Questions for those who have flashed their game to a cartridge.

[smmulry]

I was thinking about this recently and I have some questions.

1. What is the maximum amount of data (Kb or Mb) that an NES cartridge can hold?

2. If you wanted to make multiple copies of an NES game would you have to do that yourself or are there companies that you can pay to make copies?

3. What happens if your game is too big to flash to a cartridge? Is there a way to reduce the size?

4. If you wanted to release your game on the Nintendo Switch do you need a dev kit for that?

 

[baardbi]

I was thinking about this recently and I have some questions.

1. What is the maximum amount of data (Kb or Mb) that an NES cartridge can hold?

2. If you wanted to make multiple copies of an NES game would you have to do that yourself or are there companies that you can pay to make copies?

3. What happens if your game is too big to flash to a cartridge? Is there a way to reduce the size?

4. If you wanted to release your game on the Nintendo Switch do you need a dev kit for that?

1. There are different NES cartridges. The one NESmaker uses allows 512 KB on a cartridge. The data is split into 32 banks with 16 KB in each bank.

2. Broke Studio can make multiple copies and print your manuals and boxes. Usually they prefer it if you have a Kickstarter project for your game.

- Broke Studio

www.brokestudio.fr

3. Usually this is not a problem since the assembler will give you an error mesage when you export and test the game in NESmaker. To reduce the size you would have to remove some code or other data like tables or graphics. You can use an application called NES Space Checker to see how much space you are using. Just drag the game.nes file into the application window.

https://shiru.untergrund.net/files/nessp.zip

4. Yes. You need to be a Nintendo developer.

The Process - Nintendo Developer Portal

 

[smmulry]

1. There are different NES cartridges. The one NESmaker uses allows 512 KB on a cartridge. The data is split into 32 banks with 16 KB in each bank.

2. Broke Studio can make multiple copies and print your manuals and boxes. Usually they prefer it if you have a Kickstarter project for your game.

- Broke Studio

www.brokestudio.fr

3. Usually this is not a problem since the assembler will give you an error mesage when you export and test the game in NESmaker. To reduce the size you would have to remove some code or other data like tables or graphics. You can use an application called NES Space Checker to see how much space you are using. Just drag the game.nes file into the application window.

https://shiru.untergrund.net/files/nessp.zip

4. Yes. You need to be a Nintendo developer.

The Process - Nintendo Developer Portal

Great info! Thanks!

 

[dale_coop]

Broke Studio can make multiple copies of your game. No need to have a Kickstarter project for that.
But preferably a complete in box edition (game on cartridge, in box with a small manual)... and with a minimum amount of copies (50 or more). You need to contact them directly.
But... if you have the flasher, you can buy blank carts directly from their website too (and at a good price).

 

[baardbi]

Broke Studio can make multiple copies of your game. No need to have a Kickstarter project for that.
But preferably a complete in box edition (game on cartridge, in box with a small manual)... and with a minimum amount of copies (50 or more). You need to contact them directly.
But... if you have the flasher, you can buy blank carts directly from their website too (and at a good price).

No. You don't need a Kickstarter. My point was that Antoine told me that it's easier that way, since they can make the cartridges, manuals and boxes, and then send them to the Kickstarter backers.

 

[dale_coop]

No. You don't need a Kickstarter. My point was that Antoine told me that it's easier that way, since they can make the cartridges, manuals and boxes, and then send them to the Kickstarter backers.

It's the "easiest way" if you want Broke Sutdio to publish your game.
But if you just want them to manufacture your CIB copies, you just contact and ask them. They can manufacture CIB copies for you, as a service (not as a publisher).