Do people already know about the Tennokoe Bank code?

[SamIAm]

I was doing some searches in Japanese about the Tennokoe Bank when I stumbled into this. Googling "Tennokoe Bank code" in English doesn't yield any results. Could it be that the English speaking world doesn't know about it?


EDIT: Be sure to read the rest of the thread before trying the code. The way it's described varies according to different sources. The first one here is probably wrong.

ＢＡＮＫ４が未使用の状態で、ＲＵＮ＋ＳＥＬＥＣＴ＋ I ＋ II を押しながら電源投入後、タイトル画面で、左を押しながら I を４回、下を押しながら I を６回、右を押しながら I を２回、上を押しながら I を２回、ＳＥＬＥＣＴを押しながら左を４回、ＳＥＬＥＣＴを押しながら下を６回、ＳＥＬＥＣＴを押しながら右を２回、ＳＥＬＥＣＴを押しながら上を２回押して、全て離してＲＵＮを押す。14タイトルのセーブデータが入っている。

With Bank 4 in an unused state,* press RUN + SELECT + I + II and turn the power on. At the title screen, hold LEFT and press I four times, then hold DOWN and press I two times, then hold RIGHT and press I two times, then hold UP and press I two times. Then, hold SELECT and press LEFT four times, then hold SELECT and press DOWN six times, then hold SELECT and press RIGHT two times, then hold SELECT and press UP two times.** Finally, release everything and press RUN. You will find save data for 14 games [in Bank 4].

*There is no way to delete the banks, is there? This might mean that if you've ever used Bank 4, the only way you could try this is if you sever and reconnect the battery!

**It isn't very clear about whether you're supposed to let go of SELECT after each set or keep it pressed the whole time.


In case that's not confusing enough, this other version of it has some differences. I wonder what the original publication of the code said? I might actually have that...

EDIT: I found it in a PCE magazine pack-in booklet. This is version appears to be correct.

天の声バンクの裏技を試してみることに。
・RUN、SELECT、Ｉ、ＩＩ、左上を押しながら電源を入れる。
・左とＩ同時押し4回
・下とＩ同時押し6回
・右とＩ同時押し2回
・上とＩ同時押し2回
・SELECTを押しながら左4回、下6回、右２回、上２回
・RUNボタン

- Press RUN, SELECT, I, II and UP-LEFT and turn the power on.
- Press LEFT and I simultaneously four times
- Press DOWN and I simultaneously six times
- Press RIGHT and I simultaneously two times
- Press UP and I simultaneously two times
- Press and hold SELECT, then press RIGHT four times, DOWN six times, RIGHT two times, and UP two times.
- Press RUN


Any brave volunteers willing to try and get this to work? Apparently, you'll have saves for 14 Hudson games, including some RPGs. One is Tengai Makyo Ziria with really good stats and equipment, apparently.

[SamIAm]

One more website seems to confirm the second version of the code in my post above.

EDIT: This is essentially correct, but the wording is confusing. The second version above matches a clear description in a PCE publication.

バンク4が未使用の状態の時、
「RUN+セレクト+I+II+左上」を押しながら電源を入れる。
タイトル画面表示中に、
「左+I×4、下+I×6、右+I×2、上+I×2、
　セレクトを押しながら左×4、セレクトを押しながら下×6、
　セレクトを押しながら右×2、セレクトを押しながら上×2、RUN」
の順に入力する。
すると、この当時までのハドソンが発売してきた、
14本のソフトの最強＆便利データファイルがズラリと並んでいる。

- Bank 4 must be unused
- Press RUN, SELECT, I, II and UP-LEFT and turn the power on.
- At the Title Screen, press LEFT+Ix4, DOWN+Ix6, RIGHT+Ix2, UP+Ix2
- Hold Select and press LEFT four times, then hold Select and press DOWN six times, then hold SELECT and press RIGHT two times, then hold SELECT and press UP two times. Press RUN.

You get saves that are "full-powered/convenient" for 14 Hudson games.

[esteban]

Ha! I probably have some of the games...is there a complete list of 14 titles?

I am sure someone else will do this before me, but I could easily do this tonight after work... I have many big Hudson titles, even though I'm not a big RPG fan.

[SamIAm]

I found the code in one of my magazine pack-in books. Some quick notes about what it says.

- You have to press up-left along with the other buttons in the beginning.
- During the first 4-6-2-2 round, you have to press (and release) the direction and I simultaneously each time.
- You press and hold select during the entirety of the second 4-6-2-2 round.
- When you succeed, a message should appear on the screen.

This is probably right. Upon closer inspection, it looks like the second code in my OP matches the description in the book.

[esteban]

Just tried, but apparently I had already used bank 4.

Swap and delete all saves on local console.

You didn't want those saves, anyway.

I can't remember if I have anything in Bank 4, myself.

[SamIAm]

The book says that it "won't work if you're using Bank 4" and if you've ever used it, I'm not sure that it's possible to un-use it. There is no delete option, right?

Maybe formatting the system memory so that it's blank, then copying that in?

[NecroPhile]

Cool code.  I hope y'all figure out how to make it work.

[esteban]

The book says that it "won't work if you're using Bank 4" and if you've ever used it, I'm not sure that it's possible to un-use it. There is no delete option, right?

Maybe formatting the system memory so that it's blank, then copying that in?

Hmmmmm.... it's funny that, collectively, we don't know about the code or if it will work unless we have a virgin HuCARD.

DAMN.

[CrackTiger]

I've tried at least one of these code in the past, but like many that I wasn't sure of what exactly the results were supposed to be, I never knew if it had worked.

There is a code to do using an Ave Pad 6, while gaining a level on Kabukiden. I'm pretty sure I did it correctly, but couldn't figure out what it did. Soneone once said that it was supposed to give you an extra level, or boost you to max level or something. But my Japanese skills were much more limited in the 90's.

I just ordered a brand new Tennokoe Bank. I'll try the codes without using any banks and see if it works, I'll match the saves to games and try to narrow down the results. Hopefully they all have states that cannot be achieved under normal conditions.

[SignOfZeta]

This is cool!

Does anyone have one with a dead battery? This would make such a thing very useful. It will always have an unused bank 4 and it will always be able to populate it with those files. You'd also have to do that code every time...

[CrackTiger]

Has it been confirmed that the secret save files are transfered from the rom after the code is performed and they're not floating in the ram?

[csgx1]

Very interesting, I never heard of this.  I checked 3 Tennokoe Banks that I got and none have a empty slot 4.  Tried to swap/transfer a blank system memory to the Tennokoe but it doesn't allow it.  It doesn't seem like there's an easy way to clear the Tennokoe Bank saves without disconnecting the internal battery.

[SignOfZeta]

Has it been confirmed that the secret save files are transfered from the rom after the code is performed and they're not floating in the ram?

I don't think anything has been confirmed but I'd be surprised if they packed in enough RAM to store a full extra bank and then didn't allow it to be used. Storing it in the ROM would be trivial.

What are the sizes of the Ten no Koe ROM versus the PCE save space?

[CrackTiger]

I assumed that since bank 4 cannot be used to get the files, that they must be test files on bank 4 (to check that a card is not defective before packaging), which are nameless until the code reveals them. A dead battery would mean that they are permanently erased.

If they're not in the ram and restoring a dead battery would work, then you can just do the trick in an emulator.

[SignOfZeta]

Ah..that theory is at least as logical as mine.

[SamIAm]

I don't have the book in front of me, but I'm pretty sure that the saves are supposed to appear in Bank 4. My guess is that they exist in the ROM rather than being concealed somehow in the RAM during the initial shipment. Based on the fact that the book says that Bank 4 just has to not be used, you could probably copy in an empty internal memory and have it work.

Trying this in an emulator might not go well. It might be hard to have the buttons held at startup, and it also might be impossible for your PC to recognize that many buttons being held simultaneously.

[ccovell]

I'd known about this easter egg for a while, just never bothered to try it.

Luckily, my Tennokoe Bank had an empty slot 4!



After entering the code, it says there's a present for users from Hudson Soft.  At this screen, no button press does anything; you have to reset/turn off the console.  The above save games are in slot 4 to be copied to the user's BRAM.

So, here's a dump of that BRAM!
https://chrismcovell.com/data/hudson-bram.zip

[SignOfZeta]

Fuck, this dude to the rescue again!

[ccovell]

Thank god you put a comma in there.  :]

[SamIAm]

Cool!

Starting with awesome equipment would make Ziria a lot more enticing to play.

Apparently, some of those saves are also before major points in the story, possibly including big animation moments.

Anyway, thanks, ccovell!

[Pokun]

I tried to make this code work long ago in Mednafen but was unsuccessful.

MooZ made a PCE program that uploads these saves to your BRAM.
Scroll down to box4.pce

The data is in the ROM so it can never be lost forever. I think the virgin Ten no Koe BANK just means Box 4 has to be empty, not that it never has been used. But if it really has to be virgin I guess disconnecting the battery should do it.

[SamIAm]

That's a nice twist. Thanks for sharing!

Now we just need to find out if any of these saves happen to be especially cool.

[esteban]

Awesome. There's a fresh mug of coffee in NJ waiting for you on the counter.


For idiots, like me... OK, at first I didn't recognize...

MOTURBO: Momotarou Densetsu Turbo

http://www.pcedaisakusen.net/2/28/158/1/Momotarou-Densetsu-Turbo-jp.htm

(I never played this series...)

MOMODE2: Momotsro Densetsu II

http://www.pcedaisakusen.net/2/28/157/1/Momotaro-Densetsu-II-jp.htm

MOMOKATSU: Momotaro Katsugeki

http://www.pcedaisakusen.net/2/28/159/1/Momotaro-Katsugeki-jp.htm


Is Adventure1 = Dragon's Curse?
Is Mitubati1 = Mitsubachi Gakuen?

http://www.pcedaisakusen.net/2/28/360/1/Mitsubachi-Gakuen-jp.htm

[Johnpv]

That is super freaking awesome!

I don't think mine has Bank 4 free otherwise I'd try it. 

Maybe I will if I ever replace the battery with the thinner one I got.

[Trenton_net]

I think the virgin Ten no Koe BANK just means Box 4 has to be empty, not that it never has been used.

I agree with this. From a product standpoint, there are too many usability issues with having it work any other way. For example, what if the user has save data already on that partition? Do you just overwrite it? Do you prompt the user to back it up first? It sounds like the easiest fix (with the least amount of work) would be to simply check that it's empty before allowing the code to proceed.

[TheClash603]

This is awesome, thanks for posting!

[NecroPhile]

I wonder what do the Cobra and Lummy codes do for ya.  They're digi-comics (no gold/exp/items to amass), so maybe just a save near the end?

[CrackTiger]

I wonder what do the Cobra and Lummy codes do for ya.  They're digi-comics (no gold/exp/items to amass), so maybe just a save near the end?

Auto-play mode would be a nice bonus.