Game Doctor

 

        The following is a list of "Game Doctors" and its capabilities I

compiled for your information.  And what is "Game Doctor", and it's

origin. 

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"Game Doctor" is the name giving to devices that can read the ROM

on the video game cartridges and store it on floppy disk, which later can

be play back on the video game consoles without the original cartridge.

The first "Game Doctor" got its start on the Nintendo Famicom

(Japan's NES).  As most of you know, Famicom has a 2.8" disk drive

available for it, and to save the material cost, many software maker

publish games on the 2.8" floppy.  (I think Nintendo choose to use a 

nonstardard disk size to control software piracy, as there won't be much

blank 2.8" floppy disks around to copy the games on.)  Anyway, sooner or

later, someone has written a disk copying program(don't think it's ever

legal in Japan).  And somehow as the years go by, there's plenty of blank

2.8" disks around.  I guess that's why there's never a disk drive for the

U.S. Nintendo, and now, most of the new games in Japan were out in cartridge

only.  To counter this, somebody made some new hardware that connects to the 

Famicom and the disk drive that backs up the games on to the floppy.

Thus, creating the first "Game Doctor".

Applying the same concept to other video game consoles, many 

companies in Hong Kong and Taiwan made such devices for Famicom, and then

for PC-Engine, Genesis, etc.  These were the first generation "Game Doctors",

which only works with one type of machine, and generally uses the old 2.8"

Nintendo disk drive.  (Don't think there's ever any "Game Doctor" made

by a Japanese company, as the software companies, Nintendo, and Sega would

suit the pants off that company.  And Hong Kong had historically ignored the 

copyright laws of other countries.  They even have Nintendo Famicom clones.

Don't know about Taiwan. )

As there are many limitations to the first generation of "Game Doctors",

like, limited storage of 2.8" floppy disks, only one megabit per disk, 

too expansive for multisystem owners, having to buy a "Game Doctor" for each

of his video game system, etc., comes the second generation of "Game Doctors".

Almost every second generation of "Game Doctors" have a 3.5" drive,

and many of them can be use with serval different types of game systems at

the same time.

And right now, the third generation of "Game Doctors" have already

been out.  The latest "Game Doctor" uses the more expansive static RAM,

to prevent hung up in the middle of the game.  (as DRAM has to refresh 

itself every cycle, and ROM do not, these could cause problems with the

video game consoles.  Static RAM acts much more like ROM than DRAM.)

Also, the new ones can be use with any video game systems that's ever out

and will be out in the future, including portables, like Game Boy, and 

Game Gear.  As all they have to do is to make a new interface.  And the 

size of the third generation "Game Doctors" is about a bit larger than a 

VHS video cassette, and can be use on battery power.

I would not discuss how the first and second generation "Game Doctor"

works, instead, I'll talk more about the third generation, which I think

should be the most interesting to you.

Currently there are two "Game Doctors" that are of the third generation.

They are 'Multi Game Doctor 2' and 'Super Twin Star', both made in Hong Kong.

The main unit contains a 3.5" HD disk drive, a LCD display, and a 

microprocessor for controlling, with a slot on the side.  They are about

the size of a VHS video cassette, can be use on battery power or AC.

To play a game from the disk, you first insert a special RAM cart into 

the slot on the main unit.  Then you load the game data onto the cart.

After that, you take out the cart, and plug it into an interfacing cartridge

for your type of video game console.  Then turn on the game console and play!

Isn't that simple?  As to how do you get the games on disk, first you

get the game cartridge you want to play.  Then, plug it into a special

interface for that type of game system, and plug the whole thing into the

slot on the main unit, and select the function BACKUP on the main unit.

And it will back up the cartridge on to disk.

And as these two "Game Doctor" uses the standard IBM disk format,

you can pop the disk into your PC and modify the game, using PC Tools or

other disk editing program.  Like making the game to give you unlimited

1-ups or invincible, etc.  The possibility are endless.  And as to which

bytes to change, they're frequently published in Hong Kong video game

magazines.

The following is a list of all the "Game Doctors" currently 

available.

Mega Disk Type: can only be use on Sega Mega Drive

Company: Taiwan Sang Ting Co. Ltd.

11/F., RM. 1101C, Ho King Comm. Centre,

2 Fa Yuen St.,

KLN., Hong Kong

Tel:   7704068

Fax:   7807653

(Please add Hong Kong international 

area code)

Description: a boxy shaped thing that sits on top of the

Sega Mega Drive, much like a Genesis Master

system converter.  has a built in 3.5"HD drive.

Has 8Megabit memory, (cannot play 12M games

like Star Control).  has a slot on top for

plugging in cartridges, so you don't have to 

remove 'Mega Disk' everytime you want to 

play a cartridge game.  since it does not have

a battery backup, you have to reload the game

each time you turn off the system.  but takes

only 34 seconds to load an 8 M game.

While playing games from disk, you can plug

in a save cart with battery into 'Mega Disk'

to save your progress anytime, even if the

game is an action game.  each save cart can 

only save one game at a time.  it can

also back up cartridges onto disks.

Prices: 'Mega Disk' costs HK$ 1650

save cart   HK$200

Super Magic Drive

Type: Super Magic Drive is for Sega Mega Drive only,

but the company makes two versions of it for

Nintendo Famicom, and NEC PC-Engine.  And is

about to come out with one that works with 

Super Famicom.  Each version can only be use

with the system it designed for.

Company: don't know, the name is in Chinese

Tel:  3870223

Fax:  3867980

(please dial the Hong Kong International

area code first)

Description: the Sega version works much the same way as

the 'Mega Disk', also sits on top of the

Mega Drive, but it has built in save cart,

and can have unlimited saves by writing it

to disk.  also can have a max of 16 Megabit 

memory. 

the Nintendo Famicom version has 6M of 

Memory, while the NEC PC-Engine version,

comes in either 4 or 8 Megabit of memory,

all three uses the same type of 3.5" HD

disk drive.  the main unit is separated

from the disk drive, connected by a cable.

Prices: Sega Mega Drive version:  8M    HK$1100

16M HK$1600

Famicom version:   6M  HK$695

PC-Engine version:  4M  HK$1050

   8M  HK$1300   

3.5" HD Sony disk drive:    HK$550

Turbo GD 6+ Type: for Nintendo Famicom only

Description: plugs into cartridge slot of Famicom and

sits on top of it. has 6M memory, needs

to buy another device for it in order to

save game.  two piece type, main unit on top

of Famicom with a cable connected to a

3.5" disk drive.

Company: don't know

(the name is in Chinese only)

Tel:  7282879

Fax:  7283012

(add Hong Kong international area code

when dialing)

Princes: Don't know

Super Twin Star HM-Drive

Type: portable, multi system, can be use with any

system, including Gameboy and Game Gear

Description: a portable unit about the size of a VHS

cassette, has built in 3.5" HD disk drive,

a two line LCD display for system function,

and a slot on the side for accepting its

own type of battery backed RAM cartridge,

to play a game from disk, you first plug

the RAM cart into its slot, then load the 

game data from disk and write it to the

RAM cart, then, take out the cart and plug

it into a interface cartridge for your

game system, and plug the whole thing into

your video game system and play.

to copy a game from cartridge, plug the 

game cartridge into a special interface and

then plug it into Super Twin Star, and 

select the backup command.

the RAM cart size is about 5 AA batteries

put together.

right now, it only have interfaces for using

on PC-Engine, Super Famicom, Mega Drive,

Game Boy, and Game Gear.

Company: FM Trading Company

Tel:  3878985

Fax:  7259680

(dial Hong Kong area code first)

Prices: main unit with 4M RAM cart:  HK$2400

       8M RAM cart:  HK$3200

            (includes one interface with main unit)

All interfaces are HK$80 each, except

Super Famicom, which is HK$400

Note: Instruction manual is in English

Multi Game Doctor

Type: Multi system

Description: two piece type, one is main unit, connected 

to the disk drive via a cable, or you can 

buy a special cable with software and use

your IBM's disk drive.

comes in 4M or 8M memory.

the RAM is built into the main unit, 

connecting via cable and an interface 

cartridge, the flat cable is easy to break.

Right now only have interface for Mega Drive,

PC-Engine, and Super Famicom.

Company: Makko Toy Co., Ltd.

Tel:  7283703

Prices: 4M Multi Game Doctor:   HK$1250

8M Multi Game Doctor:   HK$2150

3.5" disk drive:       HK$850

PC-Engine & Mega Drive 

     interface:  HK$80 each

Mega Drive interface with

      built in save cart:  HK$180

Super Famicom interface

with built in save cart:   HK$650

Multi Game Doctor 2

Type: portable, multi system

Description: Just like Super Twin Star, except it has

a much smaller LCD display, and its RAM

cart uses tiny lithium battery, and about

the size of a Game Boy cartridge.

can have a max of 32M memory, but right now

only offers a max of 8M RAM cart.

(Super twin star uses a regular AA or AAA 

battery for its RAM cart, but the lithium

battery in Multi Game Doctor 2 RAM carts

lasts only a month)

right now, have interface for Mega Drive,

Super Famicom, PC-Engine, NEC Super Grafx,

Game Boy, and Game Gear.

Prices: Multi Game Doctor 2:   HK$1100

1M RAM cart:   HK$395

2M RAM cart:   HK$695

4M RAM cart:   HK$1125

8M RAM cart:   HK$1990

Game Boy interface with 

     save game feature:  HK$185

Game Gear interface:     HK$170

PC-Engine interface:     HK$150

Super-Grafx interface:   HK$150

Mega Drive interface

        with save game feature:  HK$215

Super Famicom interface

with save game feature:  HK$590

Cartridge backup to disk

interface:  HK$200 for 

    each system

lithium battery for RAM cart:  HK$15

Where to get the "Game Doctor"?

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Of course if you can go to Hong Kong, you can get it there.  But, if 

you are like most people, which you won't be in Hong Kong in the near future,

and don't have any friends there,  you could try to find some specialty

Hong Kong importing company and ask them to get one for you, which they

many times charges no less than 50% of the price of the system.

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