Game Boy (Color) Dumping Guide

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todo:

from Shiny Quagsire: 

my thought was basically like, you use a GBA multiboot to switch into GBC mode with a small payload that reads from the link port
the payload waits for a cart to be inserted so that GBC mode has IRAM access again
reads a dumper into IRAM and runs it, and the dumper reads the ROM to the link port

Dumping Methods

Retrode - GBx Plug-in

Transfer Pack - N64 - N64 Flashcart

Tools

  • Nintendo 64
  • Nintendo 64 Transfer Pack
  • Nintendo 64 Flashcart
  • [todo] homebrew (e.g. agbd for 64drive, gb64 for everdrive)

Link Cable - Adapter/Mod - Raspberry Pi

[todo: https://github.com/Palmr/cart-dumper]

Link Cable - Adapter - PC

[todo: https://github.com/endrift/gblinkdx]

GBC - Flashcart/Savemodded Cart - Audio Cable - PC

[todo: https://github.com/FIX94/gameboy-audio-dumper]
note: game boy pocket and super game boy may also allow hotswapping

arduinogbdump

[todo]

GBA-GB-ROMDumper

[todo]

BennVenn Joey Joebags

[todo]

BennVenn Joey Jr.

[todo]

GBxCart RW

[todo - some info here https://www.gbxcart.com/ and here https://shop.insidegadgets.com/product/gbxcart-rw/]

Gathering Dump Info

Don't worry if you can't get all of the "physical metadata" (photos, serials and such) as the dump may still be accepted.

  • CRC32: Generated from the ROM file using HxD or OpenHashTab on windows, or by using crc32 in a terminal emulator for linux/mac.
  • MD5: As above, or by using md5 in a terminal emulator for linux/mac.
  • SHA-1: As above, or by using shasum -a 1 in a terminal emulator for linux/mac.
  • SHA-256: As above, or by using shasum -a 256 in a terminal emulator for linux/mac.
  • Game title: If it differs between different places (e.g. title screen, console menu banner, box, cart) then go with the one on the front of the box.
  • ROM Region: The region found in the ROM data.
  • ROM Revision: The revision found in the ROM data.
  • ROM Serial: The four-character serial found in the ROM data, but seemingly only in newer GBC games.
  • Languages/Language Select: Some games either show a language selection screen at startup or in the game options. Note that it is possible to submit a game without checking the languages, but this then needs to be stated in your submission.
    • Tip: Using an emulator like bgb can speed up the language checking dramatically.
  • Cart Serial: It is located on the label on the front of the cart the form of "DMG-XX-XXX" (where X is a letter or number), also it may have a number (Like -1 or -2) appended. For additional information on cartridge serials, see Understanding Serials.
  • Box Barcode: The number on the case displayed beneath the vertical lines, see Barcode.
  • Box Serial: The serial on the case. Example: [todo].
  • Size: The size of the ROM in bytes.
  • PCB serial(s): The string of characters displayed on the front of the board inside the cart. You may need a tri-wing screwdriver to get inside the cart without damaging the screw.
  • Chip(s) serial(s): The codes on the ROM chip inside the cart.
  • Scans: The following scans (or photos): Front and back of the following items - box, cart and PCB.

Submitting Dump Info

Register on the forum (if you aren't already registered) and once your account has been activated, post the info in the "New Dumps & Redumps" sub-forum. Or if this is a one-off submission, you can use one of the other contact methods listed on the main page.

Or if you have a login for it, you can submit the dump info directly to the DAT-o-MATIC database.

Note: DAT-o-MATIC supports importing XMLs in this format directly: https://datomatic.no-intro.org/stuff/example_upload_custom.xml, although there isn't a proper specification (or tool to generate this format from folder(s)/file(s)) yet

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