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──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@FROM :ARROMDEE@JYUSENKYOU.CS.JHU.EDU
@SUBJECT:rec.games.video Frequently Asked Questions (part 1 of 2)
Message-ID: <29cbsk$lgs@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu>
Newsgroup: rec.games.video.misc,rec.games.video.nintendo,rec.games.video.sega
news.answers,rec.answers
Organization: Johns Hopkins University CS Dept.
Archive-name: games/video-games/faq/part1
Information needed:
-- Correct price for Duo.
-- I need some system specifications on the 3DO and CD32.
-- Can you make a language switch in the redesigned Genesis? How?
-- Someone tell me how to make that SNES 50/60 hertz switch. Please.
-- More Game Genie/whatever conversion algorithms, particularly for Genesis.
And I am rather uncertain how to fix the bit 15 problem in the Game Genie
decoding list.
-- Information on this reputed D version of the EPROM in the Sega CD-ROM that
lets you play any country's game.
-- Is TTI eventually going to release the SCD card to stores? When?
-- What exactly is Turbo Zone? If they are a separate store, why do they have
the SCD cards at the same price as TTI, especially when SCD cards aren't
supposed to be in stores at all?
-- How to do a Neo-Geo language switch, and info on arcade/home adapters.
-- The TurboExpress and TG-16 information are inconsistent in CPU and Mhz.
-- Other pack-in game secret codes.
-- More examples of games that do/don't change with a language switch or in a
MD/Genesis, including ones that don't work at all.
-- Does the TG-16 really have 482 colors, and a 512x262x482 mode? And wouldn't
the existence of this mode, combined with the Turbo Express resolution, mean
the TE can't _really_ play all TG-16 games? (Is this the Supergrafx's mode?
What _is_ the Supergrafx's mode, anyway?) I want sources....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Changes since last time:
o Changed Lynx FAQ reference to uncertain.
o Added code for Genesis SF2 Turbo
o Added demo select 'code' for SF2.
o Added Shinobi 3 to Mega Drive lockout.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Last modified 10/11/93]
[Last posted 10/11/93]
Section 1: Basic Questions:
==========================
``Some people have complained about questionable business practices of
Nintendo. What are they?''
People are soured on Nintendo business practices because of:
1) NES cartridges have a ``lockout chip'' with availability controlled by
Nintendo, which must be there to run the game. (One common excuse is "to
preserve quality". Many games come from Japan, where lockout chips aren't
used, but the quality is the same. Also, most people agree that Tengen Tetris
is higher quality than the Nintendo one.)
2) Price-fixing. Nintendo lost in federal court, and had to give away $5
coupons good towards cartridges; they did not actually admit guilt. (No, I
don't think it looks like Nintendo will suffer much from this sentence either).
3) There is a rumor that Nintendo wouldn't let stores have popular cartridges
unless they also were willing to sell the Game Boy. [Information anyone?]
4) The Game Genie: This product fits between a cartridge and machine and
changes certain bytes on the fly. Nintendo sued, alleging copyright violation,
and delaying the Game Genie for a year. (Nintendo lost.)
5) Nintendo has sued stores for renting Nintendo games.
6) Nintendo would for a while not let licensees make the same game for other
systems (which is what delayed Genesis Batman for so long).
7) Nintendo's censorship policy on games (no blood, cannot fight females) in
games such as Final Fight, where all the female enemies were changed to male,
Final Fantasy 2, which had praying changed to "wishing", or the best-known
example, Mortal Kombat (no blood or violent fatalities). SF2 doesn't have
much censorship, but Nintendo _was_ planning to censor it and only relented
after a _lot_ of protests.
``Please tell me about those 100 games in 1 cartridges.''
Most of them are bootlegs, made in Hong Kong or South Korea. I've heard of
some for Nintendo, Gameboy, and Game Gear, as well as Mega Drive/Genesis ones
with 4-8 games. There might be such things for PC Engine. (If you have one,
tell me. I'd probably want to buy it. :-)) They often have some early, lower-
quality games and some games which vary only by small details like background
color. They also tend to be expensive (though people sometimes try selling
used ones at prices which are out of hand, even after considering this). If
you really want one, you will probably have to go to Asia or buy one used.
There are a number of legal 4-in-1 Nintendo cartridges, and there is at least
one (legal) 52 games in 1 cartridge for Nintendo advertised in a US magazine.
There is supposedly an upcoming Genesis cartridge with many games, about which
I know little. There's also the 4-game Super Mario All-Stars.
``What is the relationship between Tengen and Atari Games?''
They are two branches of the same company; however, both are separate from the
Atari which makes the Lynx. (Even though many Lynx games are licensed from
Atari Games.)
``Where is a good source for Japanese games?''
Check the ads in an American video game magazine. (Unless you know someone who
is going to Japan or has contacts there.) Also, Stephen Pearl posts a partial
list of sources regularly (see below).
``What happened to that version of Tetris they're not making any more?''
It was the Tengen Tetris for NES. Tengen didn't have the proper US rights, and
was forced in court by Nintendo to stop making and to recall it. (This was
separate from lawsuit threats over Tengen's attempt to work around the lockout
chip.) A Tetris for the Mega Drive in Japan was never legal to begin with.
``What are the pinouts on the Genesis A/V connector?''
Starting from the 1 o'clock position, looking at the Genesis from the back,
and going clockwise, the pins are: red, audio, +5 volts, ground, green,
composite video, and negative combined sync, with blue on the center pin.
``What are the pinouts on the Neo Geo A/V connector?''
Same as Genesis, though the plug is a different size.
``What are the pinouts on the SNES controller?''
_________
1 | U | 20
2 | | 19
3 | | 18
4 | | 17
5 | | 16
6 | | 15
7 | | 14
8 | | 13
9 | | 12
10 |_________| 11
1 : Pad: Down
2 : Pad: Left
3 : Pad: Right
4 : Select
5 : Start
6-9: Output 1-4
10: Gnd (pin 5 on connector)
11: nc
12: nc
13: Y
14: B
15: A
16: X
17: R
18: L
19: Pad: Up
20: nc
``What are the SNES output pinouts?''
From Radio Electronics April 1992:
11 9 7 5 3 1
12 10 8 6 4 2
1. RED VIDEO (requires series 200ufd)
2. GREEN VIDEO (requires series 200ufd)
3. RGB SYNCH (active low combined v+h synch pulses)
4. BLUE VIDEO (requires series 200ufd)
5. GROUND
6. GROUND
7. S-Video "Y"
8. S-Video "C"
9. NTSC COMPOSITE VIDEO
10. +5 Volts DC
11. L+R Sound
12. L-R Sound
``What are the SNES cartridge pinouts?''
(left side)
GND-||-GND
A11-||-A12
A10-||-A13
A9-||-A14
A8-||-A15
A7-||-A16
A6-||-A17
A5-||-A18
A4-||-A19
A3-||-A20
A2-||-A21
A1-||-A22
A0-||-A23
??-||-CARTRIDGE ENABLE
D0-||-D4
D1-||-D5
D2-||-D6
D3-||-D7
READ STROBE-||-WRITE STROBE
SECURITY-||-SECURITY
SECURITY-||-SECURITY
??-||-??
+5V-||-+5V
(right side)
Notes:
READ STROBE, WRITE STROBE, CARTRIDGE ENABLE are active low
SECURITY - connects to Nintendo security IC
``What are the differences between a "new" and "old" Genesis or Mega Drive?''
Machines made after about October 1991 are "new" machines. They won't play
certain old third party US games: Ishido, Budokan, Populous, and Onslaught,
or certain pirated Asian cartridges, though you can get around this problem
with a Game Genie or Game Action Replay. It doesn't matter whether the new
machine is a Mega Drive or a Genesis, and the change has no effect on the
ability to play Japanese games. (If the machine says "produced by or under
license to Sega" when turned on, it's a "new" machine.)
The specific cause of the difference is that the new machines scan the ROM for
the text "SEGA" in locations $100-103, and won't run if it's absent.
The change between "old" and "new" came around the same time that the pack-in
game was changed from Altered Beast to Sonic the Hedgehog. This isn't a
reliable way to tell the difference, but every so often you still hear people
refer to the "Altered Beast" and "Sonic" versions, which isn't quite right.
``Why does the SNES slow down a lot?''
The slowdown is probably a combination of several factors including:
-- the SNES uses a slower processor than the Genesis. [The general consensus
seems to be that this is only a minor factor.]
-- some SNES games have been programmed to run at a slower clock rate than
the SNES can support.
-- the SNES can only transfer data to the graphics processor during the
vertical blank interval. (the period between when the bottom of the screen is
drawn and when the top of the next screen is drawn.)
-- SNES programmers were at first not used to programming the 65816.
Other machines will slow down too when they have lots of sprites on the screen.
Sega/Accolade lawsuit.
The lawsuit started with Sega suing Accolade, an unlicensed maker of Genesis
cartridges who reverse-engineered Genesis games to discover how to write them.
Sega also claimed that Accolade was "misleading consumers" because playing
its games still gives the "produced by or under license to Sega" message.
(Of course, the Genesis, not the cartridge, puts up the message.) The result
of the suit is that Accolade will become an official developer for the Genesis
and Game Gear; nobody knows who has to pay how much to whom ....
Game copiers.
Yes, it is true that customs is (or was) stopping deliveries of them.
Yes, it is legal to copy games for your own private use.
No, it is not legal to give away or sell the copies.
No, it is not legal to give away or sell the original and keep the copy.
No, there is no known cheap way to copy CD-ROMs yet.
Yes, they have legal uses: to copy your own games for backup, and to directly
modify the game code without a Game Genie-type device. It's questionable how
many copier owners actually use them mostly for this.
There is a file floating around called nescopy.zip which tells you how to
build your own copier for NES games. I don't know where to get this file;
don't ask me. (You can try archie, if your system has it.)
Zenith TV's.
Certain older Zenith TV's have a problem working with video game systems.
The following information is for the SF5749W model. To access the service
menus, press and hold the menu button, then the volume and channel, so all
three are held at the same time. The regular controls search through the
menus, and select and adjust change them, with enter to confirm a change. On
menu 1 is a "vforced" option which might be necessary to get VCR menus--or
games--to work....
Phone numbers for video game companies:
Nintendo: 1-800-255-3700 0400-2400 PT Mon-Sat; 0800-1700 PT Sun
Sega: 1-800-USA-SEGA 0900-1800 PT
Turbo Technologies: 1-800-366-0136
Atari: 1-800-327-5151, 1-800-221-3343. (These were the lines to order Lemmings
and Gordo 106; I don't know if they are general lines). The 900 number for
hints is 1-900-737-ATAR (95 cents per minute).
SNK: 1-310-371-1965 (the earlier toll-free number is gone)
Section 2: When is a ... coming out?/Give me information on ...
===============================================================
... Genesis modem?
It's available in Japan (1200 baud), but had no US release. Newer Genesis
machines don't even have a modem port. Baton Technologies has a modem for the
Genesis and SNES called the Teleplay System (2400 baud), which ads claimed
should be out by Spring 1993. (I haven't seen any yet. Isn't it wonderful how
FAQs keep track of vaporware?) AT&T has announced and shown a 4800 baud modem
called The Edge 16.
... Sega CD-ROM?
The machine is $250, plus $90 more for a Genesis if you don't already have
one. The games included are an arcade classics disk (Golden Axe, Revenge of
Shinobi, Streets of Rage, and Columns), Sol Feace, and Sherlock Holmes.
The classics are mostly unchanged except for some CD music and sound. The two-
player mode on Golden Axe was removed, for some reason.
The redesigned CD2 system sells for $230 with Night Trap.
Sherlock Holmes is replaced by Cobra Command in Europe. I have no idea what
other games come with the system there.
... Duo (TG-16 Super CD)?
It's $280. The separate prices are: TG-16 itself $50, CD player $130, and the
SCD expansion is $65 alone, and $95 with a CD containing Gate of Thunder,
Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, and a hidden Bomberman. The Duo itself
comes with this disk, Ys I-II, and Ninja Spirit.
The Turbobooster Plus has separate audio and video outputs, and backup memory
to save games. This is already built into both the regular CD and Duo.
The SCD expansion from the regular CD is available only through the toll-free
number (1-800-366-0136), not in stores. The toll-free number 1-800-995-9203 is
for "Turbo Zone". You can order the SCD card from them at the same price.
... SNES CD?
The system's date has been continually pushed forward, and is now at 1994. The
price will allegedly be $200 (plus $80 more for the SNES), and the system will
allegedly be 32-bit. And if you believe this, I have a nice health resort at
Jyusenkyou to sell you....
... Neo-Geo CD
This was pushed back to 1994, and now indefinitely. Allegedly a laser disk
unit, not a CD unit.
... Atari Jaguar?
The target for the Jaguar is this fall in test markets, and 1994 for general
release. The system is really 64 bit. It contains 2 megabytes of RAM, has a
720 by 526 resolution, and 24 bit color plus Z-buffering and Gourard shading.
For full information see the Jaguar FAQ.
... 3DO system?
The system, marketed by Trip Hawkins, formerly of Electronic Arts, is
supposedly a next-generation CD-only machine, with a 32 bit RISC processor, 2
megabytes of memory, and capable of displaying 16 million colors in a 640x480
graphics mode. It "animates from 36 million to 64 million pixels per second",
and has graphics performance 50 times better than typical PCs or video games,
whatever that means. It can show real full motion video. With accessories
(which, of course, cost extra) it handles MPEG, MIDI, a keyboard, and Photo
CDs. There are over 300 licensees, and the system is being developed by big
companies like Time-Warner, Matsushita, Electronic Arts, and Panasonic. The
cost is scheduled at $600. Displays of actual machines showed up at the summer
1993 CES.
... Pioneer LaserActive system?
This system plays both laser discs and CD's, and will cost $720 (and $480 each
for add-on modules allowing Sega CD and Turbo CD compatibility; note that a
complete Sega or Turbo CD system costs less than that). It is allegedly
coming out in summer 1993. (Hey guys, it *is* Summer 1993....)
... CD^32 system?
The system currently has a limited release in Europe.
Section 3: Can I use a...?
=========================
... monitor?
The Genesis can connect to an analog RGB monitor with a similar scan rate;
this means an analog RGB monitor for use with an Amiga, Atari ST, or Apple
//gs. An analog RGB multisync monitor _may_ work; a digital monitor (CGA or
EGA only for PC's) will not.
The SNES will work with an S-video or RGB monitor provided you have the right
cable; I don't know what monitors have the right scan rate.
The Neo-Geo works with the same monitors the Genesis works with.
... store-bought battery with my battery-backup game cart?
Yes, but you'll lose all the saved data (which happens when the battery dies
anyway).
... Atari/Amiga/C64 joystick on a Genesis?
You can; the button serves as both A and B. C and Start are absent.
If you use an Atari 7800 joystick, the left button is both A and B, and
pressing and releasing both buttons simultaneously gives C and Start.
The joysticks also work the other way; the B button replaces the single fire
button (left fire button on the 7800; there's no right fire button).
... CD player with my computer?
The Turbo Duo will have an SCSI adapter letting you use it with a computer.
Nobody seems to know if this adapter works on the regular TG-16 CD, and we'll
probably have to wait until it comes out to know. The cost is $100 and it is
due Sept.-Oct.
... Duo/TG-16 controller on a TG-16/Duo?
There are, or should be, adapters both ways. (Different people who called up
TTI got different answers on this one.)
The Duo controllers are the same as the PC Engine controllers, so the adapter
is good for Japanese games that need special controllers (Forgotten Worlds,
Street Fighter II). Or you can get a Turbo controller and a Duo Tap and make
one yourself....
Section 4: Game-Specific Questions (including spoilers for pack-in games):
=========================================================================
Debug mode and level select on Sonic the Hedgehog.
Level select:
1) U, D, L, R, A+Start
2) U, D, D, D, L, R, A+Start (Japanese version)
Debug mode:
1) U+C, D+C, L+C, R+C, then A+Start.
2) U+C, D+C, D+C, D+C, L+C, R+C, A+C+Start. (Japanese version)
3) C, C, C, C, U, D, L, R, A+Start.
4) U, C, D, C, L, C, R, Start, Hold A [immediately after start]
The best information is that 1)-2) do it on older Sonics, and 3)-4) on newer
ones. I have no idea if 3) and 4) work on the Japanese version. Keep your
fingers on A and Start until Sonic first appears in an act. Within debug mode,
B toggles between sprite mode and normal mode; A selects the sprite, and C
places it. There should be a bunch of hexadecimal numbers on top of your
score. (Sonic also can't die by getting hit or falling onto spikes in this
mode.)
Codes for Sonic II.
For the level select, go to the sound select screen, set it to 19, press C, set
to 65, press C, set to 9, press C, set to 17, press C. Go to the main screen
and wait until the 1 player/2 player menu appears, and press A+start.
For 14 continues, the code is 1, C, 1, C, 2, C, 4, C on the sound test screen.
To become Super Sonic without collecting emeralds, the code is 4, C, 1, C, 2,
C, 6, C. Select a stage and hold down A while pressing START. (You still
need to collect 50 rings.)
For debug mode, go into the level select and in its own sound test, 1, C, 9, C,
9, C, 2, C, 1, C, 1, C, 2, C, 4, C. Select a stage and hold down A while
pressing START.
The 96 worlds on Super Mario World.
> All Stages, All Exits (Yes, Virginia, there are 96)
(NOTE: exits marked with '*' do NOT contribute to the *96 total)
Stage Exit 1 Exit 2
---------------------- --------------------- -------------------------
Yoshi's House *Yoshi's Island 1 *Yoshi's Island 2
Yoshi's Island 1 Yellow Switch Palace
Yoshi's Island 2 Yoshi's Island 3
Yoshi's Island 3 Yoshi's Island 4
Yoshi's Island 4 Iggy's Castle
Yellow Switch Palace Yellow Switch Palace
Iggy's Castle Donut Plains 1
Donut Plains 1 Donut Plains 2 Donut Secret 1
Donut Plains 2 Donut Ghost House Green Switch Palace
Green Switch Palace Green Switch Palace
Donut Ghost House Donut Plains 3 Top Secret Area
Top Secret Area
Donut Plains 3 Donut Plains 4
Donut Plains 4 Morton's Castle
Donut Secret 1 Donut Ghost House Donut Secret House
Donut Secret House Donut Secret 2 Star Road 1
Donut Secret 2 Donut Plains 3
Morton's Castle Vanilla Dome 1
Vanilla Dome1 Vanilla Dome 2 Vanilla Secret 1
Vanilla Dome 2 Vanilla Ghost House Red Switch Palace
Red Switch Palace Red Switch Palace
Vanilla Ghost House Vanilla Dome 3
Vanilla Dome 3 Vanilla Dome 4
Vanilla Dome 4 Lemmy's Castle
Lemmy's Castle Cheese Bridge Area
Vanilla Secret 1 Vanilla Secret 2 Star Road 2
Vanilla Secret 2 Vanilla Secret 3
Vanilla Secret 3 Vanilla Fortress
Vanilla Fortress Butter Bridge 1
Cheese Bridge Area Cookie Mountain Soda Lake
Soda Lake Star Road 3
Cookie Mountain Ludwig's Castle
Butter Bridge 1 Butter Bridge 2
Butter Bridge 2 Ludwig's Castle
Ludwig's Castle Forest of Illusion 1
Forest of Illusion 1 Forest of Illusion 2 Forest Ghost House
Forest of Illusion 2 Forest of Illusion 3 Blue Switch Palace
Blue Switch Palace Blue Switch Palace
Forest of Illusion 3 Forest Ghost House Roy's Castle
Forest Ghost House Forest of Illusion 4 Forest of Illusion 1
Forest of Illusion 4 Forest of Illusion 2 Forest Secret Area
Forest Secret Area Forest Fortress
Forest Fortress Star Road 4
Roy's Castle Chocolate Island 1
Chocolate Island 1 Choco-Ghost House
Choco-Ghost House Chocolate Island 2
Chocolate Island 2 Chocolate Island 3 Chocolate Secret
Chocolate Island 3 Chocolate Island 3 Chocolate Fortress
Chocolate Fortress Chocolate Island 4
Chocolate Island 4 Chocolate Island 5
Chocolate Island 5 Wendy's Castle
Chocolate Secret Wendy's Castle
Wendy's Castle Sunken Ghost Ship
Sunken Ghost Ship Valley of Bowser 1
Valley of Bowser 1 Valley of Bowser 2
Valley of Bowser 2 Valley Ghost House Valley Fortress
Valley Ghost House Valley of Bowser 3 Larry's Castle
Valley of Bowser 3 Valley of Bowser 4
Valley of Bowser 4 Larry's Castle Star Road 5 & Front Door
Valley Fortress Back Door
Larry's Castle Front Door
Back Door *END
Front Door *END
Star World 1 Star Road 1 Star Road 2
Star World 2 Star Road 2 Star Road 3
Star World 3 Star Road 3 Star Road 4
Star World 4 Star Road 4 Star Road 5
Star World 5 Star Road 1 Star Road 6
Gnarly Tubular
Tubular Way Cool
Way Cool Awesome
Awesome Groovy
Groovy Mondo
Mondo Outrageous
Outrageous Funky
Funky Star Road 7 (Yoshi's House)
(Mario Mania)
> Super Mario World Map
**********
*MAIN MAP*
**********
P3---27---28---29---30---31---32---.
| |
.---34---33 | |
| | `---' |
P4 | |
| |
35 |
P3 23------. | |
| | | | |
*---20 21--. 24 * .' |
| | | | | | |
`---18--' 22 25 `--' |
| | |
| 26 |
| | |
| P4 |
| .--38---37---.
14 | | | |
| | 41---+-------39--40
.--13--------15---. | | | |
| | | | | 42 `---43---'
| | | 16---17 | |
12---9 10--. `-P2 *---45---' 46--'
| | | |
| | | |
`---8 11--P1 To Valley Of P5 |
| | Bowser Map \ 48-----47
| * | \ |
| | \ |
7-. P6 .----56 \|
| | | .--. +
1 6 | | | | |\
| | `--55 51---+--50--49 \
| 5-' | | | | | |
| | 53-------52 `--' `--'
2---3--4
********************** ************
*VALLEY OF BOWSER MAP* *STAR WORLD*
********************** ************
19----P2 *
| / \
P1 / \
*----58 59 *-----54 57-----*
| | | \ /
60---61 62 \__36 * 68_/
| | | / | \
63---64---65---66---To Main Map / 67 \
/ / \ \
*----' `----*
P6-------44---------P5
*********
*SPECIAL*
*********
*--76--75--74--73--.
******** |
*LEGEND* *--69--70--71--72--'
********
1- Yellow Switch Palace 31- Butter Bridge 2 61- #7 Larry's Castle
2- Yoshi's Island 1 32- #4 Ludwig's Castle 62- Valley Fortress
3- Yoshi's House 33- Cookie Mountain 63- Valley Of Bowser 3
4- Yoshi's Island 2 34- Cheese Bridge 64- Valley Ghost House
5- Yoshi's Island 3 35- Soda Lake 65- Valley Of Bowser 2
6- Yoshi's Island 4 36- Star World 1 66- Valley Of Bowser 1
7- #1 Iggy's Castle 37- Forest Of Illusion 1 67- Star World 5
8- Donut Plains 1 38- Forest Ghost House 68- Star World 4
9- Donut Plains 2 39- Forest Of Illusion 2 69- Gnarly
10- Donut Secret 1 40- Blue Switch Palace 70- Tubular
11- Donut Secret House 41- Forest Of Illusion 4 71- Way Cool
12- Green Switch Palace 42- Forest Secret Area 72- Awesome
13- Donut Ghost House 43- Forest Of Illusion 3 73- Groovy
14- Top Secret 44- Chocolate Secret 74- Mondo
15- Donut Plains 3 45- Forest Fortress 75- Outrageous
16- Donut Plains 4 46- #5 Roy's Castle 76- Funky
17- #2 Morton's Castle 47- Chocolate Island 1 * - Star Road
18- Vanilla Dome 1 48- Chocolate Ghost House P1..6- Pipes
19- Donut Secret 2 49- Chocolate Island 2
20- Vanilla Secret 1 50- Chocolate Island 3
21- Vanilla Dome 2 51- Chocolate Fortress
22- Red Switch Palace 52- Chocolate Island 4
23- Vanilla Ghost House 53- Chocolate Island 5
24- Vanilla Dome 3 54- Star World 2
25- Vanilla Dome 4 55- #6 Wendy's Castle
26- #3 Lemmy's Castle 56- Sunken Ghost Ship
27- Vanilla Secret 2 57- Star World 3
28- Vanilla Secret 3 58- Front Door
29- Vanilla Fortress 59- Back Door
30- Butter Bridge 1 60- Valley Of Bowser 4
Sol-Feace code:
Press the sequence A, B, C, A, B, C, B, C, B, A on the title screen. Select
continue. This will let you select the starting stage and get 99 ships in the
options screen.
Streets of Rage code:
Press start on controller 1 to enter options, then press right+A+B+C on
controller 2. On the non-CD version, you can do this on controller 1.
Streets of Rage II code:
Go to the screen before the options screen, go to the "options" line, and
press A and B on the second controller and hold, then go to the options screen.
The options screen will now have a stage select and extra difficulty levels.
Keith Courage code:
Reset the game, and hold I, II, and SELECT at the same time until "start"
appears. Press U 8 times for the debug screen.
Ninja Spirit code:
Press START while holding SELECT at the title screen for the sound test option
to appear in the menu.
For a stage select, on the title screen press II, I, II, II, I, II. Hold
SELECT and press RUN. You can now stage select 1-3. To select 4-6, hold down
SELECT while choosing a level.
The message "Have you played Mr. Heli" appears with I, II, II, I, SELECT, RUN
or I, II, II, I, SELECT, II, I, I, II. (the latter unconfirmed)
Gate of Thunder code:
On the title screen, I, II, II, I, S, I, II, I, II, S, S, RUN and enter the
configuration menu for a stage select.
Bomberman on Turbo Duo pack-in CD:
The following code on the Gate of Thunder/Bonk CD will let you play
Bomberman, a hidden fourth game: U, R, D, L, II.
``What are all the home Street Fighter II versions?''
There are of course the SNES versions of SF2 and SF2HF (Turbo). The HF
game doesn't have a true Champion Edition mode; Champion Edition mode removes
the HF-specific moves but leaves in other differences.
The PC Engine version (Champion Edition) is out in Japan for 9800 yen. The
game is 2 1/2 megabytes (2 1/2 times as large as any other PC Engine
cartridge). It's not a CD or a CD/cartridge combination. The controller was
released separately for 3980 yen. Negotiation for the US version is still in
progress; Die Hard Game Fan claims a US release for October 1993. (yeah,
right)
Note that the PC Engine game, at the usual import game rates, plus the price
for adapters and imported controller, costs more than just buying a Genesis or
SNES in America and getting SF2 for it.
Japanese magazines have reported a "SFII' PLUS" for the Mega Drive; the cost
is 9800 yen and the game is 3 megabytes. It is apparently a Hyper Fighting
edition. This replaces the version of Champion Edition that was going to come
out. There will _not_ be black areas on the screen with the score and energy
bars. The date is late September in Japan, and if the American date remains
unchanged, it will be out in the USA in October.
There will allegedly be Sega CD and NES versions of Streetfighter II.
There is also an Amiga version, sold only in Europe. (Some dealers can get you
one in America anyway.) I've heard of legal IBM PC and Atari ST versions,
somewhere....
Mortal Kombat versions and codes:
There are versions for SNES, Genesis, Game Gear, and Gameboy, with an upcoming
Sega CD version. The Nintendo one is censored; fatalities are renamed to
"finishing moves"; blood is removed and bloody fatalities are replaced by
different fatalities without blood. The Genesis and Game Gear versions are
somewhat censored, but can be fixed with an "Arcade Mode" code. Use the code
on the text screen which talks about codes: ABACABB (Genesis), 2,1,2,down,up
(Game Gear).
The Genesis cheat code is DULLARD (!) entered on the title screen. Flags are:
0 Player 2 dies after one hit. (Unless Reptile gives a hint or player 2
is the second computer player on an endurance match)
1 Player 1 dies after one hit.
2 Objects always fly across the moon (makes getting to Reptile easier)
3 Programmer face/initials fly across the moon.
4 Reptile always gives hints at the start of a match.
5 Infinite credits.
6 Lets the computer do fatalities on you (it normally won't).
7 Some sort of difficulty code.
The Game Genie blood codes for the SNES version (use all five) are: ddbfd7a7,
ddb4dd07, ddb4dda7, ddb4df07, ddb4dfa7. On a copier, change
6D 25 AE 29 D0 31 12 36 54 3A 75 42 B7 46 F9 4A to
10 00 18 00 1A 00 1B 00 1C 00 1D 00 1E 00 1F 00. (It should be at offset
1C18, or sector 14 offset 24.) These codes only change the color of the
white 'sweat' to blood, and don't fix the fatalities.
There are a number of people, it seem, who think neither version is very good.
(Not because of the fatalities, but because of bad playability on SNES and
bad graphics and sound on Genesis.)
The Japanese (Super Famicom) version, if any, probably won't have the blood
and violence. Violence gets taken out when games come from Japan to the US,
but that doesn't mean it gets put _in_ when they go the other way. Also, the
game isn't popular in Japan, so there might not even _be_ a Japanese version.
Street Fighter II codes:
Down-Right-Up-Left-Y-B-X-A on the Super Famicom version, Down-Right-Up-Left-Y-B
on the SNES one. Right and left are the buttons, not the right and left on the
control pad. Do this at the start of the Capcom screen and finish it before
the screen fades; when it works a tone will sound. This lets you select a
character versus himself.
The second secret code brings up the CONFIG menu: hold down the select button
and keep holding it while you start the game. This allows you to change
options in the middle of the game.
If you hold down the left and right buttons on the second controller, you
will be taken through the character description scenes and can let go to select
which character you want to see in the demo.
There is no code to let you play as the last four characters. The following
Game Genie code can be used in versus mode with the first player as Ryu, and
the second player selecting an ordinary character but picking the boss
character's screen.
10a40767, f0ae6d04, df80ad64
When the code was posted to the net, it was claimed to work for all bosses
except Sagat. EGM says it works for all four. The code is rather buggy and
crash-prone, and not really very useful.
The following code does the same thing without color problems. f0ae6d04, go to
VS mode, select your player and boss stage, and reset at round start. Then add
the codes 10a40767, 67666d0d, df80ad64. Select the same player and boss stage.
On SF2 Turbo, the Down-Right-Up-Left-Y-X code (plus B-A on Japanese versions)
works in two places. On the Capcom logo, it disables all special moves; where
"turbo" is displayed, and done on controller 2, it lets you choose 11 speeds.
You _can_ disable the special moves in a player-versus-player game; do the code
on the VS. Battle stage select option.
The code 7e183e0f lets you play a SNES/SF NTSC Hyper Fighting on a PAL system
using the Game Action Replay, though it still has some problems. The Game
Genie code 6dc0efd5 supposedly works too.
On the Genesis version of SF2 Turbo, the code down, z, up, x, a, y, b, c
disables all the _standard_ moves.
``What is the difference between the Japanese and American versions of SFII?''
One background character's hand motions were changed in the US version to look
less like masturbation.
The bosses' names are also different on both arcade and home versions:
USA Japan
Balrog M. Bison (named after Mike Tyson)
Vega Balrog
M. Bison Vega
The secret codes to play character-versus-character are also different.
On Turbo Edition, Vega's claw doesn't draw blood when hitting an opponent.
``What are the Ranma 1/2 games available?''
Gameboy: two games. The first is a block moving/maze type of game, the second
is a platform-type game.
Super Famicom: two SF2-type games, and an upcoming roleplaying game.
PC Engine CD: an earlier punch/kick/scroll game (CD), and a more recent "video
comic" game (CD); you need to know Japanese to play it (or at least be an
anime fan and end up understanding about as much as you do when watching anime
in Japanese). There is also a fighting game (CD/SCD) for the PC Engine.
Mega CD: two games which seem to be similar to the video comic one.
The first SF game was ported to the US as "Street Combat", with just about
everything in the game changed. General consensus seems to be to skip it.
The second SF game will be released by DTMC, with people from Viz doing the
translation. Some text was censored, and the voices will be changed (and the
new voices will have nothing to do with the voices used in the dubbed anime.)
The third PCE game will possibly be ported. Whether it's changed or not, I
dunno. (EGM just reported it as "Ranma 1/2", but EGM is not very trustworthy.)
``What version of Might and Magic is available for the Genesis?''
It's Might and Magic II, even though it's packaged without the number II.
``What are the Japanese Super Mario games which correspond to the US ones? I
hear there was a Mario game in Japan that did not make it to the US.''
The Japanese Super Mario 2 was a Famicom Disk System game never brought to
America. The US Super Mario 2 was adapted from a non-Mario Japanese game
called "Dream Factory Doki Doki Panic". This game in turn was sold in Japan
as Super Mario USA. The Super Mario All-Stars cartridge (Super Mario
Collection in Japan) has all four of these games.
``Can you play Forgotten Worlds (Japanese PCE-SCD) on a TG-16, even though the
controller doesn't fit?''
Button I fires, button II is clockwise. You can make either SELECT or button
III be counterclockwise, so you can play the game on a TG-16 if you don't mind
using SELECT as an action button.
The controller fits on the Turbo Duo, since the Turbo Duo uses PC Engine type
controllers (the regular TG-16 uses its own odd controllers).
``Why does John Madden 93 Championship Edition for the Sega Genesis sell for
such a high price?''
It's priced for rental, not for sale, just like many video tapes. Selling them
to consumers is still legal, but not really intended.
Section 5: What is a...?
=======================
``What is "Blast Processing"?''
Sega hype. The phrase means exactly nothing. Sega later tried to explain it
by claiming it describes the methods used by Sega to get characters like Sonic
moving on the screen very fast. (Which still means nothing, of course.) Sega
_again_ explained that this is because characters can be drawn on the screen
while a different screen is being displayed (which is known as page flipping
and isn't new) and that background processing is ignored so sprites can be
moved really fast (which isn't new either).
``What is anime?''
Anime refers to Japanese animation. It's often better done, less censored,
and aimed towards an older audience than, American animation. (Cautionary
note: some American fans go overboard in thinking anime adult; a lot of series
popular in America _are_ aimed at children or teenagers.) In the past, lots of
anime was hacked up and changed for the US market (Speed Racer, Star Blazers,
Robotech), but in the last few years new companies have released unedited anime
with better translations. The connection with video games is that many
Japanese video games are anime-based or have anime-style art (not to mention
anime being videogame-based), and also that such games are often either not
ported or drastically changed for American release because of supposed lack of
interest in anime.
``What is a Tera Drive?''
It's a Japan-only system combining a PC and a Mega Drive; it's not available in
the US. There are similar systems in Europe, though. The connection between
the Mega Drive and PC parts is minimal.
``What is a Wonder Mega?''
It's a Japan-only system combining a Mega Drive and Mega CD with a JVC CD
system. It's not available in the US.
``What is a Super Gun or a Mach 4?''
These are "home" systems which play a JAMMA arcade board at home. This plays
the same as the arcade game, of course, but the board costs about as much as
the
arcade game.
The systems are legal, but at least the Super Gun is often sold with illegal,
pirated, arcade boards. They are not 32-bit (nor can they meaningfully be
called any-bit) and you could build one yourself with $100 or so in parts.
``What is Valis I/II/III/IV?''
The original Valis game was a Japan-only Famicom game. Valis II was released
for the Turbo CD, then Valis III for the Genesis and Turbo CD. Valis IV was
released for the PC Engine CD, but only in Japan, and then later for the SNES.
Valis I came out for the PC Engine SCD (also only in Japan) and the Genesis,
long after Valis III. At around this time, SD Valis came out in Japan for the
Mega Drive ("Syd Valis" for the Genesis). So no one system has all the games
(though the PCE has all except the nearly unrelated SD one).
``What is Thunderforce I?''
It is a game produced by Technosoft for Japanese personal computers. It
resembles the "overhead" stages of Thunderforce II.
``What is Phantasy Star I?''
It's a Sega Master System (8 bit) game.
``What is Cosmic Fantasy I?''
It's a Japanese PC Engine CD game, with no US release.
``What is Street Fighter I?''
This old game only let you use Ryu (player 1) and Ken (player 2); versus mode
was always Ryu versus Ken. The hurricane kick, fireball, and dragon punch
existed and were done the same way as in SF2. The only other character that
also appeared in SF2 was Sagat, who was the final boss for SF1.
There seem to have been two versions of this game, one with six buttons and
one with two buttons where the move depended on how hard you push them.
The game was adapted for PC clones and for the TG-16 CD (the latter under the
name Fighting Street).
``What does 3DO stand for?''
It is allegedly from the sequence "audio, video, 3DO" and isn't an acronym.
Early information did say that it stood for "three dimensional object" or
"three dimensional optics". Probably, they changed their minds.
Section 6: System Capabilities:
==============================
[chart originally by Corey Kirk]
______________________________________________________________________________
| | Neo Geo | SNES | Genesis | TG-16 | NES | Sega M2 |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
|Bits (CPU)| 8 + 16 | 16 | 16 | 8 + 8 | 8 | 8 |
|Bits (Gx) | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 8 |
|CPU | 68000| 65816 | 68000 | HuC6280| 6502 | Z80 |
|APU (Aud) | Z80| SPC???? | Z80 | | | |
|MHz | 12.5, 4| 3.6 | 7.6 | 3.6 3.6| 1.8 | 3.6 |
|Graphics | 320 x 224| 256 x 224| 320 x 224| 256 x 216| 256 x 240| 240 x 226|
| -2nd mode| | 512 x 448|320 x 448*|512 x 262*| | |
|Colors |4096/65536| 256/32768| 61/512| 241/512| 16/52| 52/256|
|Sprites | 380 | 128 | 80 | 64 | 8 | 16 |
| - size | 16 x 512| 32 x 32| 32 x 32| 32 x 64| 8 x 8 | 8 x 8 |
|Audio | 15-lyr |PCM 8-lyr | 10-lyr | 6-lyr | mono | mono |
|RAM | 64K+68Kgx|128K+64Kgx| 72K+64Kgx| 8K+64Kgx| 2K+ 2Kgx| ? |
| | (+2K Z80)| | | | | |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
|CD CPU/MHz| none |? RISC/21 |68000/12.5| 65802/16 | none | none |
| | | 65C02/4.3| | | | |
|CD RAM | | 1152K | 768K | CD=64K | | |
| | (Vaporware)| | SCD=256K | | |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
* Comment: Some listings of colors are probably a bit too high. For instance,
the Genesis has 8x8 tiles which use 16 colors from one of 4 palette's each,
which would be 64 colors, except that the 16th is a "transparent" color that
is the same for all 4. Listings for Genesis colors tend to ignore this and
say "64" instead of "61". It's unclear how many of the other figures are like
this.
_____________________________________________
| | Jaguar | 3DO | CD32 |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Bits (CPU)| 64 + 16 | ? | 32 |
|Bits (Gx) | 64 | | |
|CPU |Proprietary | 68EC020 |
| | + 68000| | |
|APU (Aud) |Proprietary | |
|MHz | 26.6 MIPS| | 14 |
|Graphics | 720 x 526| | |
|Colors | 16777216| | |
|Sprites | ? | | |
| - size | ? | | |
|Audio | ? | | |
|RAM |2 megabyte| | |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+
|CD CPU/MHz| ? | | |
|CD RAM | ? | | |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+
Most systems can change colors on successive scan lines, using more colors
than the ones listed.
The game Ex-ranza (Ranger-X in USA) is billed as having 128 colors. It's not
clear whether or not this is just a scan line change.
The existence of multiple graphics modes also confuses things--it might not be
possible to use all features at the highest graphics mode, as in the lack of
hardware rotation in the SNES 512x448 mode. I'm not sure if there are
limitations on the double resolution Genesis mode (used for Sonic split
screen), and I have no idea about the TG-16 241 colors or 512x262 mode (the
262 sounds a bit like overscan). I've also heard of a 482-color TG-16 mode.
________________________________________________________
| | GameBoy | Lynx | GameGear | TExpress |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
|Bits (CPU)| 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 + 8 |
|Bits (Gx) | 8 | 16 | 8 | 16 |
|CPU | Z80 | 6502 | Z80 | 6502 6502|
|MHz (CPU) | 2.2 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 7.2 |
|MHz (Gx) | | 16.0 | | |
|ScreenSize| 2.6" | 3.5" | 3.2" | 2.6" |
|Graphics | 160 x 144| 160 x 102| 160 x 144| 256 x 216|
|Colors | mono (4) | 16/4096 | 32/4096 | 241/512 |
|Sprites | 8 | unlim | 64 | 64 |
| - size | 8 x 8 | unlim | 8 x 8 | 32 x 64 |
|Audio | 2-lyr | 4-lyr | 4-lyr | 6-lyr |
|RAM | 16K | 64K | 24K | 8K+64Kgx|
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
``Does the Genesis CD-ROM have extra colors, sprites, or resolution?''
No. (Despite at least two errors in Gamepro magazine.)
``What is this megabit stuff? Isn't it supposed to be byte?''
1 byte is equal to 8 bits, so an 8 megabit game is really 1 megabyte. (Also,
``mega'' for computers is 1048576, not an even million). This started when
Sega advertised ``mega cartridges'' for the Sega Master System several years
ago to make the games sound bigger, and may also have to do with the fact that
some memory chips are indeed measured in bits.
Old Neo-Geo ads claimed "megabytes" for their games, which was a lie.
``I've heard of a 32/64 bit game system....''
Various upcoming game systems have been rumored as 32- or 64-bit. You can't
just add the bits in the separate processors and get a meaningful number,
though, so the Sega CD isn't a 32-bit system even though it has two 16-bit
processors. (Similarly, a Neo-Geo isn't a 24 bit system.) There are several
processor characteristics that measure in bits; whether or not a processor
counts as 32-bit may depend on what you consider important. (A 32-bit
processor might be one which has a 32-bit address space, performs operations on
32-bit quantities, or has a 32 bit wide bus).
The "number of bits" in a system is a fairly worthless piece of information.
There are much better ways to compare video game systems.
The Jaguar apparently really is 64 bits, though that means little by itself.
Game Genie Genesis decoding
Merlyn LeRoy posted the method to convert Game Genie codes to real hex codes:
For example, SCRA-BJX0 is a game genie code. Each letter is 5 bits from
the table ABCDEFGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ0123456789, A=00000, B=00001, C=00010...
S C R A - B J X 0
01111 00010 01110 00000 00001 01000 10011 10110
ijklm nopIJ KLMNO PABCD EFGHd efgha bcQRS TUVWX rearrange as...
00000000 10011100 01110110: 01010100 01111000
ABCDEFGH IJKLMNOP QRSTUVWX: abcdefgh ijklmnop
24-bit address 16-bit data
MSB LSB MSB LSB
Which is 009c76: 5478
Game Genie SNES decoding
(This is from hexadecimal to Genie, to reverse just run it backwards)
Data - D7 down to D0
Address - A23 down to A0
DDDD DDDD AAAA AAAA AAAA AAAA AAAA AAAA
7654 3210 1111 7654 9822 2232 1011 1111
5432 32 10 98 7610
Example - Force AD at 80C7AA
Data= 1010 1101
Address= 1000 0000 1100 0111 1010 1010
1010 1101 1100 1010 1110 0010 1000 0001
=ADCAE281
The Game Genie hex is encoded from normal hexadecimal, so at this
point you must translate with the following table:
HEX: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
GENIE: D F 4 7 0 9 1 5 6 B C 8 A 2 3 E
Translates to C2AC-346F
SNES/SF Game Finger (copier code) decoding
The general format is: AAAAABBBBBBCCD <- a 14-digit codes
| | | |_ D: target to replace bytes
A: address of the first | | |___ C: checksum
byte to be replaced _______| |_______ B: 3 bytes for replacement
Unused B bytes are replaced by XX. Note that the address only refers to a 1
meg address space.
The checksum format is: stick an 0 in front and then divide into sequences of
two hex digits representing bytes. Add together the first six of these (the
A's and B's). I have no idea if D is added in also, since the person who
originally posted this information used an example of D=0.
Values for D are:
0: replace values in DRAM of copier
1: replace values in backup RAM of copier
2, 8, A, C, F: non-standard codes which may be converted to 0.
The Game Finger codes are in plain hexadecimal, but they use ROM cartridge
addresses while the Game Genie uses CPU addresses. The conversion is as
follows:
CPU ROM (cartridge)
address address
A23 none
A22 none
A21 none
A20 A19
A19 A18
A18 A17
A17 A16
A16 A15
A15 none (A15 is always high for ROM accesses)
A14 A14
A13 A13
A12 A12
A11 A11
A10 A10
A9 A9
A8 A8
A7 A7
A6 A6
A5 A5
A4 A4
A3 A3
A2 A2
A1 A1
Pro Action Replay Codes for SNES
The Pro Action Replay codes cannot be converted. The Game Genie works by
substituting information when certain ROM addresses are accessed, effectively
changing bytes in the ROM. The PAR works by continually modifying the same
RAM location, instead of modifying one ROM location once.
Section 7: Compatibility:
========================
FAMICOM: Same as NES. Adaptors reportedly exist.
FAMICOM DISK SYSTEM: No US counterpart. (People kept copying the disks.)
SUPER FAMICOM: Same as Super NES. The European or Australian, and the
American or Japanese, versions aren't compatible because of lockout chips; but
you can buy an adapter which takes two cartridges and uses the lockout chip
from one and the program from the other, letting you play the games (either
way). Games run faster on US machines and slower on European ones. There are
some newer games which have PAL protection as well as lockout, such as SF2
Turbo. (PAL is the TV system used in most of Europe and Australia. Americans
who want to play Japanese games don't have to worry about this problem.) A
Game Action Replay code to get SF2 Turbo to work is listed elsewhere in this
FAQ. Known games with this problem are SF2 Turbo and Super Mario All-Stars.
There are some older adapters that don't include all data lines, and on these,
some games like Super Mario Kart or Starfox won't work.
There is supposedly a way to remove the lockout altogether and to switch 50/60
hertz. (Then you won't need an adapter.) I don't know how to do this. If
you do, tell me.
For American/Japanese games, the cartridges are shaped to not fit in each
other's machines. If you cut away the plastic that prevents them from fitting,
you can play them; on a US system it's the two little plastic tabs that slide
into the back of cartridges. (Or you can use an ``adapter'' which just
changes the cartridge slot size).
Nintendo and game magazines officially claim that older machines are compatible
(Japanese/US) but newer ones aren't. Nobody has yet found any that don't work,
suggesting Nintendo might be lying.
PC ENGINE/COREGRAFX: Same as Turbografx-16. Cartridge games aren't compatible,
but you can buy adapters for $20-30 through many mail order places. CD and SCD
games are compatible without adapters; the Super CD-ROM expansion (3.0 card
with 256K memory) will itself work in a TG-16 with CD and adapter. The Arcade
Card is a Japanese-only extra 2M memory card, which works with the 3.0 already
present; it's not quite clear what you'll need to use this on an American
system.
Some existing adapters aren't shaped to fit in a Turbo Duo. Find one that
fits, or do some cutting....
There is a hardware difference between the two machines, which cartridges can
read. Most TG-16 cartridges check it, and won't work on a PCE even with an
adapter. (Exception: Night Creatures works.) All known CDs work both ways,
and all known Japanese games work on a TG-16 with adapter.
The Altered Beast CD does not work, but that's because of an incompatibility
with the CD system version; it won't work on a PC Engine 2.0 or SCD either.
Note: The CD-ROM2 is the the CD, not the super-CD. The "2" comes from the
Japanese name "Rom Rom".
SUPERGRAFX: No US counterpart. (The Supergrafx is an enhanced PC Engine and
can play PC Engine games without modification, though of course these are hard
to get in the US.)
MEGA DRIVE: Same as Genesis. Compatibility is a bit tricky.
The European and Australian machine called the Mega Drive is identical to the
Genesis except that it emits a 50 hertz PAL signal. The Japanese one is
identical to the Genesis except for a plastic "cartridge lock", a larger
cartridge slot, and the language setting.
First, to play games in the "wrong" machine you must plug them in. You can
buy an adapter, or just cut away the plastic that keeps them from fitting. On
a US/European machine, this is some plastic around the slot; on an older
Japanese machine, this is the cartridge lock (the tab that pushes into the slot
from the left when you turn on the machine). I never even needed to remove the
cartridge lock, but some people have told me they did.
Now that you've plugged the game in, it will usually run. But there are a
language setting and a 50/60 hertz setting that cartridges can read. Some
newer
games are programmed to check these settings and decide not to run at all. The
games known to be locked out this way are:
Do not run in English mode: Japanese versions of Chameleon Kid, Doraemon,
Gunstar Heroes, Rolling Thunder II, Thunder Force IV, Super Monaco GP 2.
Do not run in Japanese mode: US versions of Dragon's Fury, Shinobi 3,
Streets of Rage II, Bio-Hazard Battle, Lightening Force, World of
Illusion, X-Men, SF2, Sunset Riders, Flashback, Outrun 2019, Cyborg
Justice.
Do not run in 50 hertz mode: US versions of World of Illusion, Streets of
Rage II, Flashback.
Do not run in 60 hertz mode: European version of Xenon2.
You can fix these problems (and play everything), with a language switch and a
50/60 hertz switch (see below). If you need to switch to 60 hertz to get the
game to run, your screen will probably be messed up, but you can usually switch
back after the game starts.
The language switch is useful in its own right. Some games have dual ROMs, and
play US versions in US/European machines and Japanese versions in Japanese
machines; you can see both versions by installing the switch.
For the CD-ROM, there will be 4 different versions: American, European,
Japanese, and (other) Asian. Since the three parts (disk, CD drive, and
console) can each be mismatches, there are three combinations to consider:
CD drive and disk: You can get around mismatches by replacing the ROM
containing
the operating system with one from another country, and replacing the timing
crystal if there is a 50/60 hertz incompatibility (i.e. Europe). (I have no
idea if there are non-pirated legal ROMs which let you do this.) The ROM is
the
big chip near the connector (at least on older versions). There is an adapter
called the CDX which usually fixes the problem (for a US or European CD drive.
Older CDX versions don't work on Japanese drives, and older CDX versions, in
general, have problems with several games).
CD drive and console: the American CD player won't start up on a Japanese
console (there are mixed reports about Japanese players and US consoles).
The CDX (usually), swapping ROMs, or a language/50/60 switch fixes this.
Disk and console: possible in theory. There are dual-country games (Thunder
Storm FX) which play two versions, but I don't know any that actually fail to
run. Yet. (If this happens, a language switch would fix it.)
(The excuse for incompatibility, as reported in EGM, is that cartridges don't
use music or footage from licensed properties, but CDs do, and licensing might
only apply to limited geographic areas. Needless to say, cartridges _do_ use
music, and at least digitized pictures from, licensed properties. Nor do the
compatible PC Engine/TG CD's, or for that matter regular music CDs or laser
discs, have this sort of problem.)
SEGA MARK III: same as and compatible with the Sega Master System.
NEO-GEO: same as and compatible with US version. Mostly. There are Neo-Geo
Green and Orange systems; the Orange system is for English language, non-US
use and plays in English certain games that the Green system plays in
Japanese. I have no idea what the US versions of the system do with respect to
languages.
The arcade Neo-Geo carts are functionally identical to the home ones, but have
different sized boards to keep arcade owners from using the cheap home
versions.
Whether or not there's an adapter for this, I have no idea.
GAMEBOY: same as and compatible with US version.
LYNX: same as and compatible with US version.
GAME GEAR: same as and compatible with US version. The Japanese TV tuner,
however, works on Japanese TV frequencies, some of which differ from US TV
frequencies.
There are reports that US Game Gear games play in Japanese on a Japanese
system, which suggests yet another system with a language switch....
PC ENGINE GT: This is the equivalent of the TurboExpress, and runs PC Engine
games. The same adapter that plays PC Engine games on a TG-16 also plays them
on a TurboExpress.
MISCELLANEOUS: The "Master Gear" adapter plays Sega Master System games on the
Game Gear. The games won't run at the correct speed if the game is from a
place where TV uses PAL (i.e. Europe). I've also heard that a PAL Master
System game won't run at all on a US Game Gear, which seems contradictory if
the systems are the same. (If you find out, tell me.) Adapters in reverse, to
play Game Gear games on a Sega Master System, are probably possible, but I've
never heard of any.
The Game Gear and Master system don't have the same resolution or number of
colors, which makes me a bit puzzled as to how this works at all, but it does.
The Power Base Converter plays Sega Master System games on a Genesis. (If
the reverse Game Gear/Master System adapter really exists, you could play
Game Gear games on your Genesis....)
There is a European adapter which plays NES games on a SNES. The price is too
high for this adapter to be a reasonable alternative, in the USA, to getting
the NES separately.
How to make a language switch (Genesis/MD).
On a Genesis/MD, there are jumpers labelled JP1, JP2, JP4, and JP3. The
Genesis
has a capacitor on JP1 and a trace on JP2; the Mega Drive has a capacitor on
JP2 and a trace on JP1. The bottom ends of JP1 and JP2 are connected together.
So if you cut the trace and the top end of the capacitor, and install a DPDT
switch between them which reconnects them either unchanged or swapped left to
right, you have a language switch. You'll need some wire, a soldering iron,
solder, and a DPDT switch.
Some machines have an open circuit instead of the capacitor. Also, I've been
told that even if there is a capacitor, you can throw it out and leave an open
circuit. Either way, the switch is a lot simpler, requiring a SPDT switch and
less wire and solder.
Several people have told me that you could just cut both JP1 and JP2 and put a
SPST switch on JP1. This is even simpler, but I'm not sure it really works, as
opposed to putting your machine in an intermediate state that only sort-of
works.
The redesigned Genesis 2 machines don't appear to have either the capacitor or
circuit. Nobody yet knows how to make the language switch for one, though
there are language switch cartridges you can buy to act as one.
IF YOUR MACHINE HAS NO CAPACITOR (or if you want to cross your fingers and
throw away your capacitor) and is not a Genesis 2:
Cut JP2. The trace might be covered with paint and hard to see. (If you
started with a Mega Drive, JP2 is open and you have to cut JP1 instead.) If
you aren't sure which end I mean by "bottom", just check the back of the board
to see which end is connected together.
Original state of machine: After cutting:
JP2 top JP1 top JP2 top JP1 top
| | | |
| | | |
|
|
|
|
| | | |
\ / \ /
\_______/ \_______/
bottom of both bottom of both
Add a SPDT switch which can be in one of two positions:
._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
. .
. . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
. . . .
JP2 top JP1 top . .
| | . .
| | _________
| o o |
| \ |
| \ |
\___o___/
| | .
\ / .
\_______/ - - - - - - - - - - - -
bottom of both
._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
. .
. . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
. . . .
JP2 top JP1 top . .
| | . .
| | _________
| o o |
| / |
| / |
\___o___/
| | .
\ / .
\_______/ - - - - - - - - - - - -
bottom of both
-----------------------------------------------------------------
IF YOUR MACHINE DOES HAVE THE CAPACITOR:
Cut both sides. (Note: if you started with a Japanese Mega Drive the
capacitor will be on the side labelled X instead)
Original state of machine: After cutting:
JP2 top JP1 top JP2 top JP1 top
| | | |
| | | |
| |
| |
| | |
X | ### X | ###
| ### | ###
| ### | ###
\ / \ /
\_______/ \_______/
bottom of both
add switch which can be in one of two positions:
JP2 top JP1 top (Connect 2 to 2
| | and 1 to 1)
| |
2 1 2 1 1 2
______________
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | o o o o |
| ` | \ \ |
X | ###` ` | \ \ |
| ### ` ` \____o__o____/
| ### ` ` ' '
\ / ` `- - - - -' '
\_______/ ` _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ '
bottom of both
JP2 top JP1 top (Connect 2 to 2
| | and 1 to 1)
| |
2 1 2 1 1 2
______________
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | o o o o |
| ` | / / |
X | ###` ` | / / |
| ### ` ` \____o__o____/
| ### ` ` ' '
\ / ` `- - - - -' '
\_______/ ` _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ '
bottom of both
50/60 hertz switch.
You can build a 50/60 hertz switch on a Genesis/Mega Drive like a language
switch, but using jumpers JP3 and JP4. The standard setting is 50 in PAL areas
such as Europe, and 60 in NTSC areas like the US and Japan. In the 60 hertz
mode, the game is faster and the screen taller; however, not all TVs and
monitors in Europe can display this mode.
There is some way to build such a switch on a SNES. I don't know how.
Some American/Japanese games are protected to keep Europeans from playing them;
this protection checks the 50/60 hertz setting. You can usually get around it
by installing the switch and switching when starting the game, then switching
back afterwards.
Many European games are simple ports of American or Japanese games and are not
redesigned for 50 hertz, so work faster and with "better" screen proportions
if played at 60 hertz.
Genesis/Mega Drive dual version (language switch) list:
Bonanza Brothers: Game plays in Japanese. (Maybe. There seems to be more
than one version floating around.)
Columns: Game plays in Japanese.
*Cyberball: Japanese version has a modem option.
Dragon's Fury: Works only with language set to English. The original,
Devil's Crush MD, works either way.
Dynamite Duke: Harder on the Mega Drive.
Elemental Master: Harder on the Mega Drive.
Fatal Labyrinth: Game plays in Japanese.
Fire Shark: Different title screen with Kanji.
Flicky: Characters have Japanese names and instructions are in Japanese.
Forgotten Worlds: Game plays in Japanese.
Gaiares: only mentions the Japanese licensee on the title screen, and has
Japanese text; you can also select Japanese text from the option screen.
Ghostbusters: Game plays in Japanese.
Ghouls and Ghosts: Different title screen with Kanji. To see it on a
Genesis, select the last music and sound (26 and 56) from the options screen,
then press lower left; A, B, or C; and Start all at the same time. (I never
tried this, but Gamepro magazine claimed it works.) The game shows some other
Japanese text, and when you die during a boss you start out earlier.
Insector X: Title screen refers to company as Hot-B, not Sage's Creation.
The MD version shoots more slowly. The ending text is still English.
*Marvel Land: The Japanese version says "for Mega Drive" or "for Genesis"
but the language stays Japanese. (What does an English version do?)
Monaco GP: Game plays in Japanese (also an option on the option screen).
Mystic Defender: This game is actually the anime-based Kujaku-Ou (Peacock
King) 2 game. In Japanese mode, the opening text is replaced by a graphics
screen (never seen in the US version) with Japanese. The levels have names,
the main character wears a white robe, the lightning magic effect is different,
and the character is named Kujaku in the ending text (which is still English).
Outrun: The attract mode lacks sound, the startup screen says "push" (not
"press") start button, and "(C) Sega 1986, 1991" is printed in reverse order.
The default options are KM/H and a different button selection (but can still be
changed on the option screen).
Quackshot: Game plays in Japanese.
Raiden Trad: The "licensed to Sega" line is absent on both title screens,
and the second title screen includes only the Japanese part instead of the
non-Japanese part of the first one.
Revenge of Shinobi: Title changes to Super Shinobi; credits show at the
end.
Rolling Thunder II: The Japanese version only works on a Japanese setting.
The US version works either way (and isn't bilingual).
Sonic the Hedgehog II: Tails is renamed to "Miles".
Streets of Rage: Title screen changes to Bare Knuckle, and all text is in
Japanese, including the introduction. The clock resets when you encounter the
bosses.
Streets of Rage II: Turns to Bare Knuckle II, and renames Skate to Sammy --
_if_ you change the setting sometime after turning the machine on (to skip the
lockout).
Thunder Force II: Title screen has "MD" on it, and company name is
"Tecnosoft".
Thunder Force III: company's name is spelled "Tecnosoft".
*Thunder Storm FX (CD): Turns to Cobra Command in US mode.
Truxton: Japanese title is Tatsujin.
Twin Hawk: Different title screen with Kanji.
*Wrestle War: The wrestler is blond on a Genesis and black-haired on a MD.
* Information from testing a Japanese game
Most games with a standard "Sega TM" screen also omit the TM when played in
Japanese mode, even if the game isn't otherwise bilingual.
Most of the Japanese has been removed from the Sega CD versions of Columns,
Revenge of Shinobi, and Streets of Rage.
PC Engine/TG-16 pinout.
This information was posted by David Shadoff (david.shadoff@canrem.com)
and is mostly verbatim:
Notes:
(1) For reference, pin 1 is the short pin (on the left, if the card
is to inserted forwards), pin 38 is the long pin on the right.
(2) * - means I think this is what it is
** - means I don't know
(bar) - means it is an active-while low condition (usually denoted
by a bar over top)
(3) I'm telling you all I know (which really isn't much), and it may
contain errors, also - I will not be held responsible for errors
in this list. (or any damages resulting from the use of, or
inability to use, this information, etc...)
Pin Use
-!- ---
1 ** 20 D4
2 ** 21 D5
3 A18* 22 D6
4 A16 23 D7
5 A15 24 CE (bar) - chip select
6 A12 25 A10
7 A7 26 OE (bar) - output enable
8 A6 27 A11
9 A5 28 A9
10 A4 29 A8
11 A3 30 A13
12 A2 31 A14
13 A1 32 A17
14 A0 33 A19*
15 D0 34 R/W (bar over W) - read/write
16 D1 35 **
17 D2 36 **
18 Gnd 37 **
19 D3 38 +5V
It is interesting to note that pins 6 thru 29 are basically exact
duplicates of the functions of pins 2 thru 25 on a 2764 EPROM.
Obviously, the design of the chip's die was not a complete re-work;
it just sits on a different package.
I got this information from tracing address- and data-paths through
the PC-E to the 2K static RAM (which has a known pinout), and
extending that information by reviewing an NEC data book on their
1-Megabit factory-programmed PROM's (it's an old data book, so I
couldn't go any further).
The TG-16 differs from the PC-E in that the D0-7 datalines are
reversed (actually, the PROM is programmed that way, and the wires
leading to the data bus in the machine are reversed). I have
shown here, the card pinout (which does not differ). I believe
that this is the PC-E port pinout (TG-16's just reverse the data
lines' order; swap 0 for 7, 1 for 6, 2 for 5, and 3 for 4).
-
Additional information: to copy a TG-16 game to work on a PC Engine with
copier, reverse the bit order. There is then a sequence of code which checks
what machine the game is running on: all known examples start with 78 54 A9,
have the letters NEC at offset 15 hex, and an F0 at offset 0B. If the F0 is
changed to an 80 (changing a conditional jump to an unconditional jump), the
game will work on both PC Engine and TG-16.
This code sequence is usually at the start of the game, but can be in other
places.
Section 8: Game Magazines
=========================
British magazines: To order a British magazine, call first; pay with a VISA
card or an International Money Order:
Title: Computer + Video Games (computer and console games)
Title: ZONE (console games)
Phone: (071) 580 8908
Title: Sega Pro (Sega only)
Phone: (0225) 765086
Title: Sega Force (Sega only)
Phone: (051) 357 1275
Title: TOTAL (Nintendo only)
Phone: (0458) 74011
Section 9: Other FAQ's and regular postings:
===========================================
NOTE: A "list" is not a mailing list unless it _says_ "mailing list".
Anime video games list: maintained by Steve Pearl (pearl@remus.rutgers.edu).
The list can be ftp'ed from romulus.rutgers.edu (128.6.13.2).
Japanese video game source list: ditto.
The Lynx cheat list is on atari.archive.cc.umich.edu.
Lynx FAQ: formerly maintained by Robert Jung (rjung@netcom.com). The current
status is uncertain.
Jaguar FAQ: maintained by Robert Jung (rjung@netcom.com).
Game Gear FAQ: send mail to Tony Clark (tclark@hptc.mentorg.com).
SNES spoiler list: maintained by Robert Deloura (deloura@noaapmel.gov).
SNES review list: ftp brownvm.brown.edu, cd james.394.
SNES mailing list: send mail to SNES-Request@spcvxa.spc.edu.
Genesis and Sega CD cheat/hint list: maintained by Bob Rusbasan
(rrusbasa@nyx.cs.du.edu).
Game Genie/Gold Finger/Action Replay code server: send mail to
game-genie-serv%nvcc.uucp@groucho.sonoma.edu (or gold-finger-serv or
action-replay-serv). The server accepts a help command. (This server will
translate between GG and GF formats for you.)
Neo-Geo FAQ: maintained by Ralph A. Barbagallo III (nugget@genesis.nred.ma.us).
TG-16 cheat list/FAQ: maintained by Steve Pearl (pearl@remus.rutgers.edu).
Vectrex FAQ: maintained by Gregg Woodcock (woodcock@sdf.lonestar.org).
Genesis joystick pinouts and Genesis hardware internals: available from
ftp.spd.louisville.edu in pub/sega/joystick.txt and pub/sega/hardware.txt.
TG-16 mailing list: send mail to turbo-list-request@cpac.washington.edu.
Streetfighter 2 FAQ: available from mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu in /pub/local/sf2, or
mail mlm@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu or caine@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu.
That subj: should be "on MK" - damn keyboard
Anyways, I have won every round up to and INCLUDING the bridge scene
with double flawless + fatality - still can't get to Reptile.
However, I haven't seen any of those moon appearance things.
How do I get them to occur ??????
Regards,
Andrew Hardy
Computer Engineering Student
Newcastle University, Australia
