GP2X handheld - retro heaven (Amiga too)

[blakespot]

I've spent the last week completely wrapped up in my new GP2X Linux-based handheld game unit.  There are emulators for something like 40 platforms available for that thing.  

I did a little writeup about it here:

http://www.bytecellar.com/archives/000076.php

Have a look.  I've been watching Amiga demos and playing Amiga games all over the place with this thing (literally).  :-)  Also nice to play with some other systems I've missed out on, like the ZX Spectrum.  

Worth the $169 USD it can be had for.

:: and please digg that article - trying to get some media focused on that unit.  More users = more support.  Tnx.  




blakespot

[InTheSand]

I'm almost tempted to try and get one of these... But I do wonder what the speed of the Amiga emulation will be like...

Plus the display at only 320 x 240 is a bit low-res, only really good for NTSC Amiga games and not the PAL ones that typically ran at 320 x 256...

Would be quite cool for all the 8-bit emulators and native games though!

 - Ali

[blakespot]

Amiga emulation is pretty swift.  Many games seem full speed, but indeed some seem a little lagged.  The Atari ST and Sega Genesis / Megadrive are fullspeed all the time, it seems.  Both are easier to emulate.

Give it a shot.



blakespot

[amigadave]

@blakespot,  nice article.  If I weren't spending so much money on other projects at the moment, I would get one.  What are the chances of getting a duplicate of you flash card so one does not have to locate and download all the emulators and games you have on it themselves?

[Lozrus]

I've had a GP2X since it's launch and it is a fantastic device!
Amiga emulation is comparable to a slightly choppy A500 but does vary, many games are very playable. But there's still scope for improvement, the second processor is not being used at all yet.

Lots more information can be found on the GP2X Wiki including a list of games tested with the UAE port. The English speaking GP2X community is based at GP32X, there also seems to be a very active Spanish community as well as Korean.

Not only is the GP2X great for gaming and emulation, the latest firmware and a simple cable (or a seperate box that gives you everything at once, like a docking station) will give you USB host support, TV out and serial, add a mouse and keyboard and you can run X quite comfortably, you can also do networking over USB (or plug in a USB NIC or WIFI adapter). It's becoming quite a fun machine just for playing around with Linux and is potentially perfectly capable of basic desktop tasks.

The GP2X is the first system that really seems exciting and fun to me since the Amiga.

[CaptChaos]

I too have had a GP2X since launch and I still have my GP32.
Great little emulator/homebrew systems.

Sadly A500 emulation is not fantastic, but understandable as it is one of the tougher systems to emulate accurately and with good speed. Also critical the developer and man responsible for the GP2X port of UAE4ALL has left the GP2X for the gizmondo scene porting many emulators for that system instead.

CaSTaway the *spit* AtariST emulator is great though pretty much full speed with not bad sound.

NeoGeo and Mame are awesome and many 8-bit systems are covered. I highly recomend one to anyone with a passion for retro systems and emulation. Most of the emulators out perform the more powerfull PSP (Amiga included).

[blakespot]

Hoping people digg the article - it's climbing and may make the front page in a few hours.  Fingers crossed!

I watched Jesus on E's on the way in to work this morning on the GP2X.  More people need to learn about this thing!




blakespot

[cv643d]

I think many know about this portable already. I saw there is a Sid player for it, thats cool.

I planned to buy one but SNES emulation seems not to be that good, I bailed out. If it had a SNES emu as good and fast as ZSNES on a relatively modern PC and a good D-pad I would still be interested.

[MarkWatson]

Not to knock the work done by those porting it, but the Amiga emulator needs _lots_ of work. Runs about 25% speed in my experience. What happened to the Fellow conversion to C? That code base might be a good starting point. I'd have a go, but don't really have the time:-(

That said the GP2X is indeed fantastic. As is the GP32, thought most of the scene has moved on now. For those who enjoy Jay Miner's other creations try http://www.scrameta.net for the Atari 800 emulator;-)

Thanks,

Mark

[blakespot]

25%?  Search YouTube for "gp2x amiga" and you'll see videos of emulation clearly > than 25%.  More like 75% at worst, from what I see.  Some stuff runs full speed.  Hopefully things will improve though.  There is, after all, an unused 200MHz processor sitting in that machine.  

Would be a lot of work to make it handle the custom chips or some such, but how fast an emu of that sort would fly.

Top story on the "upcoming stories" Digg page.  Hopefully it will get a bit further dugg.





blakespot

[Hyperspeed]

blakespot: Your articles need a few pictures!

Trouble with the GP32 I heard was that the games were few and far between (and crap). It's all well having PD games and emulation but if those processors aren't hardware hit by arcade developers like the PSP and DS then it will just be a low selling underground machine.

Even the N-Gage got Tombraider and Sonic...

[blakespot]

Trying to get news of this unit in the mainstream a little bit.  

Anyone mind digging the story about the GP2X emulation machine?  It's a different digg from yesterday, if you already dugg!

Thanks.



blakespot