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: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 21:27:57 GMT

Archive-name: games/video-games

Information needed:
-- The TurboExpress and TG-16 information are inconstent as far as CPU and Mhz.
-- Other pack-in game secret codes (including the ones for the "arcade
classics" with the Sega CD, tested)
-- How badly will the US version of Ranma 1/2 be renamed or censored?
-- Do the US versions of Japan-only games like Rolling Thunder II _not_ work
on a Mega Drive?
-- 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.
-- The Mega/Sega CD compatibility information is woefully incomplete.  There
are a lot of different combinations of new machine, old machine, language
switch/machine type, CD type, and drive type yet to be tried.
-- 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
in the same modes?
-- 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....
-- What's the deal with the SNES/SF compatibility?  Any authoritative sources?
(Companies' PR departments can still give bad info.  The only real solution is
to ask a developer who works with the hardware, or find an incompatible game).
-- More info on replacing batteries in game cartridges.
-- Toll free number for Atari.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Last modified 12/11/92]
[Last posted 12/11/92]

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 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.  (Nintendo 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 Gameboy
(also with dozens or hundreds of games) and for Genesis/Mega Drive (4-8 or so
games).  There might be such things for PC Engine.  (If you have one, tell me.
I'd probably want to buy it. :-))  They often include some early, lower-quality
games and some games which vary only by small details like 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.

There are a number of legal 4-in-1 Nintendo cartridges, and there is at least
one 52 games in 1 cartridge for Nintendo advertised in a US magazine.  Whether
the latter is legal, I have no idea....


``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?''

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 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 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 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 versus Genesis (and now, versus Turbo 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 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.  (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 "(C) SEGA", 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, but this is not a
reliable way to tell the difference.


``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.)
-- early SNES games did not properly spread the load among the various
processors in the SNES.

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 licensed to Sega" message.
(Of course, it's the Genesis, not the cartridge, which puts up the message.)
So far, Accolade has won, and the injunction barring Accolade from producing
games was lifted.


Game copiers.

Yes, it is true that customs is 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.  Warning: lots of expertise is needed....


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: ???


Section 2: When is a ... coming out?
===================================

... Genesis modem?

It's available in Japan, but had no US release.  Newer Genesis versions don't
even have a modem port, so don't expect the modem to come out in the USA.
Baton Technologies has a modem for the Genesis and SNES called the Teleplay
System, which ads claim should be out by Spring 1993.


... Sega CD-ROM?

The machine is out for $300, plus $100 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.


... TG-16 Duo (Super CD)?

It's out for $300 (and the PCE version has been out in Japan for ages).  The
separate prices are: TG-16 itself $70, CD player $150, and the SCD expansion is
$65 alone, and $90 with the coupons and the CD containing Gate of Thunder and
the two Bonk games.  The Duo itself comes with this disk, Ys I-II, and Ninja
Spirit.  Early press releases mentioned the game Dungeon Explorer instead of
Ninja Spirit.  One usenetter _did_ get Dungeon Explorer with his.

The expansion from the regular CD is available only through the toll-free
number (1-800-366-0136), not in stores.

TTI ads have offered a contest to choose what game to pack with the system
when it's officially released in early 1993, but the system is out now.


... SNES CD?

The announced date is August 1993.  Rumors suggest the date will be pushed up
to 1994.  The price will allegedly be $200 (plus $100 more for the SNES), and
the system will allegedly be 32-bit.


... Atari Jaguar?

The target date is June 1993, price from somewhere in the $100-200 range.  The
system will not come with a CD drive.  (This information is from "Software
Industry Bulletin" Vol. 8, No. 40; October 26, 1992.)


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.


... store-bought battery with my battery-backup game cart?

Yes, but you will 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 allowing you to use it with a computer.
The adapter _will_ work on the regular Turbografx CD; you don't need to buy the
Duo to be able to use the adapter.


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 (Mega Drive 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. (Mega Drive 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 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 can't die by getting hit or falling onto spikes in this
mode.)


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.  This will
let you select the starting stage and get 99 ships in the options screen.


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 TG-16 cheat archives claims a special message appears with I, II, II, I,
SELECT, RUN or I, II, II, I, SELECT, II, I, I, II.  (Anyone get it?)


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

There is a PC Engine license for Fighting Street II (Fighting Street I was
SFI).  The game is 2 1/2 megabytes (larger than the SNES version, and 2 1/2
times as large as any other PC Engine cartridge).  EGM has reported that the
game will probably be Champion Edition, and will be released only in Japan.

There are, of course, rumors of a Genesis version floating around.


Streetfighter II (SNES) 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 allows you to select
a character versus himself.

There is no code to let you play as the last four characters.

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.


``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


``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 Streetfighter-II clone type games.
PC Engine CD: there is an earlier punch/kick/scroll game (CD), and a more
recent "video comic" game (CD); you need to know Japanese to play the latter.
There is also a super-CD port of the Super Famicom game.

According to EGM, Ranma 1/2 will be released in the USA for the SNES.
The game will be retitled to Street Combat, heavily edited.


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


``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 have 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 should fit on the Turbo Duo, since the Turbo Duo uses PC Engine
type controllers (the regular TG-16 uses its own odd controllers).


Section 5: What is a...?
=======================

``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 supposedly aren't
interested in it.


``What is a Tera Drive?''

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


``What is a Wonder Mega?''

It's a Japan-only system combining a Mega Drive and CD with a JVC CD system.
It's not available in the US.


``What is a Super Gun?''

It is a "home" system which plays a JAMMA 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).

The system itself is legal, but it's often sold with illegal, pirated, arcade
boards.


``What is Valis I?''

It is a Famicom game not brought over to the US.  There are Mega Drive/Genesis
versions and 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.


``What is Cosmic Fantasy I?''

It's a Japanese PC Engine CD game, with no US release.


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|    64/512|   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|        ? |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
|CD CPU/MHz|     none |     ?/21 |68000/12.5| 65802/16 |     none |     none |
|CD RAM    |          |    1024K |     768K |   CD=64K |          |          |
|          |          |          |          | SCD=256K |          |          |
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|
* Comment: many systems have tricks which can be used to squeeze more colors
or resolution out of the system than normal.  This often means that other
features cannot be used--the SNES's 512x448 mode only allows 16 colors and no
hardware rotation, and I suspect that the other modes on the Genesis and TG-16
have enough limitations to explain why you don't see them used much.  The TG-16
also has a 482/512 color mode, which I suspect has similar restrictions.
________________________________________________________
|          |  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|
|----------+----------+----------+----------+----------|


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

No.  Gamepro magazine said otherwise one issue; this was an error.  They
corrected it later on, but then said it _again_ in an article that sounds like
it was partially cribbed from the earlier one....


``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 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 Sega 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).

The information about "how many bits" a system's processor is is of highly
dubious usefulness anyway.


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.

For American/Japanese games, the cartridges are shaped so as not to fit in
each other's machines.  If you cut away the plastic that prevents them from
fitting, or if you buy an ``adapter'', you can play them...  so far.

There is some kind of little-understood hardware difference between machines.
One Usenet reader noticed that on Super Adventure Island, Master Higgins
appears upside down on an SF and right side up on an SNES.  However, a letter
to VG&CE magazine asked about a similar effect that happened with that game on
two machines, both of which were SNES.  There is clearly some difference, but
nobody knows if it's just a new/old difference which occurs in both countries,
or if it's something that applies _only_ between Japanese/US machines and is
therefore potentially useful for lockout.

One usenetter called Nintendo and was told that newer machines (Japanese/US)
weren't compatible.  This is also reported by game magazines and seems to be
an official answer.  Nobody knows if it's true, and nobody's actually found
games that fail.  (The closest was someone who bought some pirated Taiwanese
games, only some of which worked.)

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 and SCD games are compatible
without adapters; the Super CD-ROM expansion (3.0 card plus 256K memory) will
itself work in a TG-16 with CD and adapter.

Some of the existing adapters are not shaped so as to fit in a Turbo Duo.  Find
one that fits, or do some cutting....

There is a hardware difference in the two machines, which can be read by
cartridges.  Most TG-16 cartridges check it, and therefore won't work on a PCE
even with 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 counterpart of the CD, not the super-CD.  Why it's
named 2, I have no idea; maybe because the system is version 2.0.

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 (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 remove the cartridge lock (I didn't, but some people have told me they
had to).  The cartridge lock is the plastic tab that pushes into the slot from
the left side when you turn the machine on.  There are also adapters which
alleviate the need for cutting things.  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, Thunder Force IV, and Super Monaco GP
2 won't play on a Genesis unless you install a language switch (see below).
The Genesis game Dragon's Fury won't play on a Mega Drive without a language
switch (though the MD version, Devil's Crush MD, works on both machines).

For the CD-ROM, there will be 4 different versions: American, European,
Japanese, and Asian.  There are two compatibility problems:

The first is that the origin of the CD drive and the origin of the disk must
match.  You can get around this by replacing the ROM containing the operating
system with one from another country.  (Whether or not this is possible
without piracy, I don't know.  Maybe someone will even make bootleg ROMs that
play any disk.)

There are conflicting reports about the second problem.  The way the story goes
is that a Japanese CD player does not work on a Genesis, but this problem
happens only if the Genesis is a new one.  The language switch fixes the
problem.  This (minus the language switch information) has been described in
game magazines, but there have been contradictory reports on Usenet.  Perhaps
the problem only happens for certain games, or perhaps alternatively a
mismatched system/player combination only works at all for certain games.

It is definitely known that the American CD player won't work on a Mega Drive
(unless language-switched, of course).

There are bilingual Japanese CD games, with two versions depending on the
language switch.  (Of course, if you want to see both versions you'll need an
old Mega Drive, if it's true that a new machine only works at all on one
language setting.)

(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, seem to 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.

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 plays PC Engine games on a TG-16 will also play
them on a TurboExpress.

MISCELLANEOUS: The "Master Gear" adapter plays Sega Master System games on the
Game Gear.  The games will not run at the correct speed if the game is from a
country where TV uses PAL (i.e.  Europe).  Adapters in reverse are probably
possible, but I haven't heard of any.


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.

[I DIDN'T TEST THIS]: Some machines have an open circuit instead of the
capacitor.  Also, I have been told that even on machines with a capacitor, you
can throw it out and leave an open circuit.  In either situation, the switch is
a lot simpler, requiring a SPDT switch and less wire and solder.

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
with dual-version ROMs, and lets you play the Japanese versions of Rolling
Thunder II, Thunderforce IV, and Super Monaco GP 2 on a Genesis, or Dragon's
Fury on a Mega Drive.


Genesis/Mega Drive dual version (language switch) list:

    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.
    Flicky: characters have Japanese names and instructions are in Japanese.
    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.)  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.  Ending text for the game is still in
English.
   *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 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: Text is 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 screen changes to Super Shinobi, and credits are
shown at the end.
   *Rolling Thunder II: The Japanese version only works on a Japanese setting.
    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.
   *Super Monaco GP 2: The Japanese version only works on a Japanese setting.
    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.
It's reported that playing the game on a machine in an intermediate state lets
it be played, but brings up a message saying it's licensed for Genesis.
   *Thunder Storm FX (CD): Turns to Cobra Command when set to US.
    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, most games with a standard "Sega TM" screen omit the TM when
played in Japanese mode, even if the game isn't otherwise 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.  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: Ordering 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: 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 9: 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.

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

Lynx FAQ: maintained by Robert Jung (rjung@aludra.usc.edu).

SNES spoiler list: maintained by Robert Deloura (deloura@noaapmel.gov)

Genesis spoiler list: maintained by Bob Rusaban (rusaban@expert.cc.purdue.edu).
(This address doesn't work, and I have no idea who has the list now.)

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).

Vectrex FAQ: maintained by Gregg Woodcock (woodcock@sdf.lonestar.org).

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.
--
"the bogosity in a field equals the bogosity imported from related areas, plus
the bogosity generated internally, minus the bogosity expelled or otherwise
disposed of."  -- K. Eric Drexler

Ken Arromdee (arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu, arromdee@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu)