Bomberman 64: 2nd Attack.. Piracy Protection?

[HappehLemons]

Funny, I have found so little about this issue online but I'm certain it exists as I've extensively tested it and was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience.

When playing Bomberman 64: The Second Attack on ANY emulator on ANY platform, after a period of time (Seemly random) then directional controls will stop functioning properly (Analog stick and D-Pad).

I have literally tried every Windows, Android and Xbox emulator I could get the game working on (Not joking, I've tried every single one, and on multiple computers for windows based ones) and this happened every time I played the game. Tried controllers, keyboard ect.. and I'm not loading from savestates or using funky settings (I have tried to mess around with them after the fact with no success). This does not happen on N64 using the retail cart of course, and does not happen using a backup loading device such as the Everdrive 64. I could find so little on this problem (Is this game really that unpopular?) so I'm wondering now. Is this some kind of brilliant piracy protection that has never been mainstream enough to resolve, or just a glitch that every N64 emulator happens to have?

[The Adventurer]

I want to say there are other cases of games basically breaking themselves if they are not on the proper hardware as a form of copy protection. I can't think of any specific examples, but its more common then you might think.

[Tanooki]

It's looking like it. See n64 emulation as long as it has been around is still in various ways still fairly kind of shitty. Whether it is because the various chips in the system or those in various carts are undocumented and complex I don't know, but what I do know its nothing near 100% like say bsnes is for SNES or some of the others for other systems. The game probably sees stuff not executing right and is tripping off copy protection or by dumb luck whatever is coded poorly is triggering some bad coding in the game real hardware wouldn't set off.

Earthbound on NES and SNES would be good comparisons. If either doesn't see hardware or a really good copy of it you end up being punished from things like overkill encounter rates, piracy lockdown screens, and even the last fight on SNES erasing your save game.