NES

Black Box Challenge

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Emulator

Frame rate: 0 FPS
Speed: 0 %
Uptime: 0:00
Controller: Keyboard

Emulated console

CPU: Ricoh 2A03 (6502), 1.79 MHz
Memory: 2 KB RAM
Video: PPU, 256×240, 54 colors
Video memory: 2 KB VRAM
Sound: 5 channels: 2 pulse, triangle, noise, DPCM
Cartridge: Mapper 30 · UNROM 512, 512 KB / RAM
Emulator core: FCEUmm (EmulatorJS)

About Black Box Challenge

Platform: NES
Developer: Rob Bryant (Robert L Bryant)
Year: 2017
Genre: Adventure
Players: 1
License: Homebrew

A meta RPG about collecting games: you play an aspiring collector hunting for every black box NES cartridge, and each one you bring home can be played as a minigame.

The story begins the morning after a trip to a flea market full of old games. Out in a modern-day RPG world you search for the black box carts, then take them home and play small versions of those games, which hand out upgrades that help in the main adventure. Health and stamina have to be managed, and progress can be continued later.

Sly Dog Studios made it, and it went on sale at Infinite NES Lives in November 2017. A second edition, Jeffrey Wittenhagen's Black Box Challenge, promoted Wittenhagen's book Twisted Realities: Black Box Challenge and differs only in its title screen.

Facts

Announced as available from Infinite NES Lives on the NESdev forum on 13 November 2017.
Developed by Sly Dog Studios.
A version titled Jeffrey Wittenhagen's Black Box Challenge promoted his book and differs only in its title screen.

Cartridge

Mapper: 30 · UNROM 512
PRG / CHR: 512 KB / RAM
Mirroring: Four-screen
Saves: No

524,304 bytes · CRC32 5A54D567 · MD5 51a2bfcb1a983be12b018ed32b3e0c3b

Keyboard controls

D-pad: ← ↑ ↓ →
A: Z
B: X
Start: Enter
Select: V

Steam Controller

D-pad: D-pad
A: A
B: B
Start: Start
Select: Select

Xbox controller

D-pad: D-pad
A: A
B: B
Start: Menu
Select: View

DualSense controller

D-pad: D-pad
A: ✕
B: ○
Start: Options
Select: Create

Keys and controller buttons can be remapped with the Controls button under the game. Save and Load keep a snapshot of the game in your browser. Steam Controller works as a gamepad through Steam Input. On phones, on-screen buttons appear.