GBA speedrunning: What is considered optimal hardware?

Anything from run & guns to modern RPGs, what else do you play?
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cave hermit
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GBA speedrunning: What is considered optimal hardware?

Post by cave hermit »

I've grown interested in trying to speedrun the GBA metroidvania titles, and actually went ahead and spent about $180 to get components for a modded gamecube + game boy player setup. I actually have a MiSTer, and I truly love the thing, but I feel that while the GBA core for MiSTer is pretty polished, it still has improvements to be made before it can be considered a 1:1 authentic hardware equivalent, and even if it is a 1:1 experience, it has yet to reach "mainstream" acceptance as hardware equivalent. Meanwhile I read that the game boy player is real GBA hardware, that the homebrew game boy interface has a speed run low latency variant, and that game boy interface is considered by most speedrunners to be valid for real hardware speedruns. And then of course there's the game boy advance consolizer, which seems like the best solution on paper, but is also expensive, spontaneously available, and requires specific modes for speedrun validity.

And what about flashcarts? Is my run of Metroid Fusion on an EZ-flash omega considered as valid as one using an authentic cart?

I guess with game boy there isn't really any standardized platform owing to the portable nature of the console by default, so it's more a question of, which is the most efficient, speed run viable/accepted method of playing GBA games in a console to monitor set up? Game Boy Interface homebrew on gamecube? GBA consolizer? MiSTer? Is there a right answer? If not, is my tentative setup of game boy interface (high fidelity edition; 4× scaled image in a 4:3 960×720i 60.08hz video output) on a xeno modded gamecube through a retrobit prism (gc-video dvi v3.0) to a 1440p 165hz monitor (1ms GTG response near its max refresh, higher at 60hz) at least considered a good, low latency, decent looking experience? I'm not even going to get into video capture discussions for the time being, I'll cross that bridge if I come to it.
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BareKnuckleRoo
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Re: GBA speedrunning: What is considered optimal hardware?

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

Both Speedrun.com and TASVideos ask for the use of BizHawk. I've used it for these games and can confirm it appears to be a solid emulator. http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk.html

As far as what's acceptable elsewhere, it depends on the speedrunning community you intend to submit runs to. Check the rules, etc.

https://www.speedrun.com/ccotm/
General Rules:

-Autofire/Turbo mapping buttons is not allowed -Everdrive is allowed and can be submitted under GBA -Have fun!

Emulator Rules: -Bizhawk with mGBA core is the preferred emulator, regular mGBA is also allowed but less recommended. -It is highly encouraged that you also record/archive a movie file (the input file recording from the emulator, NOT only a video file) of your speedrun! Moderators/Verifiers may request this file per their discretion to confirm legitimacy of your speedrun. If you are unable to provide the movie file if requested, your run may not become verified! -Any other emulator will not be accepted for the leaderboards -the full emulator window should be shown at some point in the video, including which core being used for bizhawk. -Frame counter must be playing during the video to ensure no video is being played back.
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