Earthworm Jim 2 by Shin Shin "K"

[jbholio]

I recently received an Earthworm Jim 2 cart (the one by Shin Shin - ID# NT855) and I noticed some differences between the rom and my cartridge. For instance, the opening screen of my game only has the big K logo while the rom have the K logo with info about the company such as the phone number. Another difference is that there are more levels in my cartridge. I tried to enter passward (yes, they call it passward) K0926 in the rom but it's not valid. I'd assume there are two different games, one being more complete than the other. If you have this game, can you tell me which version you have and the ID# on the cartridge? I know "NT" also published Earthworm Jim carts with ID NT-849 and NT-876. These games could be the other version.

[JC]

I've got a copy of this. I'll check. I've actually seen what you're talking about in terms of the company screen, but I don't remember which game had the difference -- might've been Earthworm Jim 2 but I don't remember owning more than one copy at any point.

[jbholio]

If I'm right, Earthworms Jim 2 with copyrights stuff is complete and other one is hacked.

But it would be weird that the game without copyrights stuff (the one you say is hacked) has 2 more levels than the game with copyrights.

[UglyJoe]

Why would the PCB manufacturer bother to look at what's on the ROMs?

It seems more likely to me that they made room for additional level data (and additional graphics?) by removing the copyright info.  It'd be way cheaper than adding another chip to the board to hold the extra data.

[jbholio]

Nitra hacked few games to remove the old copyright by "199X Nitra".

How do you know if Nitra had something to do with EJ2? Do you see their name somewhere in the code? I thought Nitra only published Time Diver Avenger and Queen Bee V. I know Super Panda Prince (one of my favorite pirate game, but my cart is not working anymore  )  is also another title by Shin Shin. Was Nitra involved with that game too?

[Bramsworth]

Any chance you can show us a photo of your cart? Is the only difference cosmetically between the known one and yours the NT number?

Very curious. Also, what are the levels in yours that aren't in the "known" version? I gotta see this

[jbholio]

Very curious. Also, what are the levels in yours that aren't in the "known" version? I gotta see this

Actually, there are 3 missing levels. There is a level where EJ has to bounce some kind of pandas from the left to the right. Eventually a bomb is thrown and the round ends if it's bounced to the dog (?) on the right. The level consists of 4 rounds. There is also a level where you have to find 2 pigs and place them in a house and another where there are 3 pigs to find (different than the one in the rom).

I also found a new level but I don't think it's playable. If I don't press start at the title screen, I see scenes from the games, which doesn't work in the rom version.  There is a level (black and red background with a timer) not in the any versions of the game and there is a round 5 for the bouncing panda level.

EDIT: I searched for the rom of the version I have and it's dumped. It's the one with [p1] next to the title.

My cart has the same label as this one :

[Lorfarius]

Any pics of this game in action?