Game Genie (Mega Drive)

From Sega Retro

  • Accessory
  • Program
GameGenieMD.jpg

Game Genie Screenshot (Genesis).png

Game Genie
Made for: Sega Mega Drive
Manufacturer: Codemasters
Distributor: Galoob (US), Camerica (Canada), Hornby (UK), Famosa (ES, PT)
Type: Cheat tool
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US
$59.9559.95[1] 7357
Sega Mega Drive
EU
Sega Mega Drive
ES
Sega Mega Drive
FR
Sega Mega Drive
PT
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£44.9544.95[2]
Sega Mega Drive
CA
Sega Mega Drive
BR
055060

The Mega Drive version of the Game Genie is a specialised cheat cartridge (or "video game enhancer") developed by Codemasters and sold by Galoob that allows the user to manipulate various aspects of games.

Hardware

The Game Genie attaches to the end of a cartridge and is then inserted into the cartridge port of the console for which it was designed.

Upon starting the console, the player may enter a series of characters referred to as a "code" or several such series that reference addresses in the ROM of the cartridge. Each code contains an integer value that is read by the system in place of the data actually present on the cartridge. The Game Genie cannot manipulate RAM, though it can make the console read different values from SRAM.

Because they patch the program code of a game, Game Genie codes are sometimes referred to as patch codes. These codes can have a variety of effects. The most popular codes give the player some form of invulnerability, infinite ammunition, level skipping, or other modifications that allow the player to be more powerful than intended by the developers. In rare cases, codes even unlock hidden game features that developers had scrapped and rendered unreachable in normal play (an example of this is the final Hidden Palace Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2).

The Game Genie was usually sold with a small booklet of discovered codes for use with the system. However, these booklets would eventually become inadequate as new codes were discovered and new games were released that were not covered. To address this, an update system was implemented, where subscribers would receive quarterly booklet updates for a fee. In addition, Galoob also ran ads in certain gaming publications (such as GamePro) that featured codes for newer games. Today, these codes and many others discovered by players can be found for free online.

On the Sega Mega Drive, the Game Genie can function as a country converter and bypass the TMSS (TradeMark Security System) since most of these games are only "locked" to their respective regions by the shape of the cartridges and a set of a few bytes in the header of the ROM. In other cases, Game Genie codes can be entered to allow a game to be played on any region console.

Hidden content

Main article: Game Genie (Mega Drive)/Hidden content.

History

Though developed by Codemasters, distribution was handled by Camerica in Canada and Galoob in the United States (and Europe, with the help of third-party distributors). Following the controversy of a Nintendo Entertainment System version of the device - of which Nintendo unsuccessfully tried to block, the Mega Drive (and Game Gear enhancer) were adopted by Sega as officially licensed products.

The Game Genie brand has since been discontinued, however the idea lived on through Action Replay and GameShark hacking devices on newer consoles in the years which followed. Game Genie codes have since become a supported feature in most emulators.

Scrapped successor

A new set of Game Genies called "Game Genie 2" were in the works in 1993 which would store codes and not require codes to be entered each time booting up the system. It was also going to have code searching features similar to the Pro Action Replay. This means it could probably alter RAM as searching for codes that affect ROM would have been more difficult. Due to some Game Genies recently being released it was decided to hold off the release of the new version until at least the following year, but wound up being scrapped instead.

Official code books

In the US, Galoob offered a subscription service in which "code updates" would be sent to Game Genie owners quarterly over the course of a year. Generally these books were released to cover new games, i.e. software released after the Game Genie's launch. This service was not unique to Sega console owners. Later Game Genie releases incorporated the codes from these books into the codebook which shipped with the cartridge.

Volume 1, No.1

Volume 1, No.2

Volume 1, No.3

Volume 1, No.4

Volume 2, No.1

Volume 2, No.2

Volume 2, No.3

Volume 2, No.4

Volume 3, No.1

Volume 3, No.2

Volume 3, No.3

Volume 3, No.4

Game Genie (Mega Drive) codes

A copy of Game Genie Mega Drive codes

Magazine articles

Main article: Game Genie (Mega Drive)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #39: "October 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in GamePro (US) #57: "April 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #133: "December 1992" (1992-11-15)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Mega Force (FR) #12: "Décembre 1992" (1992-1x-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Mega Force (FR) #14: "Février 1993" (1993-0x-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Mega Force (ES) #11: "Marzo 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Mega Force (ES) #21: "Enero 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Force (SE) #1992-02: "2/92" (1992-11-19)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Mega Drive, US (older)

Game Genie (Genesis, Gold).jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, US (version 2)
GameGenie MD US Box Back Alt.jpgNospine.pngGame Genie US MD bluebox front.JPG
Cover
GameGenieMD.jpg
Cart
GameGenie MD US Manual Edition2.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US (version 3)
Game Genie US MD box back.jpgGame Genie US MD box front.jpg
Cover
GameGenieMD.jpg
Cart
Game Genie MD US Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, UK

GameGenie MD UK Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, UK (Extra Power)
GameGenieExtraPower MD EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
GameGenieExtraPower MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, FR
GameGenie MD FR Box Back 1993.jpgNospine.pngGameGenie MD FR Box Front 1993.jpg
Cover
GameGenie MD FR Cart Back.jpgGameGenie MD FR Cart.jpg
Cart
Game Genie MD FR Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, ES/PT
GameGenie MD ES-PT Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, BR
GameGenie MD BR Box Back.jpgGameGenie MD BR Spine.jpgGameGenie MD BR Box Front.jpg
Cover
GameGenie MD BR Cart Back.jpgGameGenie MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, CA

GameGenie MD CA Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 5f293e4c
MD5 b5d5ff1147036b06944b4d2cac2dd1e1
SHA-1 ea4b0418d90bc47996f6788ad455391d07cad6cc
32kB 1992-02-19[9] Cartridge (US/EU) Revision 00
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 14dbce4a
MD5 e8af7fe115a75c849f6aab3701e7799b
SHA-1 937e1878ebd104f489e6bdbc410a184f79f1144a
32kB 1992-07 Cartridge (US/EU) Revision 01

References


Sega Mega Drive cheat code devices
(Pro) Action Replay | Game Genie | Game Wizard | Genipak | Magicard | Vzlomshchik Kodov
Sega Mega Drive
Topics Technical specifications (Hardware comparison) | History | List of games | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Merchandise | Cartridges | TradeMark Security System
Hardware Japan | North America | Western Europe | Eastern Europe | South America | Asia | South Korea | Australasia | Africa
EZ Games | LaserActive | Mega Jet | Mega PC | Mega Play | Mega-Tech System | Nomad | Teradrive | Mega Drive Mini | Mega Drive Mini 2
New Mega Drive | Tianli VCD/DVD Players | "Consoles on a chip" | Licensed clones (Magic 2 | Mega Game II | Power Pegasus | Super Bitman)
Unlicensed clones
Add-ons Game Box | Power Base Converter | Mega-CD | 32X (Mega-CD 32X) | Mega Modem | Demo System DS-16
Cases Sega Genesis Nomad Carrying Case | System Carry Case
Controllers Control Pad | Six Button Control Pad | 6 Button Arcade Pad | Arcade Power Stick 6B | Konami Justifier | MK-1470
Action Chair | Activator | Arcade Power Stick | Keyboard | MegaFire | Mouse | Mega Stick | Menacer | Remote Arcade System | Ten Key Pad
Accessories 4 Way Play | Cleaning System | Control Pad Extension Cord | Genesis Speakers | HeartBeat Catalyst | Region converter cartridges | Mega Terminal | Miracle Piano Teaching System | Nomad PowerBack | NordicQuest | RF Unit (Mega Drive 2) | SCART Cable (Mega Drive 2) | Stereo Audio Video Cable | Team Player | Video Monitor Cable
Network services Sega Channel | Sega Game Toshokan | Mega Anser | Mega Net | TeleBradesco Residência | XB∀ND
Development tools ERX 308P | ERX 318P | Sprobe | SNASM68K | SNASM2 (Mega Drive) | SNASM2 (32X) | PSY-Q Development System (Mega Drive) | PSY-Q Development System (32X) | 32X CartDev | Sega Mars Development Aid System | Sega 32X Development Target
Unreleased Edge 16 | Floppy Disk Drive | Mega Play 1010 | Sega VR | Teleplay System | Video Jukebox