From: arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu (Ken Arromdee)
Subject: rec.games.video Frequently Asked Questions
Followup-To: rec.games.video
Reply-To: arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu (Ken Arromdee)
Organization: Johns Hopkins University CS Dept.
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 06:42:44 GMT

Archive-name: video-games

OK, now.  I have tried to clarify the information about the Genesis language
switch in here....

Information needed:
-- Does the PC Engine GT TV tuner work on a Turbo Express?
-- More examples of games that do/don't change with a language switch or in a
MD/Genesis.
-- Please, someone test a European SNES game on an American machine with the
adapter, (it's only _known_ to work for an American game on a European machine.
And in either case, does PAL/NTSC cause a change in speed?)
-- And I'd like to see a test: Japanese Mega-CD and new US Genesis.  Find out
if it doesn't run, and if it _does_ run with a language switch.
-- Are foreign Neo-Geo games compatible?
-- Information about lawsuits by Nintendo.
-- How does one subscribe to Japanese magazines directly from the sources?
-- Shouldn't the Master System and Game Gear have the same number of colors?
-- 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?  (Could it be
that this is actually the graphics available in the Supergrafx, not the TG-16?)
-- What's the deal with the SNES/SF compatibility?  Any authoritative sources?
(Calling the company is a step up, but companies' PR departments can still give
bad info.  The only real solution is either to ask a developer who works with
the hardware, or to find an example of an incompatible game).
-- More info on replacing batteries in game cartridges.
-- Toll free number for Atari.
-- Where the SNES and Genesis spoiler lists have gone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Last modified 7/29/92]
[Last posted 7/29/92]

General Questions:
=================

``What are the Japanese systems, the differences between them and the US
systems, and their 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 first SNES's were definitely compatible
with SF's (and vice versa), after you removed some of the plastic inside the
cartridge slot.  There are rumors that newer Japanese and American systems
aren't compatible.  One Usenetter called Nintendo and was told that older
machines are compatible and newer ones aren't, but nobody knows if this is
really true.  Adapters exist; nobody knows if they only fix the slot size
problem, or if they also fix incompatibility.

To complicate the matter, EGM printed (early on) a rumor that later machines
would not be compatible (EGM is known for printing bad rumors), which could,
if the machines _are_ compatible, explain why lots of people think otherwise.

European/American compatibility is different, however.  The games are not
compatible, but there exists an adapter which lets you plug in one cartridge
of each origin and run an American or Japanese game with the lockout chip from
a European game.  Presumably this adapter works in reverse, and if there is
some Japanese/American problem, would fix it too.

PC ENGINE/COREGRAFX: Same as Turbografx-16.  Cartridge games are not
compatible, but you can buy adapters for $20-30 through many mail order places
(get a game magazine and check the ads).  CD-ROM games (and, according to
rumor, Super CD-ROM games) are compatible without adapters; the Super CD-ROM
expansion (3.0 card plus 256K memory) will also work in a TG-16 with adapter
(in case you can't wait for the US version).  Buying an adapter may well be
worthwhile since the PC Engine is very popular in Japan, and many games
released for it never reach the US.  (So far.  This may change.)

An adapter in reverse, to play a TG-16 game on a PC Engine isn't possible;
the game checks for some hardware feature present only in the TG-16.

Note: The CD-ROM2 is the counterpart of the CD, not the super-CD.

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.  (The Wonder Mega is a Mega Drive with a built-in
CD-ROM, combined with a JVC CD system.)  Compatibility is a bit tricky.

The European and Australian machine known as the Mega Drive is (except for
putting out PAL signals) identical to the Genesis, and all comments below
which refer to the Genesis, not to the Mega Drive, apply to them.  Converted
Japanese machines are popular in Europe; these often have permanent English
language modifications (and act like a Genesis with respect to compatibility.)

If you want to play a game on the "opposite" machine, you have to cut out some
plastic around the cartridge slot on a Genesis.  On a Mega Drive, you _might_
have to disable the cartridge lock (I didn't, but some people have told me they
needed to).  There are adapters which let you plug the game in without voiding
your warranty.  Some games are bilingual, and play in Japanese/English
depending on which machine you use them in; the list is below.

The Mega Drive games Rolling Thunder II and Thunder Force IV won't play on a
Genesis unless you install a language switch (see below); future Namco games
will likely act the same.  The Genesis game Dragon's Fury won't play on a Mega
Drive unless you install a language switch (though the MD version, Devil's
Crush MD, works on both machines).  It is rumored that some other Mega Drive
games won't run on a new machine.  (A new machine says "Produced by or under
license to Sega" when turned on.)  I don't have examples of such games; if they
exist, there are probably not very many.

For the CD-ROM, there will be 4 different versions: American, European,
Japanese, and Asian.  The origin of the CD drive and the origin of the game
must match; if you have a new machine, the origin of the machine must also
match.  (Sega went to great lengths to insure incompatibility.  The excuse, as
reported in EGM, is that current games don't include actual music or footage
from licensed properties, but CDs will, and licensing might only be for limited
geographic areas.  Needless to say, current games _do_ include music, and at
least digitized pictures from, licensed properties; furthermore the compatible
PC Engine/TG CD's don't seem to have this sort of licensing problem.  Nor do
regular music CDs or laser discs, for that matter).

It has been said that although a new American Genesis normally won't work with
a Japanese CD drive, it will if you install a language switch.  (Anyone tried
this?)

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.

PC ENGINE GT: This is the equivalent of the TurboExpress, and runs PC Engine
games.  The same adapter that works on a TG-16 will work on a Turbo Express to
play PC Engine games.

MISCELLANEOUS: The "Master Gear" adapter plays Sega Master System games on the
Game Gear; they must be 256K or less.  The games will reportedly not run at
the correct speed if the game is from a country where TV uses PAL (i.e.
Europe).  Phantasy Star I will not play properly.  In theory an adapter could
work the other way; I've never heard of any.

Sega Master Systems are compatible between Japan/America.


``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 oft-heard excuse is to
preserve quality.  Many games are conversions from Japan, where the lockout
chip is not used but the game is the same and thus of identical quality.  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 is placed 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.  (They lost.)
5) Nintendo has sued stores for renting Nintendo games.


``Please tell me about those 100 games in 1 cartridges.''

These cartridges are bootlegs, many of which are made in Hong Kong or South
Korea.  Most are for Nintendo, but there are similar cartridges for
Genesis/Mega Drive, which contain 4-8 or so games.  They often include some
early, lower-quality games and some games which vary only by small details
such as background color.  They also tend to be expensive ($100 or so).  If
you really want one, you will probably have to go to Asia or buy one from
someone who has one to sell.


``What capabilities does each system have?  (number of colors, resolution,
number and size of sprites, processor type)''

This is a modified chart first posted by Corey Kirk.  Take it with a large
grain of salt.
______________________________________________________________________________
|          | 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       | Z80 68000|    65816 |    68000 | 6502 6502|     6502 |      Z80 |
|APU (Aud) |          |     6502 |      Z80 |          |          |          |
|MHz       |   4    12|      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|          |512 x 262*|          |          |
|Colors    |4096/65536| 256/32768|    64/512|  482/512*|     16/52|    52/256|
|Sprites   |      380 |      128 |       80 |       64 |        8 |       16 |
| - size   |    unlim | 128 x 128|   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       |          |128K+64Kgx| 72K+64Kgx|  8K+64Kgx|  2K+ 2Kgx|          |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
|CD CPU/MHz|        ? |     ?/21 |68000/12.5|     none |     none |     none |
|CD RAM    |          |    1024K |     768K |   CD=64K |          |          |
|          |          |          |          | SCD=256K |          |          |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
* This information has few sources and may be wrong.
________________________________________________________
|          |  GameBoy |   Lynx   | GameGear | TExpress |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
|Bits (CPU)|        8 |        8 |        8 |    8 + 8 |
|Bits (Gx) |        8 |       16 |        8 |       16 |
|CPU       |     6502 |     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|
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|

``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.

Ads for the Neo-Geo have claimed its cartridges are measured in megabytes.  One
Usenet reader actually disassembled a cartridge and found that they are also
measured in megabits.


``I've heard of a 32 bit game system....''

Various game systems have been rumored to be 32-bit, such as the as yet
unrevealed Atari system.  You can't just add the bits in the separate
processors and get a meaningful number, though, so the Genesis CD-ROM is not 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 different characteristics of
processors which measure in bits; whether a processor counts as a 32-bit
processor or not 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).


``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 games for the Lynx are licensed
from Atari Games.)


``Where is a good source for Japanese games?''

Buy an American video game magazine and check the ads.  (Or find someone who
is going to or has contacts in Japan, who can get games for you.)  Also,
Stephen Pearl posts a partial list of such sources regularly (see below).


``What is anime?''

Anime refers to Japanese animation.  It tends to be aimed towards a more adult
audience than American animation, and has a large cult following in the US.
Historically, much anime has been brought over with heavy cuts and/or changes
in plot, but companies have recently begun to release more accurately dubbed
or subtitled anime.  The connection with video games is that many Japanese
video games are based on anime; furthermore, such games are often the least
likely to be brought over to the US since Americans are supposedly uninterested
in it.


``What is a Tera Drive?''

It is a Japan-only system which combines a PC and a Mega Drive; it's not
available in the US.


``What is a Super Gun?''

It is a "home" system which plays an arcade board at home.  This plays the
same as the arcade game, of course, but also costs about as much as the
arcade game (over $1000 for Street Fighter II).


``I want to use my system with a monitor.  Which ones will work?''

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.


Toll-Free 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                   they do have one, not sure what it is.


``Can I replace the battery in my game cart when it dies?''

Yes, but you will lose any data that is saved (which will happen when the
battery dies anyway.


``How can I order foreign game magazines?''

The below information comes from James Mathiesen:  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: Mean Machines (console games only)
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


Game/System Specific Questions:
==============================

``What happened to the Genesis modem?''

It's available in Japan, but had no US release.  There is allegedly going to
be one in the US; I wouldn't hold my breath.


``Can I use Atari/Amiga/C64 joysticks 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).


``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 did not make it to the US.  The US Super Mario 2
was a non-Mario Japanese game called "Dream Factory".


``What is Valis I?''

It is a Famicom game not brought over to the US.  There are Mega Drive/Genesis
versions and there will eventually be a Super PC-Engine CD-ROM version.


``What is Thunderforce I?''

It is a game produced by Technosoft for Japanese personal computers only.


``What is Phantasy Star I?''

It's a Sega Master System (8 bit) game.


``When is the Genesis CD-ROM coming out?''

The machine is already out in Japan; November 1992 has been announced for the
US version.  (It was originally supposed to be out in the spring.)  The price
will be $300, plus $100 more for a Genesis if you don't already have one.


``What about the Super CD-ROM and Duo for the TG-16?''

The PC Engine version is already out in Japan and has been for a while; the
announced date for the US is October 10, 1992 for the Duo at $300.  The
regular CD is $150, the super-CD expansion is $80, and the TG-16 itself $70
when bought separately.  The super-CD expansion does include the games packed
with the Duo, so the packages are equivalent.


``What about the Super NES CD-ROM?''

The announced date is January 1993.  Don't rely on this too much, however; the
machine does not yet exist even in Japan.  The price will allegedly be $200
(plus $100 more for the SNES).


``What happened to that version of Tetris they're not making any more?''

It was the Tengen Tetris.  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 had similar problems.


``What are the pinouts on the Genesis A/V connector?''

From an old posting by Colin J. Smith:

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.


SNES versus Genesis (and now, versus TG-16 Duo)

The general opinion seems to be that the systems are roughly equal, and that
you shouldn't be getting one system because it's "better" than the other; get
the one which has the games you want.


``What are the differences between a "new" and "old" Genesis?''

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 if you use a Game Action Replay
they will still run.  It doesn't matter whether the new machine is a Mega Drive
or a Genesis.  (If the machine says "produced by or under license to Sega"
when turned on, it's a "new" machine.)


``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.]
-- current 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.)

Other machines will slow down too when they have lots of sprites on the screen.


``Does the Genesis CD-ROM have extra colors, sprites, or resolution?''

No.  Gamepro magazine said otherwise one issue; this was an error.


Debug mode and level select on Sonic the Hedgehog.

Level select is: U, D, L, R, then A and Start at the same time (two extra
D's if you have the Mega Drive version of Sonic).  To access the debug mode:

1) U+C, D+C, L+C, R+C, then A+Start.
2) C, C, C, C, U, D, L, R, A+Start.
3) U, C, D, C, L, C, R, Start, Hold A [immediately after start]
4) U+C, D+C, D+C, D+C, L+C, R+C, A+C+Start.

The best information is that 1) does it on older Sonics, 2) on newer ones, 3)
on even newer ones, and 4) on the Mega Drive 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 cannot die by getting hit or
falling onto spikes in this mode.)


``Is Street Fighter II on any home video game systems?''

It is on the Super NES/Super Famicom.  The PC Engine Super CD version,
reported in at least one American magazine, is just a rumor.  There is a
license for Fighting Street II; since Fighting Street I was really SFI, it's
possible that Fighting Street II _could_ be SFII, but nobody is sure.


Streetfighter II code to play the same characters versus one another.

Down-Right-Up-Left-Y-B-X-A.  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.

The code on the US version is Down-Right-Up-Left-Y-B.


``What are the Ranma 1/2 games available?''

Gameboy (plays on US Gameboys): one game, block moving/maze type of game.
Super Famicom (plays on SNES with adaptors or cutting the cartridge slot):
two Streetfighter-II clone type games.
PC Engine (CD games play on Turbografx-16; super-CD will play when the super-CD
is released in the US): there is an earlier punch/kick/scroll game (CD), and a
more recent "video comic" game (CD); the latter requires Japanese knowledge.
There will eventually be a super-CD port of the Super Famicom game.


``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.


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.  [B connected to B, A to A, below...]
You'll need some wire, and a soldering iron, solder, and a DPDT switch.  This
is what I did (and it works):


                                               (switch in 2 positions)

     2   1                2   1               2   1                2   1

     |   |                |   |              _|   |_              _|   |_  
     |   |                |   |             /       \            /       \ 
     |   |                |   |            / B     A \          / B     A \
     |   |                                | r-------+ |        | r-+---+-+ |
     |   |                                | |       | |        | | |   | | |
     |   |                                | |       | |        | | |   | | |
     |   |                 CUT            +-|-+   +-|-+        +-|-+   +-|-+
     |   |                                  | |   | |            |       |
     |   |                                  | |   | |            |       |
     |   |                                  |_|___|_|            |_______|
     |   |                |   |              A|   |B              A|   |B
     |   _                |   _               |   _                |   _
     |   = <--capacitor   |   =               |   =                |   =
     |   -                |   -               |   -                |   -
     |   |                |   |               |   |                |   |
     \___/                \___/               \___/                \___/

[UNTESTED BY ME, but reported to me]: Some machines do not have the capacitor.
They have an open circuit instead.  Also, I have been told (though I have not
checked!) that even on the machines with a capacitor, you can throw out the
capacitor and leave an open circuit.  In either of these situations, the switch
would be a lot simpler, requiring a SPDT switch and less wire and solder.  But
I haven't tested them....

JP3 and JP4 can be similarly swapped for a 50/60 hz switch.

The language switch lets you choose between English and Japanese mode on games
which have dual-version ROMs, and lets you play the Japanese version of
Rolling Thunder II and Thunderforce IV on a Genesis, or Dragon's Fury on a
Mega Drive.

The following is a partial list of games that have dual ROMs and change with a
language switch (or when just put in the opposite machine)

    Bonanza Brothers: Game plays in Japanese.
    Columns: Instructions are in Japanese.
   *Cyberball: Japanese version has a modem option.
    Dragon's Fury: This game does not play at all on a Mega Drive, giving a
message about how it's not intended for use in Japan.  (The Japanese version,
Devil's Crush MD, does play on either system.)
    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.
    Forgotten Worlds: Text is in Japanese.
    Gaiares: Plays in Japanese language, but the language can be changed to
either version on either Genesis/MD.  Hold down A, B, C, and press Start for an
options screen which lets you choose the language.
    Ghostbusters: The Ghostbusters speak 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 claims it works.)
    Insector X: Title screen refers to company as Hot-B, not Sage's Creation.
The MD version shoots more slowly.  Ending text for the game is still in
English.  (I don't know if a real MD game does this.)
   *Marvel Land: The Japanese version says "for Mega Drive" or "for Genesis"
but the language stays Japanese.  Presumably the English version does the same
in English (can anyone confirm this?)
    Mystic Defender: This game is actually the anime-based Kujaku-Oh (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 referred to as Kujaku in the ending text (which is still
English).
    Outrun: The attract mode does not include sound, the startup screen says
"push" (instead of "press") start button, and "(C) Sega 1986, 1991" is printed
in reverse order.  The default option settings are KM/H and a different button
selection (but can still be changed with the option screen).
    Quackshot: Text is in Japanese.
    Revenge of Shinobi: Title screen changes to Super Shinobi.
   *Rolling Thunder II: The Japanese version only works on a Japanese setting,
and prints a message instead when the machine is set to English.  Anyone tried
a US version on a Mega Drive?
    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.
    Thunder Force II: Title screen has "MD" on it, and company name is
"Tecnosoft".
    Thunder Force III: company's name is spelled "Tecnosoft".
   *Thunder Force IV: The Japanese version only works on a Japanese setting.
    Truxton: Turns into Tatsujin.  (What does this mean?)
    Twin Hawk: Different title screen with Kanji.
   *Wrestle War: The wrestler is blond on a Genesis and black-haired on a MD.

    * Information obtained by testing a Japanese cartridge

In addition, bilingual games do not say "TM" with "Sega" before the title
screen.

No difference: Batman, Last Battle, *Mega Panel, Musha, Phelios, Sagaia, Sonic
the Hedgehog, Space Invaders '91, Strider, Target Earth, *Tetris, Trouble
Shooter, Twin Cobra, Valis III, Wings of Wor.  [This list doesn't include
RPG's or games made by US companies.  Not surprisingly, none of them are
bilingual.]


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; check for the first bytes to be 78 54 A9, the
letters NEC at offset 15 hex, and then change the F0 at offset 0B to an 80.


Other FAQ's and regular postings:
================================

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.

Atari Lynx users' list: list mail to lynx-list@scintilla.capitola.ca.us and
to be added to the list, mail to lynx-request@scintilla.capitola.cs.us.

The Lynx cheat list is on terminator.cc.umich.edu in /atari/lynx.

SNES FAQ/spoiler list: formerly maintained by Craig Heartwell (craig@sae.com).
This address seems not to exist any more, though.

Genesis spoiler list: maintained by Bob Rusbasan (rusbasan@sage.cc.purdue.edu)
This address seems not to exist any more, either.

Megadrive spoilers: collected by Galen Komatsu (gkomatsu@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.
edu).  Not in list form.

TG-16 cheat list/FAQ: maintained by Steve Pearl (pearl@remus.rutgers.edu).

Digital Games Review Digest: To subscribe, send mail to digital-games@
digital-games.intuitive.com.  To obtain back issues, send mail to
info@limbo.intuitive.com containing the lines "help" and "listall
Digital.Games".

Genesis joystick pinouts: an article was posted by nhowland@matt.ksu.ksu.edu.
I presume he'd be able to send you a copy of the article, or if not, I saved
one; it's too long to include here.
--
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Ken Arromdee (UUCP: ....!jhunix!arromdee; BITNET: arromdee@jhuvm;
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Newsgroups: news.answers