It has been a while since we heard anything from the modular emulation machine Polymega. Over this past weekend, however, the team has finally released a huge production update that is sure to make those who have eagerly been waiting for the Polymega happy!
First off production has finally begun on assembling the final Polymega units! This has been long delayed thanks to Intel and their crazy CPU shortages that have been so bad they even had to send out a public apology. But, it would appear that the orders are finally being sent to the Polymega team and consoles are finally being made! Polymega consoles are now expecting to be shipped by the end of February if not sooner!
Next, the team has created an initial game compatibility list for the CD-based consoles the Polymega supports. The Polymega uses internally made BIOS replacements for the original consoles as to not distribute copyrighted code but this does come at the expense of compatibility. As of this writing, the Polymega has a 90%+ compatibility with all the CD systems it supports. The Polymega does support side-loading original BIOS files those games that won’t work on the replacements. Check out the full compatibility list here.
The next new feature is without a doubt the coolest and it is automatic game patching. With ROM hacking getting more popular than eve it isn’t unheard of to have someone make 40 different versions of Super Mario World. With Polymega’s new patching ability, you can load all of the patches you want to an SD card and have them applied to a single ROM without the need to make duplicates. Yes a single dump of your Mario World ROM can now be turned into whatever Kaizo nightmare you desire on the fly! The feature also works with CD-based system to apply proper English patches to Japanese titles. Check out more specifics on patching below.
Automatic use of headerless / headered IPS patches (no trial & error).
Save states made with patched games will automatically load the correct patch, so long as it exists in the same location on your SD card. This is an easy way to launch your patched games directly from the Game Start Menu if you have multiple patches for one game, or to switch back and forth between patched versions of games.
If patch files get moved or removed from its original file location, Polymega™ will ask you to re-locate the patch before launching the save state.
The last new piece of info we have received is an update to the Polymega Lightgun. An analog stick has been added to the accessory to allow for the user to use it to navigate the system’s menus. It has also been teased that the lightgun can be made to interact with first-person shooters to provide a totally new experience. No further information was shared on that last part but it has definitely got me interested to learn more.
It is good to hear that despite delays in manufacturing the Polymega team has still been at work to implement new features into the system for launch. I know I for one am really looking forward to easy game patching to help reduce my number of duplicate games. Improvements to the CRT filter are also very welcomed. I honestly can’t wait to finally run the Polymega through its paces and it would seem that wait is finally coming to a close!
I got to go hands-on with the Polymega earlier this year at E3 2019. The experience was a blast and you can read my further thoughts on the system here.
