Animal Crossing (N64) Debug

[Kao]

Years ago I discovered a gameshark-style code for the original Japanese version of Animal Crossing for the N64 that allowed me to access a bunch of different hidden maps left in the ROM used for debugging purposes.

The maps tested for a variety of things (animals interacting with each other, etc), including the unused paper airplane item. Additionally, if you spoke to an oid (those tan fire hydrant-looking things), it would run through a long chain of debugging text.

Just recently a friend of mine who does Japanese to English translations of slightly obscure/beta video game material looked through old screenshots I had taken of this debug text and posted a full English translation on her site. If you're interested, you can check it out right here:

http://www.glitterberri.com/animal-crossing/debug-tests

Interestingly, the oid is given the name "Johnny B." I wonder is this was a reference to someone on the game team?

[subbie]

Interesting stuff. I still own Animal Forest

[Kao]

Also interesting is that the game specifically mentions the Dreamcast and Playstation 2 by name in the debug text.

Animal Forest came out shortly before Gamecube.. so maybe the competition was on the developers' minds..?

[subbie]

Maybe or just someone screwing around. You'd be surprised what devs sometimes leave in games. =P

[CrAzY]

I will take a look for the debug code you specify, as I remember fiddling with the same thing back in the day. The GC version also has a debug code.

[Kao]

Great :) What I was talking about wasn't really a debug code exactly (I think you're referring to that one where you change the software version number in a hex editor or something and get a debug printout on the screen), but rather a gameshark-style code for changing the value at address currently in memory.

[CrAzY]

No no! I am sure we are talking about the same thing. It was a Gameshark code and the GC one was Action Replay. And sorry, but I can't seem to find anything.

[XxHennersXx]

very interesting. I LOVE animal crossing/forest. I remember hearing about it in Nintendo Power. :D