                               -------------------------
                               *************************
                               Sega Saturn 4in1 cart FAQ
                               *************************
                               -------------------------
                                   By Shakey_Jake33
                                 Released 10th December 2001
                                     Version 1.0
                       Best Read in Notepad with Wordwrap ENABLED


I made this FAQ because there are LOADS of people who leave questions relating
to the cart in the Saturn board at GameFAQ's.  I'm hoping this will answer
their questions.  This is my first FAQ BTW:)  Usual crap applies with this FAQ-
If you use the info in the FAQ, please email me, give me credit, Don't modify
it and claim it to be yours, yada yada yada....

========
CONTENTS
========

I -GENERAL 4IN1 QUESTIONS
-------------------------
1.1 What is a 4in1 Cart?
1.2 What is the 5in1 that is advertised?
1.3 I have an older model 4in1, so I can't play later 4mb games!  Help!
1.4 What 4in1's were released?
1.5 Does this cart run CDR Backups?

II -RAM EXPANSION QUESTIONS
---------------------------
2.1 What companies supported the 4Meg RAM Expansion cart?
2.2 Do all 1Meg RAM Expansion games work on the 4Meg cart?
2.3 What games use the RAM Expansion carts?
2.4 Why were the RAM carts not released in the US or Europe?
2.5 What RAM games do you recommend?

III -SAVING QUESTIONS
---------------------
3.1 Why doesn't the cart support direct save?
3.2 Why are the blocks different to the internal memory manager?
3.3 Does the cart use compression?  I've heard this can corrupt saves...

IV -UNIVERSAL ADAPTER QUESTIONS
-------------------------------
4.1 Do ALL games work with the cart, seeing as it can run imports?  What about
ROM games?
4.2 But why don't I just get my machine modded to run imports?

V. CONTACTS, SPECIAL THANKS, ABOUT ME & MISC
--------------------------------------------
Take a look....

*************************
I. GENERAL 4IN1 QUESTIONS
*************************

1.1 What is a 4in1 Cart?
------------------------

A 4in1 cart has the following features:

-Universal Adapter to run imported games
-1mb & 4mb RAM expansion for games that use it
-Gameshark cheat cart
-512k Memory card (Does NOT support direct save)

It will also link up to the PC Comms card.

1.2 What is the 5in1 that is advertised?
----------------------------------------

It's a 4in1.  When the original 4in1 carts were released, they only had 1mb RAM
expansion capablility.  When X-men vs Street Fighter was released, they then
released an 4mb version. Later, 2 problems were found- a) Some 1mb games
glitched badly, and b) None of the later 4mb games worked with the cart (e.g
Vampire Savior).  To combat this, they then released another version of the
cart, which fixed both the above stated problems.  Retailers then labeled this
new cart 5in1 because it now had separate modes for 1mb and 4mb, despite the
fact that the packaging said '4in1', and there were still only 4 components.
Basically, avoid the standard 1mb model- it's pointless.

1.3 I have an older model 4in1, so I can't play later 4mb games!  Help!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Well I've never used an older model, so I can't help, but a little bit of
soldering can fix the problem of running 4mb games.  Check out this page on
Sega Force- http://www.cyberdrive.net/~gskalba/SAT-4MBRAM-mod.htm .
It tends to be Capcom games released after Xmen vs Street Fighter that have
this problem (incuding Vampire Savior and Marvel Super Heroes vs Street
Fighter).  If you bought the cart new today you shouldn't have this problem.

1.4 What 4in1's were released?
------------------------------

The most common model is the Action Replay Plus 4M Auto (A.K.A Action Replay 4M
Plus) by EMS.  It's the model I have got.  This one seems to be the best.  Stay
clear of the standard Action Replay Plus- this only has 1mb RAM expansion mode.
The only other 4in1 I know of is the Turbokey 4M.  I have never used it, but I
have heard it's got the same features as the EMS cart.

1.5 Does this cart run CDR Backups?
-----------------------------------
NO.

***************************
II. RAM EXPANSION QUESTIONS
***************************

2.1 What companies supported the 4Meg RAM Expansion cart?
---------------------------------------------------------

The following Companies supported the cart:
-Capcom
-SNK (1Meg cart)
-Sunsoft
-Success (1Meg cart)
-Data East (1Meg cart)
-Atlas (1Meg Cart)

I have included companies that supported the 1Meg cart in the list because the
4Meg cart supports 1Meg games also (Well...almost, see next section). 
Suprisingly, Sega themselves never supported that cart, despite the fact that
THEY released the cart, although it is said that Shenmue would have used the
cart if it wasn't released on the Dreamcast instead.  The only advantage the
4Meg cart gives over the 1Meg cart when running 1Meg games is faster loading.

2.2 Do all 1Meg RAM Expansion games work on the 4Meg cart?
----------------------------------------------------------

Almost.  Earlier models of the 4in1 did not run 1Meg games well.  They had
glitches or did not run at all.  I have heard that the Official 4Meg cart has
the same problem, although I cannot check this.  Earlier models of the 4in1
also had problems with some 4Meg Capcom games released after Xmen vs Street
Fighter- see 3 sections above for help with this.  Later models of the 4in1
(the ones avaliable today) have a separate mode for 1Meg games, so it runs 1Meg
games fine (I've tried it myself, and it says 4m->1m on the cart also). 
Because of the special 1Meg mode, the newer 4in1's are sometimes incorrectly
referred to as the 5in1, despite the fact that there are only 4 components. 
Basically, if you buy one today, it's very likely it will be the newer model,
but you might want to make sure.

2.3 What games use the RAM Expansion carts?
-------------------------------------------

Special thanks to John Hokanson Jr and Sega Force for this info-

The following games use the 4Meg cart:

-Xmen vs Street Fighter
-Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter
-Vampire Savior
-Street Fighter Zero 3 (Street Fighter Alpha 3)
-Pocket Fighter (OPTIONAL)
-Astra Superstars (OPTIONAL)

And the following games use the 1Meg cart:
-Cyberbots (OPTIONAL)
-Groove on Fight
-Waku Waku 7 (OPTIONAL)
-Marvel Super Heroes (OPTIONAL)
-Pocket Fighter (OPTIONAL)
-Dungeons & Dragons Collection (Disc 2 only)
-Fighters History Dynamite
-King of Fighters '96
-King of Fighters '97
-Fatal Fury 3
-Ragnagard
-Metal Slug
-Real Bout Fatal Fury
-Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
-Cotton 2 (OPTIONAL)
-Samurai Showdown III
-Samuari Showdown IV

All RAM games will work on the 4in1 (Read the above section if yours will not
run them).  Games marked as OPTIONAL will run without the cart, but will give
more frames of animation if the cart is used, so use the cart:)  Pocket Fighter
apparently has 1Meg AND 4Meg modes- The 1Meg mode give some extra animation,
the 4Meg one gives even more.

2.4 Why were the RAM carts not released in the US or Europe?
------------------------------------------------------------

There's no confirmed answer, but it was basically money.  Sega, Virgin
(Capcom's European distributer) an Capcom US decided that the cost of releasing
the cart would have been far too high.  I personally find this hard to believe-
they don't cost any more to produce then a memory card, and Sega Europe already
released a ROM cart game (King of Fighters '95), which cost even more.  Sega US
didn't want to splash the cash on the relatively small US Saturn market, nor
did Capcom US.  Virgin were not keen on the 4Meg cart only games.  At the time,
the games were only confirmed for the Saturn, and Virgin didn't want to release
Saturn-only games (and Virgin DID delay the release of the Saturn versions of
Street Fighter Collection and Marvel Super Heroes until the PSX ones were
completed, so that excuse does make sense).  By the time they were confirmed
for the PSX, they were snapped up for release by Sega Europe, who claimed to be
fully behind the cart.  They even sent out review copies to some magazines
(Official UK Saturn Magazine and GamesMaster recieved them, and got great
reviews).  However, Sega Europe couldn't agree on a price for the cart.  Sega
Europe planned to release Xmen vs Street Fighter with the 4Meg cart in a
package for 49.99- I guess Capcom  had other plans, and the release was very
quitely canned.

2.5  What RAM games do you recommend?
-------------------------------------

If your into pure Street Fighter gameplay, you can't get much better then
Street Fighter Zero 3.  This is BETTER then arcade perfect, and superior to the
Dreamcast version!
If your into the Capcom crossover series, then choose either Marvel Super
Heroes vs Street Fighter, or X-Men vs Street Fighter - Whichever you prefer.  I
prefer MSH vs SF because of the Superior choice of Marvel characters
(Spiderman, Capt. America etc..), and the inclusion of Sakura.  But Xmen vs SF
is better if you prefer normal X-Men characters and Cammy.  Your choice.
If your into the Darkstalkers stuff, obviously get Vampire Savior.
And Finally, if your an SNK freak, get the KOF Collection (or just KOF '97 if
you prefer).

*********************
III. SAVING QUESTIONS
*********************

3.1 Why doesn't the cart support direct save?
---------------------------------------------

If the cart had direct save, the Saturn would have recognised it as simply a
memory cart and nothing more, meaning the 4in1 softwar wouldn't have booted. 
There was no other way around it.  The only way to use the saves is to copy the
save to the internal memory while using it, and copy it back to the cart after.

3.2 Why are the blocks different to the internal memory manager?
----------------------------------------------------------------

Because Sega and EMS (The cart manufacturers) divide the blocks up differently.
 EMS use a very logical way- 1 block=64 bytes.  Sega use a weird way- 1
block=73.148 bytes.
Special thanks to John Hokanson Jr for the info in his great FAQ (Avaliable at
GameFAQ's).

3.3 Does the cart use compression?  I've heard this can corrupt saves...
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, it uses compression.  I've never had a corrupt save before, but of it's
important, put a copy on the internal memory.

*******************************
IV. UNIVERSAL ADAPTER QUESTIONS
*******************************

4.1 Do ALL games work with the cart, seeing as it can run imports?  What about
ROM games?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Almost all games run with the cart.  The following games do not work:
-Panzer Dragoon Saga (Azel: Panzer Dragoon RPG)
-King of Fighters '95
-Ultraman
-In the Hunt (Jap version)

Panzer Dragoon Saga does not work if there is a cart in the port other the a
memory cart, so you can't have the 4in1 in.  King of fighter '95 and Ultraman
don't work because they use a special ROM cart (which actually have game data
on the cart), and thus need the port.  There IS a way to get around it.  First,
get a Modchip installed.  I know piracy is bad and stuff, but since you own the
game, it's not illigal.  Secondly, you need a program called SatConv. This can
be found at Sega Xtreme- www.litespeedcomputers.com/sx , make a ISO of your
game and use the program to convert the game to the country code of your choice
(obviously choose the country you Saturn is from...:P), and burn the disc
(DON'T ask me for help about making ISO's and burning them).  Stick the disc in
the Saturn and you can now use the game without the 4in1 in the slot, solving
your problem.  Apparently, the Japanese version of In the Hunt does NOT work on
a non-Jap machine at all (even with carts, switching).  I don't know whether
using SatConv works, email me if it does.

There is actually a way to use ROM cart games without doint this, but DON'T do
it!!  It involves you swapping the carts between when the CD Player screen says
'Checking Disc' and 'Start Application'.  DON'T do it, it is stupid.  Unlike
the PSX, removing cart when the power is on CAN break your Saturn.  Just get
your machine modded if you want to play the games, it's just not worth the
risk, no matter how great KOF '95 is.

4.2 But why don't I just get my machine modded to run imports?
--------------------------------------------------------------

Unlike the PSX, Saturn mod chips do NOT run imports.  The PSX combines the
territory code and the Copy protection code into 1 code- Saturn's actually hide
the code inside the game data, meaning mod chips cannot fix this.  There were a
few that ran them, but they were only sold in 1 shop, and have since stopped
being manufactured.  They also worked in a different way to PSX mods.  Just get
a 4in1, no internal modification is needed then anyway, unless you need to run
ROM games or PDS...

********************************************
V. CONTACTS, SPECIAL THANKS, ABOUT ME & MISC
********************************************

5.1 Personal Hi's!
------------------

I'd like to say Hi to Moogie, ZeraRyudo,  DkLegion, Sentinel, CuTeDeViL,
Commodore, bifrostbear, superrojo, Guardian, cullsoft, SilverWolfX and anyone
else I missed at SFC!
Old_Skillz forever!

Also, thank's to CJayC for the best FAQ page on the net!

5.2 HELP ME!!
-------------

Please email me telling me of ANY Tenchi sites!!! I love Tenchi!

5.3 How to Contact me
---------------------

Email me at Shakey_Jake33@hotmail.com with any Saturn-related questions and I
should be able to help you out, especially UK related ones, cause that's where
I live.  NO question about how to burn games.  Basically, Tenchi Muyo! rules
and I'll help you:p  If you wish to upload this FAQ anywhere, feel free, but
please email me so I know to tell you when there is an update.  Also, If you
use any info in this FAQ, feel free also, but please tell me, and give me a
credit.

5.4 What are you know as on the net, incase I need to contact you elsewhere?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I'm known as Shakey33 on GameFAQ's, and Shakey_Jake33 everywhere else. In
GameFAQ's I hang around the Saturn board.
I hang around at Shining Force Central alot- shining.zophar.net

5.5 What's the best thing EVER?
-------------------------------

Anime of course!!!!  In particular Tenchi Muyo!


5.6 What's the meaning of life?
-------------------------------

Anime also!!!

5.7 What are the best games on Saturn?
--------------------------------------

Grandia, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Shining Force III, Sonic Jam, Nights, MSH vs SF,
Burning Rangers.

5.8 What's your best time on Daytona Three Seven Speedway?
----------------------------------------------------------

About 16.5 seconds

5.9 What's your best MSH vs SF tag-team?
----------------------------------------

Ryu and Spiderman.  They are INDESTRUCTABLE!!!

5.10 My Saturn
-------------

-NTSC-J White Flash Sega Saturn (Model 2- circle buttons)
-Mod Chip (21 pin)
-4in1 (Action Replay Plus 4M Auto)

5.11 A big HI and Thanks to-
----------------------------

-Sega- For making the best console ever!
-Sonic Team- For making Sonic!
-Moogie and all the guys as Shining Force Central-  For her kickass Shining
Site    (shining.zophar.net).  Keep the Shining spirit alive guys!!!
-John Hokanson Jr and Sega Force- For some of the info contained in this FAQ. 
John Hokanson  Jr's FAQ also inspired me to create this FAQ.

5.12 Recommended Links
----------------------

-Shining Force Central
shining.zophar.net
Ran by the now-infamous Moogie, this is the Shining Force HQ!  Moogie has done
more for the Shining community in terms of keeping it alive then Sega have. 
Also features a kick-ass messege board.

-GameFAQ's
www.gamefaqs.com
One of the best places on the net.  A board for every game!

-Dave's Sega Saturn Page
www.sega-saturn.com
Basically a directory of reviews of Saturn games.  Great stuff!

-The Grandia Sactuary
http://www.multimania.com/feena/rpg/index.html
The best Grandia site that I know of- also great.

-The Alent Project
http://grandia.dreamcast-hq.net/
The Original Grandia translation.  More accurate then the PSX English
translation!

(c) Shakey_Jake33 2001





