Bad Tengen Carts? + Is V-V (JP MD) region locked?

[BIL]

Does anyone know if the stories about Grind Stormer Genesis carts dying are isolated to that particular game + region? The various reports I've found around the web never mention any other Tengen Genesis release, nor do they mention MD carts including GS's original version, V-V. That's "vee five," not a crying face - I'm actually pretty glad it seems to be exempt from crapping-out syndrome!

Was going to post this in the main chat forum, but since I'm after quite a few non-shooter Tengen MD carts, I thought I'd give OT a shot first. Don't fancy picking up games as costly as some of theirs if the manufacturing quality is known to be shoddy across the board.

(edited to reflect nosorrow's enquiry - see below)

[scrilla4rella]

NO-
as in not an isolated case- go for the import or better yet, Toaplan PCB

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I do have an Tengen cart of Grind Stormer and it's always been working 100% from day one of purchase. I recall seeing it at my local KB Toys back in 1994 for a mere $19.99 USD and bought a copy right away. I saw some cool Grindstormer ads in the old Electronic Gaming Monthly and GamePro magazines that caught my eye. So when the golden opportunity came up to get it on the cheap brand new, it was a no-brainer not to pass it up.

There's the cool trick of pressing the Genesis' reset button a full 100 times to unlock the Free Play mode. Talked to an Tengen game hints associate over the phone and he mentioned about the cool hidden Grindstormer's "Free Play" easter egg trick back in the mid-1990s.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[rugdoctor]

That trick was and still is whack!

[Op Intensify]

Now that the game has sound support in MAME, I don't see any good reason to bother with the greatly inferior Genesis port other than as a curiosity.

[BIL]

If I was bothered about the port being arcade-imperfect I'd look for a PCB.

NO-
as in not an isolated case- go for the import

So Tengen's Japanese Mega Drive carts aren't affected by... whatever issue it is that kills US Grind Stormer cartridges, then? Good to know - thanks for the information. And yeah, I'm definitely planning on getting the JP version.

[RGC]

Now and again 'region free' versions pop up on ebay. Are these bootlegs or something?

Also, curious to hear what makes the MD port so inferior to the arcade release. Owning the cart would be much more convenient for me than having a dedicated MAME PC.

[Op Intensify]

Also, curious to hear what makes the MD port so inferior to the arcade release.

Erm, everything? Just give them both a quick emulated test run and see for yourself.

[TransatlanticFoe]

Now and again 'region free' versions pop up on ebay. Are these bootlegs or something?

Also, curious to hear what makes the MD port so inferior to the arcade release. Owning the cart would be much more convenient for me than having a dedicated MAME PC.

Yeah, they'll be reproductions. It happens a lot with rarer stuff, like Eliminate Down, GleyLancer and Slap Fight MD. Someone'll do a run of reproductions and offer up a PAL, US or Jap style for it but the game itself will be region free. Occasionally a reseller will offer up individual ones. No-one ever bothers to do a manual, I think the furthest they go is a simple instruction sheet. If someone claims a game was not released with a manual, then avoid them as they'll be trying to pass off a reproduction as genuine.

Grind Stormer/V-V is more than playable on the Mega Drive. I found it less obnoxious than Truxton.

[nosorrow]

Is V-V (J Mega Drive) region-free? It's not always easy finding that kind of info... Anyhow, I've been watching some videos and it doesn't remotely look as bad as what I was led to believe, in fact it looks quite fun.

(I'm not interested in having to deal with an unreliable Genesis copy, otherwise I would be after the US version instead.)

[Some-Mist]

never knew this was a thing, but in the past couple years I bought two grind stormer copies off ebay...both of which didn't work - I promptly returned both of them to the seller without any hassle.

[BIL]

Aww yeah, Estebang is bac-

ಠ_ಠ

;3

CRUCIAL DANGER UPDATE: I still don't have V-V, but I do now have Slap Fight MD, Snow Bros, Marble Madness (JP) and Gauntlet, and none have died after many hours of hard slapping. JUST AS PLANNED

[BrianC]

As far as I know, V5/Grindstormer has no software lockout and will default to the region of the system it's played on. There's still the issue of the different cart shapes, but there are simple ways around that for a US/EU Megadrive/Genesis.

[nosorrow]

I have an X'Eye, so the shape of the carts isn't an issue.

I've been searching high and low confirmation that Slap Fight MD and V-5 are region free, but details are few and far between.

[BIL]

A good way to check (in my experience anyway) is to get an emulator with region settings, like GENS, and try the combination of soft+hardware you're after. Chiplocked games seem to behave accurately (The Hard Corps and Vampire Killer ROMs will give you a frozen Konami logo in US mode, for example). I'm loathe to say it's 100% dependable though, especially with how costly SFMD (and lately V-V) is.

[nosorrow]

I don't really care for emulators, seems like too much work. Nevertheless, thanks for the tip.

If anyone has first hand knowledge of V-5 (and Slap Fight MD) region compatibility, please share.

[BIL]

Unfortunately I've no console that'd detect a lockout in Japanese MD carts, but I booted up both of those and the other Tengen JP titles I own in GENS (US mode) and all ran fine. As usual everything Konami is locked out.

I'd guess, Tengen being naughty old Tengen, they didn't care. Will keep looking around though, I'm curious now.

[BrianC]

A good way to check (in my experience anyway) is to get an emulator with region settings, like GENS, and try the combination of soft+hardware you're after. Chiplocked games seem to behave accurately (The Hard Corps and Vampire Killer ROMs will give you a frozen Konami logo in US mode, for example). I'm loathe to say it's 100% dependable though, especially with how costly SFMD (and lately V-V) is.

The odd thing is that the US Hard Corps has no JP lockout. From what I read on the forums and tried during emulator, I'm certain V5/Grindstormer is region free. There's no set pattern to games being region free. Some later carts like Sonic and Knuckles are region free. It's funny how that cart can be used to play Sonic 3 and Knuckles on any system with any region of Sonic 3, despite the latter having lockout. Sonic and Knuckles even has the hole cut out on the side to fit in JP Megadrive systems.

Actually, region free might not be the right word to use since I think some games only have a PAL or NTSC lockout.

[BIL]

Edited the topic title to reflect your question, nosorrow. I'd say it's worth asking in Shmups Chat too, since it's strictly STG-related.

[nosorrow]

Thanks BIL, that's appreciated.

[BrianC]

One thing I can confirm is that the US version of Gauntlet IV is region locked. I have the cart and got the lockout screen in JP mode. However, the JP counterpart doesn't seem to be region locked and even plays in English on US systems.

I forgot to mention that even though the US version of Contra Hard Corps plays in JP mode, it doesn't have any alternate versions on the cart. It plays exactly the same on US and JP systems.

I'm not sure what the case is with Tengen boards, but I found out that Time Warner Interactive games like Primal Rage also use them. Makes sense since TWI was Tengen.

[KindGrind]

I recall having no issues playing with my copies of JP Slap Fight / V-V on my US Genesis using a Game Genie as pass through.

But then I know I have had a switch installed to play Vampire Killer and other Konami games at some point, too. Pretty sure I got Slap Fight / V-V before I got the switch installed, but I'm only 94% (roughly) sure.

Since I shipped these 2 games a few years ago to Western Canada to another board member I can't test first hand...

Sorry I can't help you with definitive data here... I'm kicking myself, trying to remember... considering the fact that I was heavily into collecting/playing JP MD... I should remember this, but I can't be sure.

(Side note, crazy, the prices on V-V... I remember paying 60$ for my pristine, complete copy...)

[nosorrow]

Yeah, like any interesting shmup on the Genesis/MD, the prices have become quite absurd.

I can't be the only one using an X'Eye to play Mega Drive games, now can I? I've been playing some Gleylancer and Eliminate Down recently and it's perfect. I would have loved to get the MD version of Hard Corps at some point but since it is region locked, I won't bother (US version is way too hard for me, to the point where I sold my copy a few months back and just don't care anymore... one hit kills in that game? F*** you...).

Now, I just need to know what the deal is with V-5 before pulling the trigger. Thanks to everyone for chipping in.

P.S. Mods: could you please move the thread to Shmup Chat? I believe it would be more useful over there. Thank you.

[KindGrind]

The JP version of Contra is just plain amazing, and worth buying a JP Megadrive / modding your US console for.

Contra is the last MD game of my collection I parted with, and if I'm not mistaken, I sent it to Montreal along with Alien Soldier to a member here. I let go of my stuff because I needed the funds for something else and I thought it wouldn't go further up anymore... Guess I was wrong

About Tengen carts - I for one never had trouble with any one of the 20+ Tengen carts I've owned over the years.

[BIL]

Haha, this is becoming my kinda Off Topic topic.

About Tengen carts - I for one never had trouble with any one of the 20+ Tengen carts I've owned over the years.

Thanks - always good to have more input. I'm feeling pretty confident that their JP stuff at least is secure, but I still keep an eye out for tales of dead carts.

I didn't know TWI and Tengen were related, Brian - that means I have them to thank for Taromaru, as well. They helped get quite a few spectacularly hardcore games published, that lot.

Best thing about The Hard Corps is that it's effectively both the US and JP versions on the same cart. Hardcore no-missers get exactly the same stages and bosses to master, anyone not into that has the hitpoints to fall back on. It is a helluva lot easier to learn in JP, but that's no bad thing (and having grown up with the US version that doesn't apply to me anyway! aww yeee!). It's great being able to play it with less geeky friends and not have them run out of lives every two minutes, then go for a nervy solo run.

As usual when publishers radically alter a game's difficulty by region, the two variants should've always been complementary settings on the same cart. See also Ninja Ryukenden/Gaiden III on the FC/NES, ugh. Easy peasy on FC, ruthlessly tough on NES, chances are a player will be unhappy with one version or the other.

I actually find Spirits/III way harder than every other console Contra (on its Hard difficulty, granted). It's a lot more consistently volatile and easier to screw up, where Hard Corps and Shin/Shattered are more pattern-based with only the occasional twitchy RNG. The SFC game's balancing of those two aspects is magic.

[nosorrow]

Before parting with it, I had owned Hard Corps for at least 15 years. Yet, I always have had my a$$ kicked - but I never stopped admiring its technical beauty and presentation.

Funny that you mention NG III: I've always been a big fan of the series on the NES. The first is one of my most played games ever. It was also quite the spectacle when it was released back in 1989. I LOVED those cinema scenes! Funny thing though is that I can't stand ''cinematic'' games as an adult (Snatcher is the lone exception).

So, we're almost to the point where we have confirmation of Tengen carts being region free, that's good to hear. I'm closer to taking the plunge...

[BrianC]

I didn't know TWI and Tengen were related, Brian - that means I have them to thank for Taromaru, as well. They helped get quite a few spectacularly hardcore games published, that lot.

I noticed on MobyGames that the staff for Taromaru shares staff with the JP division of Tengen. If I remember correctly, Atari Games briefly changed their name to Time Warner Interactive before they got bought out by Midway.

[BIL]

The only thing more viscerally satisfying than Taromaru's telekinetic killin' is the fact it even got published. ^__^

[Edmond Dantes]

CRUCIAL DANGER UPDATE: I still don't have V-V, but I do now have Slap Fight MD, Snow Bros, Marble Madness (JP) and Gauntlet, and none have died after many hours of hard slapping. JUST AS PLANNED

You shouldn't really slap your games. You should just play them.

[BIL]

I now have V-V for JP MD. That's "vee five," not a sad emoticon. As with my other four Tengen beauties, if it ever melts in the cartridge slot or explodes showering the room in burning shrapnel, I will inform you all!