Wavelflack
03-09-2003, 10:23 PM
This auction was for "Snail Maze", in cart form, for the Sega Master System.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3011385033
The origin of this idea was the sale of (more or less) hollow hardware that does nothing more than unlock capabilities already resident in the host hardware. One example would be the Power Base Converter (Genesis), a device that (according to Sega Visions) was a "miniaturized SMS", and utilized the Genesis only "as a power source". When you open the thing up, you notice that it is nothing more than a cool plastic casing with an SMS-to-Genesis cart adaptor. Oh, and a small chip that triggers the Genesis to run in Z80 "SMS mode".
A more recent example would be the Xbox DVD enhancement kit. I'm sure that more than a few consumers actually think that the kit "upgrades" the Xbox hardware, but in reality, all it does is unlock that capability.
With these examples in mind (and the wish to make a TRUE SMS exclusive!), I created the cartridge version of Snail Maze! This is the ONLY way to play Snail Maze that does not require an empty cartridge port! Yes, I may be somewhat disingenous with this claim, but it's literally true!
I knew that, in creating this item, I would have to be a bit more obvious than otherwise necessary in dropping hints as to this cart's provenance, With some of the smartass segments and the little exposition piece at the beginning deleted, I could foresee some bids taking place, and a LOT of questions. For no other reason than keeping my listing fees to a bare minimum, I wanted to avoid that eventuality. I know, I'm a cheapass.
One small note (in reference to "Fig. 3") is that I DO own a set of gamebits, so even if the "amazing engineers at Sega" had not gone with philips head screws, the cart would still be possible. I had to exaggerate the significance of philips head screws in order to drive the final clue home (that the cart was not legitimate). Forgive me for being so obvious.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3011385033
The origin of this idea was the sale of (more or less) hollow hardware that does nothing more than unlock capabilities already resident in the host hardware. One example would be the Power Base Converter (Genesis), a device that (according to Sega Visions) was a "miniaturized SMS", and utilized the Genesis only "as a power source". When you open the thing up, you notice that it is nothing more than a cool plastic casing with an SMS-to-Genesis cart adaptor. Oh, and a small chip that triggers the Genesis to run in Z80 "SMS mode".
A more recent example would be the Xbox DVD enhancement kit. I'm sure that more than a few consumers actually think that the kit "upgrades" the Xbox hardware, but in reality, all it does is unlock that capability.
With these examples in mind (and the wish to make a TRUE SMS exclusive!), I created the cartridge version of Snail Maze! This is the ONLY way to play Snail Maze that does not require an empty cartridge port! Yes, I may be somewhat disingenous with this claim, but it's literally true!
I knew that, in creating this item, I would have to be a bit more obvious than otherwise necessary in dropping hints as to this cart's provenance, With some of the smartass segments and the little exposition piece at the beginning deleted, I could foresee some bids taking place, and a LOT of questions. For no other reason than keeping my listing fees to a bare minimum, I wanted to avoid that eventuality. I know, I'm a cheapass.
One small note (in reference to "Fig. 3") is that I DO own a set of gamebits, so even if the "amazing engineers at Sega" had not gone with philips head screws, the cart would still be possible. I had to exaggerate the significance of philips head screws in order to drive the final clue home (that the cart was not legitimate). Forgive me for being so obvious.