Question about the Power Base Converter

[JohnnyBlaze]

Are there any incompatibilities with the Power Base Converter? I mean are there any games that:

-Don't work?
-Absolutely NEEDS the SMS Controller to play
-Do work but show some problems

Also, which Genesis models will it work with. I know of a few it will work on besides the Genesis 1, but I just want to be sure.

[anagrama]

There's a few games that are glitchy with a Genesis controller - WonderBoy in Monsterland & Newzealand Story spring to mind, but there's others too. IIRC, all these are fine with an SMS controller.

F-16 Fighting Falcon doesn't play through a PBC because it uses the SG-1000 Legacy graphics mode (it was originally intended as an SG-1000 game, but was upgraded to bulk out the Mark III launch line-up), which the Genesis/MD can't handle.

Think there's some Euro games (Codemasters releases?) that have issues on a US system, but that's because of 50/60Hz issues rather than the PBC.

[thetoxicone]

If i remember correctly montezuma's revenge has some issues unless you use a sms controller

[Dire 51]

If i remember correctly montezuma's revenge has some issues unless you use a sms controller

Correct. Panama Joe keeps running to the left unless you use an SMS controller.

Alien Syndrome requires an SMS controller for play too.

[Graham Mitchell]

Penguin Land also requires an SMS controller.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

Carmen Sandiego and Shanghai also do not work with a Genesis controller.

One compatibility issue inthe Power Base Converter's favor is that it can play the largest Tec*Toy games like Sonic Chaos and Virtua Fighter Animation which will not work on an original SMS (but do work on the Master System 2).

The Power Base Converter doesn't work on the Genesis 3 or the Nomad. Probably also doesn't work on a converted Radica Sega Legends system. It will work on a Genesis 2, but you'll have to make some alterations to the PBC case or else it gets in the way of the Genesis's power plug. As far as I know it does work with the CDX and X'Eye/Wondermega and probably even the Laseractive Genesis module. That's all the Genesis models that take cartridges that I can think of...are there others?


...word is bondage...

[50s Brawler]

No one else has mentioned this yet so I will. You may get a few games here or there that are super temperamental about powering up on a PBC on your Genesis. Back in 1993 I picked up a nice AREA 88 clone (with a few of it's own originalities) called Aerial Assault. The game WOULD power up on the PCB, but only after I used what I refer to as a "Boot-Up Cartridge", meaning you had to stick in another SMS game that doesn't give you any problems and power it up for about 12 seconds, then power off and slot Aerial Assault, and voila! The game suddenly would power up. Without doing this the game wouldn't power up at all though. I had the occurances with a few other titles but I honestly don't remember what games they were anymore, just Aerial Assault. I usually used "Rastan" as the boot up cart. Here's to hoping you don't run into that problem.
:cheers:

[RARusk]

Out of my meager collection, "Alien 3" is the only game that won't work on the PBC. In the PBC the game gives a black screen and a constant noise. When I put the game back into a regular SMS it works fine.

[CRV]

According to the SMS FAQ (http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/sms/file/sega_master_system.txt), these games only work with the SMS controller:

Alien Syndrome
Bomber Raid
Great Volleyball
Montezuma's Revenge
Shanghai
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
Wonderboy in Monster Land
Tennis Ace