Sharp X68000 – The Japanese Amiga Alternative
13 days ago
- #retro-computing
- #emulation
- #sharp-x68000
- The Sharp x68000 was a Japanese computer system released between 1987 and 1993, often compared to the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST.
- Key hardware specs include a Motorola-clone 68000 CPU, 1MB ROM, 1MB RAM (expandable to 4MB), and a Yamaha YM2151 FM synth for sound.
- Common issues with the x68000 include power supply problems due to its 'always on soft power state' design.
- The operating system, Human68k, was developed by Hudson Soft and resembles MS-DOS, with later versions including GUI shells like SX-WINDOW.
- Notable peripherals include the CZ-6VT1 Genlock device, MIDI expansion boards, and the rare POLYPHON board combining FPU, MIDI, PCM, and memory.
- Popular games on the system include 'Rygar,' 'Gradius II,' 'Final Fight,' and 'Ghouls ‘n Ghosts,' with many being near-perfect arcade ports.
- Emulation is legal and accurate, with WinX68k High-Speed v0.95 being a recommended emulator.