Arcade Ultimate

From Sega Retro

MDPlay BR.jpg
Arcade Ultimate
Manufacturer: AtGames
Distributor: AtGames, Blaze Europe (UK), Argos (UK), H&B (France), Tectoy (Brazil), Hyperkin (USA)
Built-in games: 20 / 80
Release Date RRP Code

The Arcade Ultimate is a handheld Sega Mega Drive console on a chip created by AtGames. It is an enhanced version of the Arcade Portable, with the addition of a 6-button control pad (instead of 3), an SD card slot and a built-in lithium battery with USB charger.

Although the console can make use of SD cards, it does not support saving, making RPGs difficult to finish as they must be played through in one sitting. Also, like its predecessors, the actual name of this console is disputed - AtGames call it the Arcade Ultimate on their website, but most packaging designs call the system the Gopher. Other names include the Sega Mega Drive Arcade Ultimate Portable, Sega Genesis Ultimate Portable Game Player, Sega Genesis Firecore Portable Player, and Sega Mega Drive Firecore Portable Player. In Brazil the system is known as the MD Play.

The console uses the same "console-on-a-chip" technology as its predecessor, and has an identical selection of games. However, the SD card input should allow most Mega Drive games to be played, emulation permitting. It also has a TV output connection, so that games can be played on a large screen, though it will only produce a NTSC signal.

Three different versions of the unit exist, though have very similar aesthetics.The second model (GP2628R), sometimes known as the Gopher Wireless, are able to interact with AtGames' brand of wireless controllers, which are both sold separately and bundled with some other AtGames consoles. The first model (GP2628) and third model (GP2628-80) are the most common with 20 or 80 built-in games respectively. In Russia, black/green and black/blue models exist along with the standard black/orange.

List of Built-in Games (AtGames 20 Games version)

List of Built-in Games (Argos/Blaze 20 Games version)

List of Built-in Games (AtGames 80 Games version)

The 80 Games version only includes 40 Mega Drive/Genesis games, however it also has 40 AtGames developed games to bring the total up to the stated 80. The gamelist is below:

  • Air Hockey
  • Black Sheep
  • Bomber
  • Bottle Taps Race
  • Brain Switch
  • Bulls and Cows
  • Cannon
  • Checker
  • Chess
  • Color Puzzle
  • Cross the Road
  • Curling 2010
  • Dominant Color
  • Fight or Lose
  • Firefly Glow
  • Fish Story
  • Flash Memory
  • Formula Challenge
  • Hexagonos
  • Jack’s Pea
  • Jewel Magic
  • Logic Dial
  • Mahjong Solitaire
  • Match Eleven
  • Mega Brain Switch
  • Memory
  • Memory Match
  • Mirror Mirror
  • Mr. Balls
  • Naval Power
  • Panic Lift
  • Reaction Match
  • Snake
  • Space Hunter
  • Spider
  • Sudoku Quiz
  • Table Magic
  • Treasure Hunt
  • Warehouse Keeper
  • Whack A Wolf

Using an SD card

Sega Mega Drive/Genesis ROMs should be placed inside a folder called "GAME" at the root of the SD card. ROMs can be either .bin or .smd and all regions are compatible. There is not 100% compatibility, if you find that a particular ROM doesn't work; try to use verified dumps [!] and if a certain region doesn't work, try another. The games will be listed in the order they were added to the card, you can use a tool called folder_sort to force this order into alphabetical order.

MDB.DAT

Images can be displayed for custom games on the SD card, in the same way as the built-in games, by the use of an MDB.DAT file. Without the presence of this file all games on the SD card will display a blank place-holder image. There are at least two tools that can edit or create an MDB.DAT file: ScreenGopher and MDB_Edit Using either tool you need to create an entry for each ROM and assign a picture (120x112). The name you enter in the MDB.DAT must match the filename exactly (excluding the extension). You cannot use a period "." in the name and a space is automatically inserted before a Capitalized word, so if you put a space in yourself you will see a double-space on the device's menu.

For example "Sonic theHedgehog 2" in the MDB.DAT would give you "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" on your device.

You can read more about the structure of the MDB.DAT file in the ScreenGopher Manual. The application is currently unavailable but the PDF is filled with useful information.

Digital manuals

Gallery

Packaging


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