
Send.
Play.

Thooough... personally, for my setup, I simply made single-game compilations so I don't have to deal with header name constrictions, and to make it more "legit". It works nice either way, though in my way, there's less limit to what save states and SRAM saves you can have... I guess? Works well though.

 

[Dnilo]

*Steps in*
Actually, from here, nothing more is really necessary to get it working. I personally did patch it through the EZ Client (I believe using standard SRAM save format), and it does save the in-game GB save. I just tested with Donkey Kong ('94) and the game saved without issue, even when reflashing the game the save... er, was saved.

So basically, it works like this:
Grab the Goomba.gba from Dan's link.
Grab Goomba Front from this link.
Extract both into one directory, for simplicities sake.
Add the goomba.gba as the emulator file in the first input box, and add in an output file (What the frontend poops out at the end of conversion) in the second box.
Add games. Use the directory tree on the left side.
Convert.
Add to EZ-Client. Name it whatever, and make sure Save Patch is checked (Set save type to SRAM).
Send.
Play.

Thooough... personally, for my setup, I simply made single-game compilations so I don't have to deal with header name constrictions, and to make it more "legit". It works nice either way, though in my way, there's less limit to what save states and SRAM saves you can have... I guess? Works well though.

So, you are saying that you can play gameboy and gameboy color and SAVE?? I have tried this in the past with goomba and goomba color but I always end losing my saves. (I'm using an EZflash IV btw. MiniSD)

 

[SeongGino]

So, you are saying that you can play gameboy and gameboy color and SAVE?? I have tried this in the past with goomba and goomba color but I always end losing my saves. (I'm using an EZflash IV btw. MiniSD)

I've done it personally, and yes, the saving does work (On MicroSD model)! As long as you generate the save patch via the EZ Patcher, it'll save fine.
Weirdly, Goomba is also the only program that works with sleep mode on real hardware proper. Every other game (Mario Advance titles, etc.) just goes back to the game immediately.

 

[Dnilo]

And, does it work for goomba color too?

 

[SeongGino]

And, does it work for goomba color too?

Yes, it does.
Just tried on my copy of Dragon Quest 1+2, and though the first time I loaded it in a while the Field Log was corrupted, just testing it now and saving/reloading after a reboot, it saved proper.
Hmm. :/

But yes, it does work on both Goomba's.

 

[Dnilo]

I just tested it with zelda dx and wario land 2, it only saves if I "Exit" Goomba using L+R on my gba, otherwise if I just turn off the gba it's not saving, is that correct?

 

[Entroper]

Anyone know how to get trouble games working in Goomba? There are a handful of (licensed) games that don't seem to play nice, like Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly.

 

[SeongGino]

I just tested it with zelda dx and wario land 2, it only saves if I "Exit" Goomba using L+R on my gba, otherwise if I just turn off the gba it's not saving, is that correct?

Makes... sense, I guess? That's probably how the emulator saves to begin with.

Anyone know how to get trouble games working in Goomba? There are a handful of (licensed) games that don't seem to play nice, like Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly.

Not much else you can do, short of just buying a GameBoy specific flash cart. Goomba's pretty light on options to begin with.