Tekken and Tekken 2 arrive on MiSTer FPGA through a new Namco System 11 core

MiSTer FPGA has added one of its most interesting arcade cores yet. Namco System 11 is now running on compatible hardware, bringing Tekken, Tekken 2 and several other mid-1990s arcade games to the platform. That’s the headline. But there’s more going on here. System 11 wasn’t just a PlayStation stuffed inside an arcade cabinet. Namco borrowed key parts of Sony’s console architecture, then surrounded them with its own audio hardware, ROM system, input controls and protection chips. Recreating that combination on an FPGA takes considerably more work than adapting an existing PlayStation core and pointing it at arcade game files. The result is a core that already handles graphics, controls, sound, music, attract sequences and two-player matches in the first two Tekken games. It also boots seven additional System 11 titles, although those games haven’t all received the same level of testing. It’s a serious release, even with a few rough edges.

System 11 shared its DNA with the original PlayStation

Namco built System 11 around hardware closely related to Sony’s first PlayStation. At its centre sits an R3000A-compatible MIPS processor, supported by PlayStation-style graphics hardware and 2 MB of video memory.

That familiar foundation gave the developers a useful starting point. Existing FPGA work could provide much of the CPU, graphics, geometry, DMA and memory functionality. From there, though, the arcade board goes its own way.

There’s no CD drive. Game data comes from banked ROM chips, which let the hardware access large amounts of program, graphics and audio data without waiting for optical media. Namco also added a C76 microcontroller to handle sound commands and cabinet inputs. Then there’s the C352 sound chip.

This 32-voice PCM processor appeared in several Namco arcade systems and gives System 11 games much of their recognisable audio character. It handles sampled music, sound effects and voice clips rather than relying on the PlayStation’s standard sound system. The board also uses KEYCUS protection chips. These vary between games and respond to software checks in specific ways. Get those responses wrong and a game may freeze, reset or refuse to move beyond its startup tests. So yes, the hardware looks familiar. It isn’t simple.

Tekken and Tekken 2 are the main attraction

Most people will start with Tekken. That’s understandable. The original game runs in its World TE2/VER.C form, with three alternative regional or revision versions available. Tekken 2 uses the World TES2/VER.D release as its main version, while VER.B and six additional revisions are also supported. All eight known Tekken 2 revisions have been boot-tested on real MiSTer hardware. That gives the game a stronger level of verification than the other recently added System 11 titles.

The controls work as expected. Each player gets an eight-way joystick and four attack buttons, matching the arcade layout. Two-player matches are supported, and users can access the test and service controls through MiSTer’s on-screen display.

Once the core and the required game definition files are installed, supported titles appear in the arcade menu. Users still need to provide their own legally obtained ROM dumps and the required Namco C76 BIOS. No game data comes with the project. That won’t surprise regular MiSTer users, but it’s worth making clear. The core recreates the hardware. It doesn’t include the original commercial software.

Seven more games now reach their attract modes

The latest version goes beyond Tekken and Tekken 2. Soul Edge Ver. II, Dunk Mania, Xevious 3D/G, Prime Goal EX, Dancing Eyes, Star Sweep and Kosodate Quiz My Angel 3 now boot, pass their protection checks and display attract sequences. That’s a varied group. It includes fighting games, sports releases, shooters, puzzle titles and some of Namco’s stranger arcade experiments.

Still, the support level isn’t identical across the whole list. Tekken and Tekken 2 have received extended testing for gameplay, inputs, sound and general stability. The seven additional games have reached a more basic milestone. They start, complete their early checks and show their demonstration sequences, but they haven’t all been played through for long sessions.

Alternative regional versions are also available for some games. Not every version has been tested separately. That distinction matters. A game reaching its attract mode proves that the CPU, graphics hardware, protection logic and much of the memory system are working. It doesn’t guarantee that every stage, menu, sound effect or unusual control path will behave perfectly. This is usable software, but development hasn’t stopped.

You’ll need at least 64 MB of SDRAM

The new System 11 core requires a 64 MB SDRAM module. Older builds could run within 32 MB, but the expanded memory map changed that. The core now stores the C76 sound program and C352 wave data above the 40 MB point, putting the complete configuration beyond the capacity of a 32 MB module.

A smaller module may still produce limited results. Don’t expect proper sound, though, and some games may not work at all. Most current MiSTer setups already use 64 MB or 128 MB modules, so this won’t affect every owner. People running older, stripped-down or compact systems should check their hardware before installing the core.

My Angel 3 plays a part in the increased requirement. The game uses 32 MB ROM banking, and the full System 11 memory layout reaches about 45 MB once program code, graphics, sound software and audio samples are loaded. There’s a lot sitting in memory at once.

Several System 11 games still need extra hardware support

Not every game on the platform is ready. Pocket Racer currently stops at a shared-memory handshake involving the C76 controller. Analogue steering and pedal input support has already been prepared, but the game can’t progress until that communication problem is solved. Point Blank 2 also has game definitions available, although the core doesn’t support lightguns yet. Without proper gun input, it can’t offer the experience the game requires.

Family Bowl presents a different problem. It uses an additional H8/3002-based sub-board that the current core doesn’t recreate. Supporting it will require another piece of hardware logic rather than a quick software adjustment. These aren’t minor menu bugs. Each game depends on equipment or behaviour that sits outside the parts of System 11 already implemented.

Long sessions may reveal a display issue

The core also has an intermittent video problem. During one extended test, the picture disappeared after about 100 minutes. Sound continued. Controls still responded, and the MiSTer menu remained accessible. Reloading the core restored the image.

Shorter sessions haven’t consistently reproduced the fault, which makes it harder to track down. It could involve timing, memory access or another issue that only appears after prolonged operation. Audio works, but it’s still being tuned. The C76 controller and C352 sound chip are functional, although some details may not yet match the original arcade board perfectly. For casual play, that may go unnoticed. Anyone comparing recordings directly with original hardware could hear differences.

This is much bigger than a Tekken core

Tekken and Tekken 2 will draw the attention. They’re famous, easy to recognise and well suited to quick testing. The real achievement is the wider System 11 implementation.

The core handles Namco’s ROM banking, cabinet input system, audio hardware, protection logic and different graphics configurations. Those elements turn a PlayStation-related design into a distinct arcade platform, and they’re exactly the parts that make accurate FPGA recreation difficult. There’s still work ahead. Some games need longer testing, a few depend on unsupported controls or extra processors, and the occasional display failure needs investigation.

Even so, this has already moved beyond a basic technical demo. With compatible SDRAM and correctly prepared game files, MiSTer owners can play Tekken and Tekken 2 while exploring a growing range of other Namco System 11 releases. That makes this core one of the strongest recent additions to MiSTer’s arcade line-up.