. an archaic crossroads site .
founded April, 1996
accesses since March 1, 1998

Contained here is our 'morgue', so to speak, of past updates. Some links may work, some may not. The purpose of providing you with this history of releases is purely for your entertainment (and so that you can bet your friends money that certain emulators are really that old).

1997 . november . december .

Sinclair QL

¤ QPC v1.44 Demo added! (MS-DOS)
QPC is a Sinclair QL emulator for MS-DOS. I do not know what has been changed, but my impression is that this is a minor update.

Super Nintendo

¤ SNES '9x Beta Build #26 added! (Win9x)
This was, to the best of my knowledge, released well over a week ago, but Michael and Ted missed it. I'm not sure about how important this update is because I haven't been keeping up. But it is there. =)

Atari 2600

¤ z26 v1.10 released! (MS-DOS)

• Fixed weird missle bug in Yars' Revenge.
• Adjusted VGA synchornization for a more stable display.

MSX

¤ BrMSX v1.45 released! (MS-DOS)

• Support to PSG envelopes. This is used in a lot of games, like "Penguin Wars", "Choro-Q", "1942", "Rollerball" and others.
• Adjusted the PSG pitch (the central "A" was not on the 440Hz but much higher.) Since now the PSG and the SCC have the same pitch, some musics are a lot better! Thanks to Marco Antonio
• Support 512kb cartridges ("Hydlide 3").
• Support to MegaROM Mapper #6 ("Xanadu"). Thanks to Sean Young for the info.
• Now BrMSX can autodetect the MegaROM Mapper (there's no need for "-roma" anymore).
• New option "-autofire", this is great for shoot'em up games like "Gall Force" and "Zanac".
• New option "-autorun", similar to "-autofire" but for the "left" and "right" keys. This is great for sport games like "hyper Sports 3".
• New option "-autospeed" to adjust the speed of the two previous options.
• Fixed a minor bug in the lower nibble of the VDP status register.
• Optimized the 1-big PCM emulation.

NEO GEO

¤ NeoRage v0.20c released! (MS-DOS)

• Gigapower bug fix. (Various old games didn't like our gigapower support).
• Support for RealBout 2.

Nintendo

¤ LoopyNES v0.51 released! (MS-DOS)

• minor 6502 fix
• minor PPU fixes
• minor sound fixes
• MMC1 fixes
• VS fixes
• state saving
• midscreen palette changing
• long file name support
• zapper support

¤ RockNES v0.53r3b released! (MS-DOS)
RockNES was formally known as xNES.

• Out to fix a bug in the PPU (now Ghost n Goblins works fine.)

Sinclair QL

¤ UQLX v08/24/98 released! (MS-DOS)

Genesis

¤ XGenEM v0.11 released! (Linux / UNIX)

• Speed-up
• Faster priority handling
• Lock speed at 50Hz
• Experimental sound-support for PSG (SN76496)
• Needs less memory
• Better 68000<->Z80 communication: more games work

Nintendo

¤ XNES v0.53r2 released! (MS-DOS)

• Fixed a bug in the sprite code (sorry);
• More bugs fixed in the 6502 functions (Read/Write);
• Little changes in the main code.

TurboGrafx 16

¤ Hu6280 v1.77 released! (MS-DOS)

• 2 players now supported (only if you have a sidewinder!)

Genesis

¤ Genecyst vx.xx released! (MS-DOS)
As with the Nesticle release, this version is also unknown. The features included seems to be the much needed ZIP rom support and Stereo sound support.

Nintendo

¤ Nesticle vx.xx released! (MS-DOS)
Guess who's back in action. Yes you guessed it, the daddy of Nintendo emulation is back. The version number is unknown and the features are believe to include: Mapper 32 support, Sidewinder support, improved sound, and timer improvements.

Super Nintendo

¤ SNES9X v1.05b (with GUI) released! (MS-DOS)
This version is exactly like v0.96 with the exception that it has GUI support. As with any beta, this version may carry bugs/problems.

Console Systems

¤ MAME v0.34b1 released! (MacOS / MS-DOS)
MAME is no longer carried on Archaic Ruins. This is it. We are refusing to carry new versions of MAME. Perhaps when v0.34 final comes out, we might carry it for good sport, but currently, with versions being released almost weekly, there is very little motivation to carry such a program. Release information and updates will still be posted, binaries will not.

Console Systems

¤ MESS v0.2b4 release a few days ago! (MacOS / MS-DOS)
"This version also supports the Apple ][ Series, Atari800, Atari5200, Bally Astrocade, Kaypro 2x, PDP-1, Sega Master System/Game Gear, and Vectrex."

Genesis

¤ XGenEm v0.1 released! (Linux)
Look who's back!

MSX

¤ BRMSX v1.43 released! (MS-DOS)

• Support to PSG noise (including the undocumented behaviour of register 6 for very high frequencies). Thanks to Ulrich Doewich for a lot of discussion about the PSG.
• Support to SCC wavesamples (but only 5 bits of the original 12-bit output are emulated).
• Support to zoomed sprites (intro of "Valis", intro of "Rambo", "Ligue-se ao Expert").
• Support to 5th sprite ocultation ("Antartic Adventure", "Parodius"). This option can be disabled with the option "-allspr".
• Support to 3-channel sound through the PC Speaker (use the option "-speaker").
• Optimized the Z80 emulation (about 5% faster).
• Optimized the PSG emulation (more than 80% faster).
• Fixed two bugs in the video cache ("River Raid", "Knight Tyme").
• Fixed a MAJOR bug on MegaRAM emulation, but I think it's still not 100% (thanks to Adriano Cunha for the reporting).
• Fixed a bug in IRQ handling in mode FAST (thanks to Cyberknight for the reporting).
• Fixed some IRQ-related bugs in modes NORMAL/TURBO (intro of "Zanac").
• Lots of improvements in the debugger (thanks to Cyberknight for the suggestions).
• Now you can use the keyboard to play joystick-only games, like "Gauntlet", with the option "-fakejoy".
• Fixed some bugs in the "RESET" and "LOAD ROM" option of the GUI.
• Added a new option in the GUI: "TURN OFF". This is like a hard RESET, erasing all the RAM and VRAM contents.

Sinclair QL

¤ Q-emuLator v1.1 press release! (Win9x)
"Q-emuLator 1.1 will be able to read QXL.WIN files and to access subdirectories on QDOS floppy disks, Windows file system and QXL.WIN files. Some graphics operations (filled blocks, text output, etc.) will be faster, and the emulated QL will be able to have up to 16M of RAM. The full version of Q-emuLator 1.1 will be available for free to all registered users. "

Super Nintendo

¤ MySNES v0.15 released! (AmigaOS)

• ROMs always loaded into FASTmem. Before it could often end up in CHIPmem for some reason.
• Hopefully removed bug that made MySNES hang up when loading a ROM. It now works for me when using MCP1.30 with FASTrom=on.
• Corrected a major mistake I had made in my DMA-handler. It assumed that only one channel was started at a time, so many dma-requests where left-out.
• Better tilecache which now detects ALL changes in gfx and makes the necessary tile updates after that. The texts in Zelda now come up and alot of background animations are now visible.
• Small fixes in hwregs.

¤ SNES9x v1.05b released! (BeOS)
"Still in beta form, so there could be a few bugs"

Sinclair QL

¤ UQLX v08/11/98 released! (Unix/X)
At least this annoying program isn't two megabytes like MAME...

Arcade

¤ SloMo v0.23b1 press release! (Win9x)
"New PCSloMo coming soon! v0.23br1. Source will be released, and it features 4 games like the MacOS port."
¤ Sparcade v2.25 released! (MS-DOS)

• Vulcan Venture sprite<->background priorities fixed
• Cured a bug in Vulcan Venture which caused noisy SB sound fx
• Terra Cresta's second fire button can now be redefined
• Terra Cresta's performance improved for slow machines
• Benchtest facility added
• Save game feature added

Atari 800/5200

¤ Pokey homepage removed.

Arcade

¤ DTMNT v0.48 added! (MS-DOS)
"0.47 supports the 963-xxx romset... sorry - I only just now realised it was out there! PREVIOUS USERS - your romset (number 0 - tmnt.xxx) is now NOT the default, so you will need to change dtcfg.txt to say rom_set 0 "

Sinclair QL

¤ UQLX v08/11/98 added! (Unix/X)

Super Nintendo

¤ SNES9x v1.0.7 released! (MacOS)
"This release has the option to allow background tasks to run, includes a new Music Box feature, and fixes a few bugs from the previous release."

Translation Utilities

¤ Thingy v0.95 added! (MS-DOS)

Amiga

¤ WinUAE v0.8.6 Release 1 released! (Win9x)

• Synchronized with Bernd's latest source-tree
• GUI is missing (temporarily)
• 68020/68881 CPU type is not working yet
• 8-bit display is now the default. Use -H option to specify other modes
• New -o options for Amiga and/or Picasso displays in window or full-screen
• New -w options for CPU speed settings.

Arcade

¤ AMAME v0.33 (Final) released! (MS-DOS)
¤ DTMNT v0.47 released! (MS-DOS)
0.47 supports the 963-xxx romset... sorry - I only just now realised it was out there! PREVIOUS USERS - your romset (number 0 - tmnt.xxx) is now NOT the default, so you will need to change dtcfg.txt to say rom_set 0
¤ FrogCow v1.0 released! (MacOS)
This Frogger-only emulator seems more intriguing than MAME v0.33 for some reason.
¤ MAME v0.33 (Final) released! (MS-DOS)
<SARCASM>Oh, yay! Another MAME release! Can't you just tell how THRILLED everybody is?</SARCASM> I think there might, just might, be three minor/rare bugs fixed since the last 1.5 MB release of MAME less than a week ago. If you haven't figured it out yet, I and the AR staff in general is rather disenchanted with MAME.
¤ PentiuMAME v0.33 (Final) released! (MS-DOS)

Atari 800

¤ WACKE v1.4 released! (MacOS)

Game Gear / Master System

¤ MasterGear v1.0.5 released! (OS/2)

• Performance improvements.
• Workaround for black-bitmap problem which showed up in FixPack 5.
• MasterGear now begins in ROMS directory, if present.
• Improved throttle routine for faster machines.
• Fixed window resize problem, occured if only Master System games had been played, the default window size was bigger than 1, and the oscilliscope was turned on using the O key.
• Source code now available, to hopefully drive new emulator ports :-)

IBM-PC

¤ XT-CE v2.02 released! (WinCE)

Nintendo

¤ interNES v0.7.1 Plus released! (MacOS)
TV Mode, revamped sound drivers, and GZ support!

¤ xNES Press Release!
"YEEHA!!! I got! I rewrite the background display function and I fixed a bug in the PPU (now, Rockman 1 and DuckTales 1 have the correct background colors). I completed some part of code too."

Arcade

¤ DTMNT v0.46 released! (MS-DOS)
This release is a bugfix from v0.45 beta.

¤ MAME v0.33.8 released (w/ source)! (AmigaOS)
Also update homepage URL

Archaic Ruins

¤ Chris is now back (sorta) with some corrections!

• Atari800 v2.2 Source links fixed! (Win9x)
• Nintendo Emulator Index HTML fixed!
• Emulation Bios web site owner page fixed!
• SNES9x links fixed! (HPUX / IRIX)
• SNES9x v1.0.6 actually uploaded! (MacOS)

Sinclair QL

¤ UQLX v08/07/98 released! (Unix/X)
You know, no other emulation news site even follows UQLX at all. Archaic Ruins is the only one. So why are we stupid enough to continue to make these silly UQLX updates, sometimes even daily, when almost nobody uses the darn program? *knocks head on wall*

Arcade

¤ DTMNT v0.43 released! (MS-DOS)

• Got the new Z80 working (MZ80 - many thanks to Neil Bradley)
• Big speed increase (about 80% faster with 16000hx sound)
• Proper shadows (in hicolor modes they look better than 8-bit)
• Gamma correction option if your monitor is dark (in dtcfg.txt)
• So-called 'trippy sprite'(!) option - displays all frames of sprite animation (hit T to activate)
• ym2151-amp variable in dtcfg.txt (higher values = louder music as long as it doesn't overflow; default is 18)
• alter_pitch variable (dtcfg.txt)
• Finall sorted out dip switches (dtcfg.txt)

Gameboy

¤ NO$GMB v1.7 released! (MS-DOS)

• Digital sound
• Tuned BG gifs
• Bugfixes
• Debugmsg
• Battery fix
• Animate!

Nintendo

¤ BioNES v0.2 released! (Win9x)

• Frameskip option added (Press [F2]/[F3] to increase/decrease frameskips)
• Joypad support added (Press [F4] to enable/disable joypad reading)
• NES timing significantly improved
• Scrolling improvement
• MMC2 sprite bug fixed (Mike Tyson's Punchout works PERFECTLY)
• MMC5 custom sound channels added
• MMC5 vertical split screen mode added
• 2 types of MMC5 IRQ couters supported (Metal Slader Glory works PERFECTLY)
• 4th MMC5 name table emulated correctly
• VRC6 custom sound channels added
• VRC7 custom sound channels added
• Konami VRC1 bug fixed
• Mapper 78 mirroring bug fixed
• Mapper 80 mirroring bug fixed
• Realtime save/load bug fixed
• Hypershot emulation bug fixd
• Mappers 65,73,76,88 added
• Mappers 94,95,97,101 newly assigned and emulated
• Mapper 96 defined (Not emulated yet)

Playstation

¤ PSyKe Voodoo² driver released!
The PSyKe team has released a driver that will make PSyKe work in conjunction with 3DFX video cards that use the Voodoo² chipset.

Super Nintendo

¤ MySNES v0.14b released! (AmigaOS)

• New GUI with a seperate prefs-page and some new settings
• Faster gfx-routines (especially with copymode "Spaces")
• A new APU-skipper (you can still choose the old one in prefs) that is much faster and seems to skip many more hang-up loops.
• Some cpu-speedups, small dma-bug fixed (one map-problem in smw is gone) etc etc.

Atari 2600

¤ Stella v1.0 Beta released! (MS-DOS)

• Improved graphics emulation (TIA)
• Improved timer emulation (6532 PIA)
• Improved CPU emulation (6502)
• Improved Supercharger support
• Supports Robot Tank and Decathlon
• Supports Joystick, Keyboard, Booster Grip, and Indy 500 Driving controllers
• Contains properties for over 540 ROMs

Bios

¤ Luke Sneeringer bio added!
I've added my bio! Whoopie!

Playstation

¤ PSyKe v0.15 Alpha released! (MS-DOS)

• CDROM emulation (still buggy). Now some commercial games and demos are working.
• CD Audio playing
• 3DFX Gilde driver 0.1, practically completed, but buggy (specially in alpha blending).
• Rootcounters (needed for some games, eg. Crash Bandicoot)
• Configurable IRQ system
• Autostart CD with F1
• Some fixed in the GUI
• Alpha blending on polygons in the software driver (still buggy)

Super Nintendo

¤ SNES '9x v1.05 released! (HP-UX)
Okay, now there are officially 15 ports of SNES '9x available! This new release is for the HP-UX. It's also the largest of all the SNES '9x ports so far (965 KB). I've never heard of this operating system before, though, and that makes me kinda wonder what the user following of this port will be...

Nintendo

¤ A/NES v0.99.95b released! (AmigaOS)
"The big news is that NESA soundsystem is supported. NESA (NES Audio) is a fileformat we've created that contains NES audio (surprising or what? :). Anyway, the user can rip audio data from a NES ROM while playing it, and save it to disk, and replay later with an external replayer."

• Prefs-enforcer hit fixed!
• Small prefs-changes.
• Improved iNES format supported (vs. Unisystem).
• Battery-files can now be saved into a seperate directory.
• Fixed an ugly CPU-emulation bug.
• Optimised the CPU emulatoin (+128Kb).
• Optimised the PPU code which reduced memory-needs by 192Kb!
• NESA sound system added!
• Mapper 4 fixes (compatibility improved!)
• Mapper 19 finally works.
• Added fwMapper71.
• Added fwMapper79.

¤ NESA-Player v0.05a released! (AmigaOS)
With the new feature to rip sounds from A/NES and into a seperate file, a player for these files is obviously needed. This little program will play the *.nsa files created by A/NES.

¤ NESemu Homepage has moved!
Kent Hansen has moved his pages around a tat, including a slight relocation to the NESemu homepage. The homepage has also been totally changed. The new page can be found at http://home.sol.no/~kenhanse/nes/index.htm.

Super Nintendo

¤ SNES '9x v1.05 released! (OpenBSD)
Port #14 of SNES '9x is here (there are not 15 ports, as EMU News Service claims)! Well, at least this one is small and will upload pretty quickly.

¤ SNES '9x v1.0.6 released! (MacOS)
The Mac port seems to be the head of the pack these days! This minor release has improved compatibility.

TurboGrafx 16

¤ Hu6280 v1.75GT released! (MS-DOS)
This release adds a new command line option (-v3) used to emulate a handheld PC-Engine.

Super Nintendo

¤ SNEmul v0.84 released! (MS-DOS)

• fixed a serious bug in the SPC700 (now BASTARD! works)
• fixed a bug in CPU decimal addition/substraction
• removed some bad colors which could appear in some games
• fixed a bug in port 0x4212 (Bubsy works)
• Some sprites were transparent whereas they should not(e.g. in Super Off Road)
• fixed a bug in MODE 7(Super Metroid intro)
• fixed some bugs with the CPU speed hack(Ultima 7 works again)
• fixed a bug in RAM initialization(should be filled with '0xFF')
• fixed a bug in SRAM read/write(Final Fight 3 works)
• fixed and speeded up some transparencies effects(for instance, in Zelda)
• fixed a bug in interrupts calls(decimal flag should be reset)
• fixed another bug in SPC700 and thus, removed the sound bugs in Zelda and made Seiken Dekentsu 3 works.
• now Sound_ouput = 0 disable also the SPC700(some games may need this)
• fixed a bug in HDMA/DMA
• fixed a bug with ENVX read(BomberMan 5 works again)
• fixed some bugs with ADSR/GAIN
• fixed some bugs in the MOD Ripper(especially music speed)
• speeded up some games
• some other small bugs fixed. A lot of new games work!

¤ SNES '9x v1.05 released! (Irix v5.3/v6.x)
SNES '9x has added a 13^th port! I'm actually starting to get tired of some of them--there's not much user following for some of these obsceure operating systems. This is a new addition to the Archaic Ruins emulator archives.

¤ TheSE v0.14 beta released and discontinued! (MS-DOS)
"We have desided to discontinue TheSE! There isn't much more to do on SNES emulation than SNES9X, ZSNES and SNEMul allready have implemented or is about to implement. With the release of the Snes9x source we desided to stop programming TheSE (at least for now). TheSE ver 0.14 was never finished. Therfor we release TheSE ver 0.14 BETA as our last version."

• Some Sound. Very buggy at the moment though
• Mode 0 - Fixed palette bug
• Graphical HDMA
• Faster PPU code. Rewritten Decoder Routines.
• New structure of the PPU code