This page is the home of the newly-ported NES core for Turbo Chameleon 64.

This is an experimental core, and while I do my utmost to make sure it works for everyone and will try to help solve any problems that arise, you run this core entirely at your own risk.

If you’d like to show your appreciation for this core, or motivate me to work on this and other cores in future, donations are welcome at https://paypal.me/robinsonb5 or https://patreon.com/coresforchameleon. Anyone donating £20 or more via PayPal or sponsoring on Patreon at the second tier will be thanked by name in a “Core Supporters” shout-out page in subsequent releases.

Please note: it’s vitally important that you download the correct version of the core for your Chameleon.

NES for Chameleon V1 hardware: If you have a single mini-DIN socket on the left hand side of your Chameleon, to which a breakout cable attaches for the keyboard and mouse, then you have V1 hardware and need this version:

• NES_TC64v1_20221115.zip – Improvements to input handling. Now disables the Scandoubler if a “15KHz.cfg” file is found on the SD card.
• NES_TC64v1_20211231.zip – Updated the framework, brought in Save RAM support and extra palettes from upstream.
• NES_TC64v1_20210315.zip – Fix for interference between joystick and keyboard, scandoubler scan now be toggled by holding down the menu button.
• NES_TC64v1_20210302.zip – initial port.

NES for Chameleon V2 hardware:  If you have three mini-DIN sockets on the left-hand side, with the keyboard and mouse plugging in directly, you have V2 hardware, and need this version:

• NES_TC64v2_20221115.zip – Improvements to input handling. Now disables the Scandoubler if a “15KHz.cfg” file is found on the SD card.
• NES_TC64v2_20211231.zip – Updated the framework, brought in Save RAM support and extra palettes from upstream.
• NES_TC64v2_20210315.zip – Fix for interference between joystick and keyboard, scandoubler scan now be toggled by holding down the menu button.
• NES_TC64v2_20210302.zip – initial port.

Using the core

Flash the .rbf file into your Turbo Chameleon 64 using the chaco utility, and optionally copy the autoboot.nes file to the root directory of your SD card.

Since the Turbo Chameleon 64 can’t support more than three gamepad buttons via the DB9 ports, the extra buttons are mapped as follows:

Gamepad 1

Gamepad button	PS/2 keyboard	C64 keyboard	CDTV controller
Start	Enter	Return	Play*
Select	Right shift	Right shift	Volume up*
Button A	Right Alt		Button B
Button B	Right Ctrl		Button A

Gamepad 2

Gamepad button	PS/2 keyboard	C64 keyboard	CDTV controller
Start	Caps Lock	Run/Stop	Play*
Select	Left shift	Left shift	Volume up*
Button A	Left Ctrl		Button B
Button B	Left Alt		Button A

* The CDTV controller has a slide-switch which selects whether D-pad and A/B buttons are directed to port 1 or port 2. The core keeps track of which port is selected, and directs the Play and Volume Up events to the same port.

Other keys

Function	PS/2 keyboard	C64 keyboard	CDTV controller
Menu	F12	<- (top left)	Power

The scandoubler can be toggled on or off by holding down the menu button for a period of 1 second or more

Source code can be found at github, as usual – see https://github.com/robinsonb5/nes

Huge thanks to everyone who’s supported my projects in recent months – it’s very much appreciated.

The NES core was originally written by Ludvig Strigeus and was ported to MiST by Till Harbaum, Sorgelig, Sebdel, Newsdee and Slingshot.