[MYSTERY SOLVED: Universe BIOS Easter Egg!] Windjammers: Secret "ASCII Pong" mode?

aclbandit

Another Striker
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Posts
315
[MYSTERY SOLVED: Universe BIOS Easter Egg!] Windjammers: Secret "ASCII Pong" mode?

Recently, I bought WindJammers. But a weird thing happened.

Plugged it in before cleaning, and the sound was all terrible. Poor choice, but I started wiggling the cartridge while it was on.

The game froze, and the text "ASCII PONG" appeared at the top. Two tetris-like paddles could be moved up and down, and pressing 'a' button tossed a 'ball' that could be deflected back-and-forth.

I get the feeling that this is something widely-known, but I can't find anything about it on the internet.

Anyone seen this before? Any way to access it that doesn't involve cartridge-tilting?

I did take a video, if anyone is curious.

Update: video added


https://youtu.be/0Slqk4kpRQA

Video is trash because I thought this was something 'everybody knows' about. I can try to reproduce for a better video, but of course I've cleaned the cartridge contacts since then...

You can't even see the 'tetris piece' paddles, which is real lame. They were hardly visible IRL, though.
 
Last edited:

wyo

King of Spammers
10 Year Member
Joined
May 22, 2013
Posts
10,109
Nice find! You should post the video.
 

kuze

Akari's Big Brother
10 Year Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Posts
2,549
Would love to see the video as well!
 

aclbandit

Another Striker
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Posts
315
Nice find! You should post the video.


https://youtu.be/0Slqk4kpRQA

Video is trash because I thought this was something 'everybody knows' about. I can try to reproduce for a better video, but of course I've cleaned the cartridge contacts since then...

You can't even see the 'tetris piece' paddles, which is real lame. They were hardly visible IRL, though.

(Editing original post to include this video link, for future visitors)
 
Last edited:

DanAdamKOF

Iori's Flame
20 Year Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Posts
8,250
It's a UniBIOS easter egg, bring up the in-game menu, I think highlight third option, then press 1P Left + 1P C + 2P Right + 2P C or something. I guess your cart glitching out your board caused this to load somehow.

edit: the reveal thread:
http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?19117

It's 1P Left + 1P Start + 2P Right + 2P Start actually
 
Last edited:

aclbandit

Another Striker
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Posts
315
It's a UniBIOS easter egg, bring up the in-game menu, I think highlight third option, then press 1P Left + 1P C + 2P Right + 2P C or something. I guess your cart glitching out your board caused this to load somehow.

edit: the reveal thread:
http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?19117

It's 1P Left + 1P Start + 2P Right + 2P Start actually

Oh, awesome. Can't wait to try this when I get home.

Really glad this isn't some mystic and unreproducible item.
 
Top