Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II

The first game in the Megami Tensei series to not be based on a novel, Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II is set 35 years after the nuclear-tipped end of civilization as we know it, when Pazuzu inexplicably declares a pair of nerds playing JRPGs in their bunker the saviors of mankind, gives them the ability to chat up demons and sends them out into the Capitol Wasteland to salvage what's left of mankind.

Hidden Text
A message from the game's programmer is copied to RAM and used to check for a soft reset. DDSII PRESENTED BY ATLUS & PROGRAMING BY COZY "COZY" refers to the series producer Cozy Okada.

Startup Check
Each time the game is started, it checks for the presence of a certain value in SRAM memory. When uninitialized (ie. the cartridge is started for the very first time, or the back-up battery is changed), an animated "DDSII" logo is shown before the normal intro. This logo won't be shown if the SRAM is already initialized.



In addition, the game checks for the presence of a specific peripheral in the Famicom's expansion port. This peripheral is expected to wait for one bit written to the expansion port and return it into the data bit of the expansion port inverted. Test routine is sending data of itself, just using the one lowest bit of the each opcode byte. If all bits are read correctly, then the routine goes to the SRAM test routines. It's just like a self-test cheat, but using a special device instead of button codes.

The SRAM test routine first checks if SRAM contain a specific data pattern (A[i] = (A[i-1] * 5) & 0xff, A[0] = 0xAA) throughout the whole SRAM area. If the data pattern is exactly the same, screen color will change to blue. If the test routine detects that there is no default pattern in SRAM, it rewrites it, then checks it again, so as to verify the SRAM consistency. If the SRAM is OK, then the screen color will change to pink. If these two tests fail, then the color will changed to red. The test routine always kills the SRAM data, so this can be used for test purposes only.

Independent of the test results, the test routine will always goes into the infinite loop with the one single sound tone, while the color is representing test results. You can exit this test only if you remove the special peripheral from the expansion port and then reset the console again. These routines were probably used in the duplication plant before releasing the cartridges, as a quick test for SRAM consistency. Obviously, if you run these tests and kill all the SRAM data, the DDSII logo will appear again before SRAM reinitialization.

Enemies Watch
After the game's ending sequence (which shows you all of the bosses/places you've encountered during the game), the "END" screen will appear and loop. But if you press and hold Up + Left + A + B  or Up + Right + A + B on the second controller and Up + Left + A + B + Select + Start or Up + Right + A + B + Select + Start on the first controller at the same time, the "END" screen will disappear and you will see all the enemies/bosses/monsters and demons with their names, levels and HP/MP stats. All monsters are sorted by classes and by the levels from higher to lower ones.



After all monsters are displayed, a "DDSII" logo will continuously flash on the screen, each roll changing colors from the whole color palette.

Remaining Debug Functions?
Holding the B button on controller 2 can do many things at certain points of the game, as a sort of debug toggle. A lot of it seems to have been cut but there is still quite a few things it reacts to. A majority of these are in the game's intro, but other menus suggest that extended functionality existed at other points.


 * Holding B will cause the text on the "Caution for Devil Busters" screen to appear faster.
 * Holding B as you select the "Start" option on the title screen will cause the text on the "Caution for Devil Busters" screen to appear instantly.
 * It will make all options act like "end"(???) on the name entry screen.
 * It will auto-assign stats in an even manner on the stat screen. This only works on a new game; it will not work on a level up.
 * Oddly, it will prevent certain events(such the chest with 1000 Macca in Devil Busters' Mikon Town or the Sword Knight event) from having a palette fully assigned until the button is released.
 * It will cancel when viewing status in a shop or fusion screen.
 * It will automatically fuse any monster you select(if your level allows for it), ignoring the prompt.
 * It will skip the crowd cheering in the Colosseum mode, which is normally not possible.
 * It will instantly display/speed up the best ending's text after the pan to the sky.

Missile Launcher
An unused Missile Launcher consumable item is in the game. It does weak damage on a single enemy, and sells for 40 Macca. It would have sold for around 150 Macca if it were buyable. Given the estimated price and general uselessness of it, it was probably supposed to have been sold at Haneda or Shinagawa, neither of which have item shops.

Change any 00 value in addresses 0480 through 048F to 8A to see this item.

Miaraka no Yubiwa
The Miaraka no Yubiwa is a key item used late in the game to ensure entry to Lucifer's Castle. A duplicate of the item exists at A3, among the "consumable" key items. At no point can you have this key item in your immediate item list. While many duplicates of other items exist as filler, this is notable due to existing in a clearly intentional position.

Change any 00 value in addresses 0480 through 048F to A3 to see this item.