Could the DS emulate a 800xl, c64 or better?

[kevin242]

I was thinking once the homebrew scene picks up a bit on the DS (if ever)

will we see a Atari 8bit emulater at full speed? Im pretty sure the DS

could do Atari8bit/c64/NES emulation right? What about ATari ST/Amiga/SNES

16 bit level?

 

Anyone here familiar enough with the Nintendo DS hardware to say what

the most technically powerful sys it could emulate? It seems a natural

choice for retro computers because you could use the touch screen to

emulate both a mouse and a keyboard.

 

 

 

this is all theoretical at the moment of course.

[oesii]

I haven't seen most of those systems in development for the DS so I'm also curious as to what it can handle. Their are NES and SNES emulators among many others on this page:

 

http://www.zophar.net/consoles/nds.phtml

 

I've only tried the 2600 emu on the DS, the other ones seem to be early in development.

[JB]

Depends on what level of accuracy you want.

 

You could get a playable emulation of the NES era, at least. Look at some of the old DOS NES emus.

They aren't perfect by any means, but they're good enough for just playing.

 

Besides which, Nintendo's already got an NES emulator for the (weaker) GBA.

Edited December 24, 2005 by JB

[Xizer]

The DS is powerful enough to emulate systems up the SNES/Genesis. If in the hands of a highly skilled emulator coder (perhaps Rand, one of the guys behind bleemcast), it may be possible to emulate Nintendo 64/PS1 games.

[kevin242]

The DS is powerful enough to emulate systems up the SNES/Genesis. If in the hands of a highly skilled emulator coder (perhaps Rand, one of the guys behind bleemcast), it may be possible to emulate Nintendo 64/PS1 games.

988852[/snapback]

 

Judging from the links provided in this thread I agree. Would love to see a Atari ST or

Amiga emulator for the Ds.

[Pinball Wizzard]

I think that if any PSOne or 3DO emulator will ever be on DS, it will not run at full speed and may be will not run with sound. Not an emu-coder anyway but I think that best we can hope for DS is good Genesis emulator.

[SteveW]

it may be possible to emulate Nintendo 64/PS1 games.

988852[/snapback]

 

I always believed that the DS was based on N64 technology, although it doesn't look like the DS has the N64's muddy anti-aliasing problems.

[kevin242]

it may be possible to emulate Nintendo 64/PS1 games.

988852[/snapback]

 

I always believed that the DS was based on N64 technology, although it doesn't look like the DS has the N64's muddy anti-aliasing problems.

988922[/snapback]

 

 

It's got alot of Ports from the 64 but if anything it is based on GBA tech, which is

what allows such an easy transition for GBA developers and full GBA compatibility.

[sega saturn x]

it may be possible to emulate Nintendo 64/PS1 games.

988852[/snapback]

 

I always believed that the DS was based on N64 technology, although it doesn't look like the DS has the N64's muddy anti-aliasing problems.

988922[/snapback]

 

 

It's got alot of Ports from the 64 but if anything it is based on GBA tech, which is

what allows such an easy transition for GBA developers and full GBA compatibility.

989087[/snapback]

Yeah it's got a lot of n64 ports a whopping 3 games.

[kevin242]

it may be possible to emulate Nintendo 64/PS1 games.

988852[/snapback]

 

I always believed that the DS was based on N64 technology, although it doesn't look like the DS has the N64's muddy anti-aliasing problems.

988922[/snapback]

 

 

It's got alot of Ports from the 64 but if anything it is based on GBA tech, which is

what allows such an easy transition for GBA developers and full GBA compatibility.

989087[/snapback]

Yeah it's got a lot of n64 ports a whopping 3 games.

989101[/snapback]

 

 

 

that's more ports then any other system! Another reason why someone

might think it is based on N64 tech is due to it being considered around

as powereful as a n64 (similar to how people say the GBA is a suped up

SNES).

 

 

 

Im not sure if you are counting

Mario Kart as a n64 port or not, but I just got a copy today as a present so I can finally go online!

 

So Im finally online and get my butt handed to me!!! Now I just to have to

figure out why I am getting beaten so damn bad??

Edited December 25, 2005 by kevin242

[sega saturn x]

it may be possible to emulate Nintendo 64/PS1 games.

988852[/snapback]

 

I always believed that the DS was based on N64 technology, although it doesn't look like the DS has the N64's muddy anti-aliasing problems.

988922[/snapback]

 

 

It's got alot of Ports from the 64 but if anything it is based on GBA tech, which is

what allows such an easy transition for GBA developers and full GBA compatibility.

989087[/snapback]

Yeah it's got a lot of n64 ports a whopping 3 games.

989101[/snapback]

 

 

 

that's more ports then any other system! Im not sure if you are counting

Mario Kart, I just got a copy today as a present so I can finally go online!

 

So I go online and get my butt handed to me!!! Now I just to have to

figure out why I am getting beaten so damn bad??

989153[/snapback]

 

You're joking right? That may be more n64 ports than any other system but not in general. And the games ridge racer, mario and rayman, that's pretty much it.

[kevin242]

....

 

You're joking right?  That may be more n64 ports than any other system but not in general.  And the games ridge racer, mario and rayman, that's pretty much it.

989156[/snapback]

 

 

well not haha joking! I think (like I said earlier) the reason someone might think the

DS is based on 64 hardware is prob because Mario 64 was one of the first big

games for the Ds and remains one of the most popular (in overall sales) The Ds

has around the same over tech power as a 64 (sort of like the GBA is often compared

to a suped SNES)

 

Right now I am charging my DS so I can go back online and race in Mario Kart. One

thing I will say about the DS it is a hell of a lot more fun then the 64 ever was (IMO).

[sega saturn x]

....

 

You're joking right?  That may be more n64 ports than any other system but not in general.  And the games ridge racer, mario and rayman, that's pretty much it.

989156[/snapback]

 

 

well not haha joking! I think (like I said earlier) the reason someone might think the

DS is based on 64 hardware is prob because Mario 64 was one of the first big

games for the Ds and remains one of the most popular (in overall sales) The Ds

has around the same over tech power as a 64 (sort of like the GBA is often compared

to a suped SNES)

 

Right now I am charging my DS so I can go back online and race in Mario Kart. One

thing I will say about the DS it is a hell of a lot more fun then the 64 ever was (IMO).

989207[/snapback]

I think some where along the line we lost what we were arguing about. Anyway, overall I think DS games just look better than n64 games. Even if their isn't a huge difference in hardware, games generally looks smoother around the edges. Some games on the n64 look this way though, pokemon stadium is really the only one I can think of and I think it's because of how little needed to be on screen. shame the game sucks.

 

One reason I think ds games look better a lot of the time is because developers know how to deal with the systems limits. And really I would rather have a great looking 2-d castlevania game than the terrible looking and playing 3-d castlevania on the 64. That's what I think anyway.

[kevin242]

One reason I think ds games look better a lot of the time is because developers know how to deal with the systems limits.  And really I would rather have a great looking 2-d castlevania game than the terrible looking and playing 3-d castlevania on the 64.  That's what I think anyway.

989227[/snapback]

 

 

 

You arent kidding!! finally got a copy of Castlevania and I seriously

thought my days of being impressed by 2d sidescrollers were way way

behind me... but Konami did it again! A great game. I agree if they

tried to squeeze a 3d game into a ds it might have been good but it

couldnt equal Dawn of Sorrow. It's amazing I have 12 great games for the

DS : Mario 64, Warioware, Zoo Keeper, Yoshi, Polarium, Nanostray,

Kirby, Pac N Roll, Feel the magic, Castlevania DS, Mario Kart and Mario

and Luigi. The system has been out only for one year and there are still

some great games I dont have Animal Crossing, Sonic Rush etc.. with

more on the way like the new SMB and Metroid Prime. Ive owned tons of

systems and even 3 or 4 handhelds over the years but nothing has had

this many great games so soon after it's launch and I dont think any console

or handheld has had such a consistently good library of games.

 

I know this sounds corny, but to me the Nintendo DS is the best platform

for games since prob the hey day of the Amiga.

[classicgamingguy]

I have to agree that Castlevania for the DS is a great experience. Who says 2d games are dead? If you play Castlevania for the DS, you'll eat your own words. Mario and Luigi surprised me for being so good, having played the first one on the GBA sp..great game, lots to do, and lots of humor.

 

Steve

[Ze_ro]

It's worth pointing out that there are already excellent (well, I haven't tried them, but from all indications they are excellent) C64 and 800XL emulators available for the GP2X, which is actually a slightly less powerful system than the DS... so I'm sure the DS is capable of doing it, it's just a matter of someone actually taking the time to port the emulators.

 

--Zero

[Shannon]

Disclaimer: I hardly no anything about current existing DS emulators.

 

To answer the original question I would say most likely yes. The atari 800 and C64 are fairly straightforward. Now the 2600 is a whole nother story.

 

Given current trends for emulators on consoles/handhelds. Including the dreamcast, xbox, GP32, and PSP (I'm not even gonna bother with the cube and PS2) I would say the DS will dab it's feet into the 16-bit arena.

 

I'd be surprised to see full speed SNES emulation. Genesis I would say is hopeful. TG16 as well. Amiga highly unlikely considering that the xbox version barely runs due to RAM constraints. ST pretty likely as well. Lynx would probably be too slow. I'd be willing to bet someone willing to optimize could get lynx running full speed, but sadly it seems to be fairly unpopular.

 

This is assuming full speed (no frameskip) and sound.

Edited January 3, 2006 by Shannon