Games and apps on your Tetris cartridge
Put a free Shiny Gen game or app on your ModRetro Tetris cartridge, patch Tetris for online play, or put your own save file on it, over the USB cable. The page backs up your Tetris first, so you can restore it later. No flash cartridge needed. Everything happens in your browser: your own files are never uploaded. The page sends us which steps started, finished or failed, and the error message when one fails, with no device ids and nothing from your files. What it sends.
Please open this page in Chrome or Edge on a computer
This page talks to your Chromatic over USB, which only Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on a Mac, Windows or Linux computer can do.
- Install Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge on your computer (both are free).
- Open this same page there and plug in your Chromatic.
- Phones and tablets cannot reach the cartridge.
This page did not load correctly
A file of the page did not pass its check, so the page will not touch your Chromatic. Reload the page. If it keeps happening, try again later.
Before you start
- Put the Tetris cartridge in your Chromatic. Charge the Chromatic, or put in fresh AA batteries, and switch it ON.
- Plug it straight into this computer with a USB cable that carries data. Only one Chromatic at a time: unplug any other Chromatic until this page says Done.
- Close the Shiny Relay installer tab, the ModRetro Update Tool and other programs that use the Chromatic.
- The Chromatic restarts a few times on the way. A game that is running stops and a Wi-Fi room ends.
- Plan about 10 minutes: about 2 to back up, 2 to 6 to install, and a few for the steps around them.
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Choose
Choose what goes on the cartridge: a free game or app, a patch for your Tetris, your own game file, or just a save file for the game that is on it. Nothing on the cartridge changes until you start the install in step 5.
Pick a cartridge.
The free games and apps could not be loaded just now. You can still patch Tetris or use your own file.
(put back the 2 files you saved before)
(nothing is installed)
The game file can be 32 KB to 1.94 MB. The save file must be exactly 32 KB. The files stay on this computer.
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Connect
Your Chromatic shows up as two devices, so Chrome asks twice, once per click.
First click Connect. In the list Chrome shows, pick Chromatic - Player 01 and click Connect.
The name can also look like cu.usbmodem... (Mac), COM3 (Windows) or ttyACM0 (Linux).
Then click Connect once more. Pick GWU2X and click Connect.
Wait a few seconds: Chrome's list can take several seconds to show GWU2X. If GWU2X was not in the list: unplug the USB cable for 5 seconds, plug it back in, then click Connect again.
GWU2X is the part of the Chromatic that holds its console chip. The page uses it for the temporary cartridge access in step 3.
Your browser asks for this second part on each visit (it cannot remember GWU2X after a reload): pick GWU2X again. That is normal.
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Prepare
Gives your Chromatic temporary cartridge access: the page loads a small addition into the console chip's working memory. Nothing is installed. When you switch the Chromatic off and on afterwards, it is exactly as it was.
It takes about 1 to 2 minutes. The screen goes dark for a moment and the Chromatic restarts twice. That is normal. Nothing on the cartridge is changed in this step.
Cartridge access needs Shiny Relay firmware or newer. Open the Shiny Relay installer, update, then come back.
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Back up
Copies the game and the save that are on the cartridge now into 2 files on this computer. They are your way back: with them you can put the cartridge back as it is today. Nothing is uploaded.
The cartridge is only read. It takes about 2 minutes for Tetris. If the cable comes out, plug it back in and start again at step 2: what was already read is kept while this tab stays open.
The save that is on the cartridge now is about to be replaced. Copy it to this computer first (32 KB, a few seconds): with that file you can put it back later with Just a save file. Nothing is uploaded.
The cartridge is only read. The game on it is not read and not changed.
Copies the game and the save that are on the cartridge now into 2 files on this computer (about 2 minutes for Tetris), or only the save (32 KB, a few seconds). Nothing is installed and nothing is uploaded.
The cartridge is only read. If the cable comes out, plug it back in and start again at step 2: what was already read of the game is kept while this tab stays open.
The patch is applied to your own copy of the game, so the page reads your Tetris from the cartridge first (about 2 minutes). Save the copy too: it is your way back to the original. Nothing is uploaded.
The cartridge is only read. If the cable comes out, plug it back in and start again at step 2: what was already read is kept while this tab stays open.
The copy is ready. Save both files. They go to your browser's download folder unless your browser asks where.
The save is ready. Save the file. It goes to your browser's download folder unless your browser asks where.
(from an earlier visit; checked before it is used)
Skip the backup? Not recommended.
- The page still reads your Tetris (about 2 minutes) because the patch needs it, but no copy is saved on this computer.
- Without a saved copy, this page cannot put the original Tetris back after you close it. Only ModRetro's Cart Clinic can then put a stock Tetris back. Your high scores stay on the cartridge.
- Without a copy, the save that is on the cartridge now is lost when the new one goes on (for Tetris: your high scores).
- Copying it takes a few seconds. The game on the cartridge is not changed either way.
- Without a backup, this page cannot put the game that is on the cartridge now back, and its save is lost (for Tetris: your high scores).
- If the install is interrupted, the page can still finish it, but it cannot bring the old game back. Only a backup made from your own cartridge does that.
Type the words NO BACKUP (capital or small letters both work).
You have not saved a copy of your original game. Save it now (recommended).
Without the saved files, this page cannot put the original back after you close it.
Type the words NO BACKUP (capital or small letters both work).
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Install
The page first copies the game into the Chromatic. The Chromatic checks its copy, writes the cartridge from it, checks the cartridge, and then removes the copy.
This replaces the game on the cartridge.
- Do not unplug or switch off the Chromatic while it installs. If it is interrupted, the game on the cartridge is not affected, but its save may be incomplete: start the install once more and the save is written again from the beginning.
- Do not unplug or switch off the Chromatic while it installs. If it is interrupted, the cartridge will not start a game until the install finishes: go through steps 2 and 3 again and start the install once more. The copy is still in the Chromatic and it carries on from where it stopped.
- A patched game needs a Chromatic with Shiny Relay installed. On another console it plays as the original. A patched cartridge may not be recognised by ModRetro's Cart Clinic until the original game is put back. Only one patch can be on the cartridge at a time.
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Done
Done. Now switch your Chromatic off and on.
The cartridge access was temporary. Slide the power switch OFF, wait 2 seconds, then ON. Your Chromatic is then exactly as it was before step 3, and the game on the cartridge starts.
Working...
What to do:
Report code: . Include it if you ask for help.
Details
The technical log. It holds no game or save data.