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Sonic for the C64


The21zonz

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I found something kinda cool.

 

Someone ported Sonic 1 (the Master System version) to the Commodore 64, and from the videos and things I’ve seen, it runs beautifully. It requires a memory expansion to 256K to play, and I haven’t been able to get it working on VICE…

 

Anyone else tried this? How did you get it working if you did?

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8 minutes ago, hofster said:

It doesn't need a memory expansion in general. It needs an REU with at least 256kB of RAM.

In Vice settings, go to Cartridges and expand RAM Expansion Module. Pick a RAM size of 256kB or more and leave REU Image empty.

 

Hmm, ok i misread something XD I’ll try that.

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29 minutes ago, OLD CS1 said:

That has been around for a good bit.  I have played in WinVICE, and IIRC on my TheC64 (R5 filename flag.)  Have not run on real hardware as my room is a disaster area.  It is a good an fun game.

Can’t wait.

 

EDIT: IT WORKED!

Edited by The21zonz
It worked!
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I believe what hofster meant is that on the C64, there are a couple different types of memory expansions, but only the kind that works like a REU device is suitable here. There are cheaper (?) GeoRAM type cartridges that are fine with GEOS but not for other applications. I believe someone was working on cloning the REU but I haven't kept track of how it goes, or technically how much differs between the different memory expansions.

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Yes, that's what I meant.

There are a few projects that replicate the REU functionality (and more). I have tried the below.

 

The REUPlusC2 (FPGA based) is the closest in shape and form as it fits in the enclosure of a true REU:

https://github.com/jburrell7/REUPlusC2

 

The RAD cartridge (Raspberry Pi based) is probably the cheapest alternative:

https://github.com/frntc/RAD

 

The 1541 Ultimate-II+ is the most expensive option but certainly the richest in features. Maybe also the most compatible?

https://ultimate64.com/Main_products

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/27/2023 at 11:08 AM, OLD CS1 said:

That has been around for a good bit.  I have played in WinVICE, and IIRC on my TheC64 (R5 filename flag.)  Have not run on real hardware as my room is a disaster area.  It is a good an fun game.

I wonder if it will run on my C128 with the 1764 REU.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi

 

I did not get Sonic 64 to work on my Commodore 128 beacuse it must have more memory like a rom expansion, so today I updated the firmwire on my The C64 Mini and tested to play d81 disk image 1 disk version on it and it works good, only was that the game that is in PAL noticed that my mini C64 is an American NTSC machine, but I bought it at a Swedish webshop, but it works good and it is fun to play.

 

[b]D81 Disk Image 1 Disk Version[/b]

 

[url=https://ibb.co/3RXmfg5][img]https://i.ibb.co/7kctgsx/371538038-895091878212063-3529921155520703282-n.jpg[/img][/url]

 

I just switch my C64 Mini into PAL mode and now does not Sonic say something more about it anymore, so it is probably better to have my mini in PAL mode, beacuse I live in Sweden and Europe and not in USA.

 

I also tested to play Sonic 64 with my The A500 Mini GamePad but it was flipping when I use it, so I turned back to my The C64 Mini The Joystick and it worked great with Sonic 64.

 

I did not get d64 disk image 2 disk version to work, it was not loading in completly. It loaded in diskfile A but could not switch to diskfile B and load it in.

 

[b]D64 Disk Image 2 Disk Version[/b]

 

[url=https://ibb.co/MSWj66W][img]https://i.ibb.co/r0TLssT/370228871-1543067033193277-2271310928652838791-n.jpg[/img][/url]

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I've played this a few times on real hardware via the C64 Ultimate II+ cart. It's pretty good.

 

One thing I was having issues with initially is the Epyx Fastload cartridge...or image of it I should say. You can assign a cartridge rom to the Ultimate II+ and I have always used Epyx Fastload of course. Well, that is not compatible with the REU in the Ultimate II+ and I was getting the "cannot find REU" message even though it were enabled in the UII+ settings.

 

The only one I found that actually works fine with the REU is the CyberPunks Retro Replay rom image...which basically does the same thing as what the Fastload cart does. After that REU stuff works perfectly. All of those images come with the UII+ firmware download.

 

Just a tip if anyone is running into issues trying this and other REU required software while using the UII+.

Edited by eightbit
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I got the RAD in and set it up.  I was able to run Vision Basic on the SX-64, but not Sonic.  It would crash on first run, not sure what is causing it to fail.  I did have Jiffy DOS enabled, so maybe it is the problem.  I'm going to do some more testing.  

 

Sonic did run on my standard C64 though and is very fun.  :D

 

 

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Do you mean the RAD works with a regular C64, but the game crashes if you load it on your SX-64? I saw from the description that SX-64 and other more exotic models are not fully tested with the RAD, and perhaps not fully tested with Sonic as well for that matter.

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1 hour ago, carlsson said:

Do you mean the RAD works with a regular C64, but the game crashes if you load it on your SX-64? I saw from the description that SX-64 and other more exotic models are not fully tested with the RAD, and perhaps not fully tested with Sonic as well for that matter.

Yeah, I saw that too, so I'm not sure what is going on.  I found it strange that Vision Basic would run, but not Sonic.  I'm very sure that the RAD is working correctly.  Tonight I'm going to try it on the SX-64 again, but this time I will disable JiffyDos.  I'm loading the game through my pi1541 and it also doesn't have the JiffyDos ROM installed on it.  I used the pi1541 to load it on my regular C64 (which doesn't have JiffyDos installed) and it worked fine.  

 

The RAD menu pops up no problem on the SX-64 and I can change the settings, if that helps?

Edited by Grimm1966
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So I tried turning JiffyDos off on the SX-64, but it didn't help.  I suspect that it might have something to do with the kernel ROM.  When I setup the RAD and exit out back to basic the display of the REU memory size does not show.  I don't know how the REU sets itself up with in the system.  Vision Basic must use the REU differently than Sonic does.

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Ok, mystery solved.  I was able to get Sonic to run on the SX-64.  Turned out that when you first run the game it will detect if you are running on an NTSC system and ask if you want to continue.  This is in white text, and well, the default background color on the SX-64 is white too.  So it gives you the impression that the game is locked up.  I had also noticed that when I exited the RAD menu it usually prints on the bottom of the screen the amount of REU memory you have set up.  But this didn't display on the SX-64 too because of the background color.  I moved the cursor down to the bottom row and moved it across the screen, then I could see the memory text.  Once I had this figured out it was just a matter of pressing the 'Y' key and the game started up. 

 

I don't know where to report this for Sonic?  I will put a bug report on Github for the RAD device.   Too funny. :D

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21 hours ago, Grimm1966 said:

Ok, mystery solved.  I was able to get Sonic to run on the SX-64.  Turned out that when you first run the game it will detect if you are running on an NTSC system and ask if you want to continue.  This is in white text, and well, the default background color on the SX-64 is white too.  So it gives you the impression that the game is locked up.  I had also noticed that when I exited the RAD menu it usually prints on the bottom of the screen the amount of REU memory you have set up.  But this didn't display on the SX-64 too because of the background color.  I moved the cursor down to the bottom row and moved it across the screen, then I could see the memory text.  Once I had this figured out it was just a matter of pressing the 'Y' key and the game started up. 

 

I don't know where to report this for Sonic?  I will put a bug report on Github for the RAD device.   Too funny. :D

 

That is really NOT what I was expecting. Lol!

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It's really more or less Game Gear Sonic running on a C64. It's got so much hype (much as Super Mario) just because "cool! this IP is on C64!".

 

But yeah, there are too many games to list on the C64 that are a lot better and you don't need an REU for them ;)

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eightbit >>> Okey, so it is more of Game Gear Sonic that is ported to C64. I have not played Sonic on Sega Game Gear.

 

I have only Sonic on Sega Master System and on Sega Genesis/Mega Drive

 

I have also Super Mario Bros on C64

Both the Nintendo NES Game and the Giana Sisters Romhack.

Edited by Gory-Glory
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