Jayro's GAMEBOY™ Test Cartridge

This is the world's first test cartridge for the Gameboy Color!

Nintendo made an official test cartridge for the original Gameboy, but let's face it... It sucks. The tests work, but they aren't geared to test Gameboy Color specific hardware.

My test cartridge has set out to fully replace Nintendo's official one.  I created this ROM using GB Studio v4!

Mario is a registered trademark of Nintendo Co., Ltd. This test cartridge is not officially licensed, sponsored, nor supported by Nintendo Co., Ltd.

This project is public domain, and may be freely distributed.

PHYSICAL COPIES ARE AVAILABLE HERE:

https://JayrosModShop.etsy.com

FEATURES:

• Gameboy hardware detection between Classic Gameboy, Super Gameboy, Gameboy Color, and Gameboy Advance.
• Includes an easy to navigate menu system for the user to choose the type of tests they want to perform.
• The cartridge can intelligently detect the proper tests for the screen and buttons for the hardware it's being run on, seamlessly and transparent to the user.
• Endless button testing lets you test the buttons as long as you'd like!
• Link port testing with an appropriate Gameboy/Pocket/Color game link cable. (GBA cables will not work.)
• Extensive sound testing and a 8-key piano. (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C)
• Test the left and right stereo channels together, or independently of each other.
• Includes tests for modern IPS screens, such as testing for dead pixels, ghosting, screen tearing, image retention, and even attempts to safely repair stubborn or stuck pixels.
• TV test patterns for calibrating your Super Gameboy or Gameboy Player.
• SRAM save testing. See if your SRAM (or FRAM) can hold a save file.
• A printable GB Printer patterned test page, to make sure things print correctly.
• Comes with a screen lens alignment tool, to aid Gameboy modders in properly aligning their LCD kits and screen lenses. (Not needed for laminated screen kits) Also useful to fix overscan and aspect ratio issues in emulators.
• Comes with link port and link cable pinout documentation. Pinout is colorized on color Gameboy systems. Gameboy+Color, Gameboy Advance, and Gameboy Micro ports are covered.
• Additional documentation for power pinouts is also integrated, for all Gameboy models supporting power input.
• Now supports testing of Rumble motors!
• Designed specifically for Gameboy Color hardware, yet is fully backwards compatible with original Gameboy hardware too!
• Works on Gameboy Advance systems using the GBC ROM, or the Goomba Color emulator. Additionally, it also works with the GB Boy Colour (a Chinese hardware clone) and the Analogue Pocket (An FPGA-based Gameboy device). It has not been tested on the Funnyplaying FPGA Gameboy Color clone, to my knowledge.

EPILEPSY WARNING:

Colorful test patterns and flickering graphics may cause seizures in people with epilepsy. Use with caution at your discretion.

IF YOU LIKE MY WORK, YOU CAN ALWAYS LEAVE A TIP:

https://ko-fi.com/jayrojones

Changelog for v2.0.2 Stable:

• Project has been imported and compiled into GB Studio v4.1.3-stable.
• Consolidated menu assets, shaving off a few KB of ROM space internally, and fixed the white pixel artifacting in the menus.
• Menus have been given complete overhauls to be simpler and more uniform, boosting DMG mode to be full speed with the Color mode version.
• The scrolling blocks are smaller, and uses 3/4 less tile memory.
• Removed versioning info from titlescreen, for a cleaner look. Version info is now just on the main menu, and makes it easier for me to change 1 asset each release, instead of 2.
• The Extras! Menu has been unified to look like it belongs with the other 3 menus now.
• Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience.

Known Issues:

• If used with Goomba Color, pushing L and R at the same time during the Button Test will bring up the Goomba Color menu (still confirming that L and R are working for you). The screen size won't change like it would if it was running from a Gameboy Color cartridge in a GBA, despite the text telling you it would if the "GBA Detect" option was enabled.

To-do list in the near-future:

• Make an on-cartridge instruction manual, with some common tips and example slides. Done, but continuously adding stuff!
• Add actual graphics. Done!
• Add music to the menu system.