Author Topic: Autoboot Castlevania games from Konami Collection! (Read 13469 times)

dACE · « **on:** June 27, 2015, 01:05:41 pm »

I downloaded the gameboy emulator bgb (http://bgb.bircd.org/) - to help me debug my current hack Zelda: Missing Link (http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,19530.0.html).

This emulator has a really nice debugger and when I was finished with the modifications I needed for my hack
- I though I'll take a stab at something I (and others on this forum) have been thinking of:

Why not hack the two Konami Collections (1 & 4 in Europe) to automatically boot the Castlevania games.

So I took my new self-learned skills and got to work, and wouldn't you know it - here is how you do it:

1) First get your hands on the right versions:

Castlevania Adventure: Konami GB Collection Vol.1 (E)
Castlevania II - Belmonts Revenge: Konami GB Collection Vol.4 (E)

2) This is optional, but highly recommended: Download the speed-up patches and apply them:

Castlevania Adventure: http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/190/
Castlevania II - Belmonts Revenge: http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/213/

3) Load up the Hex-editor of your choice and change the following:

Castlevania Adventure
Offset: 1 8B5A
Replace

Code: [Select]

3E 01 EA A0 C0 EA A1 C0 3E 08 EA A1 C0With

Code: [Select]

3E 09 EA A1 C0 3E 01 EA B0 C0 EA A0 C0
Castlevania II - Belmonts Revenge
Offset: 6 413B
Replace

Code: [Select]

3E 01 EA 0B C5 AF EA CA CC 3E 00 CD 70 49With

Code: [Select]

3E 01 EA 0B C5 3E 02 EA A0 CC C3 75 02 00
Enjoy and let me know if you found this helpful...

/dACE

SunGodPortal · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2015, 02:10:13 pm »

I haven't had a chance to try this yet but I like the idea. I'm a Castlevania freak and still have yet to play the color versions of these two.

EDIT: Works like a charm.

Jonesy47 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 27, 2015, 04:44:44 pm »

Dude, I have actually wanted this specific hack for a while! Thank you!

Vanya · « **Reply #3 on:** June 27, 2015, 04:58:32 pm »

Now what about if I wanted to also remove all the other games from the ROMs? Can that be done with as much relative ease?

dACE · « **Reply #4 on:** June 27, 2015, 05:09:42 pm »

Thanks for the great response - I actually enjoyed making these two hacks a reality.

The first one was really easy, the second one took some more effort to get right.

As for completely remove the other games, there is a famous Swedish proverb that goes:

Det kommer att kosta mer än det smakar.

Literal translation into English:

It's going to cost more than it tastes.

Basically, the effort will overshadow the Kb's saved. That's my opinion at least.

/dACE

SunGodPortal · « **Reply #5 on:** June 27, 2015, 05:30:26 pm »

Quote

Now what about if I wanted to also remove all the other games from the ROMs? Can that be done with as much relative ease?

Why would anyone even WANT to do that? What would be gained from it?

helaku · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2015, 03:43:00 am »

Hy dACE.

First of all nice hacks.
Second, can you upload a patch or something to be some easier?

Thanks!

M-Tee · « **Reply #7 on:** June 28, 2015, 04:40:54 am »

When I firat saw this thread, I thought it said "Autobot Castlevania" and I was slightly disapointed when I realized outherwise.

helaku · « **Reply #8 on:** June 28, 2015, 04:51:38 am »

The same M-Tee
I was thinkg, what Transformers and Castlevania?

Midna · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2015, 05:54:03 am »

Quote from: M-Tee on June 28, 2015, 04:40:54 am

When I firat saw this thread, I thought it said "Autobot Castlevania" and I was slightly disapointed when I realized outherwise.

Ah, good. Then I'm not crazy.

Vanya · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2015, 12:54:51 pm »

Quote from: SunGodPortal on June 27, 2015, 05:30:26 pm

Why would anyone even WANT to do that? What would be gained from it?

By that logic why would anyone even want to have an autoboot hack?

And what I would gain is a neat self contained ROM of the colorized version of the games I care about having without the other ones I don't care about.

Carnivol · « **Reply #11 on:** June 28, 2015, 03:49:51 pm »

This hack reminds me of how annoying it is that the Konami Collection releases in Europe calls the Contra titles for Probotector on the game selection menu, but once you boot them you're treated to what's essentially colorized Contra with Probotector title screens and not colorized Probotector :/

Bahamut ZERO · « **Reply #12 on:** June 28, 2015, 05:59:24 pm »

Woah, they made colored versions of those 2 Castlevania!?

Yeah, definitely trying this later. Also thanks for the links to the speed-up patch for Legends and quick-fix for Adventure. Those were both things I disliked about the originals.

Quote from: M-Tee on June 28, 2015, 04:40:54 am

When I firat saw this thread, I thought it said "Autobot Castlevania" and I was slightly disapointed when I realized outherwise.

Reading that makes me want to see out how the graphics are stored in these Konami Collections, as I suddenly have the urge to make a little Optimus Prime swinging a whip.

KillerBob · « **Reply #13 on:** June 28, 2015, 10:30:59 pm »

What's nice about Belmont's Revenge in this re-release is that it was treated with a new more faithful translation. However, being much more wordy than the original English and Japanese versions, I noticed the music is over before the text is even finished in the intro. I guess a little speed bump to the text could have avoided that. I also noted the intro lack the transparency/fog effect at the top and bottom edges of the screen.

The Japanese versions and this re-release uses the holy water and cross for sub-weapons. The original English release replaced the cross with the axe. I guess this was a difficulty tweak rather than censorship that some may believe, anyone who knows for sure why it was done, and does it change the gameplay in any significant way?

Rodimus Primal · « **Reply #14 on:** June 29, 2015, 01:13:08 am »

Works great! I was also able to undo the graphics changes made in the Castlevania Adventure speed patch restoring the Cross, Heart, and Coin graphics.

I also noticed that the code if modified can allow Konami Collection Vol 4 to select a different game instead of Belmont's Revenge. This happened when I accidentally put in a 01 instead of a 02 and it loaded Gradius II.

I can admit, I thought Autobot Castlevania as well. LOL. As a Transformers fan (PAINFULLY OBVIOUS!) I had to do a double take when reading it.

ShadowOne333 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 29, 2015, 11:42:39 am »

AWESOME!!!

One of my all time dreams has finally been realized!

Thank you, dACE!

Hope you don't mind, but I already sent a Hack Submission for both games.

Crediting you as the creator of course!

PS: Now my dream to make standalone ROMs for the Super Mario Advance games (without the Mario Bros. game) is the only one remaining. xD

helaku · « **Reply #16 on:** July 04, 2015, 03:54:11 am »

Quote from: ShadowOne333 on June 29, 2015, 11:42:39 am

AWESOME!!!

One of my all time dreams has finally been realized!
Thank you, dACE!

Hope you don't mind, but I already sent a Hack Submission for both games.
Crediting you as the creator of course!

PS: Now my dream to make standalone ROMs for the Super Mario Advance games (without the Mario Bros. game) is the only one remaining. xD

The checksum displayed for the roms are not the correct ones.
For Belmont Revenge (Konami GB Collection Volume 4) MD5 checksum is f3414d53473e2cc43347774cc5f40495 and for Adventure (Konami GB Collection Volume 1) is 70ccaf1c458dc09b7c703191ef9b8541.
I think you have copied the checksum from dope site.

ShadowOne333 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 04, 2015, 05:46:18 am »

Quote from: helaku on July 04, 2015, 03:54:11 am

The checksum displayed for the roms are not the correct ones.
For Belmont Revenge (Konami GB Collection Volume 4) MD5 checksum is f3414d53473e2cc43347774cc5f40495 and for Adventure (Konami GB Collection Volume 1) is 70ccaf1c458dc09b7c703191ef9b8541.
I think you have copied the checksum from dope site.

Thanks!
I just sent the submission to change the checksums for those ones.

helaku · « **Reply #18 on:** July 04, 2015, 07:06:40 am »

With welcome, thanks!

KingMike · « **Reply #19 on:** July 04, 2015, 09:42:44 am »

Quote from: Carnivol on June 28, 2015, 03:49:51 pm

This hack reminds me of how annoying it is that the Konami Collection releases in Europe calls the Contra titles for Probotector on the game selection menu, but once you boot them you're treated to what's essentially colorized Contra with Probotector title screens and not colorized Probotector :/

Those versions do some strange things.
I also notice that Probotector in the collection enables the stage select right away. Did the original EU version do that? (I know, in the original releases, it was unlocked in the Japanese version but locked with a code on the US version)
They renamed Quarth as "Block Game" which is very strange but perhaps permissible as from what I hear the original standalone version was not released in EU. However, Motocross Maniacs was renamed "Bikers" and that was originally released in EU?