Bases Loaded (US Prototype)
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| Download Bases Loaded (US Prototype) (info) |
A prototype of Bases Loaded for the NES.
Notes
- Prototype came on a Moero!! Pro Yakyū PCB and consequently uses Mapper 86 (the game was ported to MMC1 for the final NES release).
- Tries to write to the ADPCM chip on the board for additional sound effects (these were replaced with voice samples in PRG ROM for the final NES release).
- No USA copyright
- Palette change on players
- Different outfield measurement.
- Dated 12/16 on Famicom board.
- Likely in-progress localization
Analysis: Frank Cifaldi
Object Analysis:
Object is an NES cartridge with no labels affixed to either side. A piece of painter's tape on the front reads "Bases Loaded Fami board," though I suspect this alteration was made by the item's submitter.
The circuit board inside bares part number JF-13, a part typically not used for prototyping but, rather, in the manufacturing of retail games for the Family Computer system (the Japanese equivalent of the NES). Specifically, this board is uniquely used for the Japanese equialent of this game, "Moero!! Pro Yakyuu." Dates on the stickers covering the game's ROM data EPROMs read 12/16 - according to our research, Nintendo received the final approved ROM data for the initial run of this game on February 10, 1988. As an interesting side note, the NEC "D7756C 146" chip on the upper-left of the board plays speech samples in-game, but only the Family Computer is capable of outputting this audio, meaning that these samples will fail to play on an NES. If one were to remove this PCB and use it on a Family Computer, the game may play the Japanese speech samples. The board is connected to another board, NES-JOINT-01, a known Nintendo part for converting Family Computer games to work on the NES.
Data Analysis:
(Hash info is for the combined headerless ROM)
CRC-32: 91575F18
SHA-1: D915C0D501207F24B956F3778B01B9F2EC3CCA2B
SHA-256: 1345C54FDC1E4A01FB495FDFAE12565F519A7698133975AEE5D0C73AC25E32F5
MD-5: 3D046457922C4715DB627DFCCC131752
The data differs from the retail version of the game (which is mandatory, as the retail data would not be compatible with the JF-13 board), and is not a match for any known data on the internet. A quick gameplay demonstration shows that this version of the game is an interim build, somewhere between the final Japanese version and the final US version. It does not contain a Nintendo of America copyright notice, and there are some color palette differences on the players.
Provenance Notes:
According to the submitter, this item was purchased from the McLaren Auction Services "Vintage Nintendo Online-Only Auction," which ran from March 25 to April 1, 2022. McLaren claims that these items came from Steve McKay, former "General Manager of the Mexico Division" at Nintendo. Approximately 97 items from this auction were submitted to WATA at once. Given that the auction listings are not archived on McLaren's website, I was unable to verify each individual item as having come from the auction. However, I did view this auction when it was live, and can attest that the scope of this collection is in line with my memory of what was available.
Conclusion:
Given the authentic parts used, the provenance, and the unique data available across the lot of items submitted, I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of this item.
Screenshots
Origin
