Mobile Trainer

Mobile Trainer
Also known as: Mobile Starter Cartridge (original name) Developers: Mobile21, MissingLink Publisher: Nintendo Platform: Game Boy Color Released in JP: January 27, 2001 This game has hidden development-related text. This game has debugging material. This game has a notes page

This game is defunct. Do note the game no longer works at all without modifications. This is most likely due to the game's servers being shut down. As a result, further official developments with the game are unlikely to happen.

The Mobile Trainer was used along with a peripheral that allowed Game Boy Colors to connect to cell phones, allowing players to communicate with each other wirelessly. However, much of its target audience was unable to use it (without parental permission), multiple cables were required for different phones, and not many games used it extensively. As a result, it was shut down in December 2002.

Debug Mode

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.

Leftover code for a debug mode (specifically one that supports decimal to binary conversions) in the ROM may be found at address 19:43E9 (offset 643E9) and can be accessed by calling the address from the title screen. In order to do this, one must change to bank 19 (write 19 to FF8A) and then use an instruction such as ld (2100),a to activate the bank switch before using an instruction to call 43E9) in their code. In BGB, adding the following bytes to D014 and calling it (right click on D014 and select "call cursor") will activate a glitchy version of the debug menu: 3e 19 e0 8a ea 00 21 cd e9 43 c9.

Pressing A allows the player to enter values into the "Sign-Up Debug Flags" field, in which decimal values 0-255 may be entered. Strangely, this field has five digits even though the maximum value 255 is only three.

Pressing Start will toggle between decimal and binary mode. In binary mode, the player can enter an eight bit long binary number (i.e. one byte, 0-255 in decimal). Pressing Select will bring the player to another screen (although with the above method it's glitchy and impossible to make out what it's for) where pressing Start allows the player to bring up a cursor. From here, pressing Select or B will bring the player back to the initial connection menu.

Below is a dump of text from the debug menu with their locations in the ROM.

6447C:

Original
＝＝　 ＤＥＢＵＧ　ＭＯＤＥ　 ＝＝　 ↑↓：えらぶ　　←→：カーソル　　　　　 Ａ：へんこう Ｓｔａ：　ＢＩＴ←→ＤＥＣ　　 Ｓｅｌ／Ｂ：しゅうりょう －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
Translated
== DEBUG MODE == ↑↓：Select　　←→：Cursor　　　　　 A:Change Start:　BIT←→DEC　　 Select/B：Close －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

64790:

０１２３４５６７８９ＡＢＣＤＥＦ
－－－－－－－－
【０００００】

64914:

Original
【サインアップデバッグフラグ】
Translated
[Sign-Up Debug Flags]

(Source: Háčky, divingkataetheweirdo (text); Torchickens (activation))

Test Messages

Starting at B42BB in the ROM are a few test messages.

Original Message	Translation
こんど、またあそぼう マリオ またあそぼうね mario@mario.ne.jp	Play again this time. Mario Let's Play Again. mario@mario.ne.jp
７がつのさいしょのにちようびに、 やきゅうをするからこいよ クッパだいおう やきゅうやるぞ kuppa@mario.ne.jp	On the first Sunday of July, I'll come out from playing baseball. King Bowser I'm playing baseball. kuppa@mario.ne.jp
ついにポケモンのさいしんさくがとうじょうするぞ！ 「ポケットモンスター苔」くわしくはにんてんどうのホームページへＧＯ！ メールマガジンGB GAMER's Life grave01@natird.ad.jp	At last, the new Pokémon are gonna be introduced! For more on "Pokémon Moss", go to Nintendo's home page! e-Mail Magazine GB GAMER's Life grave01@natird.ad.jp
メールセンターのメンテナンスのため、 7/14～7/20までのきかん、メールをチェックできなくなります あらかじめごりょうしょうください ＧＢセンター だいじなおしらせ ieve@makopi.ne.jp	Because of maintenance on the mail center, please take note that you will not be able to check your mail for a period, starting from July 14 and going until July 20. GB Center Important Notice ieve@makopi.ne.jp
くくく・・・ むだい p@p.ne.jp	Hehehe... Untitled p@p.ne.jp

(Source: Háčky (text); divingkataetheweirdo (translations))