Excite Bike makes for an awesome iPhone NES ROM
Getting your iPhone 3G to run any NES game in the world is pretty easy thanks to the Mac-friendly developers out there who made the PwnageTool. I will run you through the necessary steps and if you’ve never played with DOS it may be frustrating but bear with me. If you can’t get it to work, just leave a comment and I’ll help you out.
First download the PwnageTool 2.0.1 here Remember, this is mac only so if you have a PC: SAH-WEE.
Now download the firmware bundle from here.
Now run the PwnageTool software. Don’t you love how graphically pleasing it is? So simple.
You’ll now have to go through the backup and update process. It didn’t work for me so I had to start over but I didn’t lose anything special. I just resync’d my apps and music and badaboom badabing.
Keep following the instructions and eventually you’ll have a hacked iPhone with a new app called Cydia. Download the essential updates that it prompts you to get. If you didn’t get a prompt, quit and reboot.
Now I would suggest going to the “Featured Packages” section of Cydia and downloading the NES files. Here is where it starts to get tricky.
Once you’ve downloaded the NES files, you’re going to have to upload NES ROMs via the Terminal program on your Mac. So go torrent some NES ROMs, I suggest IsoHunt.
Now uploading these NES ROMs requires some hacking that’ll make you feel like you’re smarter than Mr. Apple himself.
Open Cydia and install and start the OpenSSH. Now follow the instructions in the picture below:
Now you should have all your NES ROMs good to go! Remember, any problems and hit me up with a comment, I’ll help you out.
UPDATES:
Sorry, I left the steps required to get the roms onto your iPhone a bit hazy. Follow these steps (note - these steps are for a Mac, but if you have a Windows SSH client, the steps should be similar):
1. Jailbreak that iPhone (See above)
2. Using Cydia, install the NES emulator and OpenSSH
3. SSH into your iPhone using the steps described in the big OpenSSH graphic above.
4. Create a directory for your ROMS by typing the following while SSH’d into the iPhone (don’t type the ‘>’ symbol):
> cd /var/mobile/Media
> mkdir ROMs
> cd ROMs
> mkdir NES
> exit
5. Download some roms
6. Copy the roms into a folder on your desktop called “roms”
7. Open Terminal, type the following:
> cd desktop/roms
> scp NAMEOFROM.NES root@192.168.1.xxx:/var/mobile/Media/ROMs/NES/
Replace ‘NAMEOFROM.NES’ with the filename of one of the roms in your ‘roms’ folder.
Replace 192.168.1.xxx with the IP address of your iPhone.
Rinse and repeat the ’scp’ command with the filename of each rom you want to copy to your iPhone.
Also, you have to navigate to your desktop folder, as well as the roms folder. Try this after you first open the terminal for step 7:
> cd desktop/roms
You can type the following command into Terminal to see if you are in the right folder, and what files are in there:
> ls
PS: Windows users are left out in the cold no longer - WinPWN has been released. Engadget has the details:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/windows-iphone-3g-jailbreak-tool-released/
I downloaded all the ROMs via torrent, try this one
http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/27640054/NES+roms?tab=summary
A tip from a QB reader David (seen below):
The easiest way to get the ROMS to your phone (or any file for that matter) is to use an ftp program. (with sftp connection). username root and password alpine. I use Transmit (for MAC) and it works great. Using an FTP program makes file browsing much easier for those of you who are not command line friendly.
It turns out that if you copy the ROMs over from a windows share, they won’t work. I have no idea why this is, but it is true. I used the same exact ROMS, but copied straight from my wife’s Mac, and they work great now! Have fun everyone!
Also remember, copying ROMs from a windows share is not going to work, and using an FTP is an easy way to transfer your ROMs from Mac to iPhone.
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yeah i got all those steps down and Iam able to add the roms to the right file but when i got to play the game it still tells me I need to go and add roms to the correct directory. Am i missing a step from copy and pasting the rom and disconnecting my iphone 3g?
I have all of my NES ROMS installed int he correct folder and all of them show up when i click on the emulator, but none of them will run. These same ROMS ran fine on an old jailbroken iPhone using the NES emulator from installer. what could be the problem?
where on my computer should i make a folder with the roms? what shoul di label it? How do i get the roms into the phone? i followed the steps above just can not load roms.
Sorry, I left the steps required to get the roms onto your iPhone a bit hazy. Follow these steps (note - these steps are for a Mac, but if you have a Windows SSH client, the steps should be similar):
1. Jailbreak that iPhone (See above)
2. Using Cydia, install the NES emulator and OpenSSH
3. SSH into your iPhone using the steps described in the big OpenSSH graphic above.
4. Create a directory for your ROMS by typing the following while SSH’d into the iPhone (don’t type the ‘>’ symbol):
> cd /var/mobile/Media
> mkdir ROMs
> cd ROMs
> mkdir NES
> exit
5. Download some roms
6. Copy the roms into a folder on your desktop called “roms”
7. Open Terminal, type the following:
> cd desktop/roms
> scp NAMEOFROM.NES root@192.168.1.xxx:/var/mobile/Media/ROMs/NES/
Replace ‘NAMEOFROM.NES’ with the filename of one of the roms in your ‘roms’ folder.
Replace 192.168.1.xxx with the IP address of your iPhone.
Rinse and repeat the ’scp’ command with the filename of each rom you want to copy to your iPhone.
@david - Haven’t come across this problem before. Try some fresh roms from another source to see if the problem persists.
@ dan17z and gill - double check the steps I just commented above to see if you missed anything.
PS: Windows users are left out in the cold no longer - WinPWN has been released. Engadget has the details:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/windows-iphone-3g-jailbreak-tool-released/
Do you know of a source with ROMS that are known to work? Maybe the source that you used?
Thanks,
David
I downloaded all the ROMs via Torrent, don’t remember exactly what ROM package I downloaded but try this one:
http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/27640054/NES+roms?tab=summary
When I get to your step 7 and open the terminal and type cd roms it doesn’t reconize… it says no such file or directory. Any ideas?
Thanks, Andrew
when i try to put a rom onto the iphone using “scp NAMEOFROM.NES root@192.168.1.xxx:/var/mobile/Media/ROMs/NES/” in the installer, it asks for my password and i type in “alpine” as stated above. but it tells me that there is no such file. im not sure what to do at this point? i typed in everything you typed in within the terminal screenshot from above but after that nothing works for me. i also have a folder on the desktop labeled roms with all the roms that i want in it.
I will try to download the ROMS from torrents ant get back to you. In the meantime I will give everyone a tip:
The easiest way to get the ROMS to your phone (or any file for that matter) is to use an ftp program. (with sftp connection). username root and password alpine. I use Transmit (for MAC) and it works great. Using an FTP program makes file browsing much easier for those of you who are not command line friendly.
-David
One more thing….
It turns out that if you copy the ROMs over from a windows share, they won’t work. I have no idea why this is, but it is true. I used the same exact ROMS, but copied straight from my wife’s Mac, and they work great now! Have fun everyone!
-David
@David - thanks for the tips, that is great.
So, copying ROMs from a windows share is not going to work, and using an FTP is an easy way to transfer your ROMs from Mac to iPhone.
We will try it out ourselves and post a step-by-step for the readers.
@ Andrew and Cody -
I missed a step when typing step 7. You have to navigate to your desktop folder, as well as the roms folder. I have updated my comment above, but try this after you first open the terminal for step 7:
> cd desktop/roms
You can type the following command into Terminal to see if you are in the right folder, and what files are in there:
> ls
Hi everybody,
I copied my roms to my iphone. When I try to start the game it says:
unable to load ROM image from /var/…..
It may not be a valid ROM image or the resources may not be available.
????
Anyone a good idea how to get rid of the problem??? I have tried different roms from different sources
Petespeed, have you tried other ROM sources?
Yes, I have tried three ROM sources.
@David,
The reason is that Windows has a tendency to modify files in such a way that makes them unusable. I’ve seen this before when moving files Windows doesn’t recognize well (like GarageBand project files) from my Mac to a PC.
When in doubt, stick with the Mac!
@Petespeed
Is it possible you’re having the same problems as David? (see above)
Also, it could be possible that you’re putting the ROMs in the wrong folder.
@ Kyle
I am pretty sure I am in the correct folder - I use transmit and I use a Mac
The roms were the problem
So cool, Thank you very much!!!
Congrats petespeed!
I make through all the steps on my desktop terminal fine. When I switch to my phone, when I get to the step mkdir ROMs it says mkdir: cannot create directory ‘ROMs’: File exists. Any ideas?
for some reason, there is a HUUUUUUGE lag when i type in terminal… what’s that all about?
hey i’ve gotten everything up to step 9, im still in terminal. i put in all the info and when it asks for the password i have tried everything… alpine, my wireless network password, even personal computer passwords but nothing works… any ideas about why this wont work? thx.
hey i figured out the password part but i cant really figure out the roms part getting into the iphone. i downloaded the file that kyle posted that had all the nes roms but do i just copy paste that link that is in my roms folder on my desktop and input it into the NAMEOFROMS part? also will it automatically be on my iphone or do i need to sync it?
@chase
The ROMs link is just a torrent link for you to download the ROMs via. Do you know how to download torrents? Sorry if that’s a lame question but that’s the next step.
i am not sure if i downloaded the torrents right… i went to that link clicked on the download button or watever and it downloaded into my finder in the downloads section, so i then created a roms folder on my desktop and put it in that folder. but i am not sure if that is how i am supposed to download it? sorry if i explained it a little wierd. also what is this transmit thing that is for the mac? i have a mac but i dont know what this is or how to use it… thanks
I did everything you said and still cant figure it out. Any help would be great. Iistalled SSH and did everything in the terminal but still nothing. What am I missing?
Thanks
@ Luis
I’d love to help you but you need to be more specific. Did you get any error messages? What happens when you run the NES application. Lemme know dooood.
help!
i’ve tried a million ways, but it never shows up in my iphone 3g…pwnage tool says to use my custom restore to restore my phone, but itunes keeps putting on something else…
darn it! every time I try to enter into DFU screen mode it fails on me. I do it down to the tee and have tried it about 10 times. It just keeps prompting that I have failed the process. Any advise or suggestions for that…?
This is very complicated procedure but the results could be amazing ! Anyword on a SNES Emulator for iphone 3g ?