Phantasy Star

Phantasy Star
Developer: Sega Publishers: Tonka (US '88) Sega (JP/EU, US '90), Tec Toy (BR), Samsung (KR) Platforms: Sega Master System, Genesis (Fukkokuban) Released in JP: December 20, 1987 (Master System), 1994 (Genesis, Fukkokuban) Released in US: November 1988 Released in EU: 1988 Released in BR: 1991 This game has hidden developer credits. This game has unused items. This game has regional differences. This game has revisional differences. This game has a data page

Phantasy Star, which began Sega's epic RPG series and is on its own half the reason to buy a Master System. Explore three planets with wildly differing climates, and wildly similar dungeons.

This game cost 70 dollars in 1988. Adjusted for inflation, that's almost a whopping 187 USD!

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Data

Unused Items

Items "M SYSTEM" and "ZILLION" exist in the list of items and can be added to the inventory via save editing, but do not appear to have any effect. They are likely a reference to the Sega Master System and the game Zillion, respectively.

Backup RAM Credits

The following phrase is found in the ROM at 0x807.

PHANTASY STAR   
      BACKUP RAM
PROGRAMMED BY   
       NAKA YUJI

Regional Differences

Japanese Version

The Japanese version supports FM audio (by using the FM add-on for the Sega Mark III or the MK-2000 version of the Master System). The code for FM audio was removed entirely for the international versions.

Several items got renamed between the Japanese and international versions.

Japan	International
Perolimate	Burger
Ruoginin	Cola
Berry	Nut
Magic Lamp	Light Pendant

Korean Version

Original	Korean

The Korean version featured a radically different title screen, removing Alis in favor of a more generic space scene. The rest of the game is apparently unchanged, other than the translation. As to why this change was made is unknown, though it was perhaps for some sort of censorship.

Revisional Differences

To do: Document Phantasy Star Fukkokuban, the Genesis edition, better - apparently it does boot to SMS mode, but not exactly the same Master System ROM rewired, instead using software to enter that mode.

Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)

In the original English-language release, the Governor tells you "IN THE MAHARU CAVE LIVES AN ESPER NAMED NOAH. I WILL GIVE YOU A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION TO PRESENT TO HER", though Noah is listed as a male everywhere else. The GBA Phantasy Star Collection release changed this, using the pronoun "HIM".

Virtual Console

To do: Comparison screenshots

Like its Genesis sequel, the Virtual Console version of this game contains a plaintext, commented ASM patch. It basically removes every instance of a red cross in hospitals throughout the game. See the data page for the raw patch code.