Battery backup
From Sega Retro
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Commercial video games are usually sold on read-only mediums such as ROM cartridges or CD-ROMs, to stop users from inadvertently breaking their game or commit acts of piracy. However, as the 1980s came to a close and games became bigger, being able to save the current status of a game, to be picked up at a later date, became a more desirable feature.
While later consoles would see the concept of dedicated "memory cards" be used to save data, earlier cartridge-based systems had to rely on battery backups (or memory backup as it was often known in Japan) - where memory would be held in RAM, and kept alive by a physical battery. Once the battery died (which, given the low power requirements is usually after several years, if not decades), a game would not be able to retain saved data when the console was turned off, however (with home consoles at least) it would not stop the game from running.
These types of system are not uncommon in electronics (most real-time clocks use a similar system), though as the price of flash memory dropped, save games in consoles such as the PlayStation were able to maintain saved states without the need for external power. Battery backup systems were prevalent in the previous generation - the Sega Mega Drive and Super NES.
The added circuitry for battery backup system added to the cost of manufacturing cartridges (which more often than not was then passed to the consumer), meaning generally such systems from this era are only seen in certain genres such as RPGs, with the rest having to make do with password systems (or no form or saving at all). When costs dropped, they were utilised for other features, such as saving high scores.
Whether a game can save is often a clue as to whether the cartridge is official - for the cost reasons described above, bootleg cartridges rarely add the battery.
Contents
List of games which use battery backups
Master System
- Golden Axe Warrior
- Golfamania
- Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord
- Monopoly
- Penguin Land
- Phantasy Star
- Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
- Ys: Ancient Ys Vanished Omen
Mega Drive
- A Ressha de Ikou MD
- Advanced Daisenryaku: Deutsch Dengeki Sakusen
- Aerobiz Supersonic
- Al Michaels Announces HardBall III
- Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II
- Bahamut Senki
- Barkley Shut Up and Jam 2
- Blue Almanac
- Brian Lara Cricket
- Brian Lara Cricket 96
- Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
- Chou Kyuukai Miracle Nine
- Coach K College Basketball
- College Football's National Championship
- College Football's National Championship II
- College Slam
- Crusader of Centy
- Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes
- Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II
- Elitserien 95
- ESPN National Hockey Night
- ESPN Speedworld
- F1 Circus MD
- FIFA 97: Gold Edition
- FIFA Soccer 95
- FIFA Soccer 96
- Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball
- Greatest Heavyweights
- HardBall '94
- HardBall '95
- Hit the Ice
- Honoo no Toukyuuji Dodge Danpei
- J.League Pro Striker
- J.League Pro Striker 2
- J.League Pro Striker Kanzenban
- Janou Touryuumon
- La Russa Baseball 95
- Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole
- Langrisser
- Langrisser II
- Light Crusader
- Madden NFL '94
- Madou Monogatari I
- Master of Monsters
- Mega Man: The Wily Wars
- Mega Man: The Wily Wars
- Micro Machines: Turbo Tournament '96
- Might and Magic: Gates to Another World
- Monster World IV
- Nakajima Satoru Kanshuu F1 Super License
- NBA Action '94
- NBA Action '95 Starring David Robinson
- NBA Jam
- NBA Jam Tournament Edition
- NBA Showdown '94
- New 3D Golf Simulation: Devil's Course
- New 3D Golf Simulation: Harukanaru Augusta
- New 3D Golf Simulation: Waialae no Kiseki
- NFL 98
- NFL '95
- NFL Football '94 Starring Joe Montana
- NHK Taiga Drama: Taiheiki
- NHL 95
- NHL 96
- NHL 97
- NHL Hockey '94
- Ninja Burai Densetsu
- Pebble Beach Golf Links
- PGA European Tour
- PGA Tour 96
- PGA Tour Golf III
- Phantasy Star
- Phantasy Star II
- Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
- Power Monger
- Premier Manager
- Premier Manager 97
- Prime Time NFL Football Starring Deion Sanders
- Pro Striker Final Stage
- Pro Yakyuu Super League '91
- Psy-O-Blade
- Rent A Hero
- Rings of Power
- Sangokushi Retsuden: Ransei no Eiyuutachi
- Shadowrun
- Shining Force
- Shining Force II
- Shining in the Darkness
- Sorcerer's Kingdom
- Sorcerian
- Star Odyssey
- Starflight
- Super Daisenryaku
- Super Hydlide
- Super Kick Off
- Surging Aura
- Sword of Vermilion
- Tecmo Super Bowl III: Final Edition
- Tecmo Super NBA Basketball
- Tel-Tel Stadium
- The Duel: Test Drive II
- The Hybrid Front
- Tony La Russa Baseball
- Tougi Ou King Colossus
- Traysia
- Triple Play 96
- Triple Play: Gold Edition
- Unnecessary Roughness '95
- Virtual Pinball
- Warrior of Rome II
- Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars
- Wonder Boy in Monster World
- World Cup USA 94
- World Series Baseball
- World Series Baseball '95
- World Series Baseball '96
- Ys III: Wanderers from Ys
- Yuu Yuu Hakusho Gaiden
- Zan Yasha Enbukyoku
- Advanced Daisenryaku: Deutsch Dengeki Sakusen
- A Ressha de Ikou MD
- Bahamut Senki
- Blue Almanac
- Brian Lara Cricket
- Brian Lara Cricket 96
- Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
- College Football's National Championship
- College Football's National Championship II
- Crusader of Centy
- Dragon Slayer: Eiyuu Densetsu
- Dragon Slayer: Eiyuu Densetsu II
- F1 Circus MD
- Greatest Heavyweights
- HardBall '94
- HardBall '95
- The Hybrid Front
- IMG International Tour Tennis
- Janou Touryuumon
- Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole
- La Russa Baseball 95
- Light Crusader
- Madden NFL '94
- Master of Monsters
- Mega Man: The Wily Wars
- Might and Magic: Gates to Another World
- Monster World IV
- Nakajima Satoru Kanshuu F1 Super License
- NBA Action '94
- NBA Action '95 Starring David Robinson
- NBA Live 95
- NBA Showdown '94
- New 3D Golf Simulation: Devil's Course
- New 3D Golf Simulation: Harukanaru Augusta
- New 3D Golf Simulation: Waialae no Kiseki
- NFL '95
- NFL 98
- NFL Football '94 Starring Joe Montana
- NHL 95
- NHL Hockey '94
- NHK Taiga Drama: Taiheiki
- Pebble Beach Golf Links
- PGA European Tour
- PGA Tour 96
- PGA Tour Golf
- PGA Tour Golf II
- PGA Tour Golf III
- Phantasy Star
- Phantasy Star II
- Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
- Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
- Premier Manager
- Premier Manager 97
- Prime Time NFL Football Starring Deion Sanders
- Pro Yakyuu Super League '91
- Rent A Hero
- Rings of Power
- Sangokushi Retsuden: Ransei no Eiyuutachi
- Shining Force
- Shining Force II
- Shining in the Darkness
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- Sorcerer's Kingdom
- Sorcerian
- Starflight
- The Story of Thor: A Successor of the Light
- Super Daisenryaku
- Super Kick Off
- Sword of Vermilion
- Tony La Russa Baseball
- Tougi Ou King Colossus
- Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars
- Wonder Boy in Monster World
- World Cup USA 94
- World Series Baseball
- World Series Baseball '95
- World Series Baseball '96
- Yuu Yuu Hakusho Gaiden
Game Gear
- Crystal Warriors
- Defenders of Oasis
- Eternal Legend
- Godzilla Kaijuu Daishingeki
- J.League GG Pro Striker '94
- Kinetic Connection
- Lunar: Sanpo-suru Gakuen
- Madou Monogatari A: Doki Doki Vacation
- Madou Monogatari I: 3tsu no Madoukyuu
- Madou Monogatari II: Arle 16-Sai
- Madou Monogatari III: Kyuukyoku Joou-sama
- Magical Puzzle Popils
- Mahou Kishi Rayearth
- Mahou Kishi Rayearth 2: Making of Magic Knight
- Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible
- Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible Special
- Moldorian: Hikari to Yami no Sister
- Nazo Puyo 2
- Neko Dai Suki!
- Nomo's World Series Baseball
- Pet Club Inu Dai Suki!
- Phantasy Star Gaiden
- Pro Yakyuu GG League
- Pro Yakyuu GG League '94
- Royal Stone: Hirakareshi Toki no Tobira
- Shining Force Gaiden: Ensei Jashin no Kuni e
- Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict
- Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya
- Sylvan Tale
- Taisen-gata Daisenryaku G
- Crystal Warriors
- Defenders of Oasis
- Eternal Legend
- J. League GG Pro Striker '94
- Kinetic Connection
- Madou Monogatari I: 3tsu no Madoukyuu
- Madou Monogatari II: Arle 16-Sai
- Magical Puzzle Popils
- Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible
- Moldorian: Hikari to Yami no Sister
- Nazo Puyo 2
- Phantasy Star Gaiden
- Shining Force Gaiden: Ensei Jashin no Kuni e
- Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya
- Taisen-gata Daisenryaku G
32X
- Chaotix
- Golf Magazine: 36 Great Holes Starring Fred Couples
- NBA Jam Tournament Edition
- NFL Quarterback Club
- Virtua Racing Deluxe
- World Series Baseball Starring Deion Sanders