Shonumi
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shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
Shonumi
@shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
16 followers 3 following 32 posts
Video game historian and preservationist. Author of the GBE+ emulator.

[bridged from https://mastodon.social/@Shonumi on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/ ]
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shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
Over the weekend, I added support for the Wave Scanner for Mega Man Starforce 1.

Very similar to the Wantame Card Scanner, but it did have some surprises. The core emulation logic is done, just need to work on GUI and .ini config stuff.

The device sends […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]
Successfully transferring level data via the Wave Scanner for War Rock. The effects of the level data transfer from the Wave Scanner. This enhances the players stats such as HP (+410 here) and other effects in battle such as a shield and the ability to launch more attacks. Once the level data is transferred, the character automatically transforms via the Starforce Transformation in battle, or something. I have not played any of the Starforce games actually... In addition to transforming, players can boost their attacks by swiping and scanning physical cards that match any of those on-screen. I have not compiled a long enough list of barcodes, so War Rock simply explains in a message here that the swiped card has no effect on any currently available attacks.
December 4, 2025 at 1:03 AM
shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
For most of September, I worked on emulating a card scanner for the DS. It's used for a game called Wantame Music Channel: Doko Demo Style.

You basically get to dress up 3D puppies and have them dance in rhythm games.

The scanner itself connects via the DS' […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]
A 3D dog from the game Wantame Music Channel: Doko Demo Style. She is wearing a strawberry cake dress, holding her paws out as a meter on the side of the screen fills up. A 3D dog from the game Wantame Music Channel: Doko Demo Style. She is wearing a gothic lolita dress and headdress, twirling around as a meter on the side of the screen fills up. A 3D dog from the game Wantame Music Channel: Doko Demo Style. She is wearing a fancy idol dress and a penguin-shaped hat. She bashfully looks down, embarrassed by the player's extreme lack of fashion sensibility.
September 29, 2025 at 2:18 AM
shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
I'm pleased to announce the release of my new book, "Nintendo's Lost Handheld: The Pokémon Mini"

Dive into Nintendo's long forgotten handheld, explore its fascinating history, take a tour of the hardware's capabilities, and browse it's full library of games! […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]
Cover of "Nintendo's Lost Handheld: The Pokémon Mini" featuring a cartoon vector recreation of the handheld and its cartridge. Preview of the introduction of the book. Beginning of the chapter focusing on the Pokemon Mini's hardware, starting with the CPU. Lead-in page for one of the Pokemon Mini's games, Pokemon Pinball mini, featuring data such as launch dates, supported hardware features, number of players, developer, and Game ID.
June 26, 2025 at 10:46 PM
shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
Also, the EUR release date of Pokemon Tetris is wrong!! It's been said it launched on the same day as the Pokemon Mini (Mar 15, 2002).

Super Juegos #122 (July 2002) says it was an upcoming release for Aug of that year.

Revista Pokemon #25 (July 2002) says […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]
Super Juegos Issue #122 article about upcoming Pokemon Shock Tetris. Relevant text below: "Aunque Nintendo reserva para el final del verano el grueso de sus lanzamientos en GameCube y GBA, ha decido aliviar un los calores estivales de los propietarios de Pokemon Mini con la comercialización en agosto de Pokemon Mini Shock Tetris; el legendario puzzle creado por Alexeo Pajitnov adaptado al universo de Pikachu y Cia" Revista Pokemon Issue #25 about the upcoming Pokemon Shock Tetris. Relevant text below: "La fiebre TETRIS se estrenará en septiembre en tu Pokemon Mini" "Nintendo lanzará un nuevo cartucho para tu MINI en septiembre, justo a la vuelta de las vacaciones. Por si no son suficientes la 'juerga' Party, el Pinball o la ajustada dificultad del Puzzle Collection ahora se anuncia el único título que podía hacer sombra a esos tres. Después de todo, ¿no fue Tetris el juego que comenzó el fenómeno Game Boy? Ya sabes, una consola superventas y que todo el mundo tiene, y tal. Bueno, en Pokemon MINI también jugaremos a eliminar líneas, pero como habrá Pokemon involucrados, habrá también un montón de sorpresas. Según parace, por cada cierto número de líneas nos haremos con un Pokemon. También tendremos rivales Pokemon contra los que ejercitamos en el noble arte de encajar piezas. En fin, que será una diversión de las que nos gustan. Y que está a la vuelta de la esquina."
June 17, 2025 at 10:11 PM
shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
So, the exact release date of the Pokemon Mini in Australia is unknown.

Websites (including Bulbapedia) will tell you it was released anywhere from Oct 3, 2001 to Oct 11, 2002.

Thankfully, the Australian magazine Nintendo Gamer covered it in their 8th issue […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]
Inside Table of Contents for Nintendo Gamer #8 (April 2002) Article from Nintendo Gamer Issue #8 (April 2002) about the Pokemon Mini. It covers the 4 games launched in that country. It mentions the Pokemon Mini being on sale in Australia at the time. This indicates a launch date some time in March 2002.
June 17, 2025 at 9:31 PM
shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
Here's something interesting I discovered today:

Apparently the developers for Pokemon Race Mini used some kind of debug mode or build to capture screenshots for their manual.

You can see this with the time: 9'59"99

Normally after reaching that time, the […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]
A single page from the manual of the game Pokemon Race Mini. It demonstrates several actions Pikachu can take in-game, such as jumping. The time in the top right corner reads 9'59"99, a time that is normally impossible to get in the game without crashing.
June 14, 2025 at 6:32 PM
shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
Pics so people don't have to give Reddit any clicks:
Glucoboy sitting next to a test strip? Someone holding a Glucoboy
June 8, 2025 at 8:37 PM
shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
One of the first examples of DLC for the Game Boy can now be emulated.

Pocket Family GB used the GB KISS LINK to download a Family Photo Event from Hudson's website. It allows players to save photos of their current family with the GB Printer.

DLC files […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]
GB KISS menu with the "Family Shot" DLC all the way to the right side. Executing the Family Shot DLC for Pocket Family GB. The final print of the Family Photo Event.
April 21, 2025 at 7:55 AM
shonumi.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
Back in 2018, I emulated the Soul Doll Adapter. Think toys-to-life Skylanders stuff, but on the GBA. It had 103 figurines that would unlock characters in the game.

I managed to recreate the data for most of them, but a handful I could never get working […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]
True Wind Dragon Soul Doll Blaze Dragon Alternate Version Soul Doll GW Nicole Soul Doll Colonel Blaze Dragon Zen Armed Soul Doll
April 3, 2025 at 11:10 PM