Mega Drive Modding

Go here. Look under heading 5.0: Language Switch. I would quote it here, but IPB screws up the ASCII art diagrams.

 

That link doesn't seem to work...

 

God damn it! Why does GameFAQs have to be such a bitch?

Fuckers. Anyway, I've snipped out large portions of the document (because it was originally 77k) and attached it here.

On a side note, can anyone tell what game that code is from?

 

No, it doesn't:

Code (Text):

1. 5.0 Language Switch, from Rec.Games.Video FAQ
2.  
3. How to make a language switch (Genesis/MD).
4.  
5. On a Genesis/MD, there are jumpers labelled JP1, JP2, JP4,
6. and JP3. ?The Genesis has a capacitor on JP1 and a trace on
7. JP2; the Mega Drive has a capacitor on JP2 and a trace on
8. JP1. ?The bottom ends of JP1 and JP2 are connected together.
9. So if you cut the trace and the top end of the capacitor, and
10. install a DPDT switch between them which reconnects them
11. either unchanged or swapped left to right, you have a
12. language switch. You'll need some wire, a soldering iron,
13. solder, and a DPDT switch.
14.  
15. Some machines have an open circuit instead of the capacitor.
16. Also, I've been told that even if there is a capacitor, you
17. can throw it out and leave an open circuit. Either way, the
18. switch is a lot simpler, requiring a SPDT switch and less
19. wire and solder.
20.  
21. Several people have told me that you could just cut both JP1
22. and JP2 and put a SPST switch on JP1. This is even simpler,
23. but I'm not sure it really works, as opposed to putting your
24. machine in an intermediate state that only sort-of works.
25.  
26. The redesigned Genesis 2 machines don't appear to have either
27. the capacitor or circuit. Nobody yet knows how to make the
28. language switch for one, though there are language switch
29. cartridges you can buy to act as one.
30.  
31. IF YOUR MACHINE HAS NO CAPACITOR (or if you want to cross
32. your fingers and throw away your capacitor) and is not a
33. Genesis 2:
34.  
35. Cut JP2. ?The trace might be covered with paint and hard to
36. see. ?(If you started with a Mega Drive, JP2 is open and you
37. have to cut JP1 instead.) If you aren't sure which end I mean
38. by "bottom", just check the back of the board to see which
39. end is connected together.
40. <CODE>
41.  ? Original state of machine: ? ? ? ? ? ? After cutting:
42.  
43.  ? ? ? JP2 top ? ? JP1 top ? ? ? ? ? ? ?JP2 top ? ? JP1 top
44.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
45.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
46.  ? ? ? ? ?|
47.  ? ? ? ? ?|
48.  ? ? ? ? ?|
49.  ? ? ? ? ?|
50.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
51.  ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?\ ? ? ? ? /
52.  ? ? ? ? ? ?\_______/ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?\_______/
53.  ? ? ? ? ?bottom of both ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? bottom of both
54.  
55. Add a SPDT switch which can be in one of two positions:
56.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ?._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
57.  ? ? ? ? ? ? . ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?.
58.  ? ? ? ? ? ?. ? ? ? ? ? . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
59.  ? ? ? ? ? . ? ? ? ? ? . ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?. ? ?.
60.  ? ? ? JP2 top ? ? JP1 top ? ? ? ? ? ? ? . ? ?.
61.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?. ? ?.
62.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? _________
63.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| o ? o |
64.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| \ ? ? |
65.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ?\ ? ?|
66.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?\___o___/
67.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? .
68.  ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?.
69.  ? ? ? ? ? ?\_______/ - - - - - - - - - - - -
70.  ? ? ? ? ?bottom of both
71.  
72.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ?._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
73.  ? ? ? ? ? ? . ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?.
74.  ? ? ? ? ? ?. ? ? ? ? ? . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
75.  ? ? ? ? ? . ? ? ? ? ? . ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?. ? ?.
76.  ? ? ? JP2 top ? ? JP1 top ? ? ? ? ? ? ? . ? ?.
77.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?. ? ?.
78.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? _________
79.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| o ? o |
80.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? / |
81.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ?/ ?|
82.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?\___o___/
83.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? .
84.  ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?.
85.  ? ? ? ? ? ?\_______/ - - - - - - - - - - - -
86.  ? ? ? ? ?bottom of both
87. -------------------------------------------------------------
88.  
89. IF YOUR MACHINE DOES HAVE THE CAPACITOR:
90.  
91. Cut both sides. ?(Note: if you started with a Japanese Mega
92. Drive the capacitor will be on the side labelled X instead)
93.  
94.  ? Original state of machine: ? ? ? ? ? ? After cutting:
95.  
96.  ? ? ? JP2 top ? ? JP1 top ? ? ? ? ? ? ?JP2 top ? ? JP1 top
97.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
98.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
99.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
100.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
101.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?|
102.  ? ? ? ?X | ? ? ? ? ?### ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? X | ? ? ? ? ?###
103.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ?### ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ?###
104.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ?### ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ?###
105.  ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?\ ? ? ? ? /
106.  ? ? ? ? ? ?\_______/ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?\_______/
107.  ? ? ? ? ?bottom of both
108.  
109. add switch which can be in one of two positions:
110.  
111.  ? ? ? JP2 top ? ? JP1 top
112. (Connect 2 to 2
113.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
114. and 1 to 1)
115.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
116.  ? ? ? ? ?2 ? ? ? ? ? 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2 ?1 ?1 ?2
117.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?______________
118.  ? ? ? ? ? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? ? ? ? ?| o ?o ?o ?o |
119.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ` ? ? ? ? | ?\ ?\ ? ? ?|
120.  ? ? ? ?X | ? ? ? ? ?###` ? ? ?` ? ? ? ?| ? \ ?\ ? ? |
121.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ?### ` ? ? ?` ? ? ? \____o__o____/
122.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ?### ?` ? ? ?` ? ? ? ? ? ' ?'
123.  ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? / ? ? ` ? ? ?`- - - - -' ?'
124.  ? ? ? ? ? ?\_______/ ? ? ? ` _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ '
125.  ? ? ? ? ?bottom of both
126.  
127.  ? ? ? JP2 top ? ? JP1 top
128. (Connect 2 to 2
129.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
130. and 1 to 1)
131.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? |
132.  ? ? ? ? ?2 ? ? ? ? ? 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2 ?1 ?1 ?2
133.  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?______________
134.  ? ? ? ? ? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? ? ? ? ?| o ?o ?o ?o |
135.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ` ? ? ? ? | ? ? ?/ ?/ ?|
136.  ? ? ? ?X | ? ? ? ? ?###` ? ? ?` ? ? ? ?| ? ? / ?/ ? |
137.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ?### ` ? ? ?` ? ? ? \____o__o____/
138.  ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ?### ?` ? ? ?` ? ? ? ? ? ' ?'
139.  ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? / ? ? ` ? ? ?`- - - - -' ?'
140.  ? ? ? ? ? ?\_______/ ? ? ? ` _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ '
141.  ? ? ? ? ?bottom of both
142.  
143. </CODE>
144. 50/60 hertz switch.
145.  
146. You can build a 50/60 hertz switch on a Genesis/Mega Drive
147. like a language switch, but using jumpers JP3 and JP4. ?The
148. standard setting is 50 in PAL areas such as Europe, and 60 in
149. NTSC areas like the US and Japan. In the 60 hertz mode, the
150. game is faster and the screen taller; however, not all TVs
151. and monitors in Europe can display this mode.
152.  
153.  
154. Some American/Japanese games are protected to keep Europeans
155. ]from playing them; this protection checks the 50/60 hertz
156. setting. ?You can usually get around it by installing the
157. switch and switching when starting the game, then switching
158. back afterwards.
159.  
160. Many European games are simple ports of American or Japanese
161. games and are not redesigned for 50 hertz, so work faster and
162. with "better" screen proportions if played at 60 hertz.
163.  
164.  
165. Genesis/Mega Drive dual version (language switch) list:
166.  
167.  ? *Battle Maina 2: The game plays in both positions. However
168.  ? ? with both controlers removed, a system info screen appears
169.  ? ? which informs about system version, langauge mode.
170.  ? ?Bonanza Brothers: Game plays in Japanese. ?(Maybe. There
171.  ? ? seems to be more than one version floating around.)
172.  ? ?Columns: Game plays in Japanese.
173.  ? *Cyberball: Japanese version has a modem option.
174.  ? ?Dragon's Fury: Works only with language set to English.
175.  ? ? The original, Devil's Crush MD, works either way.
176.  ? ?Dynamite Duke: Harder on the Mega Drive.
177.  ? ?Elemental Master: Harder on the Mega Drive.
178.  ? ?Fatal Labyrinth: Game plays in Japanese.
179.  ? ?Fire Shark: Different title screen with Kanji.
180.  ? ?Flicky: Characters have Japanese names and instructions
181.  ? ? are in Japanese.
182.  ? ?Forgotten Worlds: Game plays in Japanese.
183.  ? ?Gaiares: only mentions the Japanese licensee on the title
184.  ? ? screen, and has Japanese text; you can also select
185.  ? ? Japanese text from the option screen.
186.  ? ?Ghostbusters: Game plays in Japanese.
187.  ? ?Ghouls and Ghosts: Different title screen with Kanji. ?To
188.  ? ? see it on a Genesis, select the last music and sound (26
189.  ? ? and 56) from the options screen, then press lower left;
190.  ? ? A, B, or C; and Start all at the same time. ?(I never
191.  ? ? tried this, but Gamepro magazine claimed it works.) The
192.  ? ? game shows some other Japanese text, and when you die
193.  ? ? during a boss you start out earlier.
194.  ? ?Insector X: Title screen refers to company as Hot-B, not
195.  ? ? Sage's Creation. The MD version shoots more slowly. The
196.  ? ? ending text is still English.
197.  ? *Marvel Land: The Japanese version says "for Mega Drive"
198.  ? ? or "for Genesis" but the language stays Japanese. (What
199.  ? ? does an English version do?)
200.  ? ?Monaco GP: Game plays in Japanese (also an option on the
201.  ? ? option screen).
202.  ? ?Mystic Defender: This game is actually the anime-based
203.  ? ? Kujaku-Ou (Peacock King) 2 game. In Japanese mode, the
204.  ? ? opening text is replaced by a graphics screen (never
205.  ? ? seen in the US version) with Japanese. ?The levels have
206.  ? ? names, the main character wears a white robe, the
207.  ? ? lightning magic effect is different, and the character
208.  ? ? is named Kujaku in the ending (which is still English).
209.  ? ?Outrun: The attract mode lacks sound, the startup screen
210.  ? ? says "push" (not "press") start button, and "(C) Sega
211.  ? ? 1986, 1991" is printed in reverse order. The default
212.  ? ? options are KM/H and a different button selection (but
213.  ? ? can still be changed on the option screen).
214.  ? ?Quackshot: Game plays in Japanese.
215.  ? ?Raiden Trad: The "licensed to Sega" line is absent on
216.  ? ? both title screens, and the second title screen includes
217.  ? ? only the Japanese part instead of the non-Japanese part
218.  ? ? of the first one.
219.  ? ?Revenge of Shinobi: Title changes to Super Shinobi;
220.  ? ? credits show at the end.
221.  ? ?Rolling Thunder II: The Japanese version only works on a
222.  ? ? Japanese setting. The US version works either way (and
223.  ? ? isn't bilingual).
224.  ? ?Sonic the Hedgehog II: Tails is renamed to "Miles".
225.  ? ?Streets of Rage: Title screen changes to Bare Knuckle,
226.  ? ? and all text is in Japanese, including the introduction.
227.  ? ? The clock resets when you encounter the bosses.
228.  ? ?Streets of Rage II: Turns to Bare Knuckle II, and renames
229.  ? ?Skate to Sammy —_if_ you change the setting sometime
230.  ? ? after turning the machine on (to skip the lockout).
231.  ? ?Thunder Force II: Title screen has "MD" on it, and
232.  ? ? company name is "Tecnosoft".
233.  ? ?Thunder Force III: company's name is spelled "Tecnosoft".
234.  ? *Thunder Storm FX (CD): Turns to Cobra Command in US mode.
235.  ? ?Truxton: Japanese title is Tatsujin.
236.  ? ?Twin Hawk: Different title screen with Kanji.
237.  ? *Wrestle War: The wrestler is blond on a Genesis and
238.  ? ? black-haired on a MD.
239.  
240.  ? ?* Information from testing a Japanese game

 

Oh, right. The code tag. I always forget about the code tag. :P

 

http://www.segakore.net/articles.php

Really clear if you can understand french :wink:

 

IIRC, the only difference between the various regional consoles are those settings. You should be able to play carts from anywhere with those switches installed.