The MSI Entertainment Devices are...something. These somehow-licensed Famiclones only have one game per console, all originating from the NES/Famicom, and are priced at a rather high $20 each. They're not the worst of these kinds of consoles out there, but certainly the most barebones, and are trumped by their older Y2K counterparts.
As each one is effectively based on the same code, all of the consoles will be documented on this page instead of separate pages for each game. Consoles analyzed include:
- Double Dragon
- Frogger
- Mega Man II
- Ms. Pac-Man
- Space Invaders
- WWE WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge
- Namco Classics Vol. 1 (feat. Dig Dug II, Pac-Mania, and The Tower of Druaga)
Consoles currently not properly analyzed include:
- Midway Classic Arcade Vol. 1 (feat. Joust, Gauntlet II, and Defender II)
Controller and Checksum Test#
A basic controller test with some Nice Code music, accessed by holding A + B while turning a console on. This doesn't seem to work on Space Invaders, despite it still being in the system's code.
Controller Test Music
This is actually a cut down version of a test routine that actually does checksum calculation, which explains why it's always 0.
Unused Games#
Namco Classics Vol. 1#
Namco Classics Vol. 1 seems to share the same coding as Midway Classics Vol. 1, as all six games are intact. The menu system also seems to have every game incorporated; there is likely some way to change between the menus/game lists (be it through the software or the physical circuit board).
Unused Joust |
Unused Defender II |
Unused Gauntlet |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
However, Namco Classics seems to actually be based on an unfinished build of Midway Classics. Most notably, the original Gauntlet is used in the coding, while the final release uses Gauntlet II. Additionally, all of the games feature their original copyright information, save for (quite sloppily) removing any mention of Nintendo; the final system replaces all copyrights to only credit Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Unused Graphics#
Namco/Midway Classics Menu Graphics#
Large sprites of Psy of Gangnam Style fame and Red and one of the Blues from Angry Birds, left over from the "Game Zone Classic Arcade" bootleg handheld.
(If you're curious, the birds' shoes are due to their sprites being based on Angry Birds 4, a hack of Kiwi Kraze featured on the Game Zone Classic Arcade.)
Unknown VT-Based Graphics#
CHR for an unknown game; its PRG does not seem to be present. It is overwritten in Double Dragon and Mega Man II.
Glitched Taito Logo#
When run as VT09 |
When run as VT03 |
|---|---|
 |
 |
The Taito logo at the beginning of Space Invaders is in VT03 format despite the console itself running on VT09, causing its colors to display incorrectly. By running it as VT03, the correct colors will be shown.
Frogger Source Code#
A chunk of source code can be found in Frogger at address 16000 (and duplicated several times throughout):
s
CA1D A900 Lda #$00
CA1F 8D9507 Sta Frogkt7XSpeedH
CA22 8D9607 Sta Frogkt7XSpeedL
CA25 A9FF Lda #$FF
CA27 8D9707 Sta Frogkt7YSpeedH
CA2A A980 Lda #$80
CA2C 8D9807 Sta Frogkt7YSpeedL
CA2F A930 Lda #Frog7WriteScrOFF%$100
CA31 8502 STA REG_DL
CA33 8504 STA REG_BL
CA35 A904 Lda #Frog7WriteScrOFF/$100
CA37 8503 STA REG_DH
CA39 8505 STA REG_BH
CA3B A902 Lda #$02
CA3D 8506 STA REG_CL
CA3F 8507 STA REG_CH
CA41 20A3DD JSR CopySCRFun
CA44 EE9907 Inc WhoKtAction
CA47 OccurKtUEnd:
CA47 60 Rts
;--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
CA48 MoveKtFun:
CA48 2087CB Jsr ChangeKtFun
CA4B AD5707 Lda Frogkt1No
CA4E C9FF Cmp #$FF
CA50 F026 Beq MoveKtFun1
CA52 AD5407 Lda Frogkt1XL
CA55 18 Clc
CA56 6D5A07 Adc Frogkt1XSpeedL
CA59 8D5407 Sta Frogkt1XL
CA5C AD5307 Lda Frogkt1XH
CA5F 6D5907 Adc Frogkt1XSpeedH
CA62 8D5307 Sta Frogkt1XH
CA65 AD5607 Lda Frogkt1YL
CA68 18 Clc
CA69 6D5C07 Adc Frogkt1YSpeedL
CA6C 8D5607 Sta Frogkt1YL
CA6F AD5507 Lda Frogkt1YH
CA72 6D5B07 Adc Frogkt1YSpeedH
CA75 8D5507 Sta Frogkt1YH
CA78 MoveKtFun1:
CA78 AD6107 Lda Frogkt2No
CA7B C9FF Cmp #$FF
CA7D F026 Beq MoveKtFun2
CA7F AD5E07 Lda Frogkt2XL
CA82 18 Clc
CA83 6D6407 Adc Frogkt2XSpeedL
CA86 8D5E07 Sta Frogkt2XL
CA89 AD5D07 Lda Frogkt2XH
CA8C 6D6307 Adc Frogkt2XSpeedH
CA8F 8D5D07 Sta Frogkt2XH
CA92 AD6007 Lda Frogkt2YL
CA95 18 Clc
CA96 6D6607 Adc Frogkt2YSpeedL
CA99 8D6007 Sta Frogkt2YL
CA9C AD5F07 Lda Frogkt2YH
CA9F 6D6507 Adc Frogkt2YSpeedH
CAA2 8D5F07 Sta Frogkt2YH
CAA5 MoveKtFun2:
CAA5 AD6B07 Lda Frogkt3No
CAA8 C9FF Cmp #$FF
CAAA F026 Beq MoveKtFun3
CAAC AD6807 Lda Frogkt3XL
CAAF 18 Clc
CAB0 6D6E07 Adc Frogkt3XSpeedL
CAB3 8D6807 Sta Frogkt3XL
CAB6 AD6707 Lda Frogkt3XH
CAB9 6D6D07 Adc Frogkt3XSpeedH
CABC 8D6707 Sta FrogkT3XH
CABF AD6A07 Lda Frogkt3YL
CAC2 18 Clc
CAC3 6D7007 Adc Frogkt3YSpeedL
CAC6 8D6A07 Sta Frogkt3YL
CAC9 AD6907 Lda Frogkt3YH
CACC 6D6F07 Adc Frogkt3YSpeedH
CACF 8D6907 Sta Frogkt3YH
CAD2 MoveKtFun3:
CAD2 AD7507 Lda Frogkt4No
CAD5 C9FF Cmp #$FF
CAD7 F026 Beq MoveKtFun4
CAD9 AD7207 Lda Frogkt4XL
CADC 18 Clc
CADD 6D7807 Adc Frogkt4XSpeedL
CAE0 8D7207 Sta Frogkt4XL
CAE3 AD7107 Lda Frogkt4XH
CAE6 6D7707 Adc Frogkt4XSpeedH
CAE9 8D7107 Sta Frogkt4XH
CAEC AD7407 Lda Frogkt4YL
CAEF 18 Clc
CAF0 6D7A07 Adc Frogkt4YSpeedL
CAF3 8D7407 Sta Frogkt4YL
CAF6 AD7307 Lda Frogkt4YH
CAF9 6D7907 Adc Frogkt4YSpeedH
CAFC 8D7307 Sta Frogkt4YH
CAFF MoveKtFun4:
CAFF AD7F07 Lda Frogkt5No
CB02 C9FF Cmp #$FF
CB04 F026 Beq MoveKtFun5
CB06 AD7C07 Lda Frogkt5XL
CB09 18 Clc
CB0A 6D8207 Adc Frogkt5XSpeedL
CB0D 8D7C07 Sta Frogkt5XL
CB10 AD7B07 Lda Frogkt5XH
CB13 6D8107 Adc Frogkt5XSpeedH
CB16 8D7B07 Sta Frogkt5XH
CB19 AD7E07 Lda Frogkt5YL
CB1C 18 Clc
CB1D 6D8407 Adc Frogkt5YSpeedL
CB20 8D7E07 Sta Frogkt5YL
CB23 AD7D07 Lda Frogkt5YH
CB26 6D8307 Adc Frogkt5YSpeedH
CB29 8D7D07 Sta Frogkt5YH
CB2C MoveKtFun5:
CB2C AD8907 Lda Frogkt6No
CB2F C9FF Cmp #$FF
CB31 F026 Beq MoveKtFun6
CB33 AD8607 Lda Frogkt6XL
CB36 18 Clc
CB37 6D8C07 Adc Frogkt6XSpeedL
CB3A 8D8607 Sta Frogkt6XL
CB3D AD8507 Lda Frogkt6XH
CB40 6D8B07 Adc Frogkt6XSpeedH
CB43 8D8507 Sta Frogkt6XH
CB46 AD8807 Lda Frogkt6YL
CB49 18 Clc
CB4A 6D8E07 Adc Frogkt6YSpeedL
CB4D 8D8807 Sta Frogkt6YL
CB50 AD8707 Lda Frogkt6YH
CB53 6D8D07 Adc Frogkt6YSpeedH
CB56 8D8707 Sta Frogkt6YH
CB59 MoveKtFun6:
CB59 AD9307 Lda Frogkt7No
CB5C C9FF Cmp #$FF
CB5E F026 Beq MoveKtEND
CB60 AD9007 Lda Frogkt7XL
CB63 18 Clc
CB64 6D9607 Adc Frogkt7XSpeedL
CB67 8D9007 Sta Frogkt7XL
CB6A AD8F07 Lda Frogkt7XH
CB6D 6D9507 Adc Frogkt7XSpeedH
CB70 8D8F07 Sta Frogkt7XH
CB73 AD9207 Lda Frogkt7YL
CB76 18 Clc
CB77 6D9807 Adc Frogkt7YSpeedL
CB7A 8D9207 Sta Frogkt7YL
CB7D AD9107 Lda Frogkt7YH
CB80 6D9707 Adc Frogkt7YSpeedH
CB83 8D9107 Sta Frogkt7YH
CB86 MoveKtEND:
CB86 60 Rts
;--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
CB87 ChangeKtFun:
CB87 AD5707 Lda Frogkt1No
CB8A C9FF Cmp #$FF
CB8C F027 Beq ChangeKtFun1
CB8E EE5807 Inc Frogkt1ChangeYs
CB91 AD5807 Lda Frogkt1ChangeYs
CB94 C90A Cmp #ChangeYsOFF
CB96 901D Bcc ChangeKtFun1
CB98 A900 Lda #$00
CB9A 8D5807 Sta Frogkt1ChangeYs
CB9D AD5707 Lda Frogkt1No
CBA0 8500 Sta Reg_Al
CBA2 E600 Inc Reg_Al
CBA4 A500 Lda Reg_Al
CBA6 2907 And #$07
CBA8 8500 Sta Reg_Al
CBAA AD5707 Lda Frogkt1No
CBAD 29F8 And #$F8
CBAF 0500 Ora Reg_Al
CBB1 8D5707 Sta Frogkt1No
CBB4 60 Rts
CBB5 ChangeKtFun1:
CBB5 AD6107 Lda Frogkt2No
CBB8 C9FF Cmp #$FF
CBBA F027 Beq ChangeKtFun2
CBBC EE6207 Inc Frogkt2ChangeYs
CBBF AD6207 Lda Frogkt2ChangeYs
CBC2 C90A Cmp #ChangeYsOFF
CBC4 901D Bcc ChangeKtFun2
CBC6 A900 Lda #$00
CBC8 8D6207 Sta Frogkt2ChangeYs
CBCB AD6107 Lda Frogkt2No
CBCE 8500 Sta Reg_Al
CBD0 E600 Inc Reg_Al
CBD2 A500 Lda Reg_Al
CBD4 2907 And #$07
CBD6 8500 Sta Reg_Al
CBD8 AD6107 Lda Frogkt2No
CBDB 29F8 And #$F8
CBDD 0500 Ora Reg_Al
CBDF 8D6107 Sta Frogkt2No
CBE2 60 Rts
CBE3 ChangeKtFun2:
CBE3 AD6B07 Lda Frogkt3No
CBE6 C9FF Cmp #$FF
CBE8 F027 Beq ChangeKtFun3
CBEA EE6C07 Inc Frogkt3ChangeYs
CBED AD6C07 Lda Frogkt3ChangeYs
CBF0 C90A Cmp #ChangeYsOFF
CBF2 901D Bcc ChangeKtFun3
CBF4 A900 Lda #$00
CBF6 8D6C07 Sta Frogkt3ChangeYs
CBF9 AD6B07 Lda Frogkt3No
CBFC 8500 Sta Reg_Al
CBFE E600 Inc Reg_Al
CC00 A500 Lda Reg_Al
CC02 2907 And #$07
CC04 8500 Sta Reg_Al
CC06 AD6B07 Lda Frogkt3No
CC09 29F8 And #$F8
CC0B 0500 Ora Reg_Al
CC0D 8D6B07 Sta Frogkt3No
CC10 60 Rts
CC11 ChangeKtFun3:
CC11 AD7507 Lda Frogkt4No
CC14 C9FF Cmp #$FF
CC16 F027 Beq ChangeKtFun4
CC18 EE7607 Inc Frogkt4ChangeYs
CC1B AD7607 Lda Frogkt4ChangeYs
CC1E C90A Cmp #ChangeYsOFF
CC20 901D Bcc ChangeKtFun4
CC22 A900 Lda #$00
CC24 8D7607 Sta Frogkt4ChangeYs
CC27 AD7507 Lda Frogkt4No
CC2A 8500 Sta Reg_Al
CC2C E600 Inc Reg_Al
CC2E A500 Lda Reg_Al
CC30 2907 And #$07
CC32 8500 Sta Reg_Al
CC34 AD7507 Lda Frogkt4No
CC37 29F8 And #$F8
CC39 0500 Ora Reg_Al
CC3B 8D7507 Sta Frogkt4No
CC3E 60 Rts
CC3F ChangeKtFun4:
CC3F AD7F07 Lda FroWWE Steel Cage Challenge#
Main article: WWE WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge
There were two releases of the unit, with production dates on the packaging of 082018 and 092018.
- The 082018 release is more polished, with new arrangements of Ultimate Warrior and Razor Ramon's entry music to go with their use as replacement characters. This carries a copyright date of 2018, and doesn't contain the Ms. Pac-Man code listed below as it has a 1MB Flash ROM.
- The 092018 release is more common, but has a 2017 copyright and does not feature the entry themes for the new characters, just the original themes dummied out. This has a 2MB ROM, containing the unused Ms. Pac-Man code.
Reused Content and Other Oddities#
- Space Invaders has the two-player mode intact by pressing Select (a button not present on the system itself), though it causes the graphics to glitch slightly.
- The WWE system has the entirety of the Ms. Pac-Man system as the first half of its coding.
- Ms. Pac-Man (and as such WWE) have leftover Taito copyrights from Space Invaders.
- The original Mega Man II NES release runs on a single "mapper 1" MMC1 PRG chip with CHR-RAM. Because pre-VT3x VRT hardware runs on MMC3-like bank-switching by default, the developers converted the game to use a "mapper 4" CHR-ROM format, with both PRG data and (ridiculously large in size) CHR data. This conversion process caused the game to have numerous (mostly graphical) glitches, such as the "READY" text being missing at the start of each level.
- The Mega Man II system reverses the controls in its coding (pressing Left goes right, pressing Up goes down, etc). Compared to the original game, three bytes were altered in order to inverse all control functions, implying that it is intentional; it is very likely to be due to the console being oriented upside-down compared to other MSI consoles.