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luigiblood · 2 years

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The oddities of Nintendo Switch Online retro service

I've talked about a lot of things about this service, on Twitter, on Tumblr, but also a lot on Discord, but I have been thinking about a post where I could put all the accumulated information that I've gotten over the years through datamining and leaks.

Here's a post about all the little things that you may not know about the retro service of Nintendo Switch Online.

Identifiers and Stats

One of the most obvious parts of datamining these apps is that each game have a unique identifier rather than just being a game name.

On NES Switch Online, they use identifiers identical to the NES Mini ROMs, which are usually like CLV-P-H***J or CLV-P-N***E for Japanese and English, usually. On SNES, they use now an identifier like this S-****_j or S-****_e and other consoles follow suit.

The thing about these identifiers is that they have an order, they all usually follow each other. But in all the apps, there are always gaps, and those gaps can tell a huge story.

Currently as of February 2nd 2023, there are 66 Famicom games, 63 NES games, 53 Super Famicom games, and 55 Super Nintendo games on the service on all regions. If you start counting the gaps, it seems that internally, they have 185 NES titles and 174 SNES titles MINIMUM. This is a pretty huge difference.

Thanks to a leaked build of NES Switch Online from last year, we can figure out some of those missing titles, involving mostly Capcom and Konami, which are unlikely to release on the service as most of them were rereleased through collections before, though it hasn't necessarily stopped them.

That said, if you remember, we had done a similar research with Nintendo 64 and Genesis titles at launch, which the press have definitely talked about, where we found out there were potentially 38 N64 titles and 52 Genesis titles running internally at minimum, but Nintendo has actually done us dataminers a bit of a response: All IDs on N64 and Genesis are now randomized since the first updates, which means we cannot do this kind of research anymore.

That said the updates to NES and SNES apps have not done this change, they probably decided it wasn't worth it. But all that to say that Nintendo is definitely taking notice of our datamining (and won't be the last time) and won't necessarily hesitate to throw us for a loop.

The secrets of NES Switch Online 2.0.0 update

Now I'm definitely going way back in December 2018, 4 months after the debut of the full Nintendo Switch Online service after a year delay (do you actually remember that?).

In January 2019, people started to take notice of SNES game descriptions within the language files, hinting SNES Switch Online coming in the near future, and the potential games coming.

To this day, all the games except two released on the service: We're missing The Legend of the Mystical Ninja and Contra III: The Alien Wars.

The other thing that was noticed is what's called an enumeration of emulator types:

EMULATOR_TYPE_CANOE = 0 EMULATOR_TYPE_KACHIKACHI = 1 EMULATOR_TYPE_HIYOKO = 2 EMULATOR_TYPE_COUNT = 3

Canoe is the name of the SNES emulator since SNES Mini, Kachikachi is the name of the NES emulator since NES Mini, Hiyoko was, at the time, unknown, but turned out to be the Game Boy (Color) emulator, and Count is most likely a counter, to say there are 3 different emulator types, it's a programming standard.

What most people ignored at the time is that the app also included a function called getEmulatorTypeFromCode, which would return the Emulator Type based on the identifiers I talked about earlier.

Once I took notice of this and checking other code making use of it, I figured out something huge, and after talking to an actual reliable insider who also confirmed it (don't get used to this), my conclusion: They had originally developed a multi-emulator app, which would have included all games from NES, SNES and GB in one single app.

Now you may wonder why this didn't pan out, I don't have the exact reason but I can have some educated guesses: Aside from the accidental reveal of SNES emulator on Switch which I think is not that huge, I think the seperation of systems is probably because of the developers wanting to compatimentalize the development instead of having to test a huge app every time they wanted to update it to avoid potential huge regressions.

I think it's not necessarily a bad reason, as a developer I also take importance of the ease of development VS user experience, and I do think this decision is not really a bad thing overall, making a multi emulator can be extremely hard and you could deal with problems because of decisions taken extremely early on.

The secrets of SNES Switch Online

The SNES emulator derived from the Wii U Virtual Console by NERD has a bunch of secrets that you may not know about... such as the currently unused SNES Mouse emulation.

Once you start checking around the code about how to enable the SNES Mouse emulation, you find out two things:

It can be enabled using metadata within the custom ROM format.

It was able to be force enabled using specific internal emulator Game IDs.

The most interesting part of the Game IDs is that only 3 Game IDs specifically forced the SNES Mouse to be emulated: 0x11A0, 0x11A2 and 0x11A3. If we just keep ourselves to SNES titles that could only work with the SNES Mouse... we could think of only two, actually. Most of the SNES games that supports the mouse can also just work with the controller.

We can only think of Mario Paint and Mario & Wario as SNES titles that only works with SNES Mouse, but also both are first titles, so in terms of rights, there's no issues here.

The problem is like, what's the third title? And that's where we can have a lot of ideas here.

The thing about those emulator Game IDs is that they don't correspond to the Switch Online IDs, they correspond to IDs that have been populated since the Wii, but especially Wii U Virtual Console, but we don't exactly know when NERD took over the emulator from Intelligent Systems. It is currently impossible to tell for sure.

So we can only think of the following:

The third title is actually the PAL version of Mario Paint, when they used to seperate game versions in different IDs.

The third title is Sound Fantasy, the unreleased but confirmed to be completed third SNES Mouse first party game.

Or it is a game that Nintendo decided it was better to play with a mouse rather than the controller, but I don't think it's likely.

Unfortunately I don't know for certain.

One other thing about the SNES Switch Online service, you may have noticed that some of the games currently on the service can actually be played up to 4 players at the same time... at least outside of it since the emulator locks you up to 2 players maximum.

If you thought that they did not emulate the Multitap, you'd be wrong. In fact, the games in question all contain metadata saying up to 4 players, unlike what the menus might tell you, and they all technically emulate the SNES Multitap, but the user interface can only allow you 2 players, so it's sorta funny that the second player is technically plugged to the multitap from an emulation standpoint.

Funny.

The secrets of N64 Switch Online

This part has some plot twists to it, but in fact I should rather say the secrets of the N64 Wii U Virtual Console emulator, as most of these things were brought over from this.

Unlike what most people might tell you, NERD has not much to do with the N64 emulation, it was developed by iQue. If you wonder what's my evidence, the debug menu between the NES/GB VC emulator for 3DS (which is confirmed done by iQue because the source code of it leaked in 2020), and the N64 VC emulator for Wii U are pretty much the same.

I may as well mention the biggest secret of all which had a plot twist later: The N64 emulator used to have unfinished 64DD emulation code in it, since Wii U.

I do insist on unfinished because it was nowhere near enough to boot a single 64DD game, but they for some reason included a Sim City 64 configuration file on Wii U at one point, probably for initial testing.

When the emulator was ported to Switch with improvements such as Vulkan graphics rendering on Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Nintendo 64 Switch Online app, a bunch of the 64DD emulation code stayed as is, in the same unfinished state.

However something funny happened in between, the emulator had code to recognize the fanmade 64DD cartridge ports, and those are definitely fanmade, and they must have looked at other emulation code for it, and most likely, code that I even wrote myself as I did add support for these in emulators before. Note that at that point, the code to boot those games were not seemingly present, or maybe I missed it.

So I would like to assume iQue had still wanted to make 64DD games working, but wanted to test on easier to emulate versions of the games. That said, I did mention this on Twitter... and then they removed every single line of code involving 64DD in the 1.2.0 update build in January 2022. It was probably not literally removed, just not compiled as it is still a good skeleton code for it. I am definitely convinced that I'm being looked at.

When it comes to other stuff in the emulator... well did you know that the Controller Pak, the memory cartridge that you put inside the controller's slot to save in a bunch of games, is actually fully emulated since Wii U?

It is very annoying that they had something like this working, but couldn't figure out to swap between both that and the Rumble Pak for games that could make use of both.

If you wonder about the Transfer Pak, the Wii U has a bit of it, but it's just turning the hardware ON and OFF, and this code has stayed as is on Switch. I know Emily Rogers has mentioned there were experiments and I believe her, but unfortunately, the code must be in a seperate branch and not put in place in N64 Switch Online builds.

If you tell me "oh they didn't plan Pokémon transfers for Pokémon Stadium," please look at the japanese Direct about it and you'll find a widely different sentence that does not actually rule out support for this, stating that "Pokémons cannot be transferred from the Game Boy." I dunno about you, but that's a statement that makes it vague because they could just mean the actual real Game Boy.

Now I'm not really dumb, as Nintendo has showed that Switch Online is mostly low budget and does the bare minimum, but there are things that shows a bit more attention to things...

When it comes to new things that weren't in the emulator on Wii U, they actually emulated the Real Time Clock chip from Animal Crossing's N64 original version. This code actually isn't in Super Mario 3D All-Stars, this must be a fairly new addition, and since there's only one game using it, it is fair to assume Animal Crossing is actually in a working state in the emulator.

When Mario Golf was added to the service, the Lua script dedicated for it is... a bit odd. It includes code for asynchronous netplay, where each player would take control of the game in turns in an attempt to optimize the netplay and reduce lag. This code is fully unused, there's not even the functions that it uses in the emulator yet.

This could also be additional evidence towards my theory that the NSO apps would see a refresh including user experience to some extent, but this stuff was added since April 2022, so whatever they are doing, it's certainly in private and has been in the works for almost a year now.

This post... is a bit long already, and there are still a bunch of other little secrets to uncover, but I think I covered the most technical ones so far, I hope this post is mostly clear about these secrets. Feel free to give me feedback.

#nintendo switch online #snes #super nintendo #nintendo 64 #nes #secrets #tech #nintendo

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d1c3r · 2 years

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Топ по годам

Сначала указаны игры, которые мне удалось пройти и оценить. Полужирным выделены игры, на которые следует обратить особое внимание.

После этого курсивом выделены игры, в которые мне не удалось поиграть, но хотелось бы или которые, на мой взгляд, оказали сильное влияние на индустрию.

В топе не учитывались дополнения и DLC, за исключением некоторых, позиционирующихся самостоятельными играми. В дальнейшем этот пункт может быть пересмотрен. Также, некоторые крупные игры отсутствуют в списке, поскольку не вызывают у меня никакого интереса. Если не нашли важную игру, но считаете необходимым включить её в этот топ - пишите в комменты.

Топ будет дополняться и исправляться по мере выхода и прохождения игр или по иным причинам.

Можете поделиться своим топом или впечатлениями в комментах.

1987

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Zelda II: The Adventures of Link

Contra

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1988

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Wasteland

1989

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Prince of Persia

Golden Axe

1990

The Secret of Monkey Island

Chip ’n Dale Rescue Rangers

Final Fantasy III

Dr. Mario

Dragon's Lair

1991

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Battletoads

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Road Rash

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Final Fantasy IV

Final Fantasy Adventure

Golden Axe II

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1992

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Wolfenstein 3D

Final Fantasy V

1993

Disney's Aladdin

Doom

The Legend of Zelda: Linl's Awakining

Secret of Mana

Sam & Max Hit the Road

1994

DOOM II: Hell on Earth

The Lion King

Earthworm Jim

Final Fantasy VI

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans

System Shock

1995

Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness

Comix Zone

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Full Throttle

1996

Quake

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

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1997

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Star Wars: Dark Forces II

Quake II

Blood

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MDK

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Postal

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

1998

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Blood II: The Chosen

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Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines

1999

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver

Unreal Tournament

Planescape: Torment

Silent Hill

Final Fantasy VIII

System Shock 2

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

Shenmue

2000

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The Sims

Hitman: Codename 47

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Final Fantasy IX

The Operative: No One Lives Forever

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MDK 2

American McGee's Alice

2001

Return to Castle Wolfenstein

Max Payne

Halo: Combat Evolved

Serious Sam: The First Encounter

Grand Theft Auto III

Silent Hill 2

Devil May Cry

Final Fantasy X

Red Faction

Black & White

Ico

Onimusha: Warlords

Aliens vs. Predator 2

Shennmue II

Clive Barker's Undying

2002

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault

Dungeon Siege

Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Neverwinter Knights

Freedom Force

No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way

Resident Evil

2003

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Beyond Good & Evil

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

Need for Speed: Underground

Freedom Fighters

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Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

Manhunt

2004

Half-Life 2

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Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

Sacred

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Need for Speed: Underground 2

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

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The Sims 2

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Far Cry

Sid Meier's Pirates!

Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines

The Suffering

The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth

Painkiller

Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault

2005

Star Wars: Republic Commando

Jade Empire

Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones

Sid Meier's Civilization IV

Lego Star Wars

Farhenheit

Call of Duty 2

Age of Empires II

Resident Evil 4

Shadow of the Colossus

Psychonauts

Quake 4

F.E.A.R.

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Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30

Dungeon Siege II

Serious Sam II

2006

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Gears of War

Prey

Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

Company of Heroes

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Final Fantasy XII

Tomb Raider: Legend

2007

BioShock

Assassin's Creed

Mass Effect

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

The Witcher

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

Portal

Crysis

Halo 3

World in Conflict

Stranglehold

Hellgate: London

Timeshift

2008

Grand Theft Auto IV

Gears of War 2

Dead Space

Prince of Persia

Bully

Fallout 3

Spore

Far Cry 2

2009

Assassin's Creed II

Dragon Age: Origins

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Bayonetta

Halo 3: ODST

2010

Red Dead Redemption

StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty

Mass Effect 2

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Fallout: New Vegas

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Shank

Alan Wake

Limbo

Call of Duty: Black Ops

BioShock 2

Halo: Reach

Metro 2033

Darksiders

Medal of Honor

Vanquish

Alpha Protocol

2011

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Dragon Age II

Rayman Origins

Gears of War 3

Bastion

Portal 2

Assassin's Creed: Revelations

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Dead Space 2

Crysis 2

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

L.A. Noire

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

2012

1. Max Payne 3 2. Far Cry 3 3. Spec Ops: The Line 4. Sleeping Dogs 5. Hotline Miami 6. Dishonored 7. Diablo III 8. Mass Effect 3

The Walking Dead: The Game

Journey

Mark of the Ninja

Assassin's Creed III

Halo 4

2013

1. Rayman Legends 2. BioShock Infinite 3. The Last of Us 4. Tomb Raider 5. Brother's: A Tale of Two Sons 6. Grand Theft Auto V

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

The Stanley Parable

Metro: Last Light

Rogue Legacy

The Wolf Among Us

2014

Wolfenstein: The New Order

Valiant Hearts: The Great War

Far Cry 4

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

South Park: The Stick of Truth

The Banner Saga

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Transistor

The Evil Within

Assassin's Creed: Unity

Watch Dogs

Sunset Overdrive

2015

The Witcher III: Wild Hunt

Ori & The Blind Forest

Life is Strange

Mad Max

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Fallout 4

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

Undertale

SOMA

Crypt of the NecroDancer

2016

Fury

Doom

Owlboy

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Hyper Light Drifter

Firewatch

Final Fantasy XV

Inside

The Banner Saga 2

Titanfall 2

No Man's Sky

Gears of War 4

Quantum Break

The Last Guardian

Super Hot

Dishonored 2

Ratchet & Clank

2017

1. Assassin's Creed: Origins 2. Horizon: Zero Dawn 3. Cuphead 4. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Nier: Automata

Pyre

Little Nightmares

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Prey

2018

1. Red Dead Redemption II 2. God of War 3. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey 4. Gris 5. Into the Breach

Return of the Obra Dinn

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

A Way Out

The Messenger

Far Cry 5

Octopath Traveler

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Colossus

2019

A Plague Tale: Innocence

Death Stranding

Disco Elysium

The Outer Worlds

Katana ZERO

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Control

Resident Evil 2

2020

1. Ori & The Will of the Wisps 2. Desperados III 3. The Last of Us Part 2 4. Cyberpunk 2077 5. Doom Eternal

Ghost of Tsushima

Final Fantasy VII Remake

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

2021

The Forgotten City

The Artful Escape

It Takes Two

Deathloop

Halo Infinite

Psychonauts 2

Life is Strange: The True Colours

Far Cry 6

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

2022

Neon White

Stray

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Cultic

Starship Troopers: Terran Command

Horizon Forbidden West

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

2023

Baldur's Gate 3

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Diablo IV

Resident Evil 4

Dead Space (Remake)

Starfield

Alan Wake 2

Assassin's Creed Mirage

Hi-Fi Rush

Final Fantasy XVI

Hogwarts Legacy

Atomic Heart

RoboCop: Rogue City

#игры #games #топ #top

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