Ristar's Game Gear Extra Levels

[Syntheticgerbil]

I think this may be the only place that would be any use to ask this, but I think I need help on making a US Game Gear think it's Japanese.

The only reason I want to do this is I've heard word that Ristar for Game Gear has an extra level among other changes if played on a Japanese Game Gear. I don't actually know if this is true, because it seems like you would have to buy a Ristar cart from Japan, but apparently all carts are the same and just depend on the settings within your Game Gear?

Is there some way to maybe boot your Game Gear and make it think it's Japanese? Change the language? I can get my dad to solder stuff if necessary. Am I just killing time?

I can't seem to get any solid information anywhere on modding or changing Game Gears or why there are strange differences with Ristar on Game Gear between regions, so I figure you guys would know, even though I don't post here much.

[Shadow Hog]

I'm pretty sure it'd be the same way the Saturn works - one particular chip needs to have its connections rerouted such that it reports the hardware as belonging to the JPN region instead of the USA region (or EU region, whichever). That being said, I'm no expert in figuring out that sort of thing, and I don't think anyone here really IS, so...

[Esrever]

The extra stage is the first half of World 2. When played on a Japanese system, a cloud/beanstalk themed stage precedes the pirate ship and boss battle.

You know how the boss character has different dreams that change the environment as you are fighting him? I guess this was originally the "dream" world, with the beanstalk and pirate stages being two different dreams. Maybe they thought westerners would be confused by that?

I was always really intrigued by this world, and also the uniquely time-themed winter world. Despite being the only two worlds that weren't based on areas from the console version, they were very creative and true to the "feel" of rest of the game. I wonder if they were completely conceived by the handheld team, or if they were based on ideas that were at one point considered for the main title?

[Neo]

Relevant.

[Malchik]

I love how North America thought the need to make all the creatures pissed off. The bird enemy tit reduction was a good call...

[G.Silver]

They're pissed off at you. I actually like the western sprites better in most cases, it looks like they have more personality, even if that personality is just seething rage.

[The Turtle Guy]

I'm fine with making the enemies pissed, but they often edit the hero, too. I think they threw out several of Ristar's stage-specific wait animations just to have him look angry and determined all the time. And Kirby? Seriously? Kirby is not a fucking rageaholic. He's Kirby. Leave his brows alone.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

I like how the Japanese version of MD Ristar doesn't have that superfluous intro for the ice-themed planet. On the other hand, the English version gave you some heads up to the low-grav sections for one of the latter levels.

[Syntheticgerbil]

The extra stage is the first half of World 2. When played on a Japanese system, a cloud/beanstalk themed stage precedes the pirate ship and boss battle.

You know how the boss character has different dreams that change the environment as you are fighting him? I guess this was originally the "dream" world, with the beanstalk and pirate stages being two different dreams. Maybe they thought westerners would be confused by that?

I was always really intrigued by this world, and also the uniquely time-themed winter world. Despite being the only two worlds that weren't based on areas from the console version, they were very creative and true to the "feel" of rest of the game. I wonder if they were completely conceived by the handheld team, or if they were based on ideas that were at one point considered for the main title?

Relevant.

Thank you, I guess the link and Esrever's explanation pretty much confirms (I think?) that it's on the US cart.

So if this can be done:

I'm pretty sure it'd be the same way the Saturn works - one particular chip needs to have its connections rerouted such that it reports the hardware as belonging to the JPN region instead of the USA region (or EU region, whichever). That being said, I'm no expert in figuring out that sort of thing, and I don't think anyone here really IS, so...

Are there any guides any one knows of for this sort of thing? Funny thing is, when I bought my Saturn off of Ebay 6 years ago, it came soldered set to the Japanese region, causing many of the games I had bought before hand to not work. I'm not sure how I figured out what was wrong, but I think I looked up the error. Anyway, I ended up finding a guide on how to set it back to the US and having my dad mess with the circuit boards and solder it according to the guide. He's good with that stuff because that sort of thing is his job, but he doesn't really play video games.

So if I had a chart or something for the Game Gear, I could have my Dad set it up to be Japanese. I would guess my other two games should still work since it plays carts from all regions anyway.