The Cutting Edge of the Past - Games at CES 1994

Today we skip forward a few years and examine the advancements on display at CES in 1994.  Witness the birth of the ESRB, Commodore's last stand and the beginnings of what would eventually become the Nintendo 64.

These clips were taken from an episode of Computer Chronicles - the original episode is just full of great stuff about the computers and phones of the day, but I've cut it down to just the relevant pieces.

See how many glaring inaccuracies you can spot in these clips!  I found at least three.

Playstation RPGs - A Collection In Progress

Oh, the hours these games have eaten.

My wife and I don't always see eye-to-eye on this classic gaming stuff, but the one thing we can agree on is this: PlayStation-era RPGs had it right.  These were the glory days of Squaresoft, but they weren't alone - Japanese companies were churning out hit after hit, and some of the best role-playing games ever made landed here.

Our (that's right, 'our') meager collection of RPGs barely scratches the surface of what's out there, but isn't that what this blog is all about?

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete is a holdover from my original collection, one of the games I couldn't bear to part with.  Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy Anthology, Final Fantasy Chronicles and Chrono Cross are games I married into (score!).

I once had a copy of Xenogears, but my young, naive self loaned it to a friend of a friend - not one of my brighter decisions.  Of course, I never saw it again.

This copy was purchased at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo last year for $35.  The Final Fantasy VII was purchased there, too... at only $30.

Oh, and it's the black label misprint version, too.

No, you can't borrow it.
 

You Can Not Has: Games You'll Never See - Part 2

So cool looking.

This gem actually evolved into something you and I know well - the NES.  Nintendo's Advanced Video System was their first protoype of the US version of Japan's Family Computer, or Famicom.  As you can see, it was originally supposed to use a cassette tape drive, like that of the Commodore 64 and Atari computers, as it was one of the computing standards at the time.  Thankfully, cartridges were employed in the final release, and Nintendo's shift in focus from the home computer market to the home gaming market dropped the keyboard and joystick, for better or worse.

I can't help but imagine an alternate universe where Nintendo became a successful computer company, only to be buried by PC and Mac the way Commodore was.

How To Replace A Sega Saturn Save Battery

Seeing this screen?  Sorry, but your saved games are gone.

So, your Saturn wiped out all of your saves?  We can fix that.

As you know, the Saturn uses internal storage for saved games, rather than the memory cards most other CD-era systems used.  What you might not not know, however, is that the Saturn uses a battery - like a computer's CMOS battery - to achieve this.

The battery powers an RTC, or Real-Time Clock chip, which is basically like a watch that's running all the time, which is why devices like the Saturn and your computer always know what time it is, even when they've been unplugged.  This is also why your microwave loses the time after it's been unplugged, as there's no power source for the internal clock.

This clock chip also keeps active the Saturn's internal RAM, where your saved games are written.  It works like a computer's RAM - once it's turned off (the battery dies) everything within it is wiped clean.

So, if your Sega Saturn won't save, don't toss it out or donate it to Goodwill. This is the easiest and cheapest issue to fix.

First, you'll need a replacement battery.  Do not search eBay or Amazon or anywhere else for a Sega Saturn battery - sellers will often brand this battery specifically as a Sega Saturn Replacement Battery and overcharge, sometimes upwards of $10.  What you're looking for is a "coin" battery, labeled CR-2032.  I got mine at Fry's Electronics for $1.75, but you may be able to find one cheaper online.

Step 1 - Open the battery door.

First off, open the battery door on the back of the Saturn as shown above.  

 You can now see the battery.  Fight off the invading cats as they try to 'help' you.

Just press down on the clip and pull out.  If you're already lost, there's nothing I can do to help you.  Go ahead and just send your Saturn to me.  I'll take good care of it.

Step 2 - Lift up the battery.

Gently, with your fingernail under the battery, pry it out by pushing up.  If you have no fingernails, use a very, very small screwdriver, as pictured.  Don't try to force in a large one and be careful, it should pop out with minimal effort.  

Step 3 - Put in the new battery.

Before inserting the new battery, you may want to give the inside a shot or two of compressed air - my battery holder and this whole section were covered in dust.  When you're ready, insert the battery as shown - lettering facing up - into the battery holder, inside the clip.  With your finger, gently push down until it snaps into place.  Put the battery cover back on, and you're done.

No, really, that's it.  You just fixed your Saturn.

Fire it up and put in today's date to be sure.  Unplug the Saturn and wait a few minutes, then power it back up.  If it saved the date and boots into your game, you're all set, and it should save your games for several years.

As an aside, you may want to buy a Sega Saturn Backup Cartridge for backing up your save games to avoid this issue in the future.  You'll still need to replace the save battery, but having the backup means nothing is lost.  Sadly, though, these aren't cheap.

Enjoy your properly-saving Saturn!

The Cutting Edge of the Past - Games at CES 1991

The Consumer Electronics Show was the E3 of the '90s.  Take a look back at the forefront of 1991's gaming technology in this clip from Computer Chronicles.

How to Spot a Bootleg SNS-101

Since my post on the SNS-101 and my suspicion that it might be a bootleg, I've gotten several hits from people looking for information on how to tell if their SNES Mini might be a fake.  So, with all credit for methods and images to the original guide at gamesx.com, here's a guide to telling these systems apart.

First off, if you have the original box, there should be a red box where a hole is cut out - this allowed a retailer to see the serial number for each system.  This red box is present on the fake as well, but with no hole cut out.  If there's no hole, you've got a fake.  Sorry, but I have no images of the box for comparison.

Not there?  Not authentic.

The next thing to look out for are the screws at the bottom of the console.  They should be of the "gamebit" variety, as seen above.  Nintendo used these for just about everything.  If you need a reference on hand, grab any Nintendo game cartridge, from the NES to the N64, and you'll see these screws.  If you don't see these screws in your SNES Jr., and instead see standard Phillips screws, you've got a fake.

Wait, these aren't the same?  What gives?

The image above should prove to you just how good these bootlegs look - to the untrained eye, you'd have no idea.  For reference, the one on the left in this image is a fake.  For all images that follow, the fake is on the right.  Sorry about that, as mentioned above, credit goes to gamesx.com.

Clue #1 - the buttons.

As you can see, the buttons on the fake are a darker purple.  With no frame of reference, however, it's hard to use this indicator to your advatage unless you have a real one in front of you to check against.  But, they'll look cheap and they'll feel cheap, squeaking when moved.

Wow, Mario looks like a bit of a meth head on the fake.

As you can see, the labels on the fake are a poor photocopy of the original.  On the "repair service" sticker, Mario has lost so much definition that he looks like he has dark circles around his eyes... let's not mince words, the poor plumber looks like an addict.  All those shrooms may well have caught up with him.

The label at the bottom must not have copied well, because it's looks as if they had to recreate it from scratch.  The fonts are all wrong - the model information is not bolded, and a lot of it just seems off.  The Nintendo logo here is most damning, though, the font is all wrong.  If you're unsure, compare the logo against one of your cartridges.  They should look the same.

Thin plastic, soft edges = fake.

If you've ever owned any other Nintendo products, you know that Nintendo-manufactured consoles are very high quality.  The SNS-101 is no exception.  If the system feels like it was cheaply made, it probably wasn't made by Nintendo.  The next indicator is the quality of the plastic case.  The embossed logo, as shown above, should be raised above the surface of the plastic.  The (R) registered trademark symbol next to the logo should not only be distinguishable, you should be able to feel it.  The plastic on a knockoff may well be translucent in places as well, especially along the corners.

I hope this has been helpful in determining whether your SNES is a fake.  If you have any further questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.

Goodwill Hunting - Sega Saturn

Hello there, you gigantic, heavy pile of plastic.

The Sega Saturn was released in May of 1995, taking North America completely by surprise, but not in a good way.  The announced release date was to be September 2, 1995, a ruse to cause Sony's PlayStation to release 4 months later.

This surprise launch caused more trouble than it was worth - very few games were ready, as third party developers were shooting for a September release, and as the price point of $400 was announced, Sony was there to announce they'd be undercutting them by $100.

By the time the PlayStation finally released, Sega had sold around 80,000 Saturns, with Sony selling over 100,000 PlayStations in their first day.

This lead continued and Saturn trailed behind the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation, only seeing spikes in sales when new arcade ports were released.

My Saturn was yet another $15 Goodwill marvel.  The base unit with power and video cables was marked at $9.99, and each controller (they had 3 of them) was marked at $4.99.  Since I was only able to grab one, I went for the 3D controller pictured above.  This is the only Saturn controller with an analog input, designed for playing Nights Into Dreams.  In the hierarchy of Saturn Controllers, this rates a bit higher in my book than the normal pads.

Score!

Also, stuck in the cartridge slot (and thus included in the price) was this ST-Key.  These cartridges normally run around $20 and allow you to use Japanese and European Saturn games in your US Saturn, and vice versa.  Helpful, because some of the best stuff for this system was only ever released in Japan.

In my research, I'm finding that nearly every game for this system is uncommon, and I am kicking myself for not picking up that mint complete copy of X-Men: Children of the Atom that was also on the rack for $4.99.  $4.99 for an awesome game that Rarityguide estimates at $40.  But alas, I was broke, and the hardware alone put me over budget.

The system needs a good cleaning.  Also, it will not hold the date entered and all save games from the previous owner have been wiped clean, so it seems that the save battery needs to be replaced.  More information and a guide will follow as I get this part replaced.