the cutting room mirror

Famicom Tantei Club Part II: Ushiro ni Tatsu Shoujo (SNES)

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Famicom Tantei Club Part II: The Girl Who Stands Behind is a Super Famicom remake of the second in a series of murder mystery games originally released for the Famicom Disk System. The Super Famicom version features significantly upgraded graphics, music, etc.

The game was remade again for the Nintendo Switch in 2021, being localized into English for the first time.

To do:
Some background graphics are covered up with sprites.

Sound Mode#

ftc2-sound.png

Setting 7E08FD to 01 on the title screen will enable a sound option.

Pressing Left or Right will display the option and switch between Stereo and Monaural. This is accompanied by a sound effect and the sound mode actually switching(!).

This text is in English even in the original untranslated ROM.

The position of the sprite that appears (underneath the "New Game"/"Continue" options) seems to suggest that those two options were supposed to appear higher than they do in the final ROM.

Debug Mode#

ftc2-debug.png

There is a debug menu available for testing location backgrounds and character graphics. To access it, use Pro Action Replay (PAR) codes 81E830A9 81E83102 81E832EA.

With the codes active, "Go To" any available location, then disable the codes.

ftc2-goto.png

Selecting "Go To" on the debug menu allows you to cycle through all of the scenes associated with any location in the game. Each scene displays a differently numbered generic debug string. These strings may have contained more useful information (such as specific details about a scene) at some point during development.

ftc2-citymenu.png

Selecting "City" from the "Go To" menu brings up this menu, which allows you to test various animations. Each of the three choices leads to other menus with 3 choices. Each of these choices displays various cinematic sequences, with similar generic debug strings in place of the text/dialogue that is usually shown.

The available options:

  • Option 1: "debug string #7d".
    • Option 1: Intro cutscene.
    • Option 2: Something, then the animation of Goro being stabbed, then the close-up "running feet" animation.
    • Option 3: The player's "A/B/C/D" timeline.
  • Option 2: "debug string #79".
    • Option 1: All chapter titles.
    • Option 2: Staff roll.
    • Option 3: Opening title.
  • Option 3: "debug string #7e".
    • Option 1: Hibino's flashback: Shinobu standing by the window, etc.
    • Option 2: Epilogue.
    • Option 3: Last scene (Hibino and the mirror).

spoiler alert

Selecting "Speak To" lets you cycle through all of the expression and pose graphics for all of the characters in the game. Each character repeatedly says a short greeting as you view each individual graphic.

ftc2-think.png

Selecting "Think" brings up this menu. The first option shows the chapter 11 intro, the second takes you to the ending and staff roll, and the third does the same thing as selecting "Man" from the Speak To menu (this may have originally done something else; see below).

Unused Debug Text#

To do:
This is taken from the translation patch; might want to get the equivalent text from the original version as well. Also, something about developer notes.

Some additional debug-related text is located in the ROM.

Staff: 
Thank you for entering debug mode.{
Currently, 
the staff roll is under construction."{
Staff: 
If it's okay with you, 
during this time we will{
{play music for your enjoyment. 
If a page is sent,{
epilogue will be done."{
Staff: 
Oh, 
is this too much assistance?"{

This message from the staff may have originally been displayed by the third "Think" option in the debug menu. Since the staff roll is obviously no longer under construction in the final game, the message may have been deemed unnecessary and taken out.

Normal face{
Normal face 
(first part){
Normal face 
(dull eyes){
Normal face 
(squinted eyes){
Normal face 
(smiling){
Angry face{
Sad face{
Surprised face{
Surprised face 
(obstinant){
Hateful{
Brooding{
Smiling{
Trembling{
In front of the mirror 
(close-up){
In front of the mirror 
(hung low){
Talking to Yoko{
Talking to Yoko 
(color){
Hanging head in shame 
(below gaze){
Hanging head in shame 
(above gaze){
Wishful face 
(fondness){
Wishful face{
Subtle face{
Subtle face w/ gaze{
Subtle face w/ front gaze{
Behind figure 
(normal face){
Behind figure 
(happy face){
Not composed{

These strings describing various poses and facial expressions were probably used by the "Speak To" debug option at some point, rather than the character-specific greetings.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Development Text#

Text mentioning the SNES Mouse is present at 0x16EC in the ROM. The game does not support the Mouse.

NINTENDO SHVC MOUSE BIOS Ver1.00END OF MOUSE BIOS