Black Tiger MD

PUBLIC GIT: https://github.com/rester159/blacktiger_MD

1.7 UPDATE

• Fixed rescue dialogue scrolling incorrectly in Round 5.
• Fixed chest trap flames appearing behind other sprites.
• Restored the terrain changes that close the Round 3 and Round 5 boss arenas.
• Fixed camera and player boundaries during those boss fights.
• Fixed bosses moving into solid terrain and zombies respawning inside walls.
• Fixed boss vulnerability failing to reset after losing a layer.
• Fixed infinite Zenny behavior in the debug shop.
• Added separate saved high scores for Arcade, Home and Boss Rush, with migration of existing scores.
• Added persistent Home options and Arcade DIP settings.
• Updated the SRAM header for flashcart compatibility.
• Optimized sprite handling and weapon collisions to improve performance in busy scenes.

1.6 UPDATE

Fixed corrupted right-facing characters and enemies in the Arcade attract demo by correcting how the horizontal flip flag is read. Updated the on-screen version stamp and save-file migration note. Thanks @Pegafun for the heads up!

1.5 UPDATE

 More fixes and a proper arcade attract mode!

•   Added the original arcade attract sequence, with rankings and gameplay demos.
• Added a Top 5 high-score table with three-letter initials, saved in SRAM.
• Saved high scores now display correctly on the title screen and during attract mode
• Fixed ladder snakes appearing in front of dialogue
• Corrected shop prices to match the US arcade

Thanks for all the feedback and bug reports—keep them coming!

1.4 UPDATE

More bug Bug Fixes

• Fixed lingering ground blobs.
• Fixed Up/Down navigation to Options
• Added SRAM high-score saving.

1.3 UPDATE

Bunch of Bug Fixes

• Breakable pots now correctly appear in the world

1.2 UPDATE

Bunch of Bug Fixes

• Coin button for Arcade Mode (Press START)
• Issue with death in Boss level 2 solved
• Last boss should is now the black Dragon
• Torches in last level animate
• Store now shows the old man
• Item in wall when you start in level 1 now shows up
• Boss energy bars fixed

As usual, keep the feedback coming!

V1.0 

OVERVIEW

• Black Tiger for the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis is an unofficial native port of Capcom’s arcade action-platformer, rebuilt for Sega’s 16-bit hardware using SGDK. The aim is to preserve the original game’s exploration, combat, atmosphere, and demanding platforming while adding a few features suited to playing at home.
• The game runs native Mega Drive code. Its movement, enemies, combat, shops, scrolling, and progression have been implemented for the console, using converted arcade graphics and source-derived game data. The cartridge does not run an arcade emulator or execute the original arcade program.
• All eight original stage maps are included, and substantial parts of the game have been reconstructed and tested against the arcade’s behavior. There are deliberate differences, hardware-driven adaptations, and areas that still need work.

MODES

• Arcade mode keeps a coin-and-credit structure and includes the original game introduction before play begins. Its settings are presented as a DIP-switch menu. 
• Home mode starts a normal game directly and adds a more convenient options menu, a separate Boss Rush, and an unlockable Debug menu.
  • Ordinary Home Play uses the regular gameplay systems, and Debug protections do not carry over into it.
  • The optional level 7 jump assist affects one specific jump. One of upward jumps in the mid of level 7 is particularly demanding and has become an internet meme, The optional jump assist is disabled by default. 
  • Unlike Arcade mode, Home does not let you keep adding coins during play.
  • Boss Rush is a separate Home addition. It places the eight bosses into a dedicated, horizontally scrolling palace arena. 
  • Debug is hidden until you unlock it. On the Home menu, enter: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right; debug provides direct access to all eight levels, plus independent invincibility, infinite-lives, infinite-time, framerate-display, 

VISUALS

• The graphics have been adapted to the Mega Drive’s display hardware. Original artwork is converted into native tiles and sprites, with colors reduced and reassigned to fit the console’s palette restrictions.
• The gameplay display uses a 256 × 224 viewport. The conversion preserves the original pixel artwork where possible, but color reproduction is not identical.
• Backgrounds share a limited set of palettes, enemies share a reduced palette, and HUD colors are adapted to   the available colors. Some shading, color separation, and text presentation therefore differ from the arcade.
• The renderer also has to work within the Mega Drive’s sprite and video-memory limits. Background tiles are  loaded as the camera moves, and larger characters are assembled from hardware sprites. Layer priority and palette behavior do not yet reproduce every arcade effect.
• Parallax is a new addition vs. the Arcade and is used selectively. In the current campaign, level 5’s mountain scenery and level 7’s stained-glass windows scroll more slowly than the foreground. These are deliberate presentation changes that add depth to those stages.

MUSIC

• The music and effects are adapted for Sega’s sound hardware. Music is played through a native FM engine, with tracks and event routing for stages, bosses, shops, round clears, game over, and the ending.
• Sound effects use a native player built around source-derived effect commands, including pitch changes, volume changes, noise, and repeated phrases. The result is not an identical reproduction of the arcade sound system.
• The Mega Drive’s sound hardware has  different capabilities, especially for noise and effect mixing, so timbre and some combinations of sounds differ. Some enemy, NPC, and presentation-related sound choices and priorities still need further checking.

PERFORMANCE

• This build does not maintain a locked 60 frames per second. Busy  scenes, demanding background updates, and crowded encounters can produce noticeable drops in displayed framerate.
• Rendering and update scheduling have received  substantial optimization, but performance varies by location and activity. The Debug framerate display reports the game’s own presentation rate; an emulator reporting 60 Hz does not necessarily mean the game is drawing 60 distinct frames each second.

Black Tiger is © Capcom. Side Arms MD is a free, non-commercial fan project and isn't affiliated with Capcom or Sega. It contains only original code and tools, with no Capcom data: you need your own copy of the arcade ROM set to build it.