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MegaVGMDrive - Standalone VGM Player for MiSTer FPGA

Technical discussion about the VGM format, and all the software you need to handle VGM files.

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  • Sin_TARO Offline
  • Posts: 3
  • Joined: 2026-06-20, 13:26:26

MegaVGMDrive - Standalone VGM Player for MiSTer FPGA

Post by Sin_TARO »

Hi everyone,

I'd like to share a new project called MegaVGMDrive.

MegaVGMDrive is a standalone VGM player core for MiSTer FPGA.

Unlike a console core, it does not run Genesis ROMs. It loads VGM files directly and plays them using JT12/YM2612 and PSG audio cores.

Features:
- YM2612 (JT12) + PSG
- DDRAM-backed playback
- Multi-megabyte VGM support
- Open source

Project:
https://github.com/dai-VGM/MegaVGMDrive

Feedback is welcome.
  • Sin_TARO Offline
  • Posts: 3
  • Joined: 2026-06-20, 13:26:26

MegaVGMDrive update: YM2151,YM2203 and SegaPCM support

Post by Sin_TARO »

Hi everyone,

I have released a new MegaVGMDrive update for MiSTer-compatible Cyclone V hardware.

MegaVGMDrive is an FPGA-based VGM player using synthesizable sound cores. The current release supports:

- YM2612
- SN76489 PSG
- YM2151 / JT51
- YM2203 with JT49 SSG
- SegaPCM

Playback has been tested on real hardware with VGM files from:

- After Burner
- Out Run
- Galaxy Force II
- Thunder Blade
- Power Drift
- Space Harrier
- multiple Mega Drive / Genesis titles

The production build can run the supported MD and Sega arcade sound devices together, with separate output normalization for the MD and arcade audio families.

GitHub repository and RBF release:

https://github.com/dai-VGM/MegaVGMDrive

Release:
https://github.com/dai-VGM/MegaVGMDrive ... 03-segapcm

This is still not a claim of complete compatibility. Some early YM2151 VGM files, including Quartet, can still produce load-dependent sound differences, and there are a few other issues under investigation.

I would also like to give a small thank-you to VGMRips. The VGM archive and the information shared on this forum were extremely useful for testing and comparing the FPGA playback against a wide range of real game data.


Thanks!
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