Drakkhen (SNES)

Drakkhen
Developer: Kemco Publishers: Kemco (JP), Infogrames (EU), Seika (US) Platform: SNES Released in JP: May 24, 1991 Released in US: September 1991 Released in EU: 1991 This game has unused enemies. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused items. This game has unused abilities. This game has unused text. This game has regional differences. This game has a Data Crystal page

Drakkhen is a really weird RPG in which you walk around an overworld in first-person view, explore dungeons in a side view, and monsters yell "Ecch!" a lot. Just don't fall into the water.

Unused Debug Display

There is an unused debug flag at $7E9978 in the SNES RAM. Set it to $01 to activate the debug display. There are two numbers will be displayed at the top-left corner of the screen, representing some parameters of first two characters in the party.

Additionally, set $7E997A to $01 to display the ending easter guitar sprites depending on a current state of the game. Note, there are two more guitars than in the regular ending (see info below). They may be revealed by entering the first player's name as "DRAKKHEN".

Osamu Tani Easter Eggs

Regular Guitars

There is a "guitar Easter egg" in the credits which is activated depending on how many player characters are dead when entering the ending. Up to 4 guitars may be displayed based on how many players are left alive at the end of the game.

(Source: Flying Omelette)

Punk Head

Additionally, there is an extra object of the Punk Head at the left side of the screen which may appear sometimes seemingly randomly. There is no strict condition to make this sprite appear. It appears if the random number generator of the game generates the number where the lower 5 bits are 0. The random number generator depends on H/V PPU counters, position of the player on the map, direction on the map, and frame counter.

.88:AAF6 22 7B E5 02                 JSL     _rand             ; get random number
.88:AAFA 29 1F                       AND     #$1F              ; if lower 5 bits aren't zero, skip
.88:AAFC D0 18                       BNE     loc_88AB16      
.88:AAFE A9 08                       LDA     #8              
.88:AB00 8F 7F 02 00                 STA     _insert_spr_posx  ; set sprite pos and attrs
.88:AB04 A9 55                       LDA     #$55
.88:AB06 8F 81 02 00                 STA     _insert_spr_posy 
.88:AB0A A9 00                       LDA     #0              
.88:AB0C 8F 13 02 00                 STA     _insert_spr_attr 
.88:AB10 A9 77                       LDA     #$77              ; draw sprite 77 index (70-75 are guitars, 76 is a stone)
.88:AB12 22 2B 96 00                 JSL     _insert_sprite    ; insert sprite
.88:AB16
.88:AB16             loc_88AB16:                             

...

.82:E57B             _rand:                                  
.82:E57B AD 37 21                    LDA     SOFTWARE_LATCH_FOR_H_V_COUNTER 
.82:E57E AD 9B 02                    LDA     _map_positionX    ; add map positions with ma[ direction
.82:E581 6D 9D 02                    ADC     _map_positionY  
.82:E584 6D 96 02                    ADC     _map_direction  
.82:E587 6D 3F 0A                    ADC     _frames_counter   ; add frame counter
.82:E58A 18                          CLC                     
.82:E58B 6D 3C 21                    ADC     H_COUNTER_DATA    ; add H/V VPD stats
.82:E58E 90 04                       BCC     loc_82E594      
.82:E590 18                          CLC                     
.82:E591 6D 3D 21                    ADC     V_COUNTER_DATA  
.82:E594             loc_82E594:                            
.82:E594 4D 09 1C                    EOR     _rand_seed        ; eor with current rand seed
.82:E597 8D 02 42                    STA     MULTIPLICAND_A    ; send to multiplier, get squared
.82:E59A 8D 03 42                    STA     MULTPLIER_B     
.82:E59D C2 20                       REP     #$20 
.82:E59F EA                          NOP                     
.82:E5A0 EA                          NOP                     
.82:E5A1 EA                          NOP                     
.82:E5A2 AD 16 42                    LDA     PRODUCT_REMAINDER_RESULT_LOW_BYTE 
.82:E5A5 4A                          LSR                       ; skip lower 3 bits
.82:E5A6 4A                          LSR                      
.82:E5A7 4A                          LSR                     
.82:E5A8 29 FF 00                    AND     #$FF              
.82:E5AB E2 20                       SEP     #$20 
.82:E5AD 8D 09 1C                    STA     _rand_seed        ; store new random seed
.82:E5B0 6B                          RTL                     

Unused Spells

Many spells from the PC version are still in the game in an unfinished state.

7EA133xx - "Fight" setting for second character.

Values for xx (note that entries in italics can be learned in-game but can't normally be cast in battle):

• 05 - Cure: Seems to work normally.
• 06 - Light: Works, but the screen doesn't light up until you switch menus or characters, and the light seems to last forever.
• 09 - Language: Works, but doesn't do anything noticeable. Overrides Light.
• 0B - Unlock: Makes doors open before the graphics even load if an enemy is in there.
• 0E - (blank): Unknown effect. Probably supposed to be Lock.
• 11 - Speed: Nonfunctional.
• 12 - Isolation: Nonfunctional. She never casts it in battle. (Not yet tested outside of battle.)
• 13 - (blank): Unknown effect. Probably supposed to be Restore from the PC version, but it's still unknown what that does, either.
• 15 - Resurrection: Bizarre effect where the caster is sent back to her party (dungeons) and can't leave the room. Outside, no visible effect. Nobody gets revived in any case.
• 16 - Blindness: Nonfunctional. Spell is never cast.
• 17 - Teleportation: Works, but anybody in the entrance room can't move afterwards. The only way out is the Door icon.
• 18 - Dragon power: Unknown effect. The character using this spell cannot move.

Unused Equipment

To do: Even more stuff; such as a Water item and Spell Book from the PC versions.

Unused Monster

A "trap door" monster from the PC version seems to have been worked on, but ultimately scrapped. He is in a very unfinished state. Use the Pro Action Replay (PAR) code 7E983807 to see him in action; you might have to enter the character menu first.

Hazhulkha Animation

Normally Hazhulkha does not move when you meet her in the SNES version, but if you use the Pro Action Replay (PAR) code 7E983836, she will animate. Note that she did animate in the PC version.

Unused Graphics

Two frames of a running calico cat are stored with Drakkhen's overworld graphics. The graphics change for each of the game's four overworld regions, but the cat stays the same. This indicates it's probably just filler.

A happy face can be found stored at the end of the moon phase graphics. It is also most likely to be memory filler.

This bucket appears with the menu graphics in the ROM. In the PC version of Drakkhen, this bucket appeared on the inventory screen and when you wanted to drop items, you'd drag and drop them into it. In the SNES version, there is a command to drop items but it is text only. The bucket sprite is not used.

These are loaded into RAM when the game is loaded, then overwritten with the sword/staff graphics. They appear to be older versions of the battle/magic meters.

Regional Differences

Gravestones

Japanese	International

The crosses on the gravestones were removed to remove religious imagery in the international versions.

Anaks

Japanese	International

The Anak shrines had a cross along the top in the PC and Japanese SNES versions which were changed in the international versions to a vertical rectangle to remove religious imagery.