The History of Arcade Emulators - Part 7

Final Burn / Final Burn Alpha (2000)

Final Burn

Final Burn was released on August 31, 2000 by Dave for Windows, under the name After Burner Emulator, inspired by the game After Burner II for the Sega X Board, which ran on the emulator. The emulator also ran the games Outrun, Super Hang-On and Thunderblade, for the Sega Outrun, X Board and Super Scaler boards, both also from Sega. The emulator was released for Windows, but was later ported to Linux by Hoonis and to BeOS by Caz as Final Burn/SDL, both in October 2001. On September 2, 2000, a new layout for the emulator was released, making it easier to run the games. It didn't take long and the next day version 0.007 of the emulator was released under the name Final Burn, and with a new interface, created by Mr. Click. Over time, it added other games from other Sega boards, such as the Y Board and System 16. It also began to run games from the CPS-1 board. At this time, Razoola from the CPS2 Shock! project managed to decrypt the CPS-2 games. On January 3, 2001, Final Burn began to emulate games from the Capcom board, starting with support for the game Street Fighter Zero.

Final Burn v0.113

Final Burn was the first emulator to emulate CPS-2. In February, Dave took the support offline, reinstating it a few days later due to pressure from fans. The CPS2 Shock! webmaster reported at the time of the withdrawal that he had been approached by a game creator for the board to work for them on encryption. The website for the future Final Burn Alpha project seems to have said that Dave had gone through something similar at the time. In the meantime, he also released versions without CPS-2 support, because, according to him, he only wanted to go back to emulating old Sega games. The pressure was so great that Dave had to backtrack and re-add the Sega board to the emulator. In April, he released version 0.113, and publicly stated that he had ceased activities with Final Burn, releasing a version in May that only corrected the alphabetical names of the ROMs. According to Dave, the insults he received for having stopped emulating CPS-2 and for having refused to continue the project until a specific website stopped hacking his emulator, made him give up on the project. He felt too humiliated, and thought it was unnecessary to go through that while developing a free project. In July he released the emulator's source code so that it can be used by other programmers, and released a final version of the emulator, 0.123.

Final Burn Kaillera Alpha

In the same month, version 0.124 appeared on the internet under the name Final Burn Alpha, which confused many people. It was a group that had taken the Final Burn source code and created the Final Burn Alpha project, which was in fact a continuation of Final Burn. The project was created by the Team FBA team, composed of Barry Harris (TrebleWinner), Jan_Klaassen, KEV, LoopMaster, Mike Haggar, Hyper Yagami and Ayeye. In this same version, all CPS-2 game titles were added, with the exception of two games. Support for CPS-1 and Sega arcades was also removed, which were placed further ahead. In version 0.126, still in the same month, the CPS-2 drivers were updated using the LogiqX DAT file with the board's ROMs organized in a pattern used by other emulators, such as MAME. CPS-1 along with the CPS-Changer console will arrive in August in version 0.127, the version that begins supporting Kaillera. This version was inspired by Christophe Thibault's hack of July's version 0.123 of Dave's Final Burn that inaugurates support for Kaillera. This version by Christophe became known as Alpha 2, or simply Final Burn Kaillera, and has had five versions in total, the last one being in August. 

Final Burn CPS2en

Final Burn Launcher CPS-1

And speaking of hacks, there were two more at the time, the first of all Final Burn CPS2 En in April 2001 with CPS-1 and 2 games, Final Burn Launcher CPS-1 in July 2001, with other CPS-1 clones and a French translated version of the emulator. Regarding Final Burn Launcher, its development began in early 2001, when Dave allowed the hacking of his emulator. Shortly after, he changed his mind and no longer allowed it. The hack was finally released when Dave released its source code. One of the most publicized versions at the beginning of the FBA project was the one from August 2001, 0.134, considered an official release version of the project. Regarding the team and its inclusions in the emulator, one of the members, Jan, worked hard to improve the emulation. The group also added the aquarium effect, which gave the sensation of playing on a tube TV. The emulator's layout was very similar to its competitor, WinKawaks. Dave, the owner of the original Final Burn, had been promoting the FBA project on his website (finalburn.com) since early 2002 as a spin-off of Final Burn, and encouraged people to download it as a continuation of his project. Unexpectedly, in April 2002, Dave returned to the original Final Burn, releasing a version with updated games, including CPS-2, numbered 0.510. He changed the numbering with the intention of restarting the emulator, or as a distinction from the Final Burn Alpha project. He released two more versions in April, 0.514 and 0.515. In May, version 0.517. And in October, he released the last version, 0.518, and ended the project for good. 

Final Burn Alpha v0.138b

Final Burn Alpha v0.2.3

At the same time, the Final Burn Alpha project continued to develop. At the end of 2002, when it changed its front-end, it stopped supporting audio, returning the following year. Around the beginning of 2003, it began releasing the emulator in .exe format, and no longer in .zip format (returning with the compressed versions in January 2007). In January 2004, there was a hiatus between versions, until January 2005, when three versions were released and the project ended. Some unofficial versions were released by members of the group, but only with updates to the interface, sound, image and other technical issues. At the end of 2006, the group's leader, Barry, began developing the emulator again, posting versions of it from January 2007 on his website (barryharris.me.uk), as he no longer had access to the FBA project website (fba.emuunlim.com). Also in 2007, Barry created the fbalpha.com website and continued the project. It was from the January 2007 version that the project really began, with large inclusions of boards and games. Kev returned to the project, and apparently Jan. In April, Loop from the old FBA project began to post Barry's versions on the classic FBA website for publicity. This continued until April 2008, when the fba.emuunlim.com website closed. Barry continued to post the versions, both on his personal website and on the new project website (fbalpha.com). In July 2008, he began to support changing directories in the main menu, which from the end of 2001 only allowed changing the rom folder and within the game selection window, but now also allowed changing the previews, titles, flyers, cheats and other folders.

FB Alpha v0.2.94

Regarding the inclusion of arcades, in addition to those already mentioned in 2001, such as CPS-1 and 2, and CPS-Changer, in 2002 we have Cave 68k, Neo Geo MVS and Toaplan Version. In 2003, Neo Geo AES enters. In 2005, they include the Psikyo brand, the Psikyo 1st Generation board. In 2007, we have arcades from Taito, PGM, Kaneko, and the Sega boards, System 16, System 18, X-Board and Out Run. In 2008 it is the turn of CPS-3, followed by boards from Seta, Data East, Midway, and Technos, and with the novelty of the entry of consoles, starting with Mega Drive. In 2009, boards from Midas, Namco, Konami, Banpresto and NMK16 arrive in the emulator. In 2011, several Irem arcades appeared, such as the M72, and Deco, with the Deco16, and the Neo Geo CD console. In 2012, in addition to the Nintendo board, the Nintendo Classic, the PC-Engine/TurboGrafx 16/SuperGrafx consoles. In 2013 with the Unico board, and in 2014 with the Sega SG-1000, Colecovision, and MAME-derived NES consoles. In 2015, the Master System and Game Gear consoles, and the Jaleco arcade, and in 2016 the MSX1 computer. In 2017 we have the Metro board, and the Sega System E board, which curiously is based on the Master System console. And finally, in 2018, the Vic Dual board. Many other boards were added, most of them from the companies already mentioned. The ZX Spectrum computer, and the Nintendo Disk System console were also added. The emulator runs a total of 12,078 games. Years later, along with MAME, it became one of the most famous arcade emulators. Its latest version was released in April 2018. Barry's website had updates until April 2015. 

FB Alpha (Front-End and Credits)

FB Alpha (Game Selection)

Regarding its front-end, we don't know how long it used the Final Burn interface, but by the end of 2001 it already had its own interface. Around the end of 2002 it modified it once again, changing its logo, the appearance of the menus, such as its about banner, and the game selection window with support for each game's image (preview) on the left side of the screen. The following year, in 2003, it brought another modification to the front-end, a background image, as well as its about banner, in addition to improving the logo that is at the top of the emulator and adding more options to its menus. In the last version before the hiatus, in January 2005, it brought a small modification to the menu bar. When the emulator returned in January 2007, it brought an initial message of consent to use using its about logo. All these modifications to the menus, wallpaper, logo and banner became standard from then on. The only changes made to the front end over time from then on were only in the game selection window, as in January 2007, stretching it, in March 2007, enlarging the window and placing the preview on the left side of the screen and dividing it into three parts, title (game title), ingame (game screen) and flyer (game leaflet/poster), in July 2008, changing the location of some options and returning to just one game preview screen, in January 2009, when it ends a series of updates made in the last versions, such as a list of games, favorite games and options, and an interactive bar for quickly adding favorites, links to the official website and partners, information on game music, and detailed information about each game, on October 1, 2011, enlarging and returning the preview to the right side of the screen, on October 7, 2011, adding the title screen again, and reducing the reviews screen, and in March 2011, 2012, moving the preview and title screens to the top left corner of the screen, becoming the standard ever since.

UO Final Burn Alpha

Final Burn Evolution

FBA Slotman's Edition

FBA Shuffle

FBA-RR (ReRecording)

FB Alpha Plus!

Final Burn Alpha (Japanese Version)

FB Alpha Combo

The emulator was ported to several systems, such as the Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2010 through the FBANext fork. There were also ports for the GP2X Wiz handheld in 2009, under the name GBA2X, and for Android in 2012, under the name TigerFBA. In addition, it was also part of the LibRetro/RetroArch multi-system emulator from 2010 onwards. Regarding the hacks and forks of FBA, we have initially the Unofficial Final Burn Alpha which merged with Final Burn Kaillera in August 2001, running CPS-1, 2 and Changer, later becoming Final Burn Alpha Combo in March 2002, running CPS, Cave, Toaplan, Sega, NeoGeo and others. FBA Slotman's Edition in November 2001, running the same games as FBA at the time (CPS-1/2/Changer), but running Vampire Savior II, which was not yet available on the emulator. FBA Japanese Version in April 2002, which was just FBA 0.2.6 in Japanese. Final Burn Evolution in August 2005, CPS 1 and 2, Cave, Toaplan, Sega, NeoGeo, Psikyo and others. FinalBurn Alpha Plus! in December 2005, running CPS 1 and 2, Cave, Toaplan, Sega, NeoGeo and others. FBA Shuffle in June 2006, with several emulator systems such as FBA and MAME, with over 2000 games. FBA ReRecording in July 2009, recording your gameplay of games from Atari, Cave, CPS-1, 2 and 3, Konami, Neo Geo, PGM, Psikyo, Sega, Taito, Toaplan, SMD and others. And FinalBurn Neo in November 2020, with games from Capcom, Data East, Irem, Kaneko, Konami, Midway, NeoGeo, Taito, Seta, Toaplan and the consoles PCE, FDS, Coleco, NGP and others.

FinalBurn Neo

The fork we want to highlight is FinalBurn Neo, created after the closure of FBA by members of the team itself for the Windows system. The project was a direct continuation of FBA, adding dozens of games, and several other arcades and consoles, such as the Atari Arcade Classics and Incredible Technologies 16 and 32 bit, and the Famicom Disk System, Neo Geo Pocket and Neo Geo Pocket Color. The project had only two versions released, the second in May 2021. It is the only active fork of the project. In 2020, FB Neo became part of LibRetro, which is a library of emulators to be used in programs that use collections of emulators, and began to be part of the RetroArch program, used on PCs, Mini PCs and portables, in place of FBA. FB Neo also had versions for MacOS and the RetroPie system.

Final Burn:

2000: Sega X Board, Sega Outrun, Sega X Board, Sega Super Scaler, Sega Y Board, Sega System 16, CPS

2001: CPS-2

Final Burn Alpha:

2001 [0.124 / July 2001] CPS-2 / Removes CPS-1 and Sega cards [0.126 / July 2001]: Updates CPS-2 drivers [0.127 / August 2001]: CPS-1 and CPS-Changer (first with Kaillera)

2002 [0.2.91 / September 2002]: Toaplan Version 2 [0.2.94 / December 2002] Cave 68k [0.2.94.56 / December 2002]: Neo Geo MVS

2003 [0.2.94.97 / December 2003]: Neo Geo AES

2005 [0.2.95.21 / January 2005]: Psikyo 1st Generation

2007 [0.2.96.58 / January 2007]: Toaplan Version 1, Eolith Gradation 2D, SemiCom Arcade, Psikyo SH2 [0.2.96.60 / January 2007]: Sega System 16a [0.2.96.66 / March 2003]: Sega Out Run, Sega System 16B [0.2.96.67 / March 2007]: Sega X-Board, Taito 68k [0.2.96.71 / April 2007]: Sega Y Board [0.2.96.72 / August 2007]: Sega System 18, Kaneko 16-Bit Series, PGM, Video System

2008 [0.2.96.73 / February 2008]: CPS-3, Seta 2nd Generation / Newer Seta [0.2.96.75 / March 2008]: Sega Z80 Based, Taito The Newzealand Story, Data East Burger Time, Midway Wolf, Technos Hardwares, Kyugo Z80-based [0.2.96.76 / March 2008]: Sega System 1, Taito Unique [0.2.96.77 / April 2008]: Taito Z System, Capcom Commando Hardware [0.2.96.78 / April 2008]: Mega Drive, Orca Hardwares, Stern Hardware [0.2.96.81 / April 2008]: Konami Green Beret Based [0.2.96.82 / May 2008]: Taito F-2 [0.2.96.83 / May 2008]: Taito X [0.2.96.93 / August 2008]: Suna Electronics, New Multi Game 5, ESD [0.2.96.94 / August 2008]: Konami TMNT (and dozens of other Konami cards, known as GX), Comad [0.2.96.99 / October 2008]: Capcom Section Z

2009 [0.2.97.02 / January 2009]: Namco Galaxian, Midas, Deniam, Taito Arkanoid [0.2.97.03 / March 2009]: Nichibutsu 68k + Z80, Capcom 68k, Wintechno [0.2.97.05 / April 2009]: Fuuki FG-3 [0.2.97.06 / Juno 2009]: Taito Bubble Bobble [0.2.97.07 / October 2009]: Nihon System, Banpresto, Konami TMNT2 Based, Konami Twin 16, Mitchell Capcom, NMK16, Psikyo SH, Konami X-Men Based, Yun Sung 16, Karnov

2010 [0.2.97.08 / February 2010]: Sega Space Position, Namco Pacland, VH-K, Taito The Fairyland Story, Universal Hardware, Sega Space Position, Taito Bonze Adventure, Namco Pacland

2011 [0.2.97.09 / October 2011]: Taito B, Irem M62/M63/M72/M90/M92, Gaelco, Data East Simple 156 System, Tecmo System, Seta [0.2.97.13 / October 2011]: Data East DECO16, Neo Geo CD [0.2.97.18 / December 2011]: Rabbit Punch, Psikyo4

2012 [0.2.97.19 / January 2012]: Terra Cresta, Data East Side Pocket, ABM / Gecas, PC-Engine/TurboGrafx 16/SuperGrafx, Deco IC16 / Data East Caveman Ninja [0.2.97.22 / March 2012]: Data East Act-Fancer [0.2.97.27 / August 2012]: Konami Test Board, Nintendo Classic

2013 [0.2.97.29 / June 2013]: Unique

2014: [0.2.97.30 / July 2014]: Irem M107, NES (from MAME) [0.2.97.32 / October 2014]: Konami Xexex, Sega SG-1000 and Colecovision

2015: [0.2.97.35 / March 2015]: Sega Master System and Game Gear (Dega port), Jaleco Mega System 1 [0.2.97.37 / November 2015]: Sega System 2

2016 [0.2.97.39 / October 2016]: MSX1-based

2017 [0.2.97.40 / April 2017]: Metro, Irem M52, Sega System E (Master System-based), Irem M84 [0.2.97.41 / July 2017]: Irem M81/M82, Taito-L

2018 [0.2.97.43 / April 2018]: Vic Dual, Konami Checkered Flag Based, Deco Cassette System, Deco 156, Deco MLC, Deco 32

Others: Sega VCO Object / Z80-3D, Irem M85, Williams 6809 System, Taito System SJ, Namco Pac Man, ZX Spectrum, and many others