Difference between revisions of "Mega Drive region coding"

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===NTSC-J consoles===
 
===NTSC-J consoles===
 
{{multicol|
 
{{multicol|
−
*[[5 in One Fun Pak/Hidden content]]
+
{{#cargo_query:
−
*[[Aerial Assault/Hidden content]]
+
table=regioncoding
−
*[[Alien 3/Hidden content]]
+
|fields=name,rom
−
*[[Andre Agassi Tennis/Hidden content]]
+
|where=ntscj="locked"
−
*[[Arcade Classics/Hidden content]]
+
|orderby=name
−
*[[Arch Rivals/Hidden content]]
+
|format=template
−
*[[Arena: Maze of Death/Hidden content]]
+
|template=RegionCodeDisplay
−
*[[Ariel the Little Mermaid/Hidden content]]
+
|limit=800
−
*[[Astérix and the Great Rescue (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
+
}}
−
*[[Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Baku Baku Animal/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Batman Forever (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Batman Returns (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Batman Returns (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Batter Up (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Battleship: The Classic Naval Combat Game/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Battletoads/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Beavis and Butt-Head (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Bonkers Wax Up!/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Bram Stoker's Dracula (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Bubble Bobble/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Bust-A-Move/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Caesars Palace/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Caesars Palace/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Captain America and the Avengers (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Casino FunPak/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Chakan/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Chase H.Q./Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Cheese Cat-Astrophe Starring Speedy Gonzales/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Chicago Syndicate/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Choplifter III/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Chuck Rock/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[CJ Elephant Fugitive/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Cliffhanger (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Clutch Hitter/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Columns/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Cool Spot/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Cosmic Spacehead/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Crystal Warriors/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Crystal Warriors/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Cutthroat Island/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Defenders of Oasis/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Devilish/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Devilish/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Disney's Aladdin (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Disney's Aladdin (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Double Dragon (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Double Dragon (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Dragon Crystal/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Dynamite Headdy/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Earthworm Jim/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Ecco the Dolphin/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Ecco: The Tides of Time/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Evander Holyfield's \"Real Deal\" Boxing (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Evander Holyfield's \"Real Deal\" Boxing (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[F-15 Strike Eagle/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[F1/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Fantastic Dizzy/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Fantasy Zone Gear/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Fatal Fury Special/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[FIFA International Soccer (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[FIFA Soccer 96/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Foreman for Real/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Fred Couples Golf/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[G-LOC: Air Battle/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Garfield: Caught in the Act/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Garry Kitchen's Super Battletank: War in the Gulf/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Gear Works/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[GP Rider (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude!/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Halley Wars/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Heavyweight Champ (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Home Alone/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Hook/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Iron Man/X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[James Pond II: Codename RoboCod/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[James Pond II: Codename RoboCod/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Jeopardy! (GameTek)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Jeopardy! Sports Edition/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Joe Montana Football (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Judge Dredd/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Junction/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Jungle Strike/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Jurassic Park (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Kawasaki Superbike Challenge (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Kick & Rush/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Klax (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Krusty's Fun House/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Last Action Hero/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Legend of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Lemmings/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Madden NFL '95/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Madden NFL 96/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Magical Puzzle Popils/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Marble Madness/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Master of Darkness/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Mega Man/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Mick & Mack as the Global Gladiators/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Mickey's Ultimate Challenge/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Micro Machines/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[MLBPA Baseball/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Monster Truck Wars/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Mortal Kombat/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Mortal Kombat II/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Ms. Pac-Man/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Ms. Pac-Man/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[NBA Action Starring David Robinson/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[NBA Jam/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[NBA Jam Tournament Edition/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[NFL '95/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[NFL Quarterback Club/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[NFL Quarterback Club '96/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[NHL All-Star Hockey (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[NHL Hockey (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Ninja Gaiden (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Olympic Gold/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[OutRun Europa/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Pac-Attack/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Pac-Man/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Pac-Man/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Paperboy/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Paperboy 2/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Pete Sampras Tennis/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[PGA Tour Golf/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[PGA Tour Golf II/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Phantom 2040/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Pinball Dreams/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Poker Face Paul's Blackjack/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Poker Face Paul's Gin/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Poker Face Paul's Poker/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Poker Face Paul's Solitaire/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Predator 2/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Primal Rage/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Prince of Persia/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Psychic World/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Putt & Putter (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Quest for the Shaven Yak Starring Ren Hoëk & Stimpy/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[R.B.I. Baseball '94/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[R.C. Grand Prix/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Riddick Bowe Boxing/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Rise of the Robots/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Ristar (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Road Rash/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Road Rash/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[RoboCop 3/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[RoboCop Versus The Terminator/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Samurai Shodown/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Scratch Golf/Hidden content]]
 
−
*[[Shaq Fu/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Shinobi II: The Silent Fury/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Side Pocket/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Slider/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Smash T.V./Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Solitaire FunPak/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Solitaire Poker/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic Blast/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic Chaos/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic Chaos/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic Drift 2/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic Labyrinth/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic Spinball (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic Spinball (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Space Harrier/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sports Illustrated: Championship Football & Baseball/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sports Trivia/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Sports Trivia: Championship Edition/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Star Trek Generations: Beyond the Nexus/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Advanced Holodeck Tutorial/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Star Wars/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Stargate (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Streets of Rage/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Streets of Rage 2/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Strider II/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Super Columns/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Super Golf/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Super Monaco GP (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Super Off Road/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Super Space Invaders/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Surf Ninjas/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[T2: The Arcade Game/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Tails Adventures/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[TaleSpin/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Taz in Escape from Mars/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Taz-Mania (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Tempo Jr./Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Tesserae/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Addams Family (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Adventures of Batman & Robin (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Berenstain Bears' Camping Adventure/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Chessmaster/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The GG Shinobi/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Incredible Crash Dummies (8-bit)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Incredible Hulk/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Incredible Hulk/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Itchy & Scratchy Game/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Jungle Book/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Jungle Book/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Lion King/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Lion King/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Majors: Pro Baseball/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Ottifants/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Simpsons: Bartman Meets Radioactive Man/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Terminator/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[The Terminator/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Tom and Jerry: The Movie/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[True Lies/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Urban Strike/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Virtua Fighter Animation/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[VR Troopers/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Wheel of Fortune (GameTek)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Wimbledon/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Wimbledon/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Winter Olympics/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Winter Olympics/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Wonder Boy/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Woody Pop/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[World Cup USA 94/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[World Series Baseball '95/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[World Series Baseball (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[WWF Raw/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[X-Men (Game Gear)/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[X-Men: GamesMaster's Legacy/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[X-Men: Mojo World/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Zool/Hidden content]]
 
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*[[Zoop/Hidden content]]
 
 
|cols=4}}
 
|cols=4}}
  

Revision as of 14:59, 26 December 2019

More than any other Sega system, the Sega Mega Drive is affected by differing forms of region coding, implemented so that games were optimised for (or locked out of) three main marketing regions; NTSC-J (Japan and parts of Asia), NTSC-U (North America) and PAL (Europe and Australia).

Like the Sega Master System and rival console the Nintendo Entertainment System, Japanese cartridges are a different physical shape to their Western counterparts, meaning Japanese games could not be played on American systems or vice versa without some sort of adapter (or by disassambling cartridges or consoles). However, Mega Drive hardware is also configured to be one of the three aforementioned regions, meaning software could adjust itself depending on what sort of Mega Drive system is detected.

The latter is not an unusual practice (and indeed similar methods were employed for many consoles going forward), however unlike more modern systems, software was under no obligation to adapt to the detected region, meaning only part of the Mega Drive's game library takes note of what type of system is in use.

The following details games which are known to have issues running in certain regions:

Region locked games

These games are designed so that they will not run at all on certain consoles. Usually a message is displayed informing the user that the game cannot be played. The Japanese version of Namco's Rolling Thunder 2 was reportedly the first Mega Drive game to be region locked[1].

NTSC-J consoles

NTSC-U consoles

PAL consoles

Games which display a blank screen

While we can assume these games are also region locked (given that they refuse to boot in certain regions), nothing of value is displayed on-screen, which could suggest the game has not been programmed to handle the incorrect regions.

NTSC-J consoles

NTSC-U consoles

PAL consoles

Games which break

In certain circumstances, games will attempt to run in the wrong region, only to break further down the line.

NTSC-J consoles

NTSC-U consoles

PAL consoles

Unoptimised games

PAL and NTSC systems run at different speeds and can support different screen resolutions. In some cases, no effort is made to optimise for each system, leading PAL games to run too slow (with borders), or NTSC games to run too fast (or have visual elements drawn off-screen).

Many PAL titles, particularly earlier prints, are notorious for running noticably slower than their NTSC counterparts, leading many to import or modify their consoles to fix the speed issue. Unoptimised NTSC games are far rarer, and usually consist of European-developed games not being adjusted correctly.

NTSC-J consoles

NTSC-U consoles

PAL consoles

Partially-optimised games

By 1992 efforts were being made on behalf of developers to ensure that games were at least partially optimised for PAL systems. While optimisations vary, usually this involved speeding up the music, as opposed to speeding up the game logic.

NTSC-J consoles

NTSC-U consoles

PAL consoles

References

  1. ↑ Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 67
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