The “4 ROM Cart” pcb for the Snes.

The “4 ROM Cart” pcb for the Snes.
This pcb is packed with features! But, among its charm is its ease of use. One goal in developing this pcb was to make it easy to
use, in that, a lot of the settings are automatic. Sram saving among all 4 roms are all automatic. 256K sram switching is also a
single jumper now. It’s all been simplified to just a few sets of jumpers. More on this later.
This pcb comes with all necessary parts INCLUDING the multi-game PIC already programmed. No ROMs or battery is included. It
also comes with the super CIC which can run games in either PAL or NTSC region. This pcb will also fit inside either region cases.
NO CASE modification is necessary. NO STACKING of Rom chips!
This pcb is PRIMARILY for multi-game use like AST or Star Ocean. It would be an over-kill to use this pcb as a SINGLE rom game.
We have other pcbs more appropriate for small single game builds.
IF you have a RETRON5, then the MULTI-GAME FEATURE WILL NOT WORK because the R5 is a (poorly done)
emulation based console. Read the bottom section for more information.
This pcb can use these ROMs:
27c322 (32mbits, 4mBytes)
27c160 (16mbits, 2mBytes) This includes the Flash Rom version MX29F1615
27c800 (8mbits, 1mByte)
I’ll divide this manual into 4 sections.
Section 1: How to make a Single game (over-kill but hey, if that’s what you want to do)
Section 2: How to make ExHiRom games.
Section 3: How to make Star Ocean.
Section 4: How to use/build multi-games on this cart.
APPLICABLE TO ALL SINGLE GAME BUILDS:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
Section 1: Single game,
(NOT Star Ocean or ExHiROM)
Determine the size and mapper of the game you want to make. Jumper the appropriate Rom size jumper of the size of EPROM you are using. Picture #3
ROM1 will go into the ROM1 spot. If it is a LOW MAP game, jumper the ALL LOW pads. IF Hi Map, do nothing else. Picture #2
If the game requires 256K sram, then jumper the “No PIC 256k/64K Enable” shown in picture #6.
Jumper the “A21 no pic” jumper shown in picture #1
Solder in your battery. DONE!!!
Section 2: Single game, ExhiRom
Exhirom games are hi map. So jumper the “Single Ex/SO” jumper.
Picture #2, yellow arrows.
ROM1 is the first 4mB of the Exhirom game file. ROM2 is the 2 nd half of the 6mB (either 2mB or 4mB…….usually it’s 2mB). ROM1 size jumper will be 27c322
and ROM2 size jumper will be either 27c160 or 27c322 depending on what you want to use. Picture #3
Jumper the “A21 no pic” jumper shown in picture #1
Solder in your battery. DONE!!!
If you are making an ExLowRom game, then jumper the ALL LOW pads in addition to the above.
Section 3: Star Ocean
Star Ocean needs 3 27c322 Eproms. So jumper the 2 rom sizes accordingly. Picture #3
Star Ocean uses a custom rom set that will ONLY run on this pcb set. You cannot use any other set than the one designed for this pcb.
Bridge both yellow arrowed jumpers “Star Ocean only” and “Single Ex/SO” shown in Picture #2
ROM3 has to have 2 of its pins bent out and inserted into the holes labeled “SO” shown in picture #4 and #7.
Jumper the “A21 no pic” jumper shown in picture #1
Solder in your battery. DONE!!!
Multi-Game use:
This is the primary design of this PCB. To use as a multigame platform. The EASIEST multigame would be where all the games have
the same maps. But the chart system can run mixed map games so long as you build the cart according to the chart patterns.
The switching between the games is done by holding the reset on your console for approx. 3 seconds. The reset feature works on most CLONE consoles. The latest
version of the SupaBoy portable, you have to hold reset for about 13 seconds.
TO EXPLAIN all the charts and patterns would take way too much time and typing. Once you get the basic premise of how the charts work, then it’s just a matter of
what you want to build and matching it to a possible chart pattern.
Ancient Stone Tablets (AST): This is an easy build. Burn the 4 roms, and remember, the rom order on the pcb is 1,2,4,3. The CHART for AST is to jumper M2
In building AST, also bridge the ROM sizes and the “ALL LOW” map jumper. No chart jumpers, no mixed mapper jumpers and DO NOT BRIDGE THE “A21 No
PIC” jumper. Bridge ROM SIZES, add battery. You’re done. AST is the only game set that doesn’t use the normal “Chart Jumpers” pads.
Because AST uses the same sram file for each chapter, the SRAM does NOT do any banking.
The multi-game patterns are chosen by jumpers in combinations of the 4 Chart Select pads.
ONLY 1 MIXED MAPPER JUMPER CAN EVER BE USED. No Exceptions.
1 = high
0 = low
SINGLE GAME --- DEFAULT CHART (no jumpers)
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
Map
Map
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
10
1
SEL_B
11
0
SEL_A
12
0
SRAM A17
13
0
1 SAVE
Chart
Pattern
1 rom, 1 game
exhirom single also
1
NONE
ROM1
(AST 2mb vers. + 3) or (4x no save games + 3 saves)
SRAM SIZE
select C
Chart
Pattern
SRAM SIZE
select A
Map
Map
Map
Map
C
SEL_C
10
0
0
0
B
SEL_B
11
0
0
0
A
SEL_A
12
0
0
0
D
SRAM A17
13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
7 GAMES, 4 ROMS
4 SAVES
2
2&3&4
PIC # 1B
game size
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
ROM1
ROM2
ROM3
ROM4
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 4MB
game1
game2
game3
game4
game5
game6
save1
save2
game7
save3
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
Map
Map
3 GAMES, 3 ROMS
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
10
SEL_B
11
SEL_A
12
SRAM A17
13
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
C
Chart
Pattern
3 SAVES
3
3&2
game size
ROM1
ROM2
ROM3
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
game1
game2
game3
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
B
Map
A
Map
6 GAMES, 3 ROMS
6 SAVES
Chart
Pattern
D
4
2
SEL_C
SEL_B
SEL_A
SRAM A17
10
0
0
0
1
1
1
11
0
0
0
0
0
1
12
0
0
1
1
1
1
13
0
0
0
0
1
1
game size
ROM1
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
ROM1
ROM2
ROM2
ROM3
ROM3
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
game1
game2
game3
game4
game5
game6
SRAM SIZE
select
SRAM SIZE select
Map
C
Map
B
Map
A
Map
2 GAMES, 2 ROMS
2 SAVES
Chart Pattern
D
5
3
SEL_C
SEL_B
SEL_A
SRAM A17
10
0
1
11
1
0
12
1
1
13
0
0
C
SEL_C
game2
4 SAVES
AST choose the "M2" jumper for no
sram banking
game1
SRAM SIZE
select
SRAM SIZE select
Map
rom1
rom2
game size
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
Map
B
SEL_B
Map
A
SEL_A
Map
4 GAMES, 4 ROMS
and do NOT use 3&4 for AST
D
Chart Pattern
SRAM A17
6
3&4
10
11
12
13
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
game size
rom1
rom2
rom3
rom4
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
game1
game2
game3
game4
SRAM SIZE
select
SRAM SIZE select
REMOVE R34,35 FOR AST SAVES
Map
C
Map
B
Map
A
Map
4 GAMES, 2 ROMS
4 SAVES
2mB x 4
version
Chart Pattern
D
7
1
SEL_C
SEL_B
SEL_A
SRAM A17
10
0
0
1
11
0
1
1
12
0
0
0
13
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
ROM1
ROM2
ROM2
game2
game3
up to 2MB
game4
game1
SRAM SIZE
select
SRAM SIZE select
Map
ROM1
game size
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
Map
Map
Map
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
SEL_B
SEL_A
SRAM A17
10
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
11
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
13
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
8 GAMES, 4 ROMS
8 SAVES
Chart Pattern
ROM1
ROM1
ROM2
ROM2
ROM3
ROM3
ROM4
ROM4
game size
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
game1
game2
game3
game4
game5
game6
game7
game8
8
1&3
SRAM SIZE
select
SRAM SIZE select
Map
Map
Map
Map
C
B
A
D
3 GAMES, 2 ROMS
3 SAVES
Chart Pattern
9
1&4
SEL_C
SEL_B
SEL_A
SRAM A17
10
0
1
1
11
1
1
0
12
0
1
0
13
0
0
1
C
ROM1
ROM2
game size
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 4MB
game2
game3
4 SAVES
Chart Pattern
game1
SRAM SIZE
select
SRAM SIZE select
Map
ROM1
Map
B
Map
A
Map
D
4 GAMES, 3 ROMS
10
2&4
SEL_C
SEL_B
SEL_A
SRAM A17
10
0
11
1
12
0
13
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
ROM1
game size
up to 2MB
game1
ROM1
ROM2
up to 2MB
game2
up to 4MB
game3
rom3
up to 4MB
game4
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
Map
Map
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
10
1
1
0
0
1
SEL_B
11
1
1
0
0
0
SEL_A
12
0
0
0
0
1
SRAM A17
13
1
0
0
0
1
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
5 GAMES, 3 ROMs
5 SAVES
Chart
Pattern
game size
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
ROM1
ROM2
up to 4MB
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
Map
game1
game2
game3
game4
game5
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
ROM3
11
1&2&3
6 SAVES
Map
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
10
0
0
0
1
1
1
SEL_B
11
0
0
0
0
1
1
SEL_A
12
0
0
0
0
0
1
SRAM A17
13
0
0
1
1
1
0
6 games, 4 roms
Chart
Pattern
game size
ROM1
ROM2
rom3
rom4
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 2MB
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
game1
game2
game3
game4
game5
game6
16
1&2&3&4
BELOW THIS LINE ARE ExHiRom GAME'S MIXED IN
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
Map
2 SAVES
Map
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
10
0
1
SEL_B
11
1
0
SEL_A
12
1
1
SRAM A17
13
0
0
2 EX GAMES, 4 ROMS
Chart
Pattern 12 ex
4
rom1
rom2
game size
up to 8MB (2 X 4MB)
up to 8MB (2 X 4MB)
Ex game1
Ex game2
no map selection for this
chart
note: if you select B or C, this could be a mix of ExHirom and ExLorom games
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
Map
3 SAVES
Map
1 EX GAMES, 2 STANDARD GAMES, 4 ROMS
Standard games can be Hi or Lo
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
10
1
1
1
SEL_B
11
1
0
0
SEL_A
12
1
0
1
SRAM A17
13
1
1
0
grey area is mixed mapping!
rom1,2
rom3
rom4
game size
up to 8MB (2 X 4MB)
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
Chart
Pattern
Ex game1
game2
game3
13 ex
1&3&4
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
Map
4 SAVES
Map
1 EX GAMES, 3 STANDARD GAMES, 4 ROMS
Standard games can be Hi or Lo
based on mapper jumpers
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
10
1
1
SEL_B
11
1
0
SEL_A
12
1
0
SRAM A17
13
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
rom1,2
rom3
rom4
game size
up to 8MB (2 X 4MB)
up to 2MB
Chart
Pattern
14 ex
1&2&4
Ex game1
game2
DQ 3 ROM1&2
DQ 1+2 ROM3 lower
up to 2MB
game3
DQ 5
ROM3 upper
up to 4MB
game4
DQ 6
ROM4
grey area is mixed mapping!
DQ map
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
SRAM SIZE
select
Map
Map
4 SAVES
Map
1 EX GAMES, 3 STANDARD GAMES, 4 ROMS
Standard games can be Hi or Lo
based on mapper jumpers
C
B
A
D
SEL_C
10
SEL_B
11
SEL_A
12
SRAM A17
13
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
grey area is mixed mapping!
Chart
Pattern
15 ex
1&2
game size
rom1,2L
rom2U
rom3
rom4
up to 6MB (4MB+2MB LOWER ROM2 HALF))
up to 2MB
up to 4MB
up to 4MB
game2
game3
game4
Upper half of rom2
This pcb is made by SnesUnlimited. Contact at [email protected] or RetroCircuits.com
Known exceptions: Games that do NOT work on this pcb or cart creation pcb
Special chips games, of course will not work on this pcb.
Y’s III -- game runs but due to an unusual sram mapper, it won’t save.
The Retron 5 console. It’s an emulation based console and doesn’t have a reset button. It will run almost any game we make as a
single game. If you have a multi-game – it will run whatever game is at startup. You can switch the game over in a separate
console and then play it back in the R5. NOTE: the R5 will NOT update the carts with your saved progress. The saves that the R5
generates is only stored on the R5 and doesn’t save it back to a cartridge. We are not a fan of the R5 but we know people use it.
The RetroDuo portable is similar in that it has a controlled reset and you can’t “HOLD” it for 3 seconds. We do have other methods
to get game cycling on these consoles… so inquire.