Casino Kid

Casino Kid
Also known as: $1,000,000 Kid: Maboroshi no Teiou Hen (JP) Developer: SOFEL Publisher: SOFEL Platform: NES Released in JP: January 6, 1989 Released in US: October 1989 This game has debugging material. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has regional differences.

To do: Is there ANYTHING left of what was cut from the English version? The graphics seem to be entirely missing, but what about anything else?

Part of Sofel's strange line of games about kids trying to earn wealth beyond avarice by various means.

In actuality, Casino Kid is the localized version of a Japanese licensed game titled $1,000,000 Kid: Maboroshi no Teiou Hen, loosely based on the manga $1,000,000 Kid (written by Yuki Ishigaki). A HUGE amount of content was cut from the localization, which makes you wonder why Sofel even bothered...

Secret Passwords

There's a few unconventional passwords hidden in the game, that don't follow the rules of the normal password system. Please note that for these passwords, an underscore indicates a space, so select the "Forward" option to move ahead one space. In the Japanese version, enter the passwords in the name entry screen and not in the password screen.

To get these codes to work, you must hold A + Start after entering the password until you start on the map screen or the desired result is not achieved.

US	Japan	Feature
I_AM_ A_RIC HMAN_ _____ _____ _____	おかねもち	Start with $100,000
I_WAN NA_SE E_THE _KING _____ _____	うと゛いかに	Start at the Final Match
I_WAN NA_GO _BANK RUPT_ _____ _____	しんて゛い	Instant Game Over
DEBUG _MONI TOR_S WITCH _ON__ _____	もにたおん	Debug Mode

(Source: CaH4e3)

Debug Mode

In addition, there is a password that accesses a Debug Mode, but some extra steps need to be taken in order to access it. First, input the password as mentioned above.

Before selecting the "END" option to confirm the password, Hold A + Start on Controller 1 and Left + A on Controller 2. Once you arrive on the map screen, hold Left + A on Controller 2, then press Start on Controller 1 to access the Debug Mode. While in Debug Mode, you have access to the following:

Memory Watcher Music Test SFX Test

The first option is a memory watcher and editor. You can use Left and Right to pick a digit, Up and Down to change its value, B to switch between address (four digits, 0000) and data values (two digits, 00). When an address is set, its data value updates from memory. Pressing A on the data value set writes back a data value to the desired memory location.

Pressing Start from the Memory Watcher brings you to a music test. Press A to go ahead one song, and B to go back one song.

Pressing Start from the Music Test brings you to the SFX Test. The controls here are the same as the Music Test.

At any time, you can press Select to exit the Debug Mode.

(Source: CaH4e3)

Regional Differences

To do: Add more comparison screenshots and see if there's any remnants at all of things that were cut from the localization.

As previously mentioned, Casino Kid cuts out a massive amount of content found in the original game. This includes, but is not limited to, two extra casinos you can travel to besides the main one (which also gives you something more to spend your money on than the casino games), various opponents and NPCs, as well as two entire casino games, the slot machines and roulette (the latter of which would return in the American exclusive sequel). However, even what was left of the original version was heavily changed for American audiences.

General Differences

• The casino dealers and poker opponents (except King) in 100-Man Kid have varying amounts of money (within in a specific range) whenever you start the game, never the always consistent multiples of $100 that they have in Casino Kid.
• 100-Man Kid allows the player to enter their own name for the game to refer to them as. Casino Kid does away with this feature entirely, only ever referring to the protagonist as "Casino Kid".
• It's impossible to speed up the card games in 100-Man Kid.
• 100-Man Kid starts you off with only $100, while Casino Kid gives you $500 to start with.
• 100-Man Kid allows you to bet using as small as $1 (impossible in Casino Kid, leaving the ones digit essentially unused in that version) and as large as $10000 chips at any time in the game, regardless of who the opponent is or the current total amount of money the player has. However, the bet will still be rejected if you don't have enough money, or try to bet more than what the table will allow you to.
• Many NPC sprites, both in the overworld and dialogue boxes, are either missing entirely in the English version or were reskinned into/replaced by different characters.
• 100-Man Kid offers a Free mode on the title screen, allowing you to face any of the blackjack, poker, or roulette opponents at your leisure.
• The poker music in 100-Man Kid is completely different from the English version. There's also a way to change the game into a one card standoff in the poker game's options menu, among other options.
• It seems to be impossible to bet all of your money during blackjack in 100-Man Kid, only being given the option to continue or quit the current game.
• Most of the cutscenes and related artwork within 100-Man Kid have been entirely removed in Casino Kid, likely to avoid having to constantly redraw Hiroshi's sprite. This includes the pre-challenge cutscene before facing King, and the entire ending sequence.

Comparison Screenshots

100-Man Kid	Casino Kid
The Japanese version shows a nice picture of Hiroshi, and offers two modes of gameplay.	The English version is considerably more plain, and removed the Free mode.
The plot of the Japanese version. This can also be seen if you idle at the title screen long enough.	The plot of the English version, which is more vague about the game's main goal. This can only be seen when starting the game, since idling at the title screen just makes it start over.
Since the manga used the names of real world casinos, the game does as well.	The casino's name was changed to avoid copyright issues with the real world Golden Nugget casino.
Being the game's first casino out of three, the Golden Nugget is considerably smaller compared to its English counterpart.	As a result of the game's original four casinos being smashed together into one, the Golden Crumbs is considerably larger and houses all of the game's opponents. This also showcases the first of the alterations made to Hiroshi's sprite in order to Americanize him.
100-Man Kid allows you to either talk to or challenge any NPC in the game to a match. Most NPCs will always refuse a challenge, however.	The English version changes this so NPCs can't be directly challenged, and anyone who is willing to face you will automatically start a match. This was likely changed because finding an opponent willing to face you is already difficult enough as it is.
The game over screen encourages you to try again to defeat the Phantom King.	Casino Kid's game over screen offers no words of encouragement.