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Micro Machines (NES)

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Micro Machines is a Codemasters racing game that's considered to be one of the best unlicensed NES games. It also saw a re-release for the infamous Aladdin Deck Enhancer.

Revisional Differences#

This needs some investigation.
Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.
Specifically: Check all of the available ROMs thoroughly for any changes.

Three revisions of this game are known to exist:

  • Original US version (standard cartridge)
  • Aladdin Deck Enhancer cartridge
  • European/PAL release (standard cartridge and plug-thru)

The first release has an earlier copyright date (1991 instead of 1992) and a slightly different Codemasters intro screen, and it suffers from a timing error when run on a PAL NES that prevents it from progressing beyond the title screen.

Original

Aladdin, Europe

Original

Aladdin, Europe

The second version simplifies a secret cheat code: Now the player must only hold Up + B + Select on controller 1 while finishing the qualifying race in any place, while the first version's cheat also requires holding Right + A + Select on controller 2 and only works if the player takes 3rd or 4th place. Activating this cheat grants you three more extra lives (six total), and shows a hidden credits screen.

(Source: CaH4e3's Unpublished Cheats Database)

The third version replaces the unsafe "blacker than black" color $0D with $0E on everything except the gameplay sprites. Other than that, all builds seem to have no notable differences. The Camerica logos are left intact in the PAL version, even though they were removed from the game's box, since this company distributed Codemasters games in North America only.

Unused playable 2 players mode tracks#

This needs some investigation.
Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.
Specifically: Investigate for more unused 2 players tracks and quirks of the bonus race track in 2 players mode

Functional 2 player mode of otherwise inaccessible PRO tracks may be selected by writing the value 1 on address $0307 in the single track selection screen Pro turbo wheels in single race selection screen

Also, one may play at a bonus race track, by setting the value of 9 to address $0089 in addition to setting the value 1 to address $0307: The graphics of a car may glitch out, and the points counter is invisible, instead, there is a time counter that displays 55:0 Displays 2 players in a bonus race track