Space Megaforce

Space Megaforce is a top-notch vertical shooter from Compile.

Debug mode
The PAR code activates the game's debug mode.

Options menu
When the debug menu is active, two additional options will be added to the game's options menu. The first chooses the starting stage, while the other turns invulnerability on ("non death") or off ("death").

View ending
During the intro, press L + R + Start to immediately skip to the ending.

Graphic viewer
While the game is paused, pressing L + B on controller 2 replaces the HUD with some of the graphics currently loaded in VRAM. Each press cycles through four pages of tiles and sprites. Every time you cycle through all four pages, the palette will change to the next one available. Cycling through all of the graphics eight times will restore the normal HUD.

Ingame buttons
During gameplay, press any of the following on controller 2:
 * R + Down: toggle background scrolling on/off
 * R + A: change current weapon
 * R + B: increase weapon level
 * R + X: increase lives and bombs
 * L + R: switch between progressive (normal) and interlaced video output (not really useful if playing in an emulator)

Music differences
In the US and European versions of the game, stages 3 and 9 in the standard game use the same music as stages 6 and 10, while in the Japanese version, these stages both use a different track that isn't heard anywhere in the other versions. However, the music is present in all versions of the ROM.

In the Japanese version, this music is track number 02 on the sound test menu.

The PAR code will make the Japanese version's music play during the US version's title screen.



The beginning of the song bears a strong resemblance to "Fine Time" by New Order, which may have been the reason for its removal in international versions.

Intro
The Japanese version of the game features an actual plot, which was more or less removed from the international versions, and as such there are a few differences in presentation that go along with it.

Two frames from the opening sequence, showing the main characters Raz and Thi, were removed from international versions.



Ending
The Japanese version also has an entirely different ending: