Golden Sun: Dark Dawn

To do: Compare difference in script between the US and European versions (The European version cleared up several awkward comments in the American version.) Add unused/early textures, model data, map info, and other assets. Add test animation info and instructions for Retreat, Avoid, Grip, Insight, and Spirit Sense.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn is the unexpected third game in the Golden Sun series, starring the next generation of the heroes.

Debug Tools#

Move Battle Utility#

The Move ability is assigned a battle animation that triggers a debugging tool. This tool allows you to assign a single status ailment of your choice to the character using the ability, using the Left and Right D-Pad buttons to move through the ailment list one entry at a time, the Up and Down buttons to move through 10 entries at a time, and the A button to select an ailment, and the L and R buttons to adjust the camera depth to set positions. It was likely designed to give the developer an easier means of viewing status indicator animations in-game.

To make Move usable in battle, you have to change the value at #02063775 to enable the "usable in battle" ability flag (it is a binary value: Change this value from 09 to either 89 or C9). Note that only one ailment can be selected, and doing so will clear all other ailments. For ailments with a set duration, they will always be cleared at the end of the current round; Doom is the only exception to this rule.

The full list of conditions is as follows:

0 = Poision (sic - Poison)
1 = DeadPoision (sic - Deadly Poison)
2 = Mahi (Stun)
3 = Sleep
4 = Ghost (Haunt)
5 = Genwaku (Delusion)
6 = Energ█ (this is supposed to say "Energy", but the last character is overwritten after the font set is loaded)
7 = Senkoku1 (Doom - 1 Flame; this will also cause the user's subsequent death)
8 = Senkoku2 (Doom - 2 Flames)
9 = Senkoku3 (Doom - 3 Flames)
10 = Senkoku4 (Doom - 4 Flames)
11 = End_Loop (backs out and returns to battle, confirming any choice you have made)

Unused Graphics#

3D Models#

There are nine 3D models which are not archived with the rest of the used models. Aside from the Djinn Tutorial scene at the forest and two dungeon entrances, there are quite a bit of interesting models out there, including oddly textured ones.

E3 Leftovers#

The graphics for the E3 demo used for the sub-screen and the top-screen are still in the ROM. Additionally, maps from the E3 demo made it into the released version.

Early Patcher's Place Cutscene Script#

Watch on YouTubeThe E3 demo has a different version of Patcher's Place, with NPCs that say different things from the final game. Included among this area's text files is an inaccessible script for the cutscene that plays when meeting Patcher for the first time. The text file used for the release version of the Patcher's Place map can be replaced with the E3 text file, which can then be adjusted slightly so that it matches up 1:1 with character interactions in the final game.

To do: Add the rest of the game script for these E3 areas, including branching emotional dialogue for this cutscene.

Unused Areas#

Watch on YouTubeOne can exploit a glitch involving saving then loading while on the border of certain bridges (with Matthew's shadow no longer visible), so that the game "corrects" his position and he clips through the floor. By walking in the black nothingness, otherwise unreachable places in the overworld map can be reached. A similar effect is observed while using double speed/walk through walls Action Replay codes.

This glitch reveals that many of the places from past Golden Sun games have been modeled in fairly extensive detail, such as an unreachable Sol Sanctum and the Venus Lighthouse. Many of these places are inaccessible when approached, though some are.

Additionally, using "walk through walls" codes to cross normally broken bridges can lead you to normally inaccessible areas like the normally unreachable other side of Biblin (modeled but lacking collision detection and NPCs), and many other partially implemented towns. The Carvers Camp has on the other side of the bridge a house without collision detection but a functional door (and full interior!). A puzzle involving a pushable log even exists, but the end of the path has nothing. Most importantly, the warp on the other side to the overworld is functional, although you're instantly warped back.

Unused Enemies#

The following unused enemies exist:

• Momangler
• Manticore
• Some djinn that can not normally be fought, like Pepper.
• One djinni that has no model assigned, crashing the game.
• Five E3 variants of existing enemies; Rat Skulk (has a unique name), Flutter Seed, Skeleton, Dread Hound, Ogre Titan.

To do: Add stats for unused enemies, along with images.

Unused Enemy Groups#

Normally, when you use positive numbers for enemy groups, the table at 0217432C (U Version) is used, however, if you use negative numbers, the table at 02173674 (U version) will be used instead. Note that the sprites will not match with the enemy names, so this table is likely not used in normal game-play. The names should match with the stats, so that's how they are listed below:

0xFFFF = Skinwalker, Wise Gryphon, Skinwalker, Skinwalker
0xFFFE = White Wolf, Virago, White Wolf
0xFFFD = Cave Troll, Virago, Cave Troll
0xFFFC = Jupiter Djinni (Vortex), Red Wyvern, Jupiter Djinni (Vortex), Red Wyvern
0xFFFB = Hobgoblin, Dark Soldier, Hobgoblin, Dark Soldier
0xFFFA = (first enemy/no name?), Lizard Savage, (first enemy/no name?), Lizard Savage
0xFFF9 = Willowisp, Willowisp, Virago, Virago
0xFFF8 = Virago, Virago, Minos Warrior, Minos Warrior
0xFFF7 = Mimic, Venus Djinni (Bark), Venus Djinni (Gears)
0xFFF6 - 0xFEF9 = Each group is a pair of each enemy.
0xFEF8 = Fenrir
0xFEF7 = Jupiter Djinni (Gust), Mars Djinni (Aurora), Jupiter Djinni (Gust)
0xFEF6 = Calamar, Calamar, Calamar

Unused NPCs#

There are four dummied NPCs that use Karis' model; two are grouped with the GS1 protagonists, and two are grouped with Blados and Chalis. There is also a text file for NPC names that includes names for two unused characters; Penticia and Stavo. These names are grouped with Blados and Chalis in the list, and are presumably antagonists that were cut from the story.

Unused Shops#

0x15 = An item shop that sells nothing.

0x25 = A general shop that sells these items: (See 0x021FB692)

Herb
Nut
Mist potion
Muramasa
Short sword
Long sword
Gaia Blade
Swift sword
Spirit gloves
Cosmos shield
Planet armor
Safety boots
Cleric's ring
Storm Brand
Claymore
Silver blade
Gaia Blade
Darksword
Lord Sun's Ring
Beserker claw
Chain mail
Guardian circlet
Knight's greave

Artifacts sold are Cosmos Shield (x1) and Mist Potion (x4)

0x26 - 0x27 = General shops selling nothing. (May or may not be part of the shop data.)

Debug Button#

The the DS debug button resets the game, much like pressing L + R + Start + Select.

Regional Differences#

Title Screen#

As the game has localised titles, the title screen differs. Also, the USA Spanish version uses the English logo instead of the Spanish one. There are some punctuation differences as well. The English USA and EUR versions have different wording (tap/touch).

Japanese 黄金の太陽：漆黒なる夜明け	English (USA) Golden Sun: Dark Dawn	English (EUR) Golden Sun: Dark Dawn	French Golden Sun: Obscure aurore
German Golden Sun: Die dunkle Dämmerung	Italian Golden Sun: L'alba oscura	Spanish (USA) Golden Sun: Dark Dawn	Spanish (EUR) Golden Sun: Oscuro amanecer

Translation Errors#

• Alex's relationship with Mia (DE)

In Sun Saga 2, which tells the story of how the Vale heroes met Mia in the first game, Alex is described as Mia's cousin. However, the German version states Alex is her brother instead.

Anti-Piracy#

To do: Add video footage.

This game contains multiple layers of anti-piracy checks to ensure it's being run off a legit game cartridge, all done via using the DS Protect anti-piracy library.

Layer One - DSProtect 2.01s#

The first layer (overlay 335) contains DSProtect 2.01s, and checks on the cartridge to ensure if it's a legit copy upon startup, if it is not, the game will hang on a black screen.

Layer Two - DSProtect 2.01#

The second layer (overlay 334) contains DSProtect 2.01 and works slightly differently: The game checks the cartridge to ensure it's a legit copy by making sure it returns a proper value and runs a checksum after entering a name on the character select screen or after the opening cutscene. If this check fails, the game will reset, and then hangs. If this check is bypassed, the overworld will be a black screen and after exiting the main menu, the game runs a checksum again to ensure the overlay is altered, if it does, a battle against Dim Dragon will trigger. Also, some features wouldn't work correctly such as using Psynergy and getting an item would appear as the wrong one or crash the game.