The first release of Max in GhostPix (aka GhostPix) was a GP32 entry in the GBAX 2005 competition, Marc Robledo spent the next year or so expanding and completing the game, finally releasing version 1.0 in December 2006 for GP32 and for GP2X with music disabled. Version 1.0 of the game in its original form will not load on Dreamcast, it attempts to write a save file (for GP only) when you press start, then freezes. I started playing this addictive game in 2007 and managed to get it to load on Dreamcast by creating a dummy save file, there's obviously no saving in the game on Dreamcast and it was frustrating having to start from the very beginning every time, so it was shelved along with the many other projects we were toying around with at DCEvo back then.
Digging through the archives, I recently discovered my backup of the project and took another look at it, if the game loads with a dummy save file, it should (in theory) load with a real save file, and it does! I've played through the whole game on PC and saved my progress at each medal stage, there's four medals at various points in the game and four save slots to choose from - perfect!
This release comprises of DCEvo's version of Chui's Fenix SDL Loader (FSL) from November 2004, edited to exclude the Fenix splash screen and jingle, so GhostPix loads directly. The GP2X version of GhostPix is included with four PC version saves, the only downside to this is you get a spoiler preview of the picture when choosing a level, it won't do you much good though because you can't see that preview picture when you actually play the level.
Choosing save slot 4 (with 4 medals on display) will unlock all 95 levels of the game. Levels 1 to 12 are the fairly easy 15x15 block puzzles and you've got thirty minutes to complete each one. Levels 13 to 84 are 30x30 block puzzles, you'll need to work out all four 15x15 sections of the puzzle to complete each one of these levels, once again you've got 30 minutes for each one. Levels 85 to 95 are 60x60 block puzzles and you'll need to work out all sixteen 15x15 sections of the puzzle to complete each one of these levels, this time you've got 50 minutes for each one.
Controls:
Start - Start Game
D-Pad - Browse Options
A - Select Option
B - Return to Previous Screen/Menu
In Game Controls:
D-Pad - Move Selection Marker
A - Select Block
B - Mark Block/Remove Mark
Start - Pause Menu
When I get around to it, I'll create an archive page at DCEvo and upload the CDI, the CDI with a dummy file and the plainfiles. Until then I've attached a standard CDI of the game below.
Enjoy!