Overview
Build your own multi-console emulator system with the Fruit Jam and play all of your favorite retro games! Frank Hoedemakers has created a new multi-emulator launcher called Pico Bootloader that makes it simple and fast to get going. It uses an innovative system of re-flashing the Fruit Jam with a given emulator stored on the SD card as needed, and it even includes a graphical system selector.
Along with this, Frank has also released new emulators for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 series of consoles and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which are included in Pico Bootloader or can be installed individually from these links: pico-pcePlus and pico-snesPlus
Pico Bootloader combines these and a few other emulators for Fruit Jam (and other RP2350-based boards) into a drag-and-drop .UF2 file with a launcher for these systems:
- Super Nintendo
picosnesPlus - Nintendo NES
piconesPlus - Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
picogenesisPlus - NEC PC Engine / PCEngine CD / TurboGrafx 16
picopcePlus - Nintendo Game Boy / Game Boy Color
picoPeanutGB - Sega Master System / Game Gear
picosmsPlus - Philips Videopac / Magnavox Odyssey²
picoPacPlus -
Doom (native port)
doom_tiny - Duke Nukem 3D
duke3d_game
Additionally, any RP2350 application can be made bootable and added to the menu — see Creating a bootable build of your own application.
Wii Classic Controller
Controllers with the Wii nunchuck port can be used along with this breakout adapter and a STEMMA QT cable. These are highly responsive controllers option, with less lag than USB controllers.
These were made for use with the Wii in the case of the Wii Classic Controller and the NES Classic Mini and SNES Classic Mini consoles
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Fruit Jam Setup
To prep for play, hook up the Fruit Jam to power, video, audio, controllers, and micro SD card.
Plug in the following:
- Fruit Jam USB C Power & Data port to USB C power adapter
- Fruit Jam DVI-D Video Output to monitor/TV HDMI input via HDMI cable
- Fruit Jam Stereo Headphone output to headphones or powered speakers via 3.5mm stereo TRS cable
- USB gamepad to Fruit Jam USB 1 or USB 2 port (some controllers seem to prefer port 2)
Classic Controllers
For two player games, you can optionally plug in a Wii/NES/SNES Classic Controller.
With the Fruit Jam powered off, plug in a STEMMA QT cable to the Fruit Jam STEMMA QT port. Then plug in the Adafruit Nunchuck Breakout Adapter.
Plug your Nintendo controller into the adapter.
Now, when you select "2 Player" in most games the second player will default to the I2C controller.
Classic Controller Only Support
When an USB controller is connected, the Wii-classic controller is Player 2. To use the Wii-Classic as Player 1, unplug the USB controller.
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Software Installation
Download
First, download the latest Pico Bootloader release here.
Enter RP2350 bootloader mode
Entering the RP2350 bootloader is easy. Complete the following steps.
Before you start, make sure your Fruit Jam is plugged into USB port to your computer using a data/sync cable. Charge-only cables will not work!
Turn on the On/Off switch - check that you see the ON light on so you know the board is powered.
To enter the bootloader:
- Press and hold the BOOT/BUTTON1 button down. Don't let go of it yet!
- Press and release the Reset button. You should still have the BOOT/BUTTON1 button pressed while you do this.
- Continue holding the BOOT/BUTTON1 button until you see the RP2350 drive appear.
- You can now release but BOOT/BUTTON1 button.
Drag UF2
Navigate to the folder where you downloaded the uf2 file, then drag it onto the RP2350 drive.
The board will automatically reboot and retroJam will launch automatically.
microSD Card Setup
Format a microSD card to FAT32 or exFAT.
Download pico-bootLoader_sdcard.zip from the same Releases page linked above and unpack it onto the SD card. The archive contains the emulators, the Doom port, the menu artwork, and a sample configuration file.
Alternatively, assemble the layout yourself as described in SD card layout.
Then, copy your legally acquired ROMs to their respective folders.
/boot.txt optional configuration (defaults apply if absent) /emu/ BASEDIR (default /emu, override in boot.txt) /emu/<HW_CONFIG>/*.uf2 applications for this board (e.g. /emu/8/) /emu/emulators.txt the index / allow-list (name set by INDEX) /emu/assets/<image_key>.png|.jpg menu artwork, converted on first use /emu/assets/screensaver/*.png|.jpg screensaver images (optional) /emu/.guimode persisted menu mode (created automatically)
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Run the Emulators
With everything wired up, turn on the Fruit Jam, the TV, and the speakers (or headphones) and play!
System Selector
Use the D-pad left/right to pick an emulator to lauch. Press A to flash it into Fruit Jam memory.
Then, use the D-pad to pick a game ROM and Press A to launch.
Special Menus
Play your game using the usual system buttons. If you want to launch the special menus, press Select + Start at the same time.
You can adjust settings as well as exit back out to the emulator selection screens.
Press Select to toggle text vs. graphical UI mode.
Menu Usage
Gamepad buttons:
- D-pad LEFT/RIGHT: next/previous application (graphical mode)
- D-pad UP/DOWN: Next/previous item in the menu (text mode)
- A (Circle): Launch selected application
- SELECT: toggle text / graphical mode
- Any button: wake from screensaver
Emulator (in game)
Gamepad buttons:
- SELECT + START: exit to menue
- SELECT + UP/SELECT + DOWN: switches screen modes.
- SELECT + A/B: toggle rapid-fire.
- START + A : Toggle framerate display
-
Fruit Jam Only
- Button 1 (on board): Mute audio of built-in speaker. Audio is still output to the audio jack.
- SELECT + UP: Toggle scanlines.
- Button 2 (on board) or SELECT + RIGHT: Toggles the VU meter on or off -- NeoPixel LEDs light up in sync with the music rhythm
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