SegaMD repro - Sonic 3 Complete

[jpx72]

Hello guys!
I wanted to share this story with you, and maybe make some Sonic fans out here drool over this thing.

Maybe you already know about the Sonic 3 complete project http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_3_Complete_%28hack%29
It is the most complete and most awesome compilation of games Sonic 3 and Sonic&Knuckles, done because these games should have been released originally as one giant game, but due to certain circumstances were released separately.

Why I am writing this? Because I found here a friendly soul - untinip (mentioned with his permission) who succesfully made my dream possible - to create a REPRO of this hack!

I dreamed about this cart for a couple of years, I even contacted many people with repro skills and exchanged maybe a hundred PMs.

So I took a screwdriver and opened it right away.

It was amazing! The giant 27C322 eprom, I remember reading a ton of datasheets to find out what eprom type I need to store the whole Sonic3complete on it because the hacked rom is bigger than any original game.

Anyway I saw the IC on the other side of the board, and I remembered building Gimmick! for Famicom and I know this is no easy task to add another IC to the board. I love the way the extra pins are soldered, just a tiny hint of tin on the tip of the connector, very nice and clean soldering job!
So tons of cables, one big-ass eprom, one extra IC, a couple of diodes, simply a beauty!

The biggest problem (from my point of view) was solving the save game system, because Sonic 3 in original uses eeprom without the need of a battery, and Sonic&Knuckles doesn't use save system at all. But I believed in reproing skills of untinip and the result is - it works! He even installed a fresh battery! Applause!

The label is my work, untinip asked me to do it by myself and I have some skills too, so added my share to the final product.

So bottom line, creation of this repro is possible, and it's the best repro I have! These are the facts that you should consider if you are a Sonic fan, because this one is REALLY worth the money and time! It plays fantastic on a real hardware, with all the small details you always wanted to be repaired, but on the original Sega games, no patches could be made. Untill now!

Thank you untinip   You are the best!  

PS this happened a half year ago, but due to my busy life, I only got to post it today. No harm I guess