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Retronick
10-12-2015, 10:00 AM
I've got a fun little mystery to kick off your week.

Back in 2009 RIGHT after Michael Jackson died, my wife gave me a copy of Moonwalker for the Genesis. Rather, she gave me a copy of Moonwalker that is unlike any copy I've seen anyplace else. The cover has the familiar slick feel of any other Genesis or Megadrive game, but there is no logo to be seen anywhere on the box, or on the enclosed cart.

The cart looks like a Megadrive cartridge, but the label has "MOONWALKER" in yellow instead of the signature platinum. There are no Sega logos anywhere on the box, and the cartridge does not fit in a North American Genesis, but, I've found that removing the top of my 32X gives it ample room to fit through the slot, and the game will run. There is also Japanese kana all over the box and the back of the cart.

I'm assuming what I have is a cheap asian knockoff, but I wanted to run it by the community and get your 2 cents since the label quality on the cart itself was so well done. The print quality of the box art is low res, which is what raises the bootleg flag for me (that and the lack of logos).

Thanks for your insight!

http://www.retronick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/IMG_7403.jpg
http://www.retronick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/IMG_7401.jpg
http://www.retronick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/IMG_7402.jpg
http://www.retronick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/IMG_7404-e1444658250345.jpg
http://www.retronick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/IMG_7405-e1444658280845.jpg
http://www.retronick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/IMG_7406-e1444658312596.jpg
Gameguy
10-12-2015, 11:18 AM
That is a bootleg, no doubt about it.
Retronick
10-12-2015, 11:40 AM
That is a bootleg, no doubt about it.

Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking, but I wanted a second opinion. Interesting specimen no doubt, but difficult to appraise when cataloging for insurance purposes.

Might just leave that one off the books.
Graham Mitchell
10-12-2015, 12:33 PM
The pics aren't even loading on my phone but just based off what you've described I'd say it's a boot.
Darkwing
10-12-2015, 06:40 PM
Does it have Thriller on it? \\^_^/
Az
10-13-2015, 02:02 PM
Does it have Thriller on it? \\^_^/

Most older MD boots are based on Rev 0 ROMs, so there's a good likelihood it does. This often has Thriller and Revenge of Shinobi has all the cut goodies left in it, even if they're on mult-carts.
Retronick
10-14-2015, 05:35 PM
Most older MD boots are based on Rev 0 ROMs, so there's a good likelihood it does. This often has Thriller and Revenge of Shinobi has all the cut goodies left in it, even if they're on mult-carts.

If it does it's not obvious. I only ever played Moonwalker on the cart.
Az
10-15-2015, 12:54 AM
If it does it's not obvious. I only ever played Moonwalker on the cart.

Easiest way to tell is use the stage select code and go to the one graveyard stage (3-2 maybe?) then hold the special button to make all the zombies dance. Rev 0 plays Thriller, all others play something else.
Retronick
10-15-2015, 08:59 AM
Easiest way to tell is use the stage select code and go to the one graveyard stage (3-2 maybe?) then hold the special button to make all the zombies dance. Rev 0 plays Thriller, all others play something else.

I'll try it and let you know what I come up with :D
Retronick
10-15-2015, 09:21 AM
Ok! So, perhaps more interestingly, the level select code does not work. That said, I can confirm that it has Thriller :D. Sorry, it's been years since I've played the damn thing and I utterly forgot XD. So, I guess this is REV00. The code not working is pretty perplexing...
Graham Mitchell
10-16-2015, 01:31 AM
Is it just me or does this game feel unfinished? I was playing it the other day and there's nothing to find in any of the objects you open other than kids and bombs. No power-ups, anything to collect...the only secrets are when you turn into super/metal Michael. The game world feels empty, like they were planning for something more.

Not to mention, the zombies are cheap as hell.
Retronick
10-19-2015, 02:55 PM
Is it just me or does this game feel unfinished? I was playing it the other day and there's nothing to find in any of the objects you open other than kids and bombs. No power-ups, anything to collect...the only secrets are when you turn into super/metal Michael. The game world feels empty, like they were planning for something more.

Not to mention, the zombies are cheap as hell.

When I first got this cart, I thought the game looked "unfinished", which is also made me think it was a bootleg, but came to find out it's just sort of spartan all around XD. My only exposure when it was new was at a friend's house and insanely limited as she was a bit overprotective of her Genesis... Forget that I had a TurboGrafx-16, but, whatever. To your point, it does look sort of half done now that you mention it.
Az
10-20-2015, 06:35 AM
Never understood why Sega went with these completely different (worse) console versions rather than attempting ports of the arcade Moonwalker and Ghostbusters games.
Niku-Sama
10-23-2015, 07:57 AM
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/SEGA-MD-game-card-Michael-Jackson-s-Moonwalker-box-manual-cartridge/604594_32345687636.html

don't know what they were thinking with that cart label on yours....
Graham Mitchell
10-23-2015, 10:14 AM
Never understood why Sega went with these completely different (worse) console versions rather than attempting ports of the arcade Moonwalker and Ghostbusters games.

So that you'd keep playing the arcade game after you bought the home version. The death of the arcade started with the Dreamcast, because the hardware was identical to the Naomi system.