How to play games

This is a short overview of common commands for people that only know the C64 (and other Commodore computers) and want to try out other computer Cores to play some games. This is no full documentation, just the bare essentials to get started.

Atari 400/800/XL

Good to know

When you are ONLY using an analog monitor and not HDMI output, please press SPACE once to start the display. The initial screen is only visible on HDMI.

File formats

You need to get games either as .atr or as.xex files. Other formats (especially cartridges) are not supported currently.

Loading disks (.atr)

To load a disk you need to mount it in the menu you reach by pressing the HELP key. Then you reboot the Atari by pressing F11.

Some programs require that the BASIC ROM is disabled. To achieve that, hold F1 while pressing F11.

Many older games in .atr format require the Atari 400/800 mode you can find in System Settings.

Loading programs (.xex)

Many Atari Games have been repacked into a format that resembles a .prg on the C64, but can continue loading data while a picture is displayed or an intro is running. You mount and start a .xex directly in the HELP menu. Games in this format require the machine to be set in xL/xE mode in the System Settings

Joystick control

Standard Joysticks with one fire button are supported. They should be connected in the front port (near the reset button). The Core does not support port switching yet.

Special keys

When software asks you to press special keys, here is a short rundown of the most important keys:

Amiga 500

Good to know

The current versions of the Amiga 500 Core does only support disks and not harddisks. So “WHDLoad” games will not work at all. Also some games require all RAM available to themselves. For this you need to disable all drives but df0: in the settings. And finally, some game do not like the extra memory available. For these you need to disable Slow RAM in the settings.

Amstrad / Schneider CPC

Good to know

When you are ONLY using an analog monitor and not HDMI output, please press HELP once to start the display. The initial screen is only visible on HDMI.

Loading disks

To load a game you need a .dsk image of the game (or use the tools in the HELP menu to read a real disk). There is not automatic boot. You need to find out how to start the program by typing CAT and pressing RETURN. Most often the game is started by the very first file you see like GAME.BAS. You then need to type RUN "GAME and press RETURN. The Amstrads do not have wildcards like the C64 for filenames, but you can at least skip the extension and the second quote.

Apple II

Good to know

If you have an Amiga-compatible mouse in one of the ports of the MEGA65, the Apple II switches into a diagnostic mode from which you can not start any games. Remove the mouse to be able to run games.

Many games feature weird looking green and magenta ghosting especially on text or white lines. That actually is the way the original Apple II video logic worked to squeeze out color from an NTSC signal.

Use a joystick in the front (close to the Reset button) port of the MEGA65.

Loading disks

In the current version, mounting a .nib or .dsk disk image while the Apple II main screen is displayed is enough to then start the game.

Should you see a prompt and want to boot the mounted disk, type PR#6 and press RETURN.

Should a disk not automatically load a game, type either CAT or CATALOG to get a list of files. Files marked with an A usually are BASIC files and can be started by RUN filename. Files marked with a B should be started with BRUN filename.

MSX Computers

Good to know

The current version of the Core can only load Cartridge files. Disk and Tape support is coming. Only MSX-1 cartridges work; games designed for MSX-2 will not work.