Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (Nintendo 64)

Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals
Also known as: Transformers: Beast Wars Metals 64 (JP) Developer: Locomotive Publishers: Takara (JP), BAM! Entertainment (US) Platform: Nintendo 64 Released in JP: October 1, 1999 Released in US: November 15, 2000 This game has hidden development-related text. This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences.

Debug Menu

A simple debug menu can be enabled with the following GameShark code. Press L then A button while in the options menu to enable the first debug menu. Press R then A to enable the second. Pressing START will return the menu to normal.

Version	GameShark code
USA	D11CB740 0010 800AB547 0030 D11CB740 0020 800AB547 0060 D11CB740 1000 800AB547 0020
JP	D11C8EF0 0010 800AAF6B 0030 D11C8EF0 0020 800AAF6B 0060 D11C8EF0 1000 800AAF6B 0020

The first debug menu's Debug dip option doesn't appear to work anymore. It will take a few attempts to activate the flags in this menu as well. The inputs sometimes don't get read. It is unclear what the second debug menu is. It doesn't display properly and will glitch the screen slightly when exiting.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Development Text

Present at 0xDC468 in the ROM is a build date which is the same in both versions.

99/02/18 Ver

Present at 0xCFF08 and 0xE2D30 in the ROM are some graphics related messages.

KLCStage2::Render Gfx[ 0x%08x - 0x%08x ] size(%08x)
KLCEffect() Create effect over numbers !! High[%d/%d] Low[%d/%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_AIR(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_CHE(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_MEG(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_OPT(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_RAT(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_TAR(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_TER(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_WAS(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No ADD count EFT_GLB(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_AIR(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_CHE(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_MEG(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_OPT(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_RAT(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_TAR(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_TER(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_WAS(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect() No SUB count EFT_GLB(%d) [%d]
KLCEffect::Render Gfx[ 0x%08x - 0x%08x ] size(%08x)
KLCWeapon() Create weapon over numbers !!
KLCWeapon::Render Gfx[ 0x%08x - 0x%08x ] size(%08x)

*** ROM Read RCP IntDL: Rom(%x) to Ram(%x) size(%x)
*** ROM Read MycharaBuf: Rom(%x) to Ram(%x) size(%x)
### Frame Buffer Address [ 1:0x%08x 2:0x%08x 3:0x%08x ] size(0x%08x)

Present at 0xDC478, 0xDE258, and 0xDEC9C in the ROM is text for a possible debug mode.

LV%d %s(%d %d)
NO %d ACT %2d
KEYS %d%d %d%d%d%d
SndObjFull
CantCreate
MoveTask
--------
= HEAD =
= TAIL =
TestTask
 Master 
FadeCTRL
POKEMON GREEN
YajiEfct
Grid BG 
DataINIT
Chuui   
flagEdit
 Window 
WF sub  
Debug Window
GameClear: 
Mini Game: 
Debug dip: 

 TAKARA 
 Title  
Grid BG 
KANBAN  
KeyCheck
  title 
BAM Logo
 TAKARA 
 LOCOMO 
Gen Logo
Nintendo
Star BG 
STRmastr
Star BG 
BW Logo 
RMB stop
Star BG 
BW Logo 
  Push  
RMB stop
Mode Sel
KeyWatch
RMB stop
RMB stop
Option  
RMB stop
Option  
RMB stop
Game opt
SND opt 
stg Disp
stg Key 
RMB stop
STG show
CH show 
Grid BG 
Cansel  
RMB stop
GET daze
Grid BG 
Result  
RMB stop
WinCam  
Winner  
STRmastr
RMB stop
Star BG 
STRmastr
CpyRight
1 or 2 ?
P1 disp
ICON    
P1 ctrl 
YajiDisp
P1 disp
ICON    
P1 ctrl 
Yaji 1P 
P2 disp
P2 ctrl 
Yaji 2P 
P1 disp
P2 disp
ICON    
 1P sub 
 2P sub 
TeamIcon
 fuda 1P
ICON    
disp 1P 
 KEY 1P 
TeamIcon
 fuda 2P
disp 2P 
 KEY 2P 
TeamIcon
 fuda 1P
 fuda 2P
ICON    
display 
KEY task
OMAKE   
OMAKE   
1 or 2 ?
MiniGame
setsumei
 Panel  
Grid BG 
TimeDisp
 Panel  
P master
DAN GAN 
 Panel  
disk    
Grid BG 
maisuu  
EEPscore
NEWscore
continue
GET daze
 Rotate 
Rol ctrl
YajiDisp
Zu disp 
Zu ctrl 

Com L.1
Com L.2
Com L.3
Com L.4
Com L.5
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
Stage 7
Stage 8
Stage-8
Stage10
COLOR 1
COLOR 2
COLOR 3
COLOR 4
FR:%2u
Motion
CL:Cancel
Motion %d
Rate %4.2f
Frame %4.1f
Y %4.0f
Ang. %1.1f
Dist. %3.0f
View
CL:Cancel
1P %s %s %s
2P %s %s %s
Stage %s
GB1:H%d:E%d:ER%d:%c%c %s
GB2:H%d:E%d:ER%d:%c%c %s
ROM End : 0x%06X (%d.%dMB)
Start:Set
L    :Cancel
CL   :ViewMode
CR   :MotionMode
CU   :FrameCounter
CD   :Go Menu

Note the included lines "POKEMON GREEN" and "GET daze", Pokémon's Japanese tagline.

Present at 0xD3A401 in the ROM is the string

= End of ROM =

which indicates the end of the actual data in the ROM. Everything after it is just padding.

(Source: Ferrox)

Regional Differences

To do: Apparently, Transfer Pak support was removed since the GBC companion game was not localized. This patch says it restores access to the extra content.

Japan	USA

When the game was brought over to the US, the title was changed from Transformers: Beast Wars Metals 64 to Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals and received a completely different logo on the title screen.

In the Japanese version of the game if you put Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle in the Nintendo 64 Transfer Pak. You can unlock Megatron X. But there is no way to play as him in the US version.

In the US version of the game, both player combatants are much more limited in terms of how far the characters can move away from each other compared to the original Japanese release. Though this keeps the players' combatants in closer and clearer view, the gameplay mechanics are severely limited as a result. According to developer Chris Tang, this change was made late in development without GenAzea's knowledge by Nintendo and, in his own words, "ruined the game"