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Recently I have uncovered some previously unknown things about Popils. One of those is an alternative credits screen that is occasionally displayed when you exit the options screen.

HOW:

Quote

Exit the options screen for the eighth time and hold down the start button.

Interestingly, I tried my EU copy of the game on a friend's GG and I wasn't able to get the Alt Credits to appear.

Can anybody else?

This makes me think that - contrary to popular opinion - there may be more than one version of this game in circulation? There is only one version of the ROM that I've been able to find.

If you try your own copy of the cartridge please list:
1. Region of Game Gear used
2. Region of Popils game used
3. If you could trigger the alternative credits

Cheers!

IMG_7634.PNG (722 B)

Interesting find!

Dumps: I have dumped 2 Japanese cartridges, 1 USA and 1 European and they were all the same dump. While it's not impossible that there is another ROM variation in the wild, I would say it is unlikely.

With emulators you can change the Game Gear region, maybe see if it works when the game is run in both modes?

Bock wrote

Interesting find!

Dumps: I have dumped 2 Japanese cartridges, 1 USA and 1 European and they were all the same dump. While it's not impossible that there is another ROM variation in the wild, I would say it is unlikely.

With emulators you can change the Game Gear region, maybe see if it works when the game is run in both modes?

You got it!

Alternative credits only appears when region is Japan.
It doesn't appear on US/EU even if game language is set to Japanese.

What does region check code look like?

This alt credits screen is shown in the Japanese manual with a caption similar to "credits screen that occasionally appears", and is not shown in US or EU manual.

matt wrote

What does region check code look like?

http://www.smspower.org/Development/RegionDetection

Calindro wrote

matt wrote

What does region check code look like?

http://www.smspower.org/Development/RegionDetection

Awesome! Thanks

Calindro wrote

http://www.smspower.org/Development/RegionDetection

Having read this, may I request that Emulicious rename Game Gear Port 00?

from Port_StartButton
to Port_StartButtonAndRegion

...or something?

thanks

What do people think POPILS means? Just a made up word? Japanglish? Bad translation?

It's always bothered me that it sounds like "pop pills" which of course has darker cinnotations

Author	Message
matt Joined: 05 Jul 2017 Posts: 67 Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom	Magical Puzzle Popils Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 7:48 am Last edited by matt on Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:56 am; edited 1 time in total
	Recently I have uncovered some previously unknown things about Popils. One of those is an alternative credits screen that is occasionally displayed when you exit the options screen. HOW: Quote Exit the options screen for the eighth time and hold down the start button. Interestingly, I tried my EU copy of the game on a friend's GG and I wasn't able to get the Alt Credits to appear. Can anybody else? This makes me think that - contrary to popular opinion - there may be more than one version of this game in circulation? There is only one version of the ROM that I've been able to find. If you try your own copy of the cartridge please list: 1. Region of Game Gear used 2. Region of Popils game used 3. If you could trigger the alternative credits Cheers! IMG_7634.PNG (722 B)

Bock Site Admin Joined: 08 Jul 2001 Posts: 8651 Location: Paris, France	Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:45 am
	Interesting find! Dumps: I have dumped 2 Japanese cartridges, 1 USA and 1 European and they were all the same dump. While it's not impossible that there is another ROM variation in the wild, I would say it is unlikely. With emulators you can change the Game Gear region, maybe see if it works when the game is run in both modes?

matt Joined: 05 Jul 2017 Posts: 67 Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom	Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:17 am
	Bock wrote Interesting find! Dumps: I have dumped 2 Japanese cartridges, 1 USA and 1 European and they were all the same dump. While it's not impossible that there is another ROM variation in the wild, I would say it is unlikely. With emulators you can change the Game Gear region, maybe see if it works when the game is run in both modes? You got it! Alternative credits only appears when region is Japan. It doesn't appear on US/EU even if game language is set to Japanese. What does region check code look like? This alt credits screen is shown in the Japanese manual with a caption similar to "credits screen that occasionally appears", and is not shown in US or EU manual.

Calindro Joined: 14 Apr 2013 Posts: 624	Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:38 am
Calindro Joined: 14 Apr 2013 Posts: 624	matt wrote What does region check code look like? http://www.smspower.org/Development/RegionDetection

matt Joined: 05 Jul 2017 Posts: 67 Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom	Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:02 am
	Calindro wrote matt wrote What does region check code look like? http://www.smspower.org/Development/RegionDetection Awesome! Thanks

matt Joined: 05 Jul 2017 Posts: 67 Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom	Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 1:25 pm
	Calindro wrote http://www.smspower.org/Development/RegionDetection Having read this, may I request that Emulicious rename Game Gear Port 00? from Port_StartButton to Port_StartButtonAndRegion ...or something? thanks

matt Joined: 05 Jul 2017 Posts: 67 Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom	Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 11:02 am
	What do people think POPILS means? Just a made up word? Japanglish? Bad translation? It's always bothered me that it sounds like "pop pills" which of course has darker cinnotations

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