What games to sideload on the A500 Mini? Here's my list:

[MikeB]

Retro Games has released firmware update v1.1!

But beware, I read it disables Amiberry's F12 key support!

I'm going to test it anyway... Hope that the Pandory mod does not break when I would like to try that sometime in the future...

https://retrogames.biz/support/thea500-mini/upgrade/

[MikeB]

I first read otherwise, but the Speedlink USB Competition Pro now functions much better.

One thing I noticed though was that by default I have to launch the game with the GamePad (the previous home key on the stick seems disabled), but with primary fire on the left on the Competition Pro (and in Superfrog Fire 2 is also primary fire, so it's also well configured for left handed people as well).

After changing the game settings of Superfrog it played so much better, than before, the Competition Pro is now functional on the A500 mini (all buttons can be used)!

[gimbal]

Nice I saw a video demonstrating how to work with ADFs, I think the implementation is done quite well, including disk swapping:

[ Show youtube player ]

And with ADFs you get more configuration options it seems so that might help to make a couple more games playable.

[BigD]

Originally Posted by MikeB

@ BigD


It seems Team Pandory / EmuChicken has 2 player Lemmings and Settlers working with 2 mice!


"Make your Amiga 500 Mini infinitely better with the A500mini Pandory mod! Download, then pop it on a usb stick. Easy!"


[ Show youtube player ]

Yes, I can confirm that this works great. No problems and rock solid stable with standard 'save to hard drive' functionality. I would recommend holding off on the firmware update if functionality like this is important to anyone as I don't think Pandory plays nice with the updated firmware.

[gimbal]

The new ADF loading works a charm, and you can choose the CPU type so that effectively makes it possible to boot whatever. I've been playing Wizzy's Quest, Gremlins 2, Chip's Challenge, the Munsters, Twintris, all from an ADF using an A500 config and they all booted without issue. Bit annoying that so many trainers and cracktros force you to use the mouse to continue though, I guess it is a good strategy to map the left mouse button to the left controller bumper

For WHDLoad games unfortunately you can't choose the CPU model from the menu still. If your game is running too fast the instruction in the video I linked earlier in the thread is not enough. You need to add the following configuration options to the .uae file:

fpu_model=0
cpu_model=68000
cpu_speed=real

Using that I got both Baby Jo and Ducktales to run at their intended speed (too slow instead of way too fast...). Don't know if the fpu_model is really necessary but I threw it in there for good measure.

[LieutLaww]

Just a note there is an updated firmware that came out at 9pm UK time that fixes some stuff the last firmware broke inc save states etc.

[gimbal]

Haven't had any issues so far but thanks for the heads up anyway.

[twenty90seven]

Originally Posted by BigD

Yeah, I just tested Lemmings and got it to work with the gamepad as the second controller. I only managed it on AMiniMiga though as I got nowhere with the standard carousel setup :-(

Off to test The Settlers next! It's a shame a real mouse doesn't work for player 2!

Two player mice works in the Pandory mod

[MikeB]

Just tried Turrican 2 with the Competition Pro USB and it works great!

I launched Turrican 2 using the GamePad. Swapped controller and it works immediatly. Primary fire on the left button, Power Lines and morph-ball rolls on the right button. Perfect!

IMO Turrican 2 is too hard to play with a GamePad. With it I prefer a button push over pressing up on the DPad for jumping, but with so much jumping and firing shots simultaneouly I often get confused while wanting to roll. For example accidentially unleashing a “smart bomb” attack.

Now I am going to update to firmware v1.1.1.

[lesta_smsc]

Originally Posted by twenty90seven

Two player mice works in the Pandory mod

Saw a YouTube video of this at work. Looks like a neat preconfigured set up! Amazing now that it allows other emulators including ScummVM

[MikeB]

Super Stardust plays fine with a GamePad, it's only a bit more challenging compared to using the Competition Pro. But a little can still mean a lot for such a difficult game!

When I tried to show off the game to a friend for the first time the game recommended me to 'try something else like playing Pacman', which made my friend laugh, but he looked strange when the game told him he's a "Blind Zombie"!

I had to remap the controls for this game, changing the left fire button from going forwards to shooting and right fire to weapon selection. Works great!

Now I am going to try Sir Fred (ADF, A500) and Tiny Bobble (ADF, A500) and see how that works.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Now I am going to try Sir Fred (ADF, A500) and Tiny Bobble (ADF, A500) and see how that works.

Sir Fred plays fine as ADF, it's not running too fast without any adjustments. However I did notice while swapping the controller to the Competition Pro it deactivates the GamePad. This isn't a big deal in Sir Fred as it's a 1 player game and you can return to the carousel by a short press on the A500 mini's power button.

But regarding Tiny Bobble with the GamePad deactivated you cannot start a 2 player game! I think this needs some fixing by Retro Games. BTW, it takes very long for Tiny Bobble to decrunch and I see there's a WHDLoad install available. Isn't there a website somewhere with a prebaked a500 mini version (.lha archived WHDLoad game)?


Now I am going to try Earok's Special Edition of Wonderboy in Monsterland (ADF, A500).

[gimbal]

The original Wonderboy runs quite well, but it's an absolute travesty to have to control with the gamepad Which I can say for about 90% of the games so far, that joypad was the one terrible decision in the package.

Robin Hood Legend Quest is the one game that is giving me the finger. It hangs on an 1.2/1.3 config as soon as the title screen would appear (warning: it'll melt your ears) and it works but runs way too fast on a 3.1 A1200 config. Gah. Funny enough it does the same in WinUAE, it goes into a HALT2 state. Guess I'll have to give the WHDLoad version a try.

[BigD]

Originally Posted by MikeB

IMO Turrican 2 is too hard to play with a GamePad. With it I prefer a button push over pressing up on the DPad for jumping, but with so much jumping and firing shots simultaneouly I often get confused while wanting to roll. For example accidentially unleashing a “smart bomb” attack.

I finally GET Turrican 3 after playing the MegaDrive version on Pandory. The palette works in a way the garish mess of level 1 just doesn't on the Amiga. The animations are cool and 3-button control pad scheme is great. I'm even getting used to the grappling hook. A far better version sad to say. It's clear the Amiga version was an after thought in the end despite the coding starting on our system!

[LieutLaww]

Pandory is currently broken with the 1.1.1 update fix no idea on when the Pandory guys will fix it as all they say is use the older firmware to run it.

[XPD]

Since adding ADF support, dont think I'll have a "wishlist" anymore - will just pull whatever I feel like outta my archives and away I go

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by gimbal

The original Wonderboy runs quite well

I was just curious to see some of Earok's early works. I found the special edition to be a little buggy, it gave me a software failure right at the beginning of the game the first time I started it up. Second time went well.

Now I am going to try out Green Beret (A500), a new game using Earok's Scorpion Engine! They have included an A500 mini version (.lha WHDload format):
https://danteretrodev.itch.io/greenberet

And Giana Sisters Special Edition (A500) by Pixelglass Games:
https://pixelglass.org/#gianase/download

[gimbal]

Yesterday I tortured myself. I played the Real Ghostbusters - so much potential, so shit! It's almost like they designed this one to be unplayable.

And Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles (the first game). Shitty collision detection + horrible controller = rage. Also crazy loading times. This one I need to revisit with a better joystick.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Now I am going to try out Green Beret (A500), a new game using Earok's Scorpion Engine! They have included an A500 mini version (.lha WHDload format):
https://danteretrodev.itch.io/greenberet

And Giana Sisters Special Edition (A500) by Pixelglass Games:
https://pixelglass.org/#gianase/download

Both WHDLoad installs of these games seem to be missing the Setpatch file. With Giana Sisters SE this results into a black screen (the ADF has no problems), but Green Beret loads up just fine after the failure message "Setpatch not found"...


@ BigB

Have a sneak peak at AMiNIMiga, the RTG version:
[ Show youtube player ]

Looking good so far!

[davediamond]

As far as games go, one of my faves was Turrican, then Dune 2, Millennium 2.2, Batman the Movie, The Untouchables, also Kick Off all versions.i want to try a few I didn't play back in the late eighties.i suppose I should mention Flashback, and Another World. All the aforementioned games were very well balanced, and in effect you become a lethal ninja after a few hours, so long as you don't use that stupid gamepad, as mentioned by someone above. You need a stick, and the very clicky Competition Pro is all we can use. Bring back Konix, all is forgiven.