Update [Wed 24th Jul, 2024 12:35 BST]: Krikzz's Open-ED ROM cart is now up for sale.
"There are no fancy features that modern cartridges usually have, so don't buy this device unless you're sure you understand what it is," says the cart's official product page. As previously noted, the cart doesn't have its own processor or FPGA – it uses memory and discrete logic only.
Original Story [Mon 17th Jun, 2024 12:30 BST]: In the world of flash carts, Krikzz's products are held in high regard.
The developer's EverDrive range covers pretty much all of the major cartridge-based retro systems, and these carts are famed for their quality and features. However, Krikzz's next project is aiming for something a little different – simplicity and cheapness.
"Open-ED is a very simple and cheap open-source Genesis/Megadrive cartridge," says Krikzz. "The cartridge does not have its own processor or FPGA, it is built in the old school style using only memory and discrete logic. Cartridge design uses an absolute minimum of inexpensive components."
The board – which is totally open-source and has been released on GitHub – supports three different mappers:
- ROM_4M - Most games work in this mode
- ROM_2M+RAM - Some games with battery ram
- ROM_4M+RAM - Beyond Oasis, Sonic-3 etc
This cart will allow homebrew developers to produce physical cartridges cheaply, either for sale or testing purposes.