ú Subject: subscribe your video game Subject: FAQ The following is a list of video game recorders and their capabilities. They are compiled for your information. I also put in some info that I think might be of interests to you. New info in this FAQ: ============== New Mega Disk can read other formatted game files. SuperMarioCart and Pilotwing cannot be backed-up because of special chip/programming routine in the game cart. Hey, instead of calling these game copiers, let's call it VGR, as in Video Game Recorder. MGH now can copy RAMA 1/2 part II and all other copy protect games excepte pilot wing and mario kart. New copier information: Super wild card, super pro fighter, Doctor SF (game boxer). SFX chip, DSP chip information. Using the golden finger on the MGH. What is a video game copier or the so-called "Game Doctor"? ======================================================= Video game copier is a device that can read the ROM on the video game cartridges and transfer them onto regular floppy disks. After you have the game's ROM data on the floppy, you can play that particular game from the floppy without the original cartridge. Most of the available devices now has at least 8 MEGABits of memory build in; thus, allow you to load the game data from the floppy to the build-in memory and play games. The game data will remain in the game copier's memory until you turn off the game copier. Hitting the reset button on the game console will reset your game and you don't have to reload. "Game Doctor" is the name given to the first generation of such device. (I first saw one about five years ago in Hong Kong) Originally, it was made for the Nintendo Famicom which has the largest market share. But now, as the popularity of video game machines shift from the old Nintendo 8 bit to SNES, SEGA and NEC, the newest generation of the "Game Doctor" allows you to buy different interfaces for different game consoles. IMO, the "Multi Game Doctor 2" can let you buy different interfaces for all the game consoles in the market, but it's more expensive. The other game copiers are specifically designed for one or two game systems only, but are less expensive. Since there are more companies making these devices now, I think the prices are dropping due to competition. One thing that will happen eventually is that the Japanese company will do the best they can to crackdown these video game copier makers (I read somewhere that Japanese companies went to the Korean mafia in order to shut down similar illegal operations in Korea), and it will be harder to get these devices when they do. One more thing, these game copiers are not perfect in copying all the games in the market. If there are special save or graphical feature in the game, they might not be able to copy these games (like some of the earlier EA games for the Genesis). The following is a list of all the video game copier currently available that I know. I got the information from game magazines published in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and from a dealer in Taiwan.. I have tried to translate them as accurate as I can, but I take no responsibilities for mistakes. But, I welcome anyone sees any mistakes and points them out for me so I can make corrections. Also, If you have any info or questions, please let me know, I will update this FAQ periodically. This is for your info only. ============================================ Name: Mega Disk (Interceptor) For: Can directly be used on Sega Mega Drive or Sega Genesis. With a special interface, it can be used with SFC/SNES. Also, a new Mega Disk designed specifically for SNES/SFC is out. Description: A 3.5" HD drive sits on top of the Sega Mega Drive or Genesis. The MD version has 8 Megabits of memory (can be upgraded to 16 M), the SFC version comes with 16M. There is a slot on the top right corner for plugging in a cartridge (A save cartridge can be plugged in here to save game in progress). The company is working on a software upgrade that allows game to be saved on disks other than the save cart. It takes less than 40 seconds to load an 8 M game. No LCD needed, but it needs a special formatted 3.5" disk to back up games. However, people from the Usenet has found that CopyIIpc can copy these special formatted disks provided you have an IBM available. The Super Famicom interface is a rectangular box sitting between the Mega Disk and the Super Famicom, it also has a slot on the interface to plug in a cartridge. The new Mega Disk for SFC/SNES can format it's own disk and can read MGDII and Super Magic formatted disks. Pro & Con: The good thing about Mega Disk is simplicity of operation, it works perfectly on the MD/Genesis (except copying old EA games), no external power supply needed. The old version needs specially formatted disks, but by using CopyIIpc, you can make your own disks. The new Mega Disk can format it's own disks. I would recommend Mega Disk over Super Magicom or drive because there is no need for external power supply, easy to use and the company is much more friendlier when you got problems. NEW information on the mega disk: The old version of mega disk is now not forsale in Taiwan or HK. Only 16M version are forsale on the market. The mega disk can read all other copiers files. No need for extra memorie pack to keep your RPG games data. Now has built in battery memorie. This company also makes a different copier for the SNES/SFC only. Its call the super disk. This super disk copier will play all copy protected games, include RAMA 1/2 II and Final Fantasy V. No exteranl power supply needed. Easy to function and can read all other SNES/SFC copiers files. One thing that is bad about this copier is that its own file can not be use on any other copiers. Company: Taiwan Sang Ting Co. Ltd. Products: Mega Disk for Genesis/MD. Mega Disk for SFC/SNES. Save cartridge Super Famicom interface 8M to 16M upgrade Super disk intercepter (SNES/SFC only) Name: Super Magic Drive, Super Magicom, Super Com Pro (HK) For: Super Magic Drive is for Sega Mega Drive or Genesis only, and Super Magicom is for SFC/SNES. Each version can only be used with the designated system. The company also makes other versions for NEC PC-Engine. Description: SMD works much the same way as the 'Mega Disk', it also sits on top of the Mega Drive, but has a built in 256K (SRAM) save cart, and can have unlimited saves by writing it to disk. It can have a maximum of 16 Megabits of memory. The main unit is separated from the disk drive, connected by a cable. The games are written in DOS format, so games can be stored into your IBM hard drive. If you know how to crack a program, you can construct your own game like making a super invincible character or unlimited lives, etc. The new Super Magic Drive according to Lawrence Kwan, does not need specially formatted disks. Also, the new version of Super Magicom will format it's own disk. Furthermore, there is a new version of Super Magicom out in Hong Kong only (this info is from lawrence.kwan@canrem.com) which is called Super Com Pro #. This Super Com is a little bit smaller than SMC and it does not require specially formatted disks, you can use DOS formatted 720K, 1.44M and 1.6M disks (like the MGH). Pro & Con: You have the option to buy an interface for SMD that will work for the SNES. Disk drive and the main unit is separated from each other, and the disk drive needs an external power supply. Bulky if you use the interface. It has a computer port so you can use a parallel cable to connect it to an IBM computer to modify data. Old Super Magic Drive needs special disks for back-up. To make your own special formatted disk, you need an IBM copy program that will copy up to track 81 on a HD disk (VGAcopy will do it). My friend who has the 16M SMD with the SMC interface reported that it won't save SFII on disk, maybe a new ROM is needed. Over all, a pretty good game copier. NEW information: The super magic drive 16M older version will need a new DOS to copy 16M games. Same thing with the 16M super magicom. You will need to load up the new DOS first and then load the 16M games. Else your 16M copier will not run the 16M games. Super magicom is now out of the market. DO NOT BUY THEM ANYMORE. If you can buy one cheap, that means the person is just trying to get rid of there stock. The second generation of Super magicom is out, its call the super wild card. The super wild card has a built in internal disk drive. It does not need a exteranl power supply. The new opion of this copier, its that it has a Golden finger burn in, which it doesn't do anything. Bewere of the power problem. It may frie your game system. It has already happen before. If you want to plug the Super wild card to the computer, you must modify the cable first. Because if you don't it will frie your serial port on the computer. I do not recommend anyone buying this copier. Its too risky. Plus Front Far East (the company makes them) is very unreliable. They do not take responsibility on any damage that you may done to your machine. Company: Front Fareast industrial corp. Products: Super Magic Drive Super Magicom Super Com Pro (available in HK only, I think it's just a name change) Super Magic Drive to Super Famicom interface 8M to 16M upgrade (upgradable to 32M) Super wild card 16M Name: Super Gun Use: Special game console for playing Arcade games. Description: A box that has a slot for plugging in the video arcade game board. It can use different arcade style joysticks that either has six buttons or has a special panel for playing Mahjong type games. It's basically a home system which plays an arcade board. Games costs as much as the arcade game, but you get the real thing. Pro & Con: So you can play arcade games (the real thing), but it's very expensive (of course, you can argue that it's cheaper than buying the stand up Arcade and I would agree with you). What I mean by expensive is the game board itself, the price of Super Gun itself is pretty reasonable. It's all up to you and how rich or additive you are. Someone advertised that you can get a Super Gun with SFII for less than a thousand dollars, but why bother? SFII on the SNES is the same thing and it's cheaper, but if you are getting a SFII-CE, then that's a whole different story (IMHO). Company: Games Group Corp Products: Super Gun Street Fighter II CE board Name: Multi Game Doctor 2 Use: Can be used on every system that is available as long as you buy the correct interface. Description: Two piece type. The main unit includes a disk drive and is connected to your game system by a cable or stand-along. There is a special cable with software that you can buy that allows you to use the MGD2 unit on you IBM. The main unit has a LCD display. The SRAM cart uses a lithium battery and it will last 2-6 months depended on the size of the RAM. Also, it advertises that MGD2 uses SONY's 1M SRAM, so it's more reliable. It has interfaces for Super Famicom, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Gear, NEO GEO, PC- Engine, NEC Super Grafx, and Game Boy. Also, it might be coming out with an interface for Lynx (a rumor so far). The new NEO GEO interface will use two 32 DRAM pack (I heard it's the size of a credit card) to load games. I also assume that you can use an IBM hard drive to save these huge NEO GEO games; otherwise, you might need 7 to 8 HD disk to save one game (BTW, this is pretty expensive, all I can say is you can spend the cost of an IBM computer for the whole setup). I just confirmed recently that the DRAM 16M pack does work for the SNES. On the SFC interface for MGD2, there is a power cord that connects to the SFC. Since the power supply connector is different between SFC and SNES, this power cord doesn't work for SNES; however, using the SNES power supply, this Rampack works. So now with this Rampack, users can save two 8M games or one 16M game on the single rampck. P.S. There are now two different memory cart for MGD2: SRAM and DRAM. Here is how they were used. SRAM (1M, 2M, 4M and 8M) pack: copy games from disk to SRAM pack. SRAM pack will hold games until the battery dies. Very portable with different game console interfaces. Interfaces available for SNES/SFC, MD/Genesis, PC-Engine, Game Boy and Game Gear. DRAM (8M, 16M & 32M) pack: plug into DRAM interface, it hold the game until you turn off the game console with the interface plug in. There are interfaces for SFC, MD/Genesis, PC-Engine & NEO GEO. Pro & Con: The most flexible game copier in the market. It has the most incredible support from the manufacturer to produce interfaces for every game systems that is and will be available. More procedure involved to play a game, but it works perfectly without a single problem. More expensive if you only want to use it for one game system. However, the more game system you have, the better the price. It has the programs and interfaces for linking into an IBM computer. It even has a computer board that you can put into the computer slot that will do the same thing as MGD 2. A very nice and versatile game copier for the dedicated video game player. NEW information: The multi game doctor 2 NEO-GEO interface is out, but its also out of production. The interface and the DRAM (Total of 132M) will run up to $1300. Sure, its nice to copy a $200 game, but I am not willing to spend $1300 for a stupid interface. Also, I have seen this thing, it takes 4-6 minutes to load up one game. That is too long for me to wait. They lynx interface is just a rumor, ignore it. The new MGD II interface will play all copy protect games. The DRAM is a very nice thing to have. Company: Makko Toys Co., Ltd. Products: Multi Game Doctor 2 1M, 2M, 4M & 8M SRAM pack 8M, 16M & 32M DRAM pack Interfaces for PC-Engine and Super-Grafx Interface for Game Boy and Game Gear Interface for MD/Genesis and SFC/SNES Interface for NEO GEO Future release: Interface for LYNX Doctor Battery (Lithium battery for SRAM pack) Doctor Link (connect interfaces to MGD2) for SRAM Doctor Link II (connect interfaces to MGD2) for DRAM Golden Finger II (Like a game genie) PC Link (connect IBM computer to MGD2) for SRAM PC Link II (connect IBM computer to MGD2) for DRAM Name: Multi Game Hunter Use: MD/Genesis AND SNES/Super Famicom Description: A game copier that can be used on both the Genesis/MD and SNES/SFC. It has a detachable HD disk drive on the right of the main unit and has slots on the left for the MD and SFC cartridge. MGH boots from ROM like the Super Magic Com/Drive, and it has a graphical menu displayed on TV. Its disk format is IBM compatible: 720K, 1.4M and 1.6M. It has a built in memory of 16 M. You can get a memory upgrade up to 24M. A 256K Save RAM is build in. One of the special surprise of MGH is that it can read all MGDII and Super Magic formatted disks. This gives MGH a big advantage to new buyers, since they can use competitor's disks. It could be linked up to an IBM computer for game modifications, but the cable for doing this is not out yet. Pro & Con: MGH needs a SFC/SNES convertor in order to play American games, it needs an external power supply of 7.8V-10V, 1A. Just one MGH, (no need for a big interface) you can play games on SNES or Genesis, it's simple to use and it allows users to copy SAVED game from cart to it's memory or to disk. Without the need of special formatted disks it's one of the best game copiers around. Also, IMO, the MGH is better constructed than SMC. The new NEO GEO interface that they are working on will use the Genesis cart slot. There will be two lines coming out from the interface, one goes to a DRAM of at least 45M and the other line will connect to the NEO GEO itself. Price unknown for this interface. When using the MGH on the Genesis, there are more options to choose from, but many of the options (like toolbox) are not available yet. However, it still does all the things you basically need. Company: The maker of MGH.is Venus Computer Co. Ltd. But it's being distributed/co-developed with Makko Toys Co. the MGDII maker. NEW information: MGH NEO-GEO interface is not in production. Cost too much and the market is too small. MGH now has a new interface to allow people to play copy protected games. The interface will only work on copy protected games only. If you want to run some old games, you must put the old interface back on. The MGH golden finger will increase your DOS version upto 2.0, but that is all. It will not allow you to copy mario kart or pilot wing. There is a lot of bad copy of Golden finger out there, if you install yours and it doesn't work. Then hold L & down on your control pad to eerase the golded finger. The real time save care is also avaible now. Product: Multi-Game Hunter NEW copiers: Doctor SF (Game boxer) 16M, SNES/SFC only The best single copier on the market now. It has all the function a play need. The real time save feture is a big plus. A cheap and reliable copier. Will need a exteranl power supply. The disk drive is built in. Usese DRAM, that means if you load the game up once, you can keep the game in the copier as long as you want. The real time save allows you to save right at that spot and recall it later any time you want. Golden finger also included. Slow motion. And it will show the name of the game in English after load up. A neat little copier. Can be upgrade to 32M, that means you can keep 4 8M games at once and choese to play anyone of them as you wish. Maker: MAKKO Co. ========================= Frequent asked questions: ========================= Where are these game copiers made? All of these devices are made from either Hong Kong or Taiwan. And most likely, they are the only place that you can get these devices. If you have friends going to Asia, maybe you can ask them to got one for you. These copiers are sold at many video game stores in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Except now Taiwan is enforcing the 301 Copyright law, many video game stores stopped selling these copiers, you might have to look pretty hard to find what you want. Also, SMC/SMD is under investigation in UK, it's harder to export them now. Which copier is more popular? This question is very important. If these copiers are popular, buyers are more likely to get support from the manufacturers in the future. A few years back, Game Doctor is very popular. Now with all the new devices out, Super Magicom/Super MagicDrive are popular, following by Mega Disk due to its simplest operation. Of course, MGD2 is still popular because it can be used with all the game systems that is and will be available. As long you are playing the MGDII with more than one game system, the high price is off set by how many game systems that you own. Finally, with the introduction of MGH, it is taking a large share of the market away from the other copiers (especially the market of Super Magicom/Super Magic Drive). Starting this month, September, Nintendo is helping the UK coustoms cracking down SMC/SMD imports into the United Kingdom, if all the operation is successful (meaning Nintendo gets to go to court with sellers), they might expand it to Canada and U.S. Can these game copiers copy 16 M games or CD games? Well, these game copiers CANNOT copy CD games due to the large amount of audio/video info on them. However, 16 meg games like SF II for SNES can be copied as long as you have the memory upgrade on the copier you own. Currently, Mega Disk, Super Magicom/Super MagicDrive, MGD2 all have the option to do so. MGH is equipped with 16M. BTW, just to remind the readers that copying copyrighted work is illegal anywhere in this world. How much do these copiers cost? If you want prices, please email me. If the price you find are higher than the prices I found, you are being rip-off. And of course you will find a cheaper price if you look very hard or get a friend to buy them for you directly from Taiwan or Hong Kong. Remember, it would cost you about US$1000 to fly round trip to these two countries. Where can I buy these copiers? There might be game stores that sell these devices in New York or LA, but in the Usenet world there are some people who are willing to help people get stuff from Hong Kong or Taiwan. I know a dealer who can get stuff for people directly from Taiwan After receiving your payment, it will take less than 1 week to mail stuff to you depends on availability. If you want more information, please email me. DSP chip, SFX chip??????? The DSP chip is in the mario kart and pilot wing. And these two game are not that populer in the overseas. So the companys are not even thinking about hacking it. The SFX chip is not even out yet, people should stop whining about it. Because there is no information about the SFX chip will affect the copiers. It took the company 2 days to hack RAMA 1/2 II and Final Fantasy V, how hard could it be to hack others. I think people is just worry about it toooooooooo much. Your dealers should stand behind there product 100%, they should help you to upgrade or answer any question you have. If they are not, you are risking your own money. SFC is Super Famicom, the Japanese SNES. MD is Mega Drive, the Japanese Genesis. =======================END OF FILE===================== Well, that's all I have for now. I know these devices might not be legal in the United States, but I think people has the right to know about them. I buy cartridge game that I think the game play, game quality and the over-all package are excellent, for example, the Japanese version of Sonic. I rent games to see if the games are worth my money (Fantasia is so bad, I am still angry), and some of them I just want to keep forever. I won't trust the unreliable media of floppy disks. I think the above information is all you need to know about these devices, but if I miss anything that you want to know, email me. I will get back to you ASAP. wong@lisa.cs.widener.edu Newsgroups: rec.games.video From: jarnis@mits.mdata.fi (Jarno Kokko) Subject: Re: Super Mario Kart + MGH/SMC Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 09:55:58 GMT In article v089l3s3@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Jeremy B Horwitz) writes: >Well, does anyone know what the deal is with Super Mario Kart >and the SMC / MGH systems? It seems like it has some odd >performance chips coupled with either new security or just >the performance chip mod'd to code... > >-> Jer This is a first really protected cart. There is the DSP chip, like in Pilotwings, but that could be worked around by plugging a pilotwings cart on the top of the Magicom/MGH. There is also another protection: ROM is differently configured than in ANY other SNES game - usually the game ROM is in blocks (32K empty, 32K rom) but this is in 64K rom, 64K rom, 64K rom etc.etc... and no known copier can copy this kind of game. There is also a little code protection - It just verifies that you have 4K of battery backed ram(as in the orig.cart) and not 32K as in all copier systems. This can be hacked away. Conclusion:You can't copy Mario Kart on current copiers. It might be possible if copier manufacturers make an update to their systems to allow you to copy this game, but I doubt that this happens until there is multiple carts with similar 'copy protection'