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Path: bloom-beacon.mit.edu!hookup!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!mozart.amil.jhu.edu!blaze.cs.jhu.edu!jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu!not-for-mail From: arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu (Ken Arromdee) Newsgroups: rec.games.video.misc,rec.games.video.nintendo,rec.games.video.sega,rec.games.video.atari,rec.games.video.3do,rec.games.video.advocacy,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: rec.games.video Frequently Asked Questions (part 3 of 3) Followup-To: rec.games.video.misc,rec.games.video.nintendo,rec.games.video.sega,rec.games.video.atari,rec.games.video.3do,rec.games.video.advocacy Date: 15 Apr 1994 18:16:05 -0400 Organization: Johns Hopkins University CS Dept. Lines: 997 Approved: news-answers-request@mit.edu Message-ID: <2on3n5$dsn@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu> Reply-To: arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu (Ken Arromdee) NNTP-Posting-Host: jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu rec.games.video.misc:15997 rec.games.video.nintendo:19769 rec.games.video.sega:21610 rec.games.video.atari:6086 rec.games.video.3do:4062 rec.games.video.advocacy:3382 news.answers:18102 rec.answers:4909 Archive-name: games/video-games/faq/part3 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 | |68000/12.5| 65802/16 | none | none | | | | | | | | | |CD RAM | | | 768K | CD=64K | | | | | | | | 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 | Saturn | |----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+ |Bits (CPU)| 64 + 16 | 32 | 32 | 32 + 16 | |Bits (Gx) | 64 | 32 | 32 | 64 (?)| |CPU |Proprietary ARM/60 | 68EC020 |HitachiSH2 (two) | | + 68000| | | + 68EC000| |APU (Aud) |Proprietary ? |Proprietary ? | |MHz | 13.3 | ? | 14 | ? | |MHz (Gx) | ? | ? | 28 | ? | |Graphics | 720 x 526| 640 x 480|1280x512**| ? | |Colors | 16777216| 16777216|256/1677.*|?/16777216| |Sprites | unlim | ? | 8 | ? | | - size | >1000 | ? |64x scrnht| ? | |Audio | unlim | ? |4 channels| 32 chan. | |RAM |2 megabyte|3 megabyte|2 megabyte| 4 1/2 meg| |----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+ |CD CPU/MHz| ? | |CD RAM | ? | |----------+----------+ * Also has Hold and Modify mode which gives 262144/16777216 colors and is mainly useful for still pictures. ** Jaguar resolution includes overscan. CD32 can do >1300x566 overscanned. ________________________________________________________ | | 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| |----------+----------+----------+----------+----------| Most systems can change colors on successive scan lines, using more colors than the ones listed. The game Ex-ranza (Ranger-X in USA) for the Genesis 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. ``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 Pro Action Replay format for Genesis The Pro Action Replay codes for the Genesis are just an address/data format, AAAAAADDDD. The Pro Action Replay can either intercept reads to ROM, or in- stall a routine which continually restores RAM values. (Codes which modify RAM can't be converted to Game Genie formats.) The best educated guesses are that FF as first two digits of the address indicates RAM, and anything else is a page pointer for ROM. The data is a 16 bit number, but if the first two di- gits of the data are 00, the device only inserts an 8 bit number. (You prob- ably need two codes if you want to insert a 16 bit number which starts with two zeroes.) There was some puzzlement from the code server administrator about the differ- ences between an Action Replay, Game Action Replay, and Pro Action Replay. (If anyone knows, mail me or him....) 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. Bit 15 is always a 1; if you use a 0, the Game Genie will just change it to a 1 anyway. DDDD DDDD AAAA AAAA AAAA AAAA AAAA AAAA (Genie Code) 7654 3210 1111 7654 9822 2232 1011 1111 (True address, rearranged) 5432 32 10 98 7610 Example - Force AD at 80C7AA Data = 1010 1101 Address = 1000 0000 1100 0111 1010 1010 Take the data in order, and then take bit 15, 14, 13, 12, 7, 6, etc. of the address, to get: 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 Action Replay Codes for SNES The format is AAAAAADD for address and data. The RAM/ROM details are probably similar to for the Genesis, which again makes some codes nonconvertible. The cumulative intellect of the net doesn't seem to know much about these codes at all. We also need to know if this one is an Action Replay, Pro Action Replay, or Game Action Replay.... Game Genie codes for Gameboy: see the Gameboy FAQ. Section 7: Connecter/Controller Pinouts: ======================================= 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. Neo Geo A/V connector Same as Genesis, though the plug is a different size. 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 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 SNES cartridge pinouts (from rolfes@uni-muenster.de) SNES Slot: .---------. | 01 | 32 | | 02 | 33 | | 03 | 34 | | 04 | 35 | |----+----| GND | 05 | 36 | GND A11 | 06 | 37 | A12 A10 | 07 | 38 | A13 A9 | 08 | 39 | A14 A8 | 09 | 40 | If ROM > 8Mbit to LS139, otherwise NC A7 | 10 | 41 | A15 A6 | 11 | 42 | A16 A5 | 12 | 43 | A17 A4 | 13 | 44 | A18 A3 | 14 | 45 | A19 A2 | 15 | 46 | A20 A1 | 16 | 47 | A21 A0 | 17 | 48 | A22 NC | 18 | 49 | ROM /OE. If RAM via LS139 to ROM D0 | 19 | 50 | D4 D1 | 20 | 51 | D5 D2 | 21 | 52 | D6 D3 | 22 | 53 | D7 RAM /OE and ROM /CE | 23 | 54 | RAM /W Pin 1 D413 | 24 | 55 | Pin 2 D413 Pin 7 D413 | 25 | 56 | Pin 6 D413 RAM /E | 26 | 57 | NC VCC | 27 | 58 | VCC |----+----| | 28 | 59 | | 29 | 60 | | 30 | 61 | | 31 | 62 | `---------' D413/D411 (Europe/USA) are the security chips RAM/ROM Select: RAM - RAM /E low, RAM /OE low, ROM /OE high, (A20 or A21 must be high if cartridge size is less or equal 8 Mbit) ROM - ROM /CE low, ROM /OE low, RAM /E high, 40 high (A20 and A21 must be low if cartridge size is less or equal 8 Mbit) Cartridge ROM: EPROM ROM ROM EPROM .----_----. A20 | | VCC A21 | | A22 |----_----| A19 A17 | 01 32 | VCC VCC A16 A18 | 02 31 | /OE A18 A15 A15 | 03 30 | A19 A17 A12 A12 | 04 29 | A14 A14 A7 A7 | 05 28 | A13 A13 A6 A6 | 06 27 | A8 A8 A5 A5 | 07 26 | A9 A9 A4 A4 | 08 25 | A11 A11 A3 A3 | 09 24 | A16 /OE A2 A2 | 10 23 | A10 A10 A1 A1 | 11 22 | /CE /CE A0 A0 | 12 21 | D7 D7 D0 D0 | 13 20 | D6 D6 D1 D1 | 14 19 | D5 D5 D2 D2 | 16 18 | D4 D4 GND GND | 16 17 | D3 D3 `---------' LS139 (two binary decoders) in less or equal 8 Mbit cartridges: .----_----. ROM /OE /1G | 01 16 | VCC VCC A21 1A | 02 15 | /2G /1Y3 A20 1B | 03 14 | 2A A19 /OE /1Y0 | 04 13 | 2B RAM /E NC /1Y1 | 05 12 | /2Y0 NC NC /1Y2 | 06 11 | /2Y1 NC /2G /1Y3 | 07 10 | /2Y2 NC GND GND | 08 09 | /2Y3 NC `---------' LS139 (two binary decoders) in more than 8 Mbit cartridges: .----_----. ROM /OE /1G | 01 16 | VCC VCC 40 1A | 02 15 | /2G /1Y3 RAM /E 1B | 03 14 | 2A NC NC /1Y0 | 04 13 | 2B NC NC /1Y1 | 05 12 | /2Y0 NC NC /1Y2 | 06 11 | /2Y1 NC /OE and /2G /1Y3 | 07 10 | /2Y2 NC GND GND | 08 09 | /2Y3 NC `---------' Cartridge pinouts for Gameboy: see the Gameboy FAQ. Section 8: 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. There are probably at least four versions: American/Japanese, at least two incompatible European versions, and Australian. These are incompatible because of lockout chips, but you can buy an adapter which connects a lockout chip from a native cartridge and the program from a foreign cartridge. There are some older adapters that don't include all data lines, and on these, games like Super Mario Kart or Starfox won't work. Some games also have PAL protection (PAL is the TV system in Europe and Aus- tralia.) This problem can't be fixed with an adaptor alone, and only happens when trying to run American/Japanese games on PAL systems or vice-versa. Known games with this problem are SF2 Turbo and Super Mario All-Stars. A Game Action Replay code to get SF2 Turbo to work is listed elsewhere in this FAQ. 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, neither lockout problem happens, but 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). PC ENGINE/COREGRAFX/DUO: 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 normally 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 it 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 Aladdin, Bio-Hazard Battle, Cyborg Justice, Dragon's Fury, Eternal Champions, Flashback, Gauntlet IV, Gunstar Heroes, Landstalker, Lightening Force, Outrun 2019, Ren and Stimpy, Rocket Knight Adventures, SF2, Shining Force, Shinobi 3, Streets of Rage II, Sunset Riders, World of Illusion, X-Men. Do not run in 50 hertz mode: US versions of Flashback, Streets of Rage II, World of Illusion (And probably most of the ones that don't run in Japanese mode, too.) Does 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 (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.) There is supposedly a version D ROM, for internal Sega use by game developers, which allows running all games. I have no idea if there are pirated versions of this floating around either.... (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 versions of the system for different countries that play games in English or Japanese. 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. 3DO: Good question. Someone tell me. 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). 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. Gauntlet IV: The game has lockout, but you can flick the switch and then reset. The Japanese version has Japanese text (sound stays English), says "Megadrive", and has a Gauntlet (not Gauntlet IV) logo on the game screen. If you reset too late, you may have to select the text language manually. 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. Herzog Zwei: company's name is spelled "Tecnosoft". 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). Super Hang-On: Plays in Japanese, which is also accessible with A+B+C on the logo screen. 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. Neo-Geo dual version: Games do do different things in Japanese and American systems, though nobody has figured out yet how to make a switch for it. The most infamous case is Samurai Shodown (Samurai Spirits in Japanese), which has blood and violence removed in the American version (home only). 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 9: 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: Nintendo Magazine System Mean Machines (Nintendo) Title: Mean Machines Sega (Sega) Phone: (0858) 410510 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 10: Other FAQ's/regular postings/mailing lists ====================================================== NOTE: A "list" is not a mailing list unless it _says_ "mailing list". Anime video games list: maintained by me (arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu). Japanese video game source list: maintained by Steve Pearl (pearl@ remus.rutgers.edu). The list can be ftp'ed from romulus.rutgers.edu (128.6.13.2). The Lynx cheat list is on atari.archive.cc.umich.edu. Lynx FAQ: maintained by Robert Jung (rjung@netcom.com). Jaguar FAQ: maintained by Robert Jung (rjung@netcom.com). Game Gear FAQ: send mail to Tony Clark (tclark@hptc.mentorg.com). Sega Saturn FAQ: send mail to hill931@raven.csrv.uidaho.edu. Game Boy FAQ: send mail to Marat Fayzullin (fms@wam.umd.edu). Game Boy email server: send a message to gameboy@mentor.cc.purdue.edu with a subject of ARCHIVE and a body consisting of commands (try 'help', 'filelist'). SNES spoiler list: maintained by Tony Iaconetti (iaconetti_a@spcvxa.spc.edu). SNES review list: ftp brownvm.brown.edu, cd james.394. SNES mailing list: send mail to SNES-Request@spcvxa.spc.edu. SNES ftp site: 140.104.1.249. Genesis and Sega CD cheat/hint list: formerly maintained by Bob Rusbasan (rrusbasa@nyx.cs.du.edu). Now in limbo. "Secrets of the Sega Sages": maintained bu Brian Preble (rassilon@ai.mit.edu). Can be found in the Sega archives on sunsite.unc.edu and ftp.cica.indiana.edu. Game Genie/Gold Finger/Action Replay code server: send mail to game-genie-serv@nvc.cc.ca.us (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). TG-16 mailing list: send mail to turbo-list-request@cpac.washington.edu. Vectrex FAQ: maintained by Gregg Woodcock (woodcock@sdf.lonestar.org). Street Fighter II archive/FAQ: available on altair.krl.caltech.edu in /pub/sf2. This also has a lot of other moves lists. Move lists: ftp netcom.com, pub/vidgames/faqs. Classic system cartridge server: send mail to mail-server@xocolatl.com with "send CARTS.LST" as the body. Game system development mailing lists: send a message to listserv@ busop.cit.wayne.edu with the line "SUBSCRIBE FAMIDEV" (or MEGADEV). There is an ftp site with hardware information on busop.cit.wayne.edu. There seem to be other lists there, details of which I'm not sure. -- Ken Arromdee (email: arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu) ObYouKnowWho Bait: Stuffed Turkey with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes "You, a Decider?" --Romana "I decided not to." --The Doctor