Nintendo 1504166 Programming Manual - Page 3

AGB Programming Manual

Introduction

©1999 - 2001 Nintendo of America Inc.

3

D.C.N. AGB-06-0001-002B4

Introduction

CHARACTER/BITMAP BG

MULTIPLAY COMMUNICATION

32768 COLORS

32BIT RISC CPU 16MHz

2.9" WIDE TFT COLOR

PCM STEREO SOUND

COLOR GRAPHIC EFFECTS

COMPATIBLE FOR CGB

Game Boy Advanced (AGB) stresses portability and focuses on 2D rather than 3D image

processing functions, resulting in a cutting-edge portable game device with revolutionary

capabilities.

It provides window-like functions, rotation, scaling,

α

blending, and fade-in/fade-out

features that can be combined to produce exactly the image representations desired.

Additionally, the bitmap image-rendering function, with its two modes (double buffering

mode for rewriting full-screen images in real time and single buffering mode for stills), can

be used to handle realistic images that are indistinguishable from actual photographs.

The 2.9-inch-wide reflective TFT color LCD screen provides a clear display with little

afterimage.

In addition to Game Boy Color compatible sound, AGB has a PCM stereo sound generator.

Multiple tracks can be played simultaneously by overlapping them using the CPU.

L and R

buttons have been added to the Controller.

The broader range of control provided also

expands the breadth of game designs possible.

Although AGB uses a 32-bit RISC CPU whose computing performance and data processing

capabilities far surpass those of Game Boy Color, it consumes little power, allowing

approximately 15 hours of continuous play.

This is made possible by the inclusion of the various

types of RAM on a single custom chip.

Furthermore, software for AGB can be developed using the C language, minimizing the

cost of development equipment.

This favorable development environment and the high

level of freedom of the system configuration allow one to build a profound world of play in

which anyone can become absorbed.

With its extremely high-performance computational and data processing capabilities as a

foundation, AGB provides greater image and sound representation capabilities, making the

pursuit of fun its essential aim.

The purpose of this high level of performance is to bring unique game ideas fully to life.

AGB is an innovation born from experience.

While providing backwards compatibility with

the enormous software resources available for the 100 million Game Boy units in use

worldwide, it also breaks new ground for portable game devices.

Section	Page
Introduction	3
Revision History	4
Table of Contents	9
Using This Manual	12
1 AGB System	13
1.1 System Overview	13
2 System Configuration	15
2.1 CPU Block Diagram	15
2.2 Complete Block Diagram	16
2.3 Memory Configuration and Access Width	17
2.4 Little-Endian	17
3 AGB Memory	18
3.1 Overall Memory Map	18
3.2 Memory Configuration	19
3.2.1 AGB Internal Memory	19
3.2.2 Game Pak Memory	20
3.3 Game Pak Memory Wait Control	21
3.3.1 Access Timing	23
3.3.2 Game Pak Bus	24
4 LCD	25
4.1 LCD Status	26
4.1.1 V Counter	26
4.1.2 General LCD Status	27
5 Image System	29
5.1 BG Modes	31
5.1.1 Details of BG Modes	31
5.1.2 VRAM Memory Map	32
6 Rendering Functions	33
6.1 Character Mode BG (BG Modes 0-2)	33
6.1.1 BG Control	33
6.1.2 Mosaic Size	39
6.1.3 VRAM Address Mapping of BG Data	40
6.1.4 Character Data Format	42
6.1.5 BG Screen Data Format	43
6.1.6 BG Screen Data Address Mapping for the LCD Screen	45
6.1.7 BG Rotation and Scaling Features	49
6.1.8 BG Scrolling	52
6.2 Bitmap Mode BGs (BG Modes 3-5)	53
6.2.1 BG Control	53
6.2.2 BG Rotation/Scaling	54
6.2.3 Pixel Data	54
6.2.4 Pixel Data Address Mapping for the LCD Screen	55
6.2.4.1 BG Mode 3 (32,768 colors,240x160 dots,1 frame buffer)	55
6.2.4.2 BG Mode 4 (256 colors,240x160 dots,2 frame buffers)	56
6.2.4.3 BG Mode 5 (32,768 colors,160x128 dots,2 frame buffers)	57
6.3 OBJ (Object)	58
6.3.1 OBJ Function Overview	58
6.3.2 Character Data Mapping	60
6.3.3 OAM	62
6.3.4 OBJ Rotation/Scaling Feature	70
6.4 Display Priority of OBJ and BG	72
7 Color Palettes	73
7.1 Color Palette Overview	73
7.2 Color Palette RAM	74
7.3 Color Data Format	76
8 Window Feature	77
8.1 Window Position Setting	77
8.2 Window Control	78
9 Color Special Effects	80
9.1 Selection of Color Special Effects	80
9.2 Color Special Effects Processing	82
10 Sound	84
10.1 Sound Block Diagram	84
10.2 Direct Sounds A and B	85
10.3 Sound 1	87
10.4 Sound 2	91
10.5 Sound 3	93
10.6 Sound 4	97
10.7 Sound Control	100
10.8 Sound PWM Control	104
11 Timer	106
12 DMA Transfer	108
12.1 DMA 0	109
12.2 DMA 1 and 2	113
12.3 DMA 3	117
12.4 DMA Problems: How to avoid them	122
13 Communication Functions	125
13.1 8-Bit/32-Bit Normal Serial Communication	128
13.2 16-Bit Multi-player Communication	134
13.3 UART Communication Functions	142
13.4 General Purpose Communication	148
13.5 JOY Bus Communication	150
13.6 AGB Game Link Cable	154
14 Key Input	155
14.1 Key Status	155
14.2 Key Interrupt Control	155
14.2.1 Interrupt Conditions	156
15 Interrupt Control	157
15.1 System-Allocated Area in Work RAM	159
15.2 Interrupt Operation	160
15.2.1 Normal Interrupt	160
15.2.2 Multiple Interrupts	161
16 Power-Down Functions	163
16.1 Stop Function	163
16.2 Halt Function	164
17 AGB System Calls	165
17.1 System Call Operation	165
17.1.1 Normal Calls	165
17.1.2 Multiple Calls	167

Nintendo 1504166 Programming Manual - Page 3

Introduction, cost of development equipment. - games

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