I found this map for comparison:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_claims_in_Antarcti...
I checked various ROMs;
44deaef747c572a4550681fcccc1bbbdc46a1ffc Antarctic Adventure - European Version (1984)(Konami)(JP)[a][RC-701].rom - Actually 2nd Japanese version 2185be579cb51729f66bf02bdf3a7b6a3cbd7b40 Antarctic Adventure - European Version (1984)(Konami)(JP)[RC-701].rom - Actually 2nd Japanese version e1c7169bd44a3c67f2941a14699b954d7e337d29 Antarctic Adventure - European Version (1984)(Konami)(JP)[SCC+][RC-701].rom - Hangs at boot in openMSX (must be a dump from the Konami Game Collection) 6bd5b97baceb3bc8da3571590e2a6a761bb90b48 Antarctic Adventure - European Version (1984)(Konami)(JP)[SCC][RC-701].rom - Dump from the Konami Game Collection 63d3755c81b2c294ff3bd96cfb9f5a2f3d83b86c Antarctic Adventure - Japanese Version (1984)(Konami)(JP)[cr Prosoft][RC-701].rom - Based on 1st Japanese version (openMSX complains about ROM not being a multiple of 8) 8999a51c94460c8db1ca033b64b568bf919300c2 Antarctic Adventure - Japanese Version (1984)(Konami)(JP)[o][RC-701].rom - This one is strange, it seems to be the 1st Japanese version but with the "KEYBOARD" spelling mistake corrected e894a38f3e2ad435cc5d17a66600e6016b5e47fb Antarctic Adventure - Japanese Version (1984)(Konami)(JP)[RC-701].rom - 1st Japanese version
btw, how did you do the trick to get to the end of the levels that quick?
I used BlueMSX trainer option.
to me it feels like the version order is:
- 1st Japanese cartridge version -> European cartridge version -> 2nd Japanese cartridge version -> Game Collection version
I agree. From the code point of view, 1st Japanese and European versions are quite similar. Also the coding style shows they are from the early Konami stage (i.e.: when they directly accessed I/O ports instead of using BIOS)
Another difference: the names/countries of the stations are not centred in the 1st japanese version.
Here are the SHA1 of the ROMs I used in the video:
European: 46D1C97B97A837387445E6039669FD9D04DF8873
Japanese 1: E894A38F3E2AD435CC5D17A66600E6016B5E47FB
Japanese 2: 44DEAEF747C572A4550681FCCCC1BBBDC46A1FFC
OK the next question is of course, if there are multiple versions of Antarctic Adventure, there are probably multiple versions of other games as well? And why was Antarctic Adventure re-released a year after the first batch?
Probably to fix bugs, as Konami did with other games like King's Valley, Vampire Killer, etc.
Probably to fix bugs, as Konami did with other games like King's Valley, Vampire Killer, etc.
I agree to some extend, but why
- remove New Zealand
- change the order in which you play the different regions
The change from black to blue splash screen and the change in the KONAMI font I toss up to a branding exercise
I also wonder why the (real) European version does not have a demo mode. Did they perhaps break it and not have the time to fix it, and so just disabled it?
I guess the only way to figure out more would be to do a de-compile and compare them side by side, to see what was actually changed, as it seems unlikely that an old Konami employee will provide the details.
So, looks like I don't have that European one...
Guillian, did you make fresh dumps of these?
I also wonder why the (real) European version does not have a demo mode. Did they perhaps break it and not have the time to fix it, and so just disabled it?
I guess the only way to figure out more would be to do a de-compile and compare them side by side, to see what was actually changed, as it seems unlikely that an old Konami employee will provide the details.
I disassembled that part and the demo mode was disabled on purpose. It is possible to enable it modifying the ROM at offset #176: #C9 (RET) -> #00 (NOP)
My guess is that they did it to not have to "record" a new gameplay. Since the game starts in a different region, the map is different, so the old controls data/press simulation does not match with the new layout.
@Manuel: I dumped my ROMs just a few days ago.
I also wonder why the (real) European version does not have a demo mode. Did they perhaps break it and not have the time to fix it, and so just disabled it?
I guess the only way to figure out more would be to do a de-compile and compare them side by side, to see what was actually changed, as it seems unlikely that an old Konami employee will provide the details.
I disassembled that part and the demo mode was disabled on purpose. It is possible to enable it modifying the ROM at offset #176: #C9 (RET) -> #00 (NOP)
My guess is that they did it to not have to "record" a new gameplay. Since the game starts in a different region, the map is different, so the old controls data/press simulation does not match with the new layout.
@Manuel: I dumped my ROMs just a few days ago.
Interesting, so my guess that they broke it and did not have the time to fix it in time was probably pretty accurate.
Hi everybody!!
You can be sure that the European version exists and here I show you a couple of videos and some photos with the differences.
Splash Screen of Japanese Version
Splash Screen of European Version
Title Screen of Japanese Version
Title Screen of European Version without first "E"
I hope your doubts have been resolved :P