Kazzo

The Kazzo is a Famicom/NES cartridge dumper/flasher device made by Naruko before 2009.

It is still available on marketplaces, and used to be sold by InfiniteNesLives.

The Anago software is used to operate the device.

In 2018, InfiniteNesLives created the INLretro dumper/flasher to address the Kazzo’s limitations.

The first version of Kazzo is a simple dumper composed of 3 logical chips : ATMEGA164 + 2 x 74HC175 , and only one FAMICOM connector. It needs to be connected to an USB port of a computer (for example), so it can be used without an original console (contrary to CopyNES). The next version added a Nintendo NES connector.

It allows to dump :

• FAMICOM cartridges
• Nintendo NES cartridges (by using an adapter Nintendo NES / FAMICOM for the first version or copies versions)

Even if the project is closed, several copies of the original Kazzo PCB can be found on MarketPlaces, like Aliexpress. Usually, these copies are built with logical chips like ATMEGA16 + 74HC574, or others. They have either an USB-B port or an USB-C port for connecting to the computer.

These copies work like the original Kazzo dumper, so they can be used with Anago to dump the content of a cartridge, or to flash a blank cartridge.

For the first version or copies versions, dumping a Nintendo NES cartridge requires :

• 1 Kazzo dumper
• 1 adapter Nintendo NES 72 pins female to FAMICOM 60 pins male

Kazzo dumper works with the Anago software, which is the result of the Unagi project. This software was initially built for Windows, but a portage has been created for Linux. It works in command-line.

AnagoWx is a graphical software for Kazzo dumper under Windows.

Two different versions of Anago using two different syntaxes for scripts exist :

• Version 0.6.2 (mainline) :

   https://github.com/sharkpp/unagi_kazzo
   https://github.com/sharkpp/unagi_client

• Version 0.6.0l (legacy) :

   https://github.com/zerkerX/anago

Scripts syntax differences between the two versions :

The legacy version (0.6.0l) is easy to compile and use but has some limitations and works only on Linux system.

The explanations in the following paragraphs are based on the Anago’s legacy version.

These commands work on a Linux Debian 13 system.

Linux Live versions can be run on an USB key or a CD/DVD without any installation on the computer. A Debian Live version can be downloaded at :

https://cdimage.debian.org/mirror/cdimage/archive/

Note : Select directories with -live suffix, and next, the architecture of the processor (amd64, …).

Example : Common Debian 13 Live version image :

https://cdimage.debian.org/mirror/cdimage/archive/13.3.0-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/debian-live-13.3.0-amd64-lxde.iso

Commands to execute in a terminal :

• Dependencies installation :

   sudo apt-get install libsquirrel-dev libusb-dev libwxgtk3.2-dev

• Anago 0.6.2 compilation / installation :

   mkdir anago-main
   cd anago-main
   git clone https://github.com/sharkpp/unagi_kazzo.git
   git clone https://github.com/sharkpp/unagi_client.git
   mv unagi_kazzo/ kazzo
   cd unagi_client
   mkdir -p SQUIRREL2 && cd SQUIRREL2
   includeDirectory=$(ls -d /usr/include/squirrel*/ | head -n 1)
   libDirectory=$(find /usr/lib* -name "libsquirrel*.so" -print | head -n 1 | sed -e 's/^\(\/[^\/]*\/[^\/]*\)\/.*$/\1\//g')
   ln -s "${includeDirectory}" include
   ln -s "${libDirectory}" lib
   cd ..
   sed -i 's/Werror/Wno-error/g' anago/anago.mk
   libSquirrel=$(find /usr/lib* -name "libsquirrel*.so" -print | head -n 1 | sed -e 's/^\/\([^\/]*\/\)*lib\(.*\)\.so$/\2/g')
   libSqstdlib=$(find /usr/lib* -name "libsqstdlib*.so" -print | head -n 1 | sed -e 's/^\/\([^\/]*\/\)*lib\(.*\)\.so$/\2/g')
   sed -i 's/\-lsquirrel[^ \t\n\r]*/-l'"${libSquirrel}"'/g' anago/anago.mk
   sed -i 's/\-lsqstdlib[^ \t\n\r]*/-l'"${libSqstdlib}"'/g' anago/anago.mk
   sed -i 's/GetPropVal/GetAttribute/g' anago/nescartxml.cpp
   sed -i 's/sq_setprintfunc(v, print_stdout);/sq_setprintfunc(v, print_stdout, NULL);/g' anago/squirrel_wrap.c
   sed -i 's/sq_setprintfunc(v, print_other);/sq_setprintfunc(v, print_other, NULL);/g' anago/squirrel_wrap.c
   cd anago
   make -f Makefile.unix
  

• Execution :

   su
   ./anago d nrom.ad dumpfile.nes

Commands to execute in a terminal :

• Dependencies installation :

   sudo apt install libsquirrel-dev libncurses-dev libusb-dev cmake

• Anago 0.6.0l compilation / installation :

   mkdir anago-legacy
   cd anago-legacy
   git clone https://github.com/zerkerX/anago.git
   cd anago
   mkdir build
   cd build
   export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fcommon"
   cmake ..
   make
   cp ../scripts/*.nut .

• Execution :

   su
   ./anago d ../scripts/nrom.ad dumpfile.nes

If the Anago executable file is installed in the build directory, the easy way is to copy the files dumpcore.nut, flashcore.nut and flashdevice.nut in the same directory :

   cd build
   cp ../scripts/*.nut .

Global syntax (for Linux) :

 ./anago mode script_file target_file [...]

NB : For Windows, the syntax is “anago.exe” in replacement of “./anago”

Used to create iNES ROM images from carts.

Syntax :

 ./anago d?? script_file dump_file mapper

Example 1.1 : Getting an image for UNROM

 ./anago d unrom.ad unrom.nes

Anago gets vram mirroring connection from target cartridge.

Example 1.2 : Getting an image for UOROM

 ./anago d2 unrom.ad unrom.nes

UOROM data size is twice that of UNROM. This must be specicifed by hand.

Example 2 : Getting an image for Metal Slader Glory / ELROM

 ./anago d22 mmc5.ad hal_4j.nes

In many cases, it is enough by 2M+2M to dump images for MMC5. MMC5 can manage 8M+8M. Please specify it individually according to capacity.

Example 3 : Getting an image for Ys III / TKSROM

 ./anago d mmc3.ad vfr_q8_12.nes 118

Enter digits on last commandline word to change mapper number for MMC3 variants.

Write to Flash ROM chips on specially prepaired flash carts.

Syntax :

 ./anago f?? script_file programming_file prg_chip chr_chip
 ./anago F?? script_file programming_file prg_chip chr_chip
 ./anago a?? script_file programming_file prg_chip chr_chip

Example 1.1 : Tranfer 1M+1M image to mmc3 / TLROM

 ./anago f mmc3.af tlrom_1M_1M.nes AM29F040B AM29F040B

In this case the board is configured with 4M flash ROMs. The MMC3 can only map 2M of CHR-ROM, so the high address line is assumed to be tied (either high or low). Anago would transfer the PRG portion four times to fill the PRG chip, and the CHR portion two times to fill the CHR chip.

Example 1.2 : Tranfer 1M+1M image to mmc3 / TLROM

 ./anago ftt mmc3.af tlrom_1M_1M.nes AM29F040B AM29F040B

In this example the PRG and CHR ROMs are only written once, this time to the top portion of each chip, in order to save time. The program code will need to be aware of this arrangement and only use the top-most bank numbers.

Example 1.3 : Tranfer 1M+1M image to mmc3 / TLROM

 ./anago fbt mmc3.af tlrom_1M_1M.nes AM29F040B AM29F040B

In this example the PRG ROM is written to the bottom 1M of the PRG ROM chip and the CHR ROM is written to the top 1M of the CHR ROM chip. The origional author remarks that this often works with Konami and Namcot titles.

Incidentally, mmc3 is not compatible with Namcot 109. The 109 board has hard-wired vram mirroring, mmc3 does not. Furthermore Namcot 106 is a fictitious device with well known extra sound. Don’t miss 109 and 106.

• Note that the second translator does not fully understand the meaning of the above paragraph.

Example 2 : Transfer UNROM(1M) image to UOROM

 ./anago ft uorom.af unrom.nes AM29F040B

If charcter memory is RAM, charcter device can be skip. Again the program will need to only use the upper bank numbers.

Example 3 : Transferring only charcter ROM image to mmc1/ SLROM

 ./anago ftt mmc1_slrom.af skrom.nes dummy AM29F040B
 ./anago fet mmc1_slrom.af skrom.nes AM29F040B AM29F040B

Both commands result in the same behavior. Choose the one that suits your taste.

Notes :

• If the concepts of Top and Bottom transfer are not clear, and their impact and requirements on your software are not obvious, please use the full transfer mode at all times.

• Anago does not have WRAM reading or writing mode at this time. Please use the Unagi utility for this purpose if needed.

Extensions for Anago scripts are :

An Anago dumping script is mainly composed of 3 parts :

• Initialization variable “board” :

 board <- {
   mappernum = XXX,
   cpu_romsize = XXX, cpu_banksize = XXX,
   ppu_romsize = XXX, ppu_banksize = XXX,
   ppu_ramfind = false, vram_mirrorfind = false
 };

• cpu_dump() function (to dump PRG part) :

 function cpu_dump(d, pagesize, banksize)

• ppu_dump() function (to dump CHR part) :

 function ppu_dump(d, pagesize, banksize)

In basic scripts, cpu_dump() and ppu_dump() functions contains a loop :

 for (local i = 0; i < pagesize; i++) {
   cpu_write(d, addressPart, dataPart);
   cpu_read(d, address, banksize);
 }

An Anago flashing script is mainly composed of 4 parts :

• Initialization variable “board” :

 board <- {
   mappernum = XX, vram_mirrorfind = false,
   cpu = {banksize = XXXX, maxsize = XXXXXX},
   ppu = {banksize = XXXX, maxsize = XXXXXX}
 };

• program_initalize() function :

 function program_initalize(d, cpu_banksize, ppu_banksize)

• cpu_transfer() function (to flash PRG part) :

 function cpu_transfer(d, start, end, cpu_banksize)

• ppu_transfer() function (to flash CHR part) :

 function ppu_transfer(d, start, end, ppu_banksize)

 /usr/bin/ld : CMakeFiles/anago.dir/reader_dummy.c.o:(.data.rel.ro.local+0x0) : définitions multiples de « DRIVER_DUMMY »; CMakeFiles/anago.dir/anago.c.o:(.rodata+0x60) : défini pour la première fois ici
 /usr/bin/ld : CMakeFiles/anago.dir/reader_kazzo.c.o:(.data.rel.ro.local+0x0) : définitions multiples de « DRIVER_KAZZO »; CMakeFiles/anago.dir/anago.c.o:(.rodata+0x0) : défini pour la première fois ici
 collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
 make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/anago.dir/build.make:298 : anago] Erreur 1
 make[1]: *** [CMakeFiles/Makefile2:96 : CMakeFiles/anago.dir/all] Erreur 2
 make: *** [Makefile:171 : all] Erreur 2

Solution : This error can be solved by adding the -fcommon option for the ld linker before compilation :

In the Anago root directory (anago-master/), run in a terminal :

   rm -rf build
   mkdir build
   cd build
   export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fcommon"
   cmake ..
   make
   cp ../scripts/*.nut .

 Could not find USB device "kazzo" with vid=0x16c0 pid=0x5dc; code: 1
 reader open error

Solution : This error indicates that the user doesn’t have the permission for accessing to USB device.

A simple workaround is to run Anago in root mode in a terminal, though this causes dumped ROM files to have root ownership/permissions :

   su
   ./anago d ../scripts/nrom.ad dumpfile.nes

or :

   sudo ./anago d ../scripts/nrom.ad dumpfile.nes

The proper solution is to create a udev rule to add the Kazzo device to a group with appropriate USB/serial permissions, such as uucp on Arch.

 dump core script error

Solution : The files dumpcore.nut , flashcore.nut and flashdevice.nut must be into the same directory than the Anago executable or into one of the directories :

• .
• ${HOME}/.config/anago/
• CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX/SHARE_DIR

Example : In the Anago build directory (anago-master/build/), run in a terminal :

   cp ../scripts/*.nut .
   ./anago d ../scripts/nrom.ad dumpfile.nes

 AN ERROR HAS OCCURRED [the index 'cpu_romsize' does not exist]

 CALLSTACK
 *FUNCTION [dump()] dumpcore.nut line [8]

 LOCALS
 [vram] 1
 [increase_ppu] 1
 [increase_cpu] 1
 [mappernum] XXX
 [d] USERPOINTER
 [this] TABLE

Solution : Rewrite the script with the syntax corresponding to the Anago version program.

For example, if the script syntax was written for the Anago mainline version :

 board <- {
     mappernum = XXX,
     cpu_rom = {
       size_base = XXXXXX, size_max = XXXXXX, banksize = 0x4000
     },
     ppu_rom = {
       size_base = YYYYYY, size_max = YYYYYY, banksize = 0x2000
     },
     ppu_ramfind = false, vram_mirrorfind = true
   };

The valid syntax for the Anago 0.6.0l legacy version is :

 board <- {
     mappernum = XXX,
     cpu_romsize = XXXXXX, cpu_banksize = 0x4000,
     ppu_romsize = YYYYYY, ppu_banksize = 0x2000,
     ppu_ramfind = false, vram_mirrorfind = true
   };

• INL’s announcement of starting selling Kazzo dumpers

• INL’s Website for Kazzo dumper

• Original Unagi project

• Official software for Kazzo

Anago legacy release (Linux portage of Anago) :

• https://github.com/zerkerX/anago
• https://github.com/hernan43/anago-linux

Anago mainline release :

• https://github.com/sharkpp/unagi_kazzo
• https://github.com/sharkpp/unagi_client

Anago scripts (Github repository for getting and adding Anago scripts) :

• https://github.com/arantius/anago-scripts

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