This original document was written by: Tony Hedstrom t_hedstrom@yahoo.com http://www.angelfire.com/games2/codehut/ How to make Sega Genesis Game Genie codes (advanced) Version 0.6 April 21 2002 This document explains how to make Game Genie codes for Sega Genesis games. I'm only going to give a quick explanation on how to convert the ROM (game) into a usable format, and how to convert the ROM addresses into working Game Genie codes. To find out how to locate the right area of the ROM, you'll need to read another document I wrote for SNES games. You can find it on my web site (the address is above) in the SNES section. It's called "How to make SNES Game Genie codes". If you read that, it will explain how to find the right addresses in the ROM. It's best if you know how to use a hex editor (and how to count in hex) before attempting to make Game Genie codes. It's not absolutely necessary, but it sure does help. I get LOTS of email from people asking me to explain how to use a hex editor, or how to count in hex. If you want to learn how to use a hex editor, just open it up, and click on the "Help" button. It'll tell you everything you need to know. If you want to learn how to count in hex, just search the internet, there's lots of good tutorials out there. Keep in mind that this method of code making works best for RPG type games (games like Shining Force, Phantasy Star, Shadowrun, etc). This method will work on games that already have Game Genie codes, or with games that don't have any codes. Also keep in mind that if you use a real Game Genie and a real Genesis with any game that allows you to save the game (this includes most RPG's), you won't be able to save your game while the Game Genie is attached. This is because of the Game Genie itself, and not because of the codes. However, if you are using an emulator, you will have no problems saving your game. If, after reading this document, you still want more advanced info on Genesis Game Genie code making, here's and excellent place to go: http://home.earthlink.net/~zazer/ OK, enough rambling, lets get to the good part.... Here's a list of what you'll need: 1) A hex editor (I use Hex Workshop ver. 2.54). You can get a free trial version of Hex Workshop here: www.bpsoft.com 2) A ROM of the game you want to make codes for. Please don't ask me for ROMs. Search the internet, you'll find them. 3) An emulator (or a Genesis/Game Genie) to test/use the codes with. You can find the newest versions of most emulators here: zophar.net You will need to use Genecyst (an emulator) for this example, but you can use any emulator you want to for playing the game with, as long as it supports Game Genie codes. 4) A Game Genie to hex conversion program. You can download an excellent one from my web site. It's the first program listed in the "Download" section: http://www.angelfire.com/games2/codehut/ And remember to read "How to make SNES Game Genie codes" (from my web site) to learn how to find the right ROM addresses. Reading it is not really necessary for this example, but it will help with other games. Also, read "Code making tips" (in the SNES section) for more help with making Game Genie codes. I wrote "Code making tips" mainly for NES and SNES games, but much of the info also applies to Genesis games. For this document, I'm going to use Shining Force as an example. I picked Shining Force for 2 reasons. First of all, because it's a popular game, and second of all (and most importantly), because the way the game was coded, it makes it very easy to find the right ROM addresses for code making. After following this example, you should have no problem making Game Genie codes for other games. Before you can use your ROM to find Game Genie codes, you need to "unscramble" it. If your ROM has an extension of ".bin", then you can skip this part. But if your ROM has an extension of ".smd", then follow these instructions. This is what our example (Shining Force) looks like: ShinForc.smd. Since it ends in .smd we will need to unscramble it. Here's how: Load the ROM using the Genecyst emulator. Once the game is running, press the spacebar to bring up the emulator menu, then click on CPU / Dump / ROM. Doing this will cause the emulator to make a new file called "Rom". Exit Genecyst and find the new file it just made. It should be at the end of all the other files in the folder that Genecyst is in. It will be named "Rom" with no extension. Change the name of this file to match the name of your game. It doesn't matter what you name the new file, just so long as you know what it is. So in our example, we will name the new file Shiningforce.rom. Our new file is now ready for making Game Genie codes. :-) Open up your new "unscrambled" file with a hex editor. In this example, we're opening up Shiningforce.rom. I've already made lots of Game Genie codes for Max (the main character in Shining Force), so lets make some codes for Ken (after reading this doc, you'll be able to make codes for any character in the game). Lets make a Game Genie code that lets Ken start with any weapon in the game (instead of the spear). Once you have the Shining Force ROM opened up with the hex editor, go to this address: 251E6. This is the ROM address that tells the game which weapon Ken starts the game with. We can change this number (with a Game Genie code) so that Ken will start with any weapon you want! The number at the above ROM address (251E6) should be AD. If it's not, then you're probably at the wrong address. If you go to the very end of this document (below), and find "AD" in the list of items, you'll notice that AD corresponds to the "Spear". And if you've ever played Shining Force, you know that Ken starts the game with a Spear, so we're on the right track. Lets make a Game Genie code that lets Ken start with a Bronze Lance (instead of a Spear). Here's how: Run the Game Genie to hex conversion program (you can download it from my web site). Click on the "GEN" button to open up the Genesis part of the program. Where it says "Hex Code", type in the ROM address from above (0251E6). You must use 6 digits in the first box for the Hex Code, so we added a "0" to our ROM address (251E6 = 0251E6). What we just did was to tell the Game Genie which address we want it to change. Next, we'll tell it what numbers (value) we want at that address. Go to the very end of this document (below) and find the hex number for the "Bronze Lance". Look for it under where it says "Equipped Items". The hex number for the Bronze Lance is "A8". So A8 is the first number that we put into the box after where you put the ROM address (0251E6). In other words, type in 0251E6 in the first box, and type in A8 in the second box. The second box must have 4 digits, so type in FF for the other 2 digits. So the second box should have A8FF in it. Here's why we used "FF" for the last 2 digits (this gets a little complicated, so pay attention): The Genesis Game Genie (unlike the NES, SNES, or Gameboy Game Genie), can modify 2 separate (but consecutive) ROM addresses, so we must enter 2 sets of numbers (values). If you look at the address right after our ROM address from above (251E6), the value there is "FF", so that's the number we use for the second part of our code. One very cool thing about the Genesis Game Genie is that if we want, we can change that "FF" to any other number we want, and Ken will also have that item when he starts a game! In other words, with just one Game Genie code, we can let Ken start with ANY 2 items you want. So if you wanted Ken to start with a Bronze Lance, and a Healing Seed, just find those items in the list below and enter them into the last box in the GG to hex conversion program. The Bronze Lance = A8, and the Healing Seed = 01, so the code would look like this: 0251E6:A801. Once you enter in all of the numbers, the program will give you your Game Genie code. So this is what we get... If you only want the code to modify one address: 0251E6:A8FF = 97JT-EVSG (97JT-EVSG is the Game Genie code). If you want the code to modify two addresses: 0251E6:A801 = AFJT-EVSG (AFJT-EVSG is the Game Genie code). So these are our finished Game Genie codes: 97JT-EVSG Ken starts a new game with the Bronze Lance equipped (instead of the Spear). AFJT-EVSG Ken starts a new game with the Bronze Lance equipped (instead of the Spear), and a Healing seed. NOTE: The above codes must be entered at the start of a new game or else they won't work. Remember, you can modify these codes to let Ken start with any item/weapon you want. Just find the item you want in the list below, and substitute it for one of the other values in the Hex Code part of the conversion program. One important rule you must remember when making Genesis Game Genie codes: The ROM address you use must always be an even number! In other words, the ROM address must always end with 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, A, C, or E. If you need to make a code for an odd numbered address, just use the address right before it (which will be an even number) and leave the value for the even numbered address the same, and use the second part of the value to change the odd numbered address. In the Game Genie to hex conversion program used in this example, the first box (after where it says "Hex Code") is for the ROM address, and the second (smaller) box (after where it says "Hex Code") is for the values. The second (smaller) box uses 2 sets of 2 numbers (4 digits total). This box is where you type in your values. The first 2 numbers are for the address in the first box (the even numbered ROM address), and the second set of numbers (the 3rd and 4th numbers) are for the odd numbered ROM address (the ROM address right after the even numbered address). If all of this seems a little convoluted (confusing), just start playing around with different codes and you'll be able to figure it out, it's really not that hard (just a little hard to explain). Also, you can easily make similar Game Genie codes for any of the other characters in the game. If you go to the ROM address listed above (251E6), you'll notice that if you look to the right hand side of the hex editor, you'll see the names of all the other characters in the game. By using the address for Ken's starting weapon as a guide, you can figure out the right address for the other characters starting weapons. Here's a few examples to help you out... Vankar = 02520E Earnest = 025236 Arthur = 02525E and so on... By looking at those examples, you should be able to figure out the rest of the characters. I haven't actually tried making Game Genie codes with those addresses yet, so I can't guarantee that they're correct, but I'm pretty sure they're right. One other cool thing you can do if you want to exper- iment with new codes, is to make codes for some of the other ROM addresses before and after the ones listed above. In other words, any address from 251CF to 251F3 will probably change something about how Ken starts the game (starting stats, weapons, items, magic, etc). Game Genie codes have already been made for all of the character's starting stats, so no sense in making those unless you just want to practice. You can look at some of the Shining Force Game Genie codes I made (on my web site) and convert them into hex codes (using the Game Genie to hex conversion program) and use them to help you make similar codes for the other characters. Well, this is my first draft of this document, and I'm sure that I've made some mistakes, and probably didn't explain everything as clear as possible, but I'm going to go ahead and release it and then make improvements at a later date (when I get time). My head hurts after all of this typing... time for a nap. :-) Happy code making! If you have any questions, you can email me here: Tony Hedstrom t_hedstrom@yahoo.com ======================================================= Below is a complete list of items in the game with it's matching hex number: NOTE: Equipped items are further down the list. * = Dummy / Useless items 00: Medical Herb 01: Healing Seed 02: Antidote 03: Shower of Cure 04: Angel Wing 05: Power Potion 06: Defense Potion 07: Legs of Haste 08: Turbo Pepper 09: Bread of Life 0A: Power Ring 0B: Shield Ring 0C: Speed Ring 0D: Mobility Ring 0E: White Ring 0F: Black Ring 10: Evil Ring 11: Sugoi Mizugi 12: Orb of Light 13: Moon Stone 14: Lunar Dew 15: Kutui Huku 16: Domingo Egg 17: Kenji* 18: Teppou* 19: Kaku-Chan* 1A: Yougi* 1B: Great Axe 1C: Kinden No Hako 1D: Short Sword 1E: Middle Sword 1F: Long Sword 20: Steel Sword 21: Broad Sword 22: Doom Blade 23: Katana 24: Elven Arrow 25: Sword of Darkness 26: Sword of Light 27: Chaos Breaker 28: Bronze Lance 29: Steel Lance 2A: Chrome Lance 2B: Devil Lance 2C: Halberd 2D: Spear 2E: Power Spear 2F: Valkyrie 30: Hand Axe 31: Middle Axe 32: Battle Axe 33: Heat Axe 34: Atlas 35: Wooden Staff 36: Guardian Staff 37: Holy Staff 38: Power Staff 39: Demon Rod 3A: Yogurt Ring 3B: Wooden Arrow 3C: Steel Arrow 3D: Assault Shell 3E: Buster Shot 3F: Dummy* 40: Medical Herb 41: Healing Seed 42: Antidote 43: Shower of Cure 44: Angel Wing 45: Power Potion 46: Defense Potion 47: Legs of Haste 48: Turbo Pepper 49: Bread of Life 4A: Power Ring 4B: Shield Ring 4C: Speed Ring 4D: Mobility Ring 4E: White Ring 4F: Black Ring 50: Evil Ring 51: Sugoi Muzugi 52: Orb of Light 53: Moon Stone 54: Lunar Dew 55: Kitui Huku 56: Domingo Egg 57: Kenji* 58: Teppou* 59: Kaku-Chan* 5A: Yougi* 5B: Great Axe 5C: Kindan No Hako* 5D: Short Sword 5E: Middle Sword 5F: Long Sword 60: Steel Sword 61: Broad Sword 62: Doom Blade 63: Katana 64: Elven Arrow 65: Sword of Darkness 66: Sword of Light 67: Chaos Breaker 68: Bronze Lance 69: Steel Lance 6A: Chrome Lance 6B: Devil Lance 6C: Halberd 6D: Spear 6E: Power Spear 6F: Valkyrie 70: Hand Axe 71: Middle Axe 72: Battle Axe 73: Heat Axe 74: Atlas 75: Wooden Staff 76: Guardian Staff 77: Holy Staff 78: Power Staff 79: Demon Rod 7A: Yogurt Ring 7B: Wooden Arrow 7C: Steel Arrow 7D: Assult Shell 7E: Buster Shot 7F: Dummy* Equipped Items: 80: Medical Herb 81: Healing Seed 82: Antidote 83: Shower of Cure 84: Angel Wing 85: Power Potion 86: Defense Potion 87: Legs of Haste 88: Turbo Pepper 89: Bread of Life 8A: Power Ring 8B: Shield Ring 8C: Speed Ring 8D: Mobility Ring 8E: White Ring 8F: Black Ring 90: Evil Ring 91: Sugoi Mizugi 92: Orb of Light 93: Moon Stone 94: Lunar Dew 95: Kutui Huku 96: Domingo Egg 97: Kenji* 98: Teppou* 99: Kaku-Chan* 9A: Yougi* 9B: Great Axe 9C: Kinden No Hako* 9D: Short Sword 9E: Middle Sword 9F: Long Sword A0: Steel Sword A1: Broad Sword A2: Doom Blade A3: Katana A4: Elven Arrow A5: Sword of Darkness A6: Sword of Light A7: Chaos Breaker A8: Bronze Lance A9: Steel Lance AA: Chrome Lance AB: Devil Lance AC: Halberd AD: Spear AE: Power Spear AF: Valkyrie B0: Hand Axe B1: Middle Axe B2: Battle Axe B3: Heat Axe B4: Atlas B5: Wooden Staff B6: Guardian Staff B7: Holy Staff B8: Power Staff B9: Demon Rod BA: Yogurt Ring BB: Wooden Arrow BC: Steel Arrow BD: Assult Shell BE: Buster Shot BF: Dummy* C0: Medical Herb C1: Healing Seed C2: Antidote C3: Shower of Cure C4: Angel Wing C5: Power Potion C6: Defense Potion C7: Legs of Haste C8: Turbo Pepper C9: Bread of Life CA: Power Ring CB: Shield Ring CC: Speed Ring CD: Mobility Ring CE: White Ring CF: Black Ring D0: Evil Ring D1: Sugoi Muzugi D2: Orb of Light D3: Moon Stone D4: Lunar Dew D5: Kitui Huku D6: Domingo Egg D7: Kenji* D8: Teppou* D9: Kaku-Chan* DA: Yougi* DB: Great Axe DC: Kindan No Hako* DD: Short Sword DE: Middle Sword DF: Long Sword E0: Steel Sword E1: Broad Sword E2: Doom Blade E3: Katana E4: Elven Arrow E5: Sword of Darkness E6: Sword of Light E7: Chaos Breaker E8: Bronze Lance E9: Steel Lance EA: Chrome Lance EB: Devil Lance EC: Halberd ED: Spear EE: Power Spear EF: Valkyrie F0: Hand Axe F1: Middle Axe F2: Battle Axe F3: Heat Axe F4: Atlas F5: Wooden Staff F6: Guardian Staff F7: Holy Staff F8: Power Staff F9: Demon Rod FA: Yogurt Ring FB: Wooden Arrow FC: Steel Arrow FD: Assult Shell FE: Buster Shot FF: Empty Space