retrodotcards.com
@retrodotcards.com
he/him
Making new games for the Nintendo GBA E-Reader and the GBA proper.
If you support Trump, JK Rowling, AI, or anything like that, please do not follow me.
https://retrodotcards.com
email [email protected]
Making new games for the Nintendo GBA E-Reader and the GBA proper.
If you support Trump, JK Rowling, AI, or anything like that, please do not follow me.
https://retrodotcards.com
email [email protected]
Pinned
retrodotcards.com
@retrodotcards.com
· May 31
New games for the #Nintendo E-Reader! Available July 27th at retrodotcards.com
(reposts appreciated!)
(reposts appreciated!)
A stretch goal I have for Pixel Pup GBA is a two player mode via the link cable, both coop and competitive. This is common in modern nonogram games.
I'm calling it a stretch goal at this point because although I think this is doable, I don't 100% know for sure just yet.
I'm calling it a stretch goal at this point because although I think this is doable, I don't 100% know for sure just yet.
February 7, 2026 at 6:34 PM
A stretch goal I have for Pixel Pup GBA is a two player mode via the link cable, both coop and competitive. This is common in modern nonogram games.
I'm calling it a stretch goal at this point because although I think this is doable, I don't 100% know for sure just yet.
I'm calling it a stretch goal at this point because although I think this is doable, I don't 100% know for sure just yet.
Reposted by retrodotcards.com
Happy #ScreenshotSaturday! This is Taiyaki Fabulous Test Kitchen, my upcoming #nonogram exploration game for #GBC. 🧩
Planned content:
- bigger island
- 400 puzzles (6x, 10x, 14x)
- costumes & collectibles
- lots of cute food 💖
#GBDev #GBStudio #IndieDev #GameDev #homebrew #TaiFab #PixelArt #ドット絵
Planned content:
- bigger island
- 400 puzzles (6x, 10x, 14x)
- costumes & collectibles
- lots of cute food 💖
#GBDev #GBStudio #IndieDev #GameDev #homebrew #TaiFab #PixelArt #ドット絵
February 7, 2026 at 2:27 PM
@objetdiscret.itch.io , who made the awesome Taiyaki Fabulous puzzles for the (now canceled) ereader version of Pixel Pup, is also on board for the GBA version. I'm excited to be working with them on this, object discret adds lots of great talent to the game.
February 6, 2026 at 5:22 PM
@objetdiscret.itch.io , who made the awesome Taiyaki Fabulous puzzles for the (now canceled) ereader version of Pixel Pup, is also on board for the GBA version. I'm excited to be working with them on this, object discret adds lots of great talent to the game.
Here is the trailer I was hoping to release today.
In case you missed it, this game is no longer coming out for the e-reader.
It will come out as a regular GBA game instead, but not in March :)
In case you missed it, this game is no longer coming out for the e-reader.
It will come out as a regular GBA game instead, but not in March :)
February 5, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Here is the trailer I was hoping to release today.
In case you missed it, this game is no longer coming out for the e-reader.
It will come out as a regular GBA game instead, but not in March :)
In case you missed it, this game is no longer coming out for the e-reader.
It will come out as a regular GBA game instead, but not in March :)
Reposted by retrodotcards.com
Homebrew GBA eReader cards may be finished. Terrible news! I only just got mine a couple months ago!
February 5, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Homebrew GBA eReader cards may be finished. Terrible news! I only just got mine a couple months ago!
Pixel Pup for the e-Reader will no longer be coming out.
A tiny bit more info here: www.retrodotcards.com/announcement
A tiny bit more info here: www.retrodotcards.com/announcement
February 5, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Pixel Pup for the e-Reader will no longer be coming out.
A tiny bit more info here: www.retrodotcards.com/announcement
A tiny bit more info here: www.retrodotcards.com/announcement
I really enjoyed this video, a great overview on coding for these old consoles. Makes me want to release Pixel Pup for the Pokemon Mini.
It's important I release it on all of Nintendo's obscure consoles.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=48Mg...
It's important I release it on all of Nintendo's obscure consoles.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=48Mg...
February 4, 2026 at 8:23 PM
I really enjoyed this video, a great overview on coding for these old consoles. Makes me want to release Pixel Pup for the Pokemon Mini.
It's important I release it on all of Nintendo's obscure consoles.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=48Mg...
It's important I release it on all of Nintendo's obscure consoles.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=48Mg...
Reposted by retrodotcards.com
I documented my process for archiving physical Nintendo e-Reader Cards using the GB Operator. There are new e-Reader games being developed by Matt Greer at @retrodotcards.com, so let's archive them! :)
👉 sethmlarson.dev/dumping-nint...
#gaming #gba #gameboy #ereader #nintendo
👉 sethmlarson.dev/dumping-nint...
#gaming #gba #gameboy #ereader #nintendo
Dumping Nintendo e‑Reader Card “ROMs”
The Nintendo e‑Reader
was a peripheral released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001. The Nintendo e‑Reader
allowed scanning “dotcode strips” to access extra content within games
or to play mini-gam...
sethmlarson.dev
February 4, 2026 at 2:22 PM
I documented my process for archiving physical Nintendo e-Reader Cards using the GB Operator. There are new e-Reader games being developed by Matt Greer at @retrodotcards.com, so let's archive them! :)
👉 sethmlarson.dev/dumping-nint...
#gaming #gba #gameboy #ereader #nintendo
👉 sethmlarson.dev/dumping-nint...
#gaming #gba #gameboy #ereader #nintendo
One of my orders has now been sitting in a Tennessee post office for almost a month. This winter has been insane!
February 4, 2026 at 2:56 PM
One of my orders has now been sitting in a Tennessee post office for almost a month. This winter has been insane!
Regular GBA dev: Oh, I have to do that myself? You know, the e-Reader used to do that for me...
February 4, 2026 at 12:59 AM
Regular GBA dev: Oh, I have to do that myself? You know, the e-Reader used to do that for me...
My first progress video of Pixel Pup for the Game Boy Advance after a couple days of coding.
Everything in this video is throw away, I'm just getting the lay of the land. I have a much better idea in mind for the menu system.
#screenshotsaturday #gba
Everything in this video is throw away, I'm just getting the lay of the land. I have a much better idea in mind for the menu system.
#screenshotsaturday #gba
January 31, 2026 at 1:32 PM
My first progress video of Pixel Pup for the Game Boy Advance after a couple days of coding.
Everything in this video is throw away, I'm just getting the lay of the land. I have a much better idea in mind for the menu system.
#screenshotsaturday #gba
Everything in this video is throw away, I'm just getting the lay of the land. I have a much better idea in mind for the menu system.
#screenshotsaturday #gba
This is a very cool discovery! e-Reader functions can have their parameters embedded directly in the game code. Which as far as I know, no one other than Nintendo has ever known.
It would have saved a chunk of space in my games, and it helps in further cracking how official cards were coded.
It would have saved a chunk of space in my games, and it helps in further cracking how official cards were coded.
I made a pretty big breakthrough last night on the e-Reader API!
A function has been tripping me up for a couple months now. It looked like it took parameters but I could never find them! Turns out, like RST n, the params are in ROM
Meet PlayStaticSystemSound!
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/ERAPI-Z...
A function has been tripping me up for a couple months now. It looked like it took parameters but I could never find them! Turns out, like RST n, the params are in ROM
Meet PlayStaticSystemSound!
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/ERAPI-Z...
ERAPI-Z80 - E-Reader Development
This is the Z80 version of ERAPI. The GBA version is here. The currently undocumented opcodes are here. Many ERAPI functions use Fixed Point.
ereader.miraheze.org
January 30, 2026 at 3:54 PM
This is a very cool discovery! e-Reader functions can have their parameters embedded directly in the game code. Which as far as I know, no one other than Nintendo has ever known.
It would have saved a chunk of space in my games, and it helps in further cracking how official cards were coded.
It would have saved a chunk of space in my games, and it helps in further cracking how official cards were coded.
I'm currently exploring porting Pixel Pup to the #GBA. It'd be much more polished and take advantage of the essentially infinite space and cpu.
The explore part is more if I think I want to do this and if I'd finish it. So far, I'm leaning towards yes.
The explore part is more if I think I want to do this and if I'd finish it. So far, I'm leaning towards yes.
January 28, 2026 at 10:49 PM
I'm currently exploring porting Pixel Pup to the #GBA. It'd be much more polished and take advantage of the essentially infinite space and cpu.
The explore part is more if I think I want to do this and if I'd finish it. So far, I'm leaning towards yes.
The explore part is more if I think I want to do this and if I'd finish it. So far, I'm leaning towards yes.
Tonight @fexcollects.standingintheodds.com and I explored the ereader some more. Along with using @timschuerewegen.bsky.social's doc, we were able to add and verify
- SetSoundTempo
- SquareRoot
- SetSpritePosAnimatedSpeedBlocking
- IsSpriteVisible
- FlashScreen
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/ERAPI-Z80
- SetSoundTempo
- SquareRoot
- SetSpritePosAnimatedSpeedBlocking
- IsSpriteVisible
- FlashScreen
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/ERAPI-Z80
ERAPI-Z80 - E-Reader Development
This is the Z80 version of ERAPI. The GBA version is here. The currently undocumented opcodes are here. Many ERAPI functions use Fixed Point.
ereader.miraheze.org
January 28, 2026 at 3:35 AM
Tonight @fexcollects.standingintheodds.com and I explored the ereader some more. Along with using @timschuerewegen.bsky.social's doc, we were able to add and verify
- SetSoundTempo
- SquareRoot
- SetSpritePosAnimatedSpeedBlocking
- IsSpriteVisible
- FlashScreen
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/ERAPI-Z80
- SetSoundTempo
- SquareRoot
- SetSpritePosAnimatedSpeedBlocking
- IsSpriteVisible
- FlashScreen
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/ERAPI-Z80
The e-Reader function, SetTextSize, is one I have avoided because it didn't always work correctly.
@fexcollects.standingintheodds.com cracked the code on it using Ghidra. We really need to crack the whole rom using Ghidra. Some day :)
@fexcollects.standingintheodds.com cracked the code on it using Ghidra. We really need to crack the whole rom using Ghidra. Some day :)
January 27, 2026 at 8:44 PM
The e-Reader function, SetTextSize, is one I have avoided because it didn't always work correctly.
@fexcollects.standingintheodds.com cracked the code on it using Ghidra. We really need to crack the whole rom using Ghidra. Some day :)
@fexcollects.standingintheodds.com cracked the code on it using Ghidra. We really need to crack the whole rom using Ghidra. Some day :)
Some uncut play footage I'm going to put at the end of the trailer.
I might reshoot this though 🤔
I might reshoot this though 🤔
January 26, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Some uncut play footage I'm going to put at the end of the trailer.
I might reshoot this though 🤔
I might reshoot this though 🤔
More fun with proofs. I have to hand cut these out but they scan beautifully. Pretty sure I'll be giving the printer the green light in about an hour
January 26, 2026 at 5:28 PM
More fun with proofs. I have to hand cut these out but they scan beautifully. Pretty sure I'll be giving the printer the green light in about an hour
Someone placed a pretty big order. And of course, this is the one order the postal service decided to take on a 50 state tour. Sorry customer, it will get there eventually (I hope...)
January 26, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Someone placed a pretty big order. And of course, this is the one order the postal service decided to take on a 50 state tour. Sorry customer, it will get there eventually (I hope...)
The NES emulator on the eReader has problems with many early games. Tim Schuerewegen did compatibility testing around the time the eReader came out. His work paved the way to the new games that are coming out today, thanks Tim!
I copied his list into the wiki:
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/Standal...
I copied his list into the wiki:
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/Standal...
Standalone: NES Games - E-Reader Development
The e-Reader also contains an NES emulator. This is how Nintendo released all of the NES games for the e-Reader The NES game, Excitebike, in e-Reader card format
ereader.miraheze.org
January 24, 2026 at 10:34 PM
The NES emulator on the eReader has problems with many early games. Tim Schuerewegen did compatibility testing around the time the eReader came out. His work paved the way to the new games that are coming out today, thanks Tim!
I copied his list into the wiki:
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/Standal...
I copied his list into the wiki:
ereader.miraheze.org/wiki/Standal...
I've started a beast of a blog post on e-reader card types. I am going to tackle it in chunks.
For starters: z80, native, nes and SMA4 e-reader cards
www.mattgreer.dev/blog/ereader...
For starters: z80, native, nes and SMA4 e-reader cards
www.mattgreer.dev/blog/ereader...
E-Reader Card Types
A broad intro to many of the e-Reader's card types
www.mattgreer.dev
January 24, 2026 at 6:58 PM
I've started a beast of a blog post on e-reader card types. I am going to tackle it in chunks.
For starters: z80, native, nes and SMA4 e-reader cards
www.mattgreer.dev/blog/ereader...
For starters: z80, native, nes and SMA4 e-reader cards
www.mattgreer.dev/blog/ereader...
I made a tweak to Smaghetti, my Super Mario Advance 4 level editor. It is now much easier to convert Smaghetti levels into e-reader cards.
With a level loaded in the editor, click the beaker in the lower right. In the modal that pops up, click "Download level as .bin".
With a level loaded in the editor, click the beaker in the lower right. In the modal that pops up, click "Download level as .bin".
January 24, 2026 at 12:54 AM
I made a tweak to Smaghetti, my Super Mario Advance 4 level editor. It is now much easier to convert Smaghetti levels into e-reader cards.
With a level loaded in the editor, click the beaker in the lower right. In the modal that pops up, click "Download level as .bin".
With a level loaded in the editor, click the beaker in the lower right. In the modal that pops up, click "Download level as .bin".
The proof cards are interesting. They coated the entire card instead of just where the artwork is. This led to very glossy and very plastic cards. They've grown on me and I actually really like them. But only about half the cards scan due to the coating. So we're going to run another proof.
January 22, 2026 at 10:23 PM
The proof cards are interesting. They coated the entire card instead of just where the artwork is. This led to very glossy and very plastic cards. They've grown on me and I actually really like them. But only about half the cards scan due to the coating. So we're going to run another proof.