Vegas Dream

Vegas Dream
Also known as: Viva! Las Vegas (JP) Developer: HAL Laboratory Publishers: Epic/Sony Records (JP), HAL America (US) Platform: NES Released in JP: September 30, 1988 Released in US: March 1990 This game has hidden developer credits. This game has hidden development-related text. This game has debugging material. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has regional differences. This game has a Data Crystal page

Vegas Dream lets you live the dream of gambling in Vegas all while avoiding swindlers, falling chandeliers, and nasty spills down the stairs.

Debug Mode

Input the following code at the game select screen:

Version	Button Code
US	Up, Down, Right, Left, Up, Down, Right, Left, A, B, A, B, B
JP	B, A, A, B, A, A, B, A, A, A, B, A, B

A sound will confirm a correct entry, although you only have one chance in the US version (if you mess up or press any buttons beforehand, the code will not register and you'll have to reset). Then, you can enter one of the following debug modes.

Message Test

Hold A + B and press Start to enter "MESSAGE TEST", which lets you view all the dialogue. The Japanese version has both English and Japanese, which can be toggled with Select...although oddly, the Japanese version uses the English dialogue in-game.

Ending Sequence

Hold A and press Start on "Black Jack" to see the ending.

Game Over

Hold A and press Start on "Roulette" to trigger a game over. In "Vegas Dream" mode, this brings up the Lucky Slot machine which appears after you've lost all your money, giving you a second chance to continue playing. In "One Spot" mode, it instead takes you directly to the "game over" screen, followed by the title screen.

Face Test

Hold A and press Start on "Slot Machine" to view the character portraits.

Sound Test

Hold A and press Start on "Keno" for a basic sound test.

Unused Text

There's a version string in the ROM.

Version	Text
JP	VIVA! LASVEGAS 1988/06/17
US	MIX ID : n.gotoh1989-10-01Ver1.1

The Japanese version was compiled on June 17, 1988, and the US version (1.1) on October 1, 1989. Also, Naoki "N." Gotoh is credited as a programmer in the game's credits.

Regional Differences

To do: Compare changes in English script?

The Japanese title is a reference to the famous 1964 film (and song) Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley. The US version was probably renamed to avoid copyright infringement. Also of note is that the Japanese version is entirely in English, a rather bizarre choice considering how text-heavy the game is.

Title Screen

The Japanese title screen has a larger main title font, which results in the bottom row of stars not being present, and the Viva! cuts into the stars as well, removing what would be the middle-right four stars. Additionally, the "PUSH START BUTTON" text is moved up to accommodate the copyright string and logo. The Epic logo is still loaded into memory at the title screen in the US version, though.

Japan	US

Game Menu

The Epic logo was again removed from the game select screen.

It may also be worth nothing that the Famicom version takes place at the Epic Palace, while the NES version takes place at the HAI Palace.

Japan	US

Slot Machines

The Epic logos on the slot machines were changed to HAI (HAL America, Inc.), a comma was added to the Lucky Slot text, and the comma graphic itself was shifted down by one pixel.

Japan	US

Character Interactions

Japan	US