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C/C++ > Accessing DS features on a GBA game?

#151557 - brave_orakio - Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:35 am

Don't know if this has been asked before but can a GBA game access the DS Wi-Fi and microphone? I remember Zelda:Oracle of ages I think had some extra features when run it on a GBA, so is it possible with a GBA game on DS?
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#151558 - dantheman - Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:03 am

Not possible as far as I know. In GBA mode, the DS provides no access to any of the DS-specific features. The only (possible) exception is the ability to add a border around the GBA screen before booting it in GBA mode, but that's all you can do with that extra resolution.

#151560 - Dwedit - Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:58 am

There's a few things a GBA game gets when it runs on a DS:
* An optional border
* It knows its on a DS
* It can display out-of-bounds tiles in BG modes, these tiles are purely color 0 (transparent), as opposed to glitchy stripes on a GBA.
* Where's the link port?
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#151561 - eKid - Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:04 am

I don't think it can detect that there is no link port, since there is still the hardware, but just no external port. (i think)

#151570 - PypeBros - Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:52 am

keep in mind that most gameboy/gameboy color packaged after the Super Gameboy (or whatever was the name of that GB->SNES accessory) had special data to look better in the SNES (and likely on GBC/GBA) such as a special border and hints on how to color the greys during the game (for old GB roms)

Any "fancy additions" of the GBA mode of the DS is up to the DS firmware itself, afaik.
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#151668 - brave_orakio - Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:49 am

I guess we would have seen something like this in a commercial game if it was possible huh? Thanks for the answers guys!
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#151731 - gmiller - Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:28 am

Also the DS has two CPU's (ARM 9, ARM 7) and when running in GBA mode the ARM 9 is disabled and the additional memory. When running in DS mode both CPU's are working with data passed using shared memory.