Do any of these Genesis/Master System games take battery backup?

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

Everyone knows Sonic 3 does, but what about the other games here on my wishlist? Did any Master System games use battery backup? And what about the Sega CD? I believe the Sega CD used an internal battery and also can take some kind of special cartridge to put saves on; does that cartridge use a battery backup too?

 

In case you're wondering about some of my choices, I'm getting the sports games because I thought it'd be neat to get all the ones they used to show in the Genesis Does What Nintendon't ads (both TV and print) and my usual dealer sells them for $1 each, so why not?

 

I got to say, it's a lot cheaper to collect Genesis games than SNES ones!!! Blue chip SNES titles can run $20-$30 (counting the cost of the new battery backup) but blue chip Genesis games are mostly dirt cheap.

 

Altered Beast

Arnold Palmer Golf

Buster Douglas Boxing

Caesars Palace

Columns

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

Double Dribble

Family Feud

Flicky

Greendog

Jeopardy

Joe Montana Football

Monopoly

Ms Pac Man

Pat Riley Basketball

Ristar

Simpsons Bart v. Space Mutants

Sonic 1

Sonic 2

Sonic 3

Sonic & Knuckles

Sonic 3D Blast

Sonic Spinball

Tommy Lasorda Baseball

Virtua Racing

Wheel of Fortune

 

MASTER SYSTEM:

Sonic 1

Sonic 2

Sonic Chaos

Casino

Monopoly

[Taskmaster99]

if im not mistaken.....i think Phantasy Star 1 for the master system had a battery. its been awhile since i took it apart to clean it.

[Austin]

Just about all the RPGs on the Genesis used battery backup. There were also probably a couple of others that did the same on the SMS aside from Phantasy Star.

 

Most standard action games back then didn't bother saving high scores or anything like that. Actually, I can't think of a single Genesis or SMS action/arcade game that saves high scores.. If there are any, I don't know what they are (Anyone else, feel free to chime in).

[+thegoldenband]

I haven't played most of the games on this list, but I'm 99% sure that Columns doesn't save high scores. (Which is a real drag, actually.)

Edited March 4, 2010 by thegoldenband

[Fellow Atari Man]

And what about the Sega CD? I believe the Sega CD used an internal battery and also can take some kind of special cartridge to put saves on; does that cartridge use a battery backup too?

 

Yeah the Sega CD had internal storage, not a battery, I don't think. It had space for four games.

 

The Backup RAM Cart added space for 10 games total...no battery required on it either. Here it is.

 

Columns

Ms Pac Man

Sonic 1

 

Not sure if you're asking if your list of games required batteries or not, but I'm sure these three don't, at least.

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

Yes, I'm asking if the games on my list take battery backup or not. I know Sonic 3 does, and I know no other Sonic games do, but what about the others?

[Austin]

I've played a majority of those games on your list, and asides from Sonic 3, none of them have battery backups (i.e., your scores are never saved). I highly doubt that the few on that list I haven't tried actually do what you're hoping for.. Again, most games back then didn't unless they were long role playing games, and even some of those used passwords.

 

Regarding the Sega CD post above, the system had a set amount of backup memory and the amount of items you could store on it was based on the file sizes of the game saves. Some games were only a couple of blocks, others required a majority of the memory (Mainly the rpgs). I believe one game actually required the memory cart because it took up so much space. Asides from that, there wasn't a specific limit on how many games you could store on the system so long as there was enough space available.

Edited March 4, 2010 by Austin

[dendawg]

Sonic 3 actually has a flash RAM.

 

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

Okay, someone at the GameFAQs topic now says that NONE of the games on my list take battery backup (I'm surprised Sonic 3 doesn't need it, seeing as how EVERY(?) Super NES game that saves takes battery backup); is there anyway to confirm this? You see, there's a website that lists how EVERY Nintendo 64 game saves (the ones labeled "SRAM" are the ones that take batteries; F-Zero X, Super Smash Bros, and Zelda Ocarina of Time are three blue chip examples), but none that I know of that lists Genesis. At least with NES/SNES, EVERY game that saves (not password games) uses battery backup.

 

In case you're wondering why I'm asking this, it's because the dealer I usually by from (is it okay to recommend him on here, or does that count as spam?) offers battery changing service (the only dealer I know of that offers it) and whenever I place an order for games, I always have him put fresh batteries in the games for me (NO, I cannot and WILL NOT try to do it myself!!) so when it comes time to order my Genesis/Master System/Sega CD package, I want to be ready.

 

But if it turns out none of the games take batteries, then that's just cool beans. No worries, no fuss, no muss.

[gdement]

(I'm surprised Sonic 3 doesn't need it, seeing as how EVERY(?) Super NES game that saves takes battery backup); is there anyway to confirm this?

 

The picture above shows an FM1208S chip.

Datasheet here:

http://www.datasheetarchive.com/FM1208S-200CI-datasheet.html#

 

Looks like it's not flash, but it's not battery based either. I've never seen these before, but they describe it like this:

The FM1208S FRAM memory uses a patented ferroelectric technology to achieve nonvolatility. Ferroelectric material may be polarized in one direction or another with the application of an electric field, and will remain polarized when the field is removed.

 

The spec is 10 billion read/write cycles. Flash is usually infinite reads and 10K-100K rewrites.

It also says 10 year data retention without power. But if I understand correctly it sounds like that's not a battery - the 10 year limit would reset every time you power it up.

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

gdement, you misunderstood my question; I was asking for confirmation that NONE of the games on my list take battery backup, not just Sonic 3.

[gdement]

Parsing error at ')', sorry.

[zylon]

SMS Monopoly does use a battery.

[JerryTerrifying]

And what about the Sega CD? I believe the Sega CD used an internal battery and also can take some kind of special cartridge to put saves on; does that cartridge use a battery backup too?

 

Yeah the Sega CD had internal storage, not a battery, I don't think. It had space for four games.

 

The Backup RAM Cart added space for 10 games total...no battery required on it either. Here it is.

 

Columns

Ms Pac Man

Sonic 1

 

Not sure if you're asking if your list of games required batteries or not, but I'm sure these three don't, at least.

 

 

The Sega CD most certainly does use a battery for its saves. It's a rechargeable. The RAM back up cart for the Sega CD also uses a battery to back its saves up.