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Two versions of Maniac Mansion [NES]?
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Kitsune
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Joined: 20 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 7:56 am    Post subject: Two versions of Maniac Mansion [NES]? Reply with quote

I don't really like the game (because I haven't played it much, I'm afraid), but I stumbled upon this just now and I was left a bit confused.

I remember some people mentioning this game at Sardius' board a few months, maybe a year back, about how some things got changed between the DOS and NES versions. But basically, lots of things were removed, including the microwavable hamster.

But this guy says that there's a version with the hamster.

Is this guy lying, or is there an undumped version that I'm not aware of? Or is this from another release of the game?
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lugnut
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 8:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was always under the impression that -all- U.S. versions of the game had the hamster, contrary to popular rumor. Seems like perhaps the PAL version was the victim of the hamster censorship...but hell, I dunno.
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kap
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember reading in a magazine that it was removed from the US version, which is probably why EVERYONE thinks (or thought) that.
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Smeg
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's just the one (US) NES version, and of course you can nuke the hamster. There are characters who'll refuse to do it, so that might help spread the myth a bit.
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KlarthAilerion
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For censorship information, seeThe Expurgation of Maniac Mansion, by Douglas Crockford.

Also, as noted on that page, Sid and Razor (the surfer dude and the punk rock chick), resident badasses of the group, are the ones who can nuke the hamster in the microwave.

Try returning the nuked hamster to Weird Ed, for some extra fun.
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Smeg
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

KlarthAilerion wrote:
Try returning the nuked hamster to Weird Ed, for some extra fun.


I make a point of having Weird Ed kill Dave each time I play, as a strange sort of in-joke.
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ICEknight



Joined: 15 Dec 2003
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Speaking of the different NES versions, I've noticed that some texts were removed for the European edition. Has anybody found these while playing the US version?

Quote:
Ron Baldwin has done a killer job in adapting this game for use on the NES, so please tell all of your friends to run out and buy it!

I found this one right after the description for the ice hockey table.


Quote:
Warning Sign

WARNING! Use caution! Unauthorized access codes may cause mondo-damage. Call 1-800-555-NUKE for more fine security products


keypad

This one sounds like the copy protection from the PC version...

By the way, the (U) ROM has a strange "aster" text near the very beginning of the ROM, unlike the (E) and (SW) files. Is this a verified dump?
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lugnut
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
By the way, the (U) ROM has a strange "aster" text near the very beginning of the ROM, unlike the (E) and (SW) files. Is this a verified dump?


Aster was a NES-header-editing utility from a long, long time ago. Been so long since I've seen it that I don't even remember for sure if Aster was the name of the program or the name of the author.

Either way, it placed a tag in every ROM that was edited with it, so that's where that's coming from.
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ICEknight



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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've just checked the other available ROMs and [o1] has that aster thing plus some added bytes at the end with the text "Maniac Mansion", and the header in [o2] has a different byte and no aster thing but at the very end, even after the added footer, it reads something horrible:

Quote:
Vimm's Lair



Even though it's very possible that the correct dump is [o2] sans the footer I guess a redump wouldn't hurt, and this game deserves it... =\
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Kid Fenris



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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

KlarthAilerion wrote:
Also, as noted on that page, Sid and Razor (the surfer dude and the punk rock chick), resident badasses of the group, are the ones who can nuke the hamster in the microwave.


Minor nit-pick: Sid's the shades-sporting musician. Jeff's the surfer dude.

And it's interesting that the other characters will actually refuse to nuke the hamster, implying that only those overtaken by the turpitude of rock music would microwave the little bugger. Jack Chick would be proud.

On a related note, I could never play Maniac Mansion without using Razor, as she was the only one of the game's characters to appear in the resultant Howard and Nester comic. I sometimes think that Howard and Nester strips influenced my gaming perspective more than anything else I've ever read in a magazine.
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Skrybe
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ICEknight wrote:
Warning Sign

WARNING! Use caution! Unauthorized access codes may cause mondo-damage. Call 1-800-555-NUKE for more fine security products


keypad

There's a hidden keypad in the US version that blows the reactor if you mess with it enough. I don't think there's any warning sign accompanying it, but that sounds like it would fit.
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Pullmyfinger



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 12:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I dont have the cartridge and I never got far enough on a computer to try it, but I found this someday I'll try it on my DC....
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Nick M



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PostPosted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are two versions. The first 25,000(?) American carts had the hamster, everything manufactured after that didn't because Nintendo made them change it. That is the only difference though.
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Smeg
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nick M wrote:
There are two versions. The first 25,000(?) American carts had the hamster, everything manufactured after that didn't because Nintendo made them change it. That is the only difference though.


Source?
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DavidDurica



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 12:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smeg wrote:
Source?

I've heard that, too... It might have been the NP article where they also admitted that Mike Tyson's Punch Out existed.
I can't remember where I heard it exactly, but it was pre-internet for me.
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kap
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seems odd to me that everyone quotes the same mystery article that says Nintendo had them remove the hamster nuking, yet no one has actually played a version of the game that disallowed it.

It's generally been accepted that there are no versions floating around that don't allow you to do it. If any of you have actually played a version that don't allow it, I'd love to hear it.
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DavidDurica



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kap wrote:
Seems odd to me that everyone quotes the same mystery article that says Nintendo had them remove the hamster nuking, yet no one has actually played a version of the game that disallowed it.

Yeah, this has actually put a hair up my ass to find out where I had read it. I know I saw it somewhere, but can't put my finger on it. Maybe there was a review copy sent out that had it, and it got pulled between that and release... I'll try to find some of my old nes books over the next week.
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Nick M



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I read about it on a site. I don't have the URL anymore though (why would I?).
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Smeg
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Until someone produces an official statement from someone who worked at Jaleco or Lucasarts at the time, or better yet, an actual copy of the supposed Hamster cooking-impaired game, There's nothing to prove this but rumors. I still say it's an urban legend. "A site" simply fell victim to the legend. It happens.
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Nick M



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sure it's possible. Just seems a little too specific for your average rumor.
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