Region Lockout Bypass codes?

[SEGAFan 3000DC]

I understand that certain games on the Japanese Mega Drive had region lockout embeded in the software and that a simple coverter or cheat device can't bypass it alone. i also understand that the codes for cheat devices such as game genie, to bypass the software lockout have been discovered for a few games. anyone have a link(s) as to where i can find the ones that are availible?

*edit* perhaps the would be better suited in the regular Genesis subforum? but either way if anyone can help it would be appriciated.

 

[Kaneda]

the better thing is a switch to your genny (hardware)

so you can choose the version of the genny you're using

fun to discover japanese game in your US game (some games have all the versions in the same game and select according the genny version which texts and pics to show)

 

[SEGAFan 3000DC]

cool thanks, is there an easy step by step faq to do this you can link me to?

 

[Tony Hedstrom]

Here are some of the "Regional lock-out bypass" codes I've made so far. Most of them are shown in both Game Genie and raw hex.

Art of Fighting

BB5A-AR2T = $7610:6708

Lets you play the US version on a PAL machine.

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Streets of Rage 2 (JE) so you can play it on a USA Genesis...

L3MT-AA7W = $0057B2:6056

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Monster World IV / Wonderboy 6:

A22T-AA62 = $003198:6006

This code lets you play the Japanese version on a US Genesis console.

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Shinobi 3: Return of the Ninja Master

BL0T-AN7T = $ADB0:660A

Lets you play the US version on a PAL machine.

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Sonic 3 (E) to let you play the PAL (E) version on a USA Genesis machine...

AABT-AN3W = $0332:6600

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I made a bypass code for Megaman the Wily Wars:

$017076:600E (it also needed a master code: $0368:6002).

That code lets you play the Europe cart on a US Genesis. Those codes still need to be converted to GG format.

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I have a few more on my web site:

www.angelfire.com/games2/codehut

If you need some "bypass" codes made, let me know. If I don't respond to this post right away, you can get my email address from my web site.

Tony H.

P.S. I have a question for anyone that can help; While I was making the Sonic 3 (E) "bypass" code, I noticed this...

00000326 41F9 000001F0__LEA $000001F0,A0

0000032C 323C 000F______MOVE.W #$000F,D1

00000330 B010____________CMP.B (A0),D0

00000332 6700 0366_______BEQ $0000069A(pc)

The bypass code I made changed the 6700 at $0332 to 6600 ($000332:6600). This bypasses the regional check. The guy I made the code for said it worked fine on his Genesis console. But I noticed the reference (in the assembly above) to this ROM address: $000001F0. This is the address in the Genesis ROM "header" that determines the region (ie. U, J, E, etc). I then made a Game Genie code to change the region letter from "E" to "U": $0001F0:5520 (GG = EAAT-BL1T). I sent that code to him, and he said it worked on his console. I had tried making that type of Game Genie code before (changing the value at $0001F0) for different carts, and although it worked on my emulator, the people I made it for said it didn't work on their consoles.

My questions are: Do emulators use the same method for determining regions as consoles? Do consoles/carts always use the value at $0001F0 to determine the region of the cart? Basically, I'm looking for any info (or links to info) anyone might have on this. I'm confused at to why the "$0001F0:xxxx" code worked for Sonic 3 (E), but not for other carts.

Thanks for any help.

Tony.

 

[ExCyber]

Some carts check the region code at $000001F0 and use that to determine the "correct" region for checking the version register, but most that I've seen just have the check hardcoded for one region. The only thing I can think of related to territory checks that might mess with a real Genesis and not an emulator is that some models require writing "SEGA" to a particular register, otherwise the console will lock up. This is related to region checks in that the four low-order bits of the register that contains the region code contains the revision number of the I/O chip (I think that is what it is, anyhow); if it's higher than zero, the "SEGA" write must occur. You might want to make sure that you're not accidentally skipping this somehow in your patches.

edit: a few games (e.g. Golden Axe 3) also use the version register to decide how to tweak video settings. I doubt that this would cause the game to not run, but it's worth noting.

 

[computolio]

This was pulled from an import FAQ off of GameFAQs:

What are some Game Genie codes I can use to play import games?

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Alien Soldier (EUR/JPN PAL, A version)

RECA-A6XJ

RECA-A6XL

RECT-A60J

Alien Soldier (JPN NTSC, B version)

REBT-A6XN

REBT-A6XR

RECA-A60R

Bare Knuckle III



AABT-AA5L

DJBT-AADN

RYDA-A608

AJDA-AAHA

Contra: The Hard Corps (JPN)

CTBT-AA6J

A2BT-AA72

BBRA-AA3Y

Golden Axe III

BT7T-CA9E

AA7T-CA9R

Monster World IV

HT2T-BAEG

2A2T-AAEJ

RE2T-A6YL

Pulseman

LAXT-AA5L

Rockman Megaworld (Mega Man: The Wily Wars JPN)

V2AT-BMEJ

EAAT-BL1T

REBT-A6XL

Thunder Force IV

AABT-AA4J

AACA-ACBC

16CA-ACBY

9ACA-A60W

EACA-ANGY

Yuu Yuu Hakusho Makyou Toitsusen (yes, the Treasure one)

9T9T-BCF8

EE9T-AAGA

BE9T-B98C

RE9T-A60E

BVBT-AA3A

As much of a pain in the ass the GG is for running import games, for some machines there's no other choice. There's no way in hell I'm opening up my $250+ CDX and dicking around with a bunch of surface-mount resistor pads, especially when there's no room inside the case for the switch anyway. (A $10 Rev. 1 Genesis, however, is a different story entirely.)