King of Fighters 98

Neo Alec

Ned's Ninja Academy Dropout
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This is what happens when we tell everyone, "Check against the images online," as a method to detect bootlegs. It's not rocket science.
 

Xian Xi

JammaNationX,
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KOF98 was one of the games that used 3 or 4 different types of PROG boards which why your 1st board didn't match the picture.

I have a korean one that is a complete copy of a BK1 and 512Y board.
 

kasemase

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Yes, looks legit. As MC hammer once said, "Too legit... Too legit to quit... Hey Hey". :buttrock:
 

MattMan

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I'm surprised at how many responses there were. Thanks Xian xi that is why I was curious, I had no idea it used other types of boards.

@Neo Alec: You make me smile <3

Anyways, got the game and its fantastic. It sits a little loose in my board but its not a big deal.
 

Xian Xi

JammaNationX,
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Here's some pics of a Korean one that is actually legit. Interesting at how the boards were redesigned for some SMD chips. Sorry Jim, I didn't do a scan, at least I took pics.

kof98kprog.jpg

kof98kcha.jpg
 

ack

Ninja Combat Warrior
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Those are some weird looking boards, thanks for sharing. I will have to see if my korean contact can find me those. I got a kof98 korean from him in the past but it just had the same boards as us/jp.

Does unibios see that as NGH #242 or #142?

-ack
 

SNKorSWM

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Interesting boards, not only are they from different years, but the eproms seem to be a repair job as well.
 

Xian Xi

JammaNationX,
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Those are some weird looking boards, thanks for sharing. I will have to see if my korean contact can find me those. I got a kof98 korean from him in the past but it just had the same boards as us/jp.

Does unibios see that as NGH #242 or #142?

-ack

Ah, I tested them in a non UB system. It belongs to Dio Brando so we can ask him what NGH it is when he plays it.
 

Neo Alec

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If I got that cart, I'd probably just assume it's a boot.
 

JMKurtz

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Very strange cart (Xian Xi's pics).

First time I've seen that one. To me, it looks very suspect. Especially with the dual logo and in the wrong font on the silk screening, and black colored BK1 pcb is not correct.

To me, I would assume this is a very high quality bootleg... The use of the NEO PCM/273/ZMC ICs are a good touch, but those can be pulled from cheap boards easily enough and would save costs versus redesigning knock-offs and also increase compatibility.

My instinct is that this just isn't a legit cart. A nice looking bootleg though...

Jeff
 
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I think Xian Xi cart is a boot as well,

Manufacturing date doesnt agree with redesigned boards and SNK ASICs legs look uneven like it was pulled out from some other cart.
 

JMKurtz

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Plus, the gold fingers on the edge of the boards seem a little short. Obviously we haven't pointed out the obvious -- smd roms, OKI OTP EPROM, scratched up part numbers.

Usually a pcb redesign or specific use board has some sort of new part number. Look at SAM 3. It can have a "PROGSS3" specialized board. I would imagine a redesign to use SMD parts would be a whole new part number.
 

Vectorman0

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Plus, the gold fingers on the edge of the boards seem a little short. Obviously we haven't pointed out the obvious -- smd roms, OKI OTP EPROM, scratched up part numbers.

Usually a pcb redesign or specific use board has some sort of new part number. Look at SAM 3. It can have a "PROGSS3" specialized board. I would imagine a redesign to use SMD parts would be a whole new part number.

Also, check out the SNK logo, it's clearly not the proper logo.
 

Xian Xi

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It's hard to say, it runs perfectly with no problems. Also has the same Korean cart label. Game boots as NGH 242.

So what I want to know is why they would take the time to redesign a PROG and CHA board to use SMDs when bootleggers usually use adapters to put SMD chips in DIP sockets? And why would they redesign boards that already exist, usually bootleggers make their own PCB design not copy one. It just doesn't add up for me. Ever since the MX revelation I don't know any more.

KOF98 wasn't a huge game in the arcades so for them to produce these PCBs it would have cost them a lot more money than to use "DIP" boards. I could see a bootleg possibility if this game was say Bust a Move which was a huge money maker. Most arcades didn't even have KOF98.
 

SNKorSWM

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I have a mvs Aero Fighters 3 cart that is filled with those MX chips as well. At first I thought it was a boot because not only were the major chips all MX but also there were more chips than shown in these pics:

http://mvs-scans.com/index.php/Aero_Fighters_3

However, I noticed that the minor chips as well as the boards themselves matched the scans. So I was on the fence about its authenticity until I read XX's thread. I guess that's the answer I'm hoping for then.
 

Xian Xi

JammaNationX,
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Ya it was weird when I opened that Hyper cart after hearing that since I joined in 2005. Maybe it is true that SNK never used MX chips for MVS carts but it's hard to say unless someone can confirm that SNK never used them down the line.

I mean honestly, if I was in SNK and we were losing a lot of money and we could use MX flash chips instead of silkscreened chips then I would opt for the MX if it was gonna save the company tons of money. Who knows what went on in SNK before 2000, especially in the 1998-00 time period. I think carts made in 98-00 that have clean MX chips are possibly legit since that was the time period that SNK used MX chips for the Hyper games. Anything older than 98 I doubt it but you never know.
 

Dio Brando

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Discussing my cart behind my back, huh?:p

As I have been playing, it recently came to me that my kof98 cart is missing any non-english audio. That is usually a symptom of a boot, but would this rule still apply with a Korean cart?
 

Xian Xi

JammaNationX,
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Yes, Korean carts usually are missing sound samples.
 

ack

Ninja Combat Warrior
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Ya it was weird when I opened that Hyper cart after hearing that since I joined in 2005. Maybe it is true that SNK never used MX chips for MVS carts but it's hard to say unless someone can confirm that SNK never used them down the line.

It seems they must have use MX chips in some capacity in MVS carts. I have this samurai shodown 3 where one was used in an official looking repair.

samsho_3_b2_front.jpg

samsho_3_b1_front.jpg


-ack
 

SetaSouji??

There Can be Only One
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I think carts made in 98-00 that have clean MX chips are possibly legit since that was the time period that SNK used MX chips for the Hyper games. Anything older than 98 I doubt it but you never know.

Remember my KOF95?

DSC01273.jpg


DSC01270.jpg
 
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