Gooday Gaming Guests - SG-1000, Mark III & Genesis Game Cartridges Code Process

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

Crusader of Centy (1994)Sometimes called the "Zelda of the Genesis," this action RPG was released late in the console's life.Splatterhouse 3 (1993)A horror-themed beat-'em-up with improved graphics and gameplay over its predecessors.Scarcer than Splatterhouse 2, especially with a complete box and manual.

Alright so today I'm going to go on to we did NES cartridges. I have done Super Nintendo cartridges. Learned about Mode 7 yesterday. They used 2D ways to make it into 3D. So that's where a lot of the NES was through Mode 7. So that was an interesting thing to learn yesterday. Before that, I did Atari cartridges. And we also found out the first cartridge system was called Fairchild Channel 7, I think it was called. So I've learned that in the last few days of doing cartridges. So let's see what we're going to go to. I i was going to go on to i was doing sega genesis today uh dreamcast rather so we'll do sega so let's go to uh the first uh sega cartridges because remember they could be it could be uh mega drive or power base first Sega cart bridges let's start way in the beginning the first ones and then we'll see where it takes us so CG I mean SG 1000 1983 I had one of those I actually had one I had one of those. I actually had one. I had the keyboard and all that. So 1983, the SG-1000 came out.

Game cartridges. Not here in the U.S. though. I believe it was in Europe or Japan. Technology was early ROM cartridges. Typically only a few kilobytes of data. 16 kilobytes to 32 kilobytes. Library was Flickrr Congo bongo Safari Hut so and then the second one that came out was the mark 3 I've had one of those as well I made a category it says unknown and rare systems. So in that category now is a good variation of all the ones that I've had.

I've played around a little bit and then have resold since. So Sega Mach 3 I had. Master systems. I had a whole bunch of master systems. And I had the power base adapter for the Sega Genesis as well. So the Mark 3 came out in 1985 and the Master System was the international version. They also used cartridges, were more sophisticated and higher storage capacity capacities. The Master system reduced card based games Sega cards alongside

the cartridges so it was almost like a hue card for a PC engine early titles include Alex kid in Miracle World fantasy star so SG 1000 and I think the keyboard is SG-1010 and then there was also a cassette with it. It was almost like a little computer. And then the Sega Genesis, also known as the Mega Drive, came out in 1988. Significant leap in capacity and complexity. The cartridges could hold up to 4 megabytes. So instead of a few kilobytes it was up to megabytes of data. Later expanding to 40 megabytes with specialized enhancements.

Early Sega cartridges, particularly known as the SG-1000, hold a nostalgic and historical place in history. So yeah, I've had at least one of each one of those so now let's go to we'll have to pick one game so we're gonna do we'll do just sega so we'll do sega sonic because obviously that's pretty classic um cart cart bridge game code i pick one obviously you're Cart Cart Bridge Game Code I pick one obviously you're not

going to do them all and then just get kind of a little quick overview so also Sega Sega Genesis I didn't do the

oldest ones just Sega Genesis Sonic yesterday I picked oh I picked Super Metroid I didn't do the oldest ones, just the Sega Genesis Sonic. Yesterday I picked, oh I picked Super Metroid for the Super Nintendo. That had a good little, I learned a lot on that one. So we'll say, so the Sega Genesis cartridge included

the Sonic the Hedgehog. It was written in assembly code, written by Motorola, 68,000 CPU, and also used the Z-Log 780 as a coprocessor. The Z-Log 780 was also used as a CPU for other things. So this has got the Z-Log 780.

Some of the older ones was just the Z-Log 780. But this had the Motorola 68000. Key features of the Sonic game code, programming language, assembly languages for the Motorola, graphics, Sonic sprites, levels, animations were stored in cartridge ROM often in compressed format. Music and sound effects were handled via the Z-Log Z-Chip. I've got to check on which one the Z-Log was on.

I'll ask that in a second. Gameplay logic, such as sonic, physics, speed, acceleration, were implemented in assembly. And it gives me a little code example which is always fun abstract uh fuzdo assembly example asm not the actual code for sonic represents the style of genesis so sonic move example start so it's not really come on bear range come on a little buddy uh so it gives me a little bit of code not from the game itself I wonder if you can actually get the whole

game code sure you can key components was d0 and d1 data registers for vertical horizontal and vertical velocity Acceleration, deceleration for speed. These are all just sidewinder games. Collision, check against level, geometry, prevent falling off the ground. Gravity, effect assist, Stimulate, D1 Velocity. Additional details, level design, stored of tile maps that referred to graphical assessments. Sound was with the Z8 chip and the Yamaha YM2612 sound chip. It was optimized since the rom so we found out when i did i did all the systems i

could think of with sega genesis i went through all those from the first one which is the uh 1601 high definition graphics all the way to the sega genesis 3 model and they significantly cut corners and put crappy chips in after the original high definition graphics. It's basically was a takeaway from that. Everything 1631s the model 2s are really bad unless you have a V8 3 or 4 and then the the Model 3 was really, really even worse. Again, they cut corners with crappier chips and everything. Oh, I want to ask about the Z80. How many systems had the Z80 chip as a main processor.

That's what I wanna know. So where is it? Had the, it was called Z log something, something, something. Oh, here it is. So the Z log, I'm pretty sure the Z log, I'm starting to learn this a little bit as I've been doing this. So I do it to learn and then to share it how many systems had the Z log Z80 chip chip as main processor his main CPU see what it says on that the Z so the the Z

log Z 80 was introduced so we're talking about one specific chip a little bit off-track but kind of the same in it. It was introduced in 1976. The key systems that use Z-Log as the main CPU whereas we said Genesis uses it as so TRS-80, Trash 80. One of the first micro computers market has the Trash 80. That's my computer that's when I grew up on TRS-80. The Sinclair which I have it's a European based zx80 zx81 and the zx spectrum I have two spectrums I gotta get to those yet actually Amstrad the CPC series I have two of those oh the MSX system never heard of that one. Mostly these are computers. Sharp MZ series.

I actually have a Sharp MZ100. I have a couple of them. Laptops. That don't work. KPro. I have a KPro motherboard somewhere. Coleco Atom. Coleco had their own computer. So those are the computers that the

what did I say it was Z-Log Z80 1976 so for gaming systems the features Z80 was primary for the Sega Master System Sega Game Gear

which I played around with all day today Coleco Vision is also Z80. So those are just where the Genesis is Z80 and the Motorola. Arcade Systems, early Pac-Man, Z80. Galaxian, Z80. Donkey Kong.

Space Invaders, Z80. Embedded Systems. Graphing Calculators. Ah, so calculators are the ZANM, TI-83, graphic calculating, TI-84. Oh, interesting, I didn't notice that. I always forget about calculators. They were pretty pro.

It's powered dozens of system range from home computers. So that chip was one of the original ones. All right, so let's go back to our Sega let's see so let's go we went to Sonic we got a quick idea so gen this game library and then we'll do game library so outside of the united states was known as the mega drive so i really never knew that i thought mega drive was something different but it's just basically i do have a sega master 2 from Europe that has Alex the Kid on it. So the most notable ones for the Sega games was Sonic, of course.

Sonic, Sonic Hedgehog 2, and Sonic 3 and Knuckles. Streets of Rage. Re-owned Beat-em-up games Golden Axe was a good one Themed Eco the Dolphin A unique underwater adventure I had that around somewhere

Shining in the Darkness Shining Forces Blending RGP RPG and Strategy Third developer, Capcom and Konami. Street Fighter II, Ghouls and Ghosts, Contra, Castlevania, Bloodlines, Electronic Arts, EA, Madden, Road Rage, Treasure. Never heard of Treasure.

Gunstar Heroes, Heroes Dynamic Heddies So we're looking at the While the Genesis wasn't RPG heavy As its competitors The Super Nintendo It had standout It had for the RPG

Fantasy Star 2 through 5 Landstalker Beyond Beyond Oasis, and Shadowrun. Sports title, I don't know, go right over that. Popular action, Earthworm Jim, Aladdin, The Lion King, Strider. Fighting games, we'll go right over that one. Exclusives, Thunder Force series, Vector Man,

game library. So in Japan there was 500 Sega Genesis, 700 in North America, and 550 unlicensed games. There's several different legacy. Alright, so what were some rare, is there any rare rare Sega Genesis games doesn't sound like it would be as you would think of a rare NES or rare Super Nintendo

which some of those are in the tens of thousands. Very rare. Okay, so Blockbuster. There used to be where you could go and actually rent a video game. Actually, you could rent a system there too. I actually have a Blockbuster PS3

plastic cup case that your PS3 would come in with it. And you take that all home to rent it and play it. It seems so outdated now. But that used to be the way. So Blockbuster had World Video Game Championship 2. Very rare.

With only a few copies known to exist. Outback Joey. Fitness game. Short-lived motion controller. Late title releases. The Punisher. 1994. Mega Man The Willy Wars.

I've never heard of that one. The compilation of the three Mega Man games with enhanced graphics. Only released physically in Europe and Japan. You could only access it through the Sega Channel. So uncommon of RPGs would be Crusade of Century in 1994. Sometimes called the Zelda of Genesis. Let'd be interesting. Zelda of Genesis. Let's see if I can find that on eBay. I don't know how much that is.

Crusade of Century. So now I'm going to do a little cross-reference here on eBay. See if we can come up with it. Let's see how much it is. Ooh, ouch. $500.

Crusade of Century. $950. Oh, here's a reproduction. For $9. That'd be cool. Untested reproduction cartridge. I would do that. Actually, I am going to do that.

This is unprotected. So this is just reproduction. It doesn't matter. I just want to play the game. I don't care. Oh, there's more than 10. So this is like somebody's making them, I think. Yeah.

Let's see what's going on. So there's more than 10. I'm sorry. Okay. Gå in. Okay, I got distracted there for a minute, there was a little bit of silence. Someone came in, oh so we decided that was worth a lot. But there is an untested reproduction cartridge, which I would definitely be interested in, for $10. I would do that. This is not an original cartridge. It's a reproduction. It's all right.

It says the Zelda of Genesis, so we'll check that out. I'd get that. I've got a few bucks. Yeah, so we'll go get one of those. We'll check that out I get that I got a few bucks yeah so we'll go get one of those we'll check that when it comes in that sounds exciting this is untested so if it works it'll be bummer if it doesn't work all right so we're gonna why I order that crusade of century let's go back to my chat GPT so we'll try one of those and see what happens. The Pierre Solar and Great Architecture.

2010. Modern Indian RPG made for Genesis. Initially only available pre-order. Region exclusive titles. Alien Soldier. Developed by Treasure. It's a company called Treasure. I've never heard of them.

Paranorma Cotton. A niche in unlicensed titles. Tetris unlicensed. Action 52. Collection of 52 games which are poorly designed. That's awesome. Again, a bunch of 52 games which were... which are poorly designed. That's awesome. Again, a bunch of crappy games.

Splatterhouse 3. Unlicensed to a theme... a horror beat-up... themed beat-up mup with improved graphics and game... which predecessor... scarier than... Splatterhouse 2.

Especially with the complete box and manual. Let's check that one out. splatterhouse 2 especially with the complete boxing manual let's check that one splatterhouse 3 that's doesn't say it's survival horror but I just curious so usually I'll start with a topic and then kind of go off track by you can get slaughterhouse Splatterhouse 3, Sega Genesis. There it is. So this comes out to 89 bucks. Yeah, so that's real expensive. Splatterhouse 3. Yeah, they're averaging.

Oh, there's another one here. Another one of these are reproduction. I can do that one too. oh yeah they're averaging oh there's another one here another one another one of these reproductions I can do that one too I'll get that one too let's see if I get the guy to give me a shipping discount so these are productions I'm gonna ask him to make sure let's see if I get a shipping discount because I bought two he's obviously he's making replicas so I'll see if I can get and then when those come in we'll we'll we'll try them out and check them out splatterhouse 3 so I went by what as the I picked two games, which weren't cheap now.

Rare is $100,000 in the secondary market. So that's a little bit of a rundown of Sega for cartridges. So I think what we'll do next, I think what other cartridges is that? There's a lot of other things that have cartridges. Look at those HU cards, those HU cards. I was playing around with my pc engine duo today bomber man i have bomber man uh 94 so we'll um we'll build on we'll do that tomorrow we'll look at hu cards and then those sega cards too the sega had those flat cards that were used on power bases.

So tomorrow we'll do that. We'll continue. All right, so you guys have a good afternoon, and I'll talk to you tomorrow. All right, bye.