The Official Honeycomb Emulation Series: Jarcade (MAME/Arcade Games)

[Shane R. Monroe]

This post is the first in a series of Honeycomb emulation posts on how to get yourself some arcade action going on your Honeycomb tablet. My way is NOT the ONLY way of doing things, but it will take you step by step.

For this post, we'll assume you have a Honeycomb tablet (I'm using the Asus Transformer with Android 3.2) and a standard Wii controller (Wiimote) to use as a controller.

Hardware Needed

1. Honeycomb Tablet (Android 3.x based) - Others may work, but this tutorial assumes you have this.
2. Standard Wii Controller (regular or Motion+ built in) - I discourage "third party" wiimotes like Nyko, etc. They seem to be spotty. YMMV.
   

Software/Apps Needed

1. Jrioni Arcade Full Version (aka Jarcade; $4.99 via Market Link)
2. USB/BT Joystick Center (aka USBJoy; $3.76 via Market Link)
3. USBJoy Configuration File (created by me; get it here)
4. Arcade game ROM files (Only MAME .37 roms work; I cannot provide these - try here for singles and here for full sets.)

Additional Skills Needed

1. Ability to transfer a file to your tablet
   

Instructions

1. Purchase and install the Jarcade and USBJoy apps noted under Software above. If you already have Jarcade installed, reset the controls to the default settings.
2. Download the USBJoy Configuration file (Software item 3) and copy it to the /mnt/sdcard/USBJoyData folder on your tablet. If you like, get it via the below QR Code:
   
   
3. Run USBJoy.
4. Click the BT slider switch at the top of the app to ON. Accept any security prompt regarding turning on Bluetooth.
   
   
5. Tap the SEARCH button on the left side, then hit the 1 and 2 buttons together on your Wiimote. If successfully, you will see the blue light on your Wiimote come (and stay) on and a large button will appear in the middle of your screen that says "Wii Remote Bluetooth (1)".
6. Tap the Wii Remote Bluetooth (1) button. Some other items will appear below.
7. Click the IMP button on the right. Some buttons will appear.
   
   
8. Select the Jarcade button. You will get a notification that that the file was imported.
9. Hit the IME slider on the top of the screen to ON and select USBJoyIME from the input method list.
   
   
10. Run Jarcade.
11. Select Load ROM File - and navigate to the folder containing MAME .37 rom images.
12. Select a game ROM.
13. The game will load. The following controls are mapped to the Wiimote:
    
    
14. Play your game by inserting a coin (+ button) and hitting Start (- button).
15. When finished playing, hold down the tablet Recent Apps button and return to the USBJoy app. Turn OFF the IME and the BT sliders. This will return your system to the normal state. Exit USBJoy and Jarcade.

Notes:

• Some games produce messages like FACTORY SETTINGS RESTORED (Williams games) or other odd "power up" diagnostic, input screens (Zookeeper). To get past these, reset the game by hitting the Menu button, then MORE, then RESET GAME.
• To get out of the game, hit the tablet MENU button and choose EXIT.
• Some roms are still SPLIT for this build of MAME (namely Shaolin's Road). You MUST have the original + clone zip in the SAME FOLDER in order for them to work.
• Any questions, just post!

Advantages to this Emulator:

• Faster emulation than others
• Plays more roms than some others
• Doesn't share the sound issues (popping, buzzing, etc) some others have
• You can put ROMs anywhere you want

Disdvantages to this Emulator:

• UI is primitive and unfriendly
• Doesn't save CFG on a per ROM basis
• No Sample Support (missing sounds in Donkey Kong, Zaxxon, Star Trek - no sound in Berzerk, etc)
• Some PROM issues render some games seriously ugly and unplayable (Gorf, Wizard of Wor)

[Dragon57]

The link for item 4 to where you may be able to find rom files isn't there. Not sure if this was intended, or not.

[Chris]

Fantastic Shane, thanks so much, I will look at this later.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Oops... Thanks .. will fix.

[TechMaster]

The newest version of Jarcade has an option for dip switches. hit that, then hit reset and then restart game and it clears those power up diagnostics screens.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Fixed my Shao-Lin's Road issue. See NOTES in the original post.