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SNES PowerPak firmware v3.10 »MUFASA« released

Whew, finally. ;-)

Download:
Download SNES PowerPak firmware v3.10 »MUFASA« (source included)

Changes since v3.00 (build #11331):

  • added feature: In the SPC player, you can now skip to the next/previous song using the L/R shoulder buttons
  • added feature: Also in the SPC player, you can enable auto-play (1-7 minutes), which will automatically switch to the next song in the same directory as soon as the given time has elapsed. Also, the current setting will be saved along with your configuration when pressing Start in the settings menu :-)
  • added feature: The settings menu now offers an option to randomize most of SNES RAM before booting a game (for development purposes)
  • added IRQ-based error handlers for debugging, this helps detecting unwanted BRK/COP executions e.g. due to improper Accumulator size
  • replaced the all-too-clumsy copier header check with a proper ROM file size check to determine whether a 512-byte header is present or not, which is both faster and more reliable
  • replaced the equally clumsy internal ROM header detection with a checksum-based approach, and added a manual selection for ROMs with corrupt/missing internal headers to force LoROM/HiROM/ExHiROM mapping. No more manual header fixing required e.g. for beta/prototype ROMs! :-)
  • optimized ROM loading a bit
  • fixed broken printing of ROM file size for good
  • many more minor optimizations
  • improved code readability quite a bit

Have fun, and long live the SNES PowerPak! :-D

SNES PowerPak firmware v3.00 »MUFASA« updated

Aside from several usability improvements, this build fixes bugs that prevented some games from working properly, so updating is highly recommended. ;-)

Download:
Download SNES PowerPak firmware v3.00 »MUFASA« build #11331 (source included)

Note that if you have any previous v3.00 build already installed, you only need to copy UPDATE.ROM to the /POWERPAK folder on your CF card, start up your PowerPak, go to the settings menu, and select "Check for firmware update." After the upgrade flashing procedure has finished (i.e., the PowerPak intro screen appears), power-cycle your SNES just to be sure, and you're all set. :-D

Changes since v3.00 (build #11310):

  • merged all file browsing routines (there were 4 by now) into a single subroutine, this makes future additions/corrections to the file browser much easier :-)
  • rewrote page-by-page navigation, you can now flip through the "pages" of a directory indefinitely (i.e., no forced "stop" at the beginning and end of the file listing)
  • added feature: when you return to a directory's parent directory, the cursor will automatically be placed on the subdirectory you left for convenience. :-) Caveat: The stack is used to preserve the necessary data (8 bytes per directory), so the amount of subfolder levels is limited (still well over 500 though ... :-D )
  • added a file size check to the directory loading routine, 0-byte files are skipped now instead of producing a CF card error
  • added ikari's fix for Soul Blazer intro music
  • fixed a DMA issue causing problems (at least) with Bust-a-Move/Puzzle Bobble, King of Dragons, and Super Mario Allstars & World
  • fixed a potentially critical bug related to accumulator size in the same routine (SDRAM buffering portion)
  • added a hint to the settings menu alerting the user to return there and save the settings after selecting a new theme

On a side note, the source code is available on GitHub as well, so if you should encounter any potential bugs, feel free to open an issue there, and I'll look into it ASAP.

Long live the SNES PowerPak! 8-)

Happy Halloween!

I have something for you to celebrate. :-D

Download:
Download Unofficial SNES PowerPak firmware v2.02 (source included)

As with the previous releases, just copy the contents of the "POWERPAK" directory from the archive root onto your CF card, power on your SNES, and you'll be prompted to update. :-) Make sure that you have v2.00 (non-beta) or v2.01 already installed if you want to do an easy upgrade using the in-system flasher. In case you need any of the previous versions, grab it from the SNES PowerPak firmware page.

Happy PowerPak gaming! 8-)