DownTown

DownTown is an unremarkable top-down beat 'em up, but at least there's some interesting stuff hidden inside.

Debug Functions#

Sales Screen Debug#

To enable the debug functions for this section...

1. Set the Sales dip switch to "Japan Only". This will enable the Sales / Export notice.
2. On the Sales / Export notice screen, press 1P Punch x3, then press 1P Kick x10.
3. Hold 1P Punch + 1P Kick and insert a coin in Slot 1.

Note that only the first debug screen is enabled by default: To access the other three, put the following code in MAME's Downtown.xml cheat file:

  <cheat desc="Change Coin Debug Mode">
    <parameter>
      <item value="0x0001">Character Debug</item>
      <item value="0x0003">Stage Debug</item>
      <item value="0x0005">PCM16 Test</item>
    </parameter>
    <script state="run">
      <action>maincpu.pw@FFF86A=param</action>
    </script>
  </cheat>

Unfortunately, most of the functions seem to have been dummied out. This was presumably the main UD2 debug menu, but all of the text is missing and none of the player's input does anything. The player is effectively stuck on this screen until the machine is reset.

This is the remains of a character debugger. The only thing here that works is the white timer in the lower-left corner.

This stage debugger actually works a bit. The variables on screen display the player and camera's current position. To advance to the next area, get to the end of the current area and press 1P Start. Unfortunately, if the player presses 1P Start at the end of Stage 1, they're taken to the map screen with no way out.

This is the PCM16 test screen. It doesn't work. Thank you.

UD2 Test Mode#

To enable a stage select feature, do the following:

1. Set the Sales dip switch to "Japan Only". This will enable the Sales / Export notice.
2. On the Sales / Export notice screen, press 1P Punch x3, then press 1P Kick x10.
3. Start a new game. Hold 1P Punch + 1P Kick until the pre-game sequence ends.

The only two options that do anything on this menu are "Stage" and "Area". "Waltz" is just another timer.

UD2 Analyzer Mode#

To access an analyzer screen, hold 2P Start and input the following button sequence:
1P Punch, 1P Kick, 1P Punch, 1P Kick, 1P Punch, 1P Kick,
1P Kick, 1P Punch, 1P Kick, 1P Punch, 1P Kick, 1P Punch, 1P Kick, 1P Punch,
1P Punch, 1P Kick

Wait for the title screen to fade and this screen should appear. "Income", "Continue, and "All Clear" don't seem to work properly, but "Level" is the raw value of the game's difficulty dip switch. "INT" is yet another game timer.

Press 1P Punch or 1P Kick to exit this screen.

Hidden Message#

The following message is in the main CPU at 0x7FF00:

################
#              #
#  UD-2 / TAM. #
#              #
#  Sep 13 1988 #
#              #
#  Programmed  #
#      by      #
# Waltz System #
#              #
#  Thanks  to  #
#     MTY      #
# BLUE & NAG   #
# GOBLIN SOUND #
#              #
################

High Score Messages#

There are eleven names that a player can enter into the high score screen. These names play a sound effect and display a secret message. They are as follows:

Placeholder Ending#

What appears to be a placeholder ending is present in the game's code. Put the following code in downtown.xml and activate it to see the credits on the stage results screen:

  <cheat desc="Placeholder Ending">
    <script state="run">
      <action>maincpu.mw@0895D0=11FC</action>
      <action>maincpu.mw@089602=11CA</action>
      <action>maincpu.mw@08964E=117E</action>
    </script>
    <script state="off">
      <action>maincpu.mw@0895D0=0F92</action>
      <action>maincpu.mw@089602=0F60</action>
      <action>maincpu.mw@08964E=0F14</action>
    </script>
  </cheat>

Data Labels#

There are a number of data labels in the game ROM. Not especially interesting, but here we are.

TAM_STUP1_BB_END

## ANIME DATA ##

 ANIME DATA END 

OBJ BK ADR TABLE

# OBJ BK DATA. #

OBJ BK DATA END 

### FIO DATA ###

# FIO DATA END #

_SG1 DATA TABLE_

_SG1 DATA END  _

BK-DATA AREA/001

STG CHR ADDR TBL

STG CHR TBL END!

STG COL ADDR TBL

FIX GEN DATA END

_SG2 DATA TABLE_

_SG2 DATA END  _

TAM_STUP2_END___

References#