Space Shuttle Exploration is a completely original shmup by Hummer Team that has co-op and is hard as hell in single player.
This game, alongside Panda Adventure, was originally released on a 5-in-1 multicart by Ramar International Co. (or "Rinco"), bundled with an incredibly rare "Talkman" Famiclone system. It would later resurface on various plug & play releases, mainly from Power Joy.
Rinco Copyright Screen#
Similar to Panda Adventure, this was supposed to be released by Rinco. The aforementioned Talkman cart with it would only be seen online in 2024.1
Unlike Panda Adventure however, this game does contain a copyright screen. While playing, changing the value in CPU RAM 0004 to 06 will trigger it. The animation plays correctly, it uses graphics for the logo and it even has Rinco's fanfare, but the pointers must've changed as it loads the incorrect palettes and tiles for the copyright text.
The first line of Arabic translates to "Adnan Mohamed", the first part of Adnan Mohamed Kasem, employee at Rinco credited on the Talkman version of The Dragon.
The second line can be transliterated as "Qada Ada"; "Qa" is the "Ka" part of "Kasem". While "Da Ada" looks like part of a name, it is unknown what it's supposed to represent.
The two symbols at the end on both lines are just a Latin colon and comma.
Interestingly, the "sem" part of Kasem is in the CHR data at 8BE0 and 99E0, merely unused.
All of the graphics for the logo are at 8B10 and 9910.
(Arabic translation, unused CHR: retrokidknuckles)
(CHR addresses: gmestanley)
Changing the value in B0FA to 09 (ergo, the graphic bank being used) will correctly display the Rinco logo being animated.
Unlike Panda Adventure, this variation of the Rinco fanfare actually uses percussion.
(Logo fix cheat: gmestanley, retrokidknuckles)
More Unused Graphics#
8BC0:
An Ayn and two dots. It is unknown what they were for (or the meaning of the latter glyph).
BEE0:
A series of characters that are intended to display a copyright notice reading "©1996 Ramar Int'l Co., Ltd." on the title screen. This notice is blanked out in all currently dumped revisions of the game. Mapped tiles still exist for the copyright notice, allowing it to be restored (note that spacing may not be 100% exact)ː
(CHR addresses: gmestanley)
Unused Music#
In address 0701, there's one completely unused track:
22 - Mortal Kombat II Special Vs. Screen
The Mortal Kombat II Special track used on the Vs. Screen is in the ROM and not used anywhere.
Source Code#
A chunk of source code is present, beginning at address 3E04 until 5B1B. Most of it appears to have been corrupted by the same FF FF ?? ?? 00 00 00 00 pattern that seemingly appears in many bootleg NES games; educated guesses have been taken to restore parts of it that look obvious. The character "�" denotes parts whose original form is completely unknown and could not be restored whatsoever.
In this restored snippet, there are numbers prefixed with 0x; this is not believed to have been in the original source code itself, is different from hex numbers represented in the source code with "$XX", and is merely a stand-in for hex numbers existing in that spot instead (so for example, with ";0xDA, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xBF", it is instead "3B DA C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 BF" in the raw ROM).
lda #$1f
sta colorlen
lda #$88
sta r2000
sta r2000 ; $2000
lda #$1e
sta r2001
;
cli
Loop:
inc ran��m
lda sndfg
beq ?1
lda #$00
sta sndfg
jsr Run
jsr Sound
; lda #$1f
sta $2001
?1
jmp Loop
;===================================================
ORG $BFF7
HomeReset:
JMP Reset
HomeNmi:
JMP Nmi
HomeIrq:
JMP Reset
;===================================================
;
;===================================================
ORG $fffa
;;;; DW Nmi,Reset,Reset
DW HomeNmi,HomeReset,HomeIrq
ENDS
;===================================================
DW ToTitle
ToTitle:
jsr fadeout
bcc ?1
;
lda #$04
sta case+1
lda #$00
sta case
?1
rts
;
;0xDA, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xBF
;0xB3 14. 0xB3
;0xC0, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xD9
Break:
lda #$01
��� Second
bcc ?1
lda #$00
sta case+1
lda #$00
��� case
?1
rts
;
;0xDA, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xBF
;0xB3 0xB3
;0xC0, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xC4, 0xD9
Demo:
lda case+1
jsr SelectSub
DW Play0
DW Play1
DW DemoRun
DW ToTitle
;
DemoRun:
jsr FillStar
jsr EnemyCtl1
jsr SptRun
jsr Sort
jsr FillSpt
jsr ScrScroll
lda tog�� �= ;=========map5a
DB $20,$00,$23,$FF,$81,$02,$02,$FF,$81
DB $01,$02,$FF,$81,$01,$12,$FF,$81,$01
DB $24,$FF,$02,$02,$02,$FF,$��,$ ,$04
DB $FF,$81,$01,$08,$FF,$81,$01,$0C,$FF
DB $83,$02,$FF,$5D,$1A,$5E,$81,$5F,$04
DB $FF,$81,$64,$02,$FF,$81,$03,$08,$FF
DB $81,$01,$05,$��,$ ,$01,$05,$FF,$02
DB $01,$82,$FF,$60,$04,$FF,$82,$64,$02
DB $04,$FF,$81,$4F,$04,$FF,$81,$02,$05
DB $FF,$81,$02,$02,$FF,$81,$4F,$02,$FF
DB $��,$ ,$03,$FF,$81,$60,$04,$FF,$81
DB $64,$04,$FF,$81,$02,$04,$FF,$81,$01
DB $0B,$FF,$81,$01,$02,$FF,$02,$03,$81
DB $60,$04,$FF,$81,$64,$04,$FF,$8��$0
DB $06,$FF,$82,$02,$01,$08,$FF,$81,$01
DB $04,$FF,$81,$60,$04,$FF,$81,$64,$02
DB $FF,$81,$01,$02,$FF,$81,$4F,$06,$FF
DB $81,$03,$06,$FF,$8�,$4 ,$ 6,$FF,$81
DB $60,$04,$FF,$81,$64,$02,$FF,$02,$02
DB $07,$FF,$82,$02,$01,$05,$FF,$81,$01
DB $02,$FF,$82,$02,$01,$03,$FF,$81,$60
DB $04,$F�,$8 ,$ 4,$02,$FF,$02,$02,$08
DB $FF,$81,$03,$05,$FF,$81,$01,$03,$FF
DB $81,$03,$03,$FF,$81,$60,$04,$FF,$81
DB $64,$05,$FF,$84,$4F,$FF,$02,$01,$05
DB $ F,$81,$02,$04,$FF,$85,$4F,$FF,$04
DB $03,$04,$02,$FF,$81,$60,$04,$FF,$85
DB $64,$FF,$03,$FF,$01,$04,$FF,$83,$03
DB $00,$02,$03,$FF,$81,$02��04,$ ,$81
DB $01,$06,$FF,$81,$60,$03,$FF,$82,$02
DB $64,$03,$FF,$81,$01,$04,$FF,$83,$03
DB $00,$02,$04,$FF,$81,$03,$03,$FF,$81
DB $01,$04,$FF��83,$ ,$FF,$60,$04,$FF
DB $81,$64,$02,$FF,$81,$03,$02,$FF,$81
DB $4F,$0D,$FF,$81,$4F,$03,$FF,$02,$01
DB $82,$FF,$60,$04,$FF,$81,$64,$07,$FF
DB $02,$ ,$81,$01,$07,$FF,$81,$03,$03
DB $FF,$81,$01,$04,$FF,$81,$60,$04,$FF
DB $81,$63,$1A,$62,$81,$61,$04,$FF,$81
DB $5D,$1A,$5E,$81,$5F,$04,$FF,��1,$
DB $02,$FF,$81,$02,$08,$FF,$81,$03,$04
DB $FF,$81,$02,$04,$FF,$81,$01,$02,$FF
DB $83,$03,$FF,$60,$04,$FF,$81,$64,$02
DB $03,$87,$72,$71,$�B,$ ,$76,$75,$87
DB $03,$FF,$84,$02,$00,$FF,$01,$03,$FF
DB $02,$03,$04,$FF,$82,$02,$60,$04,$FF
DB $81,$64,$19,$FF,$82,$03,$60,$04,$FF
DB $81,$�3,$ ,$62,$81,$61,$0A,$FF,$81
DB $01,$06,$FF,$81,$02,$0A,$FF,$02,$03
DB $06,$FF,$82,$01,$00,$02,$FF,$02,$01
DB $02,$FF,$81,$01,$03,$FF,$81,$03,$��
DB $FF,$81,$01,$04,$FF,$81,$02,$0E,$FF
DB $81,$03,$17,$FF,$02,$01,$0E,$FF,$81
DB $03,$0D,$FF,$82,$01,$02,$06,$FF,$81
DB $01,$07,$FF,$81,$03,$��,$ ,$81,$01
DB $04,$FF,$81,$02,$4C,$FF,$05,$0F,$03
DB $FF,$05,$00,$03,$FF,$03,$00,$82,$30
DB $00,$0A,$FF,$04,$F0,$13,$FF,$FF
DB $82,$33,$��,$ ,$00,$82,$33,$CC,$06
DB $0F,$82,$33,$CC,$06,$FF,$82,$33,$CC
DB $06,$F0,$81,$33,$08,$F0,$FF
DB $B0,$B1,$06,$00,$85,$03,$18,$01,$00
DB $02,$03,$00,$83,$B2,$B3,$B4,$02,$00
DB $81,$04,$05,$00,$8B,$18,$02,$00,$B5
DB $B6,$B7,$B8,$B9,$BA,$BB,$00,$��,$
DB $8A,$18,$01,$02,$00,$BC,$9F,$BD,$BE
DB $BF,$C0,$04,$00,$9C,$18,$00,$18,$01
DB $18,$01,$00,$18,$00,$C�,$C ,$ 3,$C4
DB $C5,$C6,$C7,$C8,$C9,$CA,$CB,$CC,$CD
DB $CE,$CF,$D0,$D1,$00,$18,$03,$00,$81
DB $04,$02,$00,$85��02,$ ,$02,$01,$18
DB $05,$00,$8C,$D2,$D3,$D4,$D5,$D6,$D7
DB $D8,$D9,$DA,$DB,$DC,$DD,$02,$00,$87
DB $18,$00,$�8,$ ,$02,$04,$03,$02,$00
DB $81,$18,$08,$00,$03,$03,$02,$00,$84
DB $DE,$DF,$E0,$E1,$06,$00,$82,$02,$18
DB $��,$ ,$8A,$18,$02,$00,$18,$02,$01
DB $18,$01,$00,$02,$02,$03,$82,$00,$18
DB $06,$00,$83,$02,$04,$02,$02,$00,$81
DB $ 4,$02,$00,$83,$02,$04,$03,$04,$00
DB $81,$01,$02,$00,$81,$01,$05,$00,$87
DB $E4,$E5,$E6,$E7,$E8,$E9,$EA,$03,$00
DB $87,$18,$01,$00,$01,$02,$04,$03,$07
DB $00,$82,$18,$01,$10,$00,$84,$02,$01
DB $02,$01,$09,$00,$02,$18,$84,$00,$��
DB $01,$02,$03,$00,$89,$EB,$E5,$E6,$E7
DB $E8,$E9,$EA,$EC,$00,$02,$18,$86,$00
DB $18,$00,$02,$04,$03,$04,$0�,$0 ,$ 8
DB $03,$00,$82,$02,$01,$02,$00,$81,$02
DB $09,$00,$81,$18,$09,$00,$81,$02,$02
DB $00,$81,$18,$21,$00,$82,$ ,$00,$02
DB $00,$97,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
DB $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
DB $00,$00,$00,$�0,$ $00,$00,$0A,$00
DB $84,$02,$04,$00,$04,$08,$00,$81,$18
DB $02,$01,$05,$00,$81,$04,$09,$00,$86
DB $04,$��,$ ,$04,$00,$02,$08,$00,$82
DB $18,$01,$02,$00,$81,$04,$09,$00,$81
DB $02,$02,$04,$02,$00,$81,$04,$04,$00
DB $8 ,$ 4,$02,$00,$81,$03,$03,$00,$02
DB $18,$06,$00,$83,$04,$00,$04,$04,$00
DB $82,$02,$04,$0A,$00,$81,$04,$03,$00
DB $81,$18,$07,$00,$81,$04,$05,$00,$8A
DB $1C,$00,$10,$00,$1C,$44,$00,$10,$14
DB $C4,$03,$FF,$85,$F7,$30,$1C,$01,$CF
DB $04,$FF,$95,$B7,$10,$03,$AA,$AF,$4F
DB $0F,$AF,$EA,$40,$14,$18,$4A,$8A,$AA
DB $1A,$51,$00,$10,$14,$0F,$02,$0�,$8
DB $14,$40,$02,$0C,$82,$30,$10,$02,$30
DB $81,$40,$02,$00,$02,$F4,$81,$FC,$02
DB $F4,$83,$FC,$F0,$00,$02,$00,$�� Revisions#
Space Destroyer Exploration#
An alternate version of this game exists on some Famiclone systems which replaces part of the logo. Strangely, this version loads the font from Bucky O'Hare into the PPU on the title screen, but it's never actually used.
Oddly, Space Destroyer Exploration is compiled with double the amount of CHR data as Space Shuttle Exploration. The first half of this data, however, is merely copied graphics from Finger DDR, specifically the sprites of Pikachu and Hello Kitty that are unused in that game.