Japan-exclusive Mega Drive JRPGs + Game Genie

[BoneSnapDeez]

So I'm a HUGE fan of 16-bit JRPGs.

I think most of us know about the excellent Super Famicom RPGs that never made it to the states: Romancing Saga 3, Bahamut Lagoon, Final Fantasy V, Star Ocean, Live-A-Live, Tales of Phantasia, etc... But until I read Ack's excellent article on Genesis RPGs, I didn't realize how many MD RPGs we Americans missed!

So any suggestions where to start? I love Dragon Slayer and Sorcerian so those will probably be the first few I pick up. I tried King Colossus once and it was pretty cool. I'm clueless about everything else.

I also read this article about using a Game Genie to play Mega Drive games. So does every game have its own unique set of codes that must be entered before it boots? And if so, is there a master list anywhere? If the Game Genie solution doesn't work out I'll consider picking up an actual JPN Mega Drive.

[theclaw]

Maybe try Game Genie along with a region switch? The combo would avoid widening the slot or having to re-enter codes every time.

Switch grants in-game control, can affect backwards compatible mode (Genesis regions were inherited from Master System), and lets you attach the JPN Mega CD.

[Breetai]

Maybe try Game Genie along with a region switch? The combo would avoid widening the slot or having to re-enter codes every time.

Switch grants in-game control, can affect backwards compatible mode (Genesis regions were inherited from Master System), and lets you attach the JPN Mega CD.

Most JP Mega Drive games (I'm guessing 80% or so) are region-free. It's mostly the games released from around mid-1993 to mid-1994 that are region-locked (which does include a number of great games...). There are available Game Genie codes to unlock most of the popular games, but I don't know of any list that has ALL of them. Japan-only RPGs were never a priority to find region-free Game Genie codes for, so I wish you luck if you look for them. Region modding your Genesis or just getting a JP MD would be your only sure way of being able to play everything. As for using a Game Genie as a pass-through for a modded Genesis, yes it does work. I don't think it's a big deal to cut the tabs off the cart slot, but if you don't like altering your console at all (which you would have done if you installed a region switch!), then use the Game Genie as a clean pass through device.

[Hobie-wan]

Obviously these are mostly shmups, but I can tell you for certain that these Japanese games work without needing a code.

Curse
Daisenpuu
Dangerous Seed
Darwin 4081
Insector X
Musha Aleste
Puyo Puyo
Thunder Force III
Twinkle Tale
Undead Line
Zero Wing

Rocket Knight Adventures does need a code. I found one somewhere, or maybe I just used the Contra Hard Corps one to ensure the cart worked before I traded it.

[Breetai]

Rocket Knight Adventures does need a code. I found one somewhere, or maybe I just used the Contra Hard Corps one to ensure the cart worked before I traded it.

Rocket Knight Adventures:
NA June 16, 1993
JP August 6, 1993

Okay, I'll edit my last post from late-1993 to mid-1993. I was kind of basing it off the fact that the US release of SFII:SCE is region-locked, but the JP release is region free.

If in doubt, just check with an emulator. Set the region on the emulator to your console's region, and test away!

[theclaw]

Puyo Puyo 2 doesn't need a code either.

For some reason, 32X revision MK-84000A is just slightly wider to fit most Japanese games.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Hmmmm.... maybe I'll start with some older games just to be on the safe side.

[greg]

I've kept a Genesis 3 around because it's region-free. I bought it for only about $10 back in the day, but I don't know how much they go for these days.

I only own one Megadrive game so far, and that's Vixen 357. It works just fine on my Gen3. The game is actually on the list, but it's actually a straight strategy game and not even much of an SRPG. It's a typical Masaya strategy game, so if you've played Macross: Eternal Love Song or X-Serd on the PC Engine, it will be very familiar to you. If you haven't, imagine a very scaled-down version of a Super Robot Taisen game, without the SP and special attacks.

[theclaw]

Yeah all Genesis 3 units default to English + 60hz, being North America exclusive.