Rings of Saturn

Rings of Saturn is a Substack dedicated to exploring and explaining hacks in retro Sega games, particularly from the 32-bit era. It delves into game modifications, hidden content, and technical cheats across various titles, providing insights into unexplored game features and enabling unique gameplay experiences.

Retro Gaming Game Modifications Sega 32-bit Era Technical Game Analysis Hidden Content in Games Game Development Insights Playable Character Hacks Game Testing and QA

The hottest Substack posts of Rings of Saturn

And their main takeaways

Under the microscope: Three Dirty Dwarves

61 HN points • 01 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Analysis Development
  1. A hidden cheat code 'MOSHOLU' in Three Dirty Dwarves unlocks 'CHEAT MODE', allowing selection of starting levels.
  2. Discovering hidden features like 'SUPERHERO' and 'JOYRECORD' by examining memory snapshots and exploring password encoding in the game's data.
  3. The decoding process revealed the original purpose of password codes like 'GUNHILL' was to access different game levels, and 'JOYRECORD' likely allowed control over in-game demo playback.

Still loading: Re-Loaded

43 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Programming Software
  1. The cancelled Saturn game Re-Loaded from Gremlin Interactive faced performance issues leading to a low frame rate and long loading times.
  2. Despite having only one level, a patch allows players to remove time limits and explore the game more fully by playing as different characters.
  3. The preview image suggests playing as other characters, which can be unlocked by changing values in game files - offering new gameplay experiences.

Hidden Treasure: Silhouette Mirage's trial disc

29 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
  1. Silhouette Mirage's trial disc contains a full game hidden on it with resources for more levels.
  2. The trial version was based on a late prototype of the game and very closely resembles the final version.
  3. By patching out certain checks, it is possible to fully unlock the demo and access additional content.

Cracking the Clockwork Code

29 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
  1. Clockwork Knight is a game combining two parts with extra modes and content released in Japan in 1995.
  2. Clockwork Knight 2 in the U.S. released in 1996 included Part 2 but was missing Part 1 which was hinted to be unlockable.
  3. By analyzing the game, a cheat code was discovered 27 years later to access Part 1 in Clockwork Knight 2.

The Christmas NiGHTS advent calendar

43 implied HN points • 25 Nov 23
  1. Since 1996, there have been varied interpretations of special dates in Christmas NiGHTS, with different sources conflicting on features like special snow at the end of history
  2. Different themes in Christmas NiGHTS like Winter NiGHTS, Christmas NiGHTS, and the New Year theme have unique aesthetics, outfits, and music for different periods of the year
  3. Various elements in Christmas NiGHTS, such as Santa and Reala's appearances, the different types of snow, and the backgrounds in Spring Valley, change based on specific dates and times throughout the year
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Rounds in NiGHTS and Burning Rangers

43 implied HN points • 19 Nov 23
  1. In NiGHTS and Burning Rangers, stages are called "rounds" internally. This has led to speculation among Sonic fans about missing rounds.
  2. Both NiGHTS and Burning Rangers handle rounds the same way, using specific memory addresses to determine the next round.
  3. Manipulating the round values in NiGHTS and Burning Rangers allows players to access hidden content like different stages or demo discs.

Tails 3D: Knuckles' Island

43 implied HN points • 18 Nov 23
  1. The Saturn version of Sonic 3D Blast was rushed due to the delay of Sonic X-Treme, resulting in some interesting character and level additions.
  2. Sonic 3D Blast on the Saturn has special stages inspired by Sonic 2, considered some of the best in the series.
  3. By analyzing and manipulating character models and code, it's possible to play as Knuckles in Sonic 3D Blast by making specific patches.

Choose your buddy, part 1

29 implied HN points • 15 Dec 23
  1. You can make non-playable characters playable by using tricks like exploiting multiplayer functionalities in certain games
  2. In games without multiplayer capabilities like Sonic Jam and Sonic 3D Blast, you can still control more than one character by swapping handler functions
  3. Adjusting character speeds and making tweaks can enhance the playability and visual appeal of these character control hacks

Tails takes flight in Sonic Jam

29 implied HN points • 01 Dec 23
  1. In Sonic Jam, Tails can be made playable with custom moves and animations.
  2. Changing character parameters can lead to unexpected results like two Sonics or game crashes.
  3. By patching the game's code, Tails can be programmed to fly and have unique jumping animations.

Choose your buddy, part 2

14 implied HN points • 29 Dec 23
  1. In Sonic Jam, the hack was implemented to have both Sonic and Tails respond to controller inputs, by loading two copies of Sonic instead of one.
  2. To render the second Sonic in Sonic Jam, a patch was applied to render both Sonics separately by manipulating their X positions.
  3. Although implementing Tails in place of one Sonic caused the game to crash due to using Sonic's shader on both character models, the hack allowed for interesting experimentation with characters in the game.

Multiplayer dreams

14 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
  1. In some Saturn Sonic Team games, NPCs can be transformed into playable characters by adjusting input settings.
  2. Games like NiGHTS and Burning Rangers allow for easy switching of controller inputs between player 1 and player 2.
  3. By manipulating game functions, players can control multiple characters or NPCs with specific controllers in games like NiGHTS or Burning Rangers.

The QA tester's mentality

3 HN points • 06 Feb 24
  1. In the world of testing games, attention to detail is crucial for success.
  2. Localization challenges often arise in game testing, especially with text-heavy games like RPGs.
  3. The experience gained as a QA tester can be valuable for understanding the intricacies of game development and the importance of preventing issues before they occur.

The longest fuse

2 HN points • 12 Jan 24
  1. A prototype version of Saturn Bomberman reveals hidden features and different characters from the final version.
  2. The prototype includes a unique debug menu with extra options like movie playback and save data manipulation.
  3. There are multiple prerelease builds of Saturn Bomberman with interesting differences to explore.

Christmas NiGHTS Into Sonic

2 HN points • 22 Dec 23
  1. The Christmas NiGHTS Into Sonic hack allows players to control Sonic during gameplay, instead of NiGHTS, providing a different experience.
  2. By using specific codes, players can access different game modes within Christmas NiGHTS, such as Time Attack mode and Sonic mode.
  3. To prevent crashes in Christmas NiGHTS, the fly-along mode can be utilized, which changes the gameplay dynamics and avoids certain glitches.

Fighting Force, unbound

0 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Tech
  1. Development of the game _Fighting Force_ started as a potential _Streets of Rage 4_, but Core Design decided to release it themselves.
  2. By analyzing memory addresses, players were able to make the auto demo of _Fighting Force_ playable on the Sega Saturn.
  3. Despite missing elements and being incomplete, patches were discovered to restore functionalities like HUD and unlock a second player in _Fighting Force_.

Extending the demo: Rabbit

0 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Software Hacking Entertainment Programming
  1. The demo version of Rabbit Mihonhin, a 2D fighter game, contains hidden options and a more-or-less complete build of the game, possibly a late prototype.
  2. By making patches to lift demo restrictions, such as unlocking the Options screen and accessing disabled characters, players can explore additional content and characters in the game.
  3. The game has a unique integrity checking function that needed to be disabled to allow for translated files, showcasing the developers' interesting approach towards file loading and error correction.

The Knight of the wind

0 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Coding Hacking Software Hardware
  1. Clockwork Knight 2 introduces a new game mechanic with the Barobaro stages, which usually have automatic scrolling but a patch exists to play as Pepper and disable the scrolling.
  2. The technical details reveal that character selection in the game relies on specific codes and files, showcasing how modifications can alter the gameplay experience.
  3. Playing as Pepper in certain levels has some limitations like malfunctioning track bends, getting stuck at certain points, and crashes when losing all gears, but overall the gameplay is functional.

Independence for Psyth

0 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Programming Internet
  1. Psyth is a hidden shoot-em-up game within the dating sim 'Tokimeki Memorial: Forever With You', offering players a surprising full-featured sub-game experience.
  2. A patch from SegaXtreme makes it easier to access and play Psyth by allowing it to boot up directly; the game includes a variety of features like multiple shot patterns and a boss battle.
  3. The technical details behind unlocking the sub-games such as Psyth involved specific function calls and patches, shedding light on the effort put into these hidden gems.

TwinBee Time Attack stands alone

0 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Development
  1. In the game Tokimeki Memorial: Forever With You, you can access sub-games like Psyth and TwinBee Time Attack by playing in a particular way.
  2. TwinBee Time Attack is a vertical shooter game with the goal of finishing each stage as quickly as possible.
  3. To make TwinBee Time Attack launch independently, technical changes were made to the game's code to trick it into loading the mini-game from the start.

NiGHTS, camera, action

0 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
  1. The camera controls in NiGHTS and Burning Rangers can be upgraded for smoother gameplay
  2. You can adjust the camera controls by making simple patches to the game's code
  3. These upgrades enhance the player experience in both games

Kingdom Grandprix's secret English mode

0 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
  1. Kingdom Grandprix has a hidden English mode that can be enabled with an Action Replay code or patches.
  2. The game also has a hidden configuration to disable racing elements by entering a specific code on the Options screen.
  3. The Saturn version contains more options from the arcade version, hinting at hidden features to be explored.

Prelude to Panzer Dragoon

0 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
  1. There are Panzer Dragoon demo discs with hidden content allowing you to play beyond the normal demo limitations.
  2. The prerelease demo versions of Panzer Dragoon show cool differences compared to the final version.
  3. By exploring early demo versions, you can uncover unique features like different boss phases and unfinished stages.