Ningen Heike: Dead Fox loaner cart

[Dire 51]

I was given this several years ago. Haven't been able to track down much in the way of info on it, but it's either a prototype of Ningen Heike: Dead Fox or (more likely) a loaner cart. There's nothing on TCRF, or anywhere else that I've seen.

 

Anyone else ever stumble across info on this anywhere?

[Tanooki]

Wow no, but that would be a fun one to have that's for sure.

 

Anything is possible even potentially just some self made sticker someone did too unless you've opened it up and found something strange?

[Dire 51]

I'm going to have it dumped soon. I can tell you that there are certain things about it, just from exterior inspection, that seem to back up its authenticity. I have no plans to try to open it up myself because not only do I not have any experience doing that, but I don't want to risk damaging it if it is authentic.

[0078265317]

4 hours ago, Dire 51 said:

I'm going to have it dumped soon. I can tell you that there are certain things about it, just from exterior inspection, that seem to back up its authenticity. I have no plans to try to open it up myself because not only do I not have any experience doing that, but I don't want to risk damaging it if it is authentic.

You don't have a a famicom to try it out on?

[Dire 51]

I do - in fact, I have tested it before, it does work - but if it is a one of a kind, I want to have the ROM dumped so it can be preserved.

[Tanooki]

Popping them open is a bit tricky, I want to say safe, but now given the decades of age on the plastic the tabs have an ok-fair chance of cracking off.  It won't break the game, but it won't make the shell any nicer so I get the concern.  I tend to use a plastic pry that comes with small bit kits to bend a bit at either side, then I just bear grip and squeeze and that's how I pop mine open.  I've had a few tabs go, maybe 10% of them on the carts I've done it if that, but it can happen.  Those that have though look to have had a harder life or have been famiclones of the era which I would expect lesser quality materials on.

[Dire 51]

At any rate, I want to keep the shell intact, so I'm not even going to risk it.

[Dire 51]

So, some new news on this front. I sent it off to Gaming Alexandria to be dumped and scanned. After consulting people like Frank Cifaldi, he came back to me with the following:

 

1. it does appear to be legit.

 

"it's a TKROM pcb and has no traces of ever having a battery or ram chip, no solder left behind which you would likely see with a repro. I can't find any other TKROM PCB's retail wise that are like that."

 

2. there's virtually no difference from the retail release, so it is most likely a loaner and not a proto.

 

Here's some pics of the board, as well as the ROM, for those that are interested.

Dead Fox (no-intro loaner cart).nes

Edited November 8, 2023 by Dire 51

[Steven Pendleton]

Is it normal for the ROM chip stickers to say Red Fox instead of Dead Fox?

[Tanooki]

WOW nice one.  I support Gaming Alexandria, and good on them for that piece of added work and safely opening the cart.

 

That is the hardest part of my Famicom cares, trying to open it without plastic accidents, wish there was some solid attempt that's safe and I'm not aware of one other than using vice grips with enough squeeze to bend it to pop the side tabs.  I simulate it using a plastic pry and my hand, only had a brittle Exerion have an issue and a few other less than nicely kept carts.

 

That looks legit, so what's your plan?  It was amazingly nice and generous of you to supply the rom, a number of lesser individuals would have hoarded it or sought out any and all payout.  That would be a fun one to own, even as a loaner.

 

Also I typed this days ago, not sure why it didn't appear, but hitting to reply now saved it this long??  -- and he's right, strange it has red vs dead fox, but maybe the name was still under debate.

[Dire 51]

14 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Is it normal for the ROM chip stickers to say Red Fox instead of Dead Fox?

It's the first one I've ever seen, so who knows?

[Dire 51]

10 hours ago, Tanooki said:

WOW nice one.  I support Gaming Alexandria, and good on them for that piece of added work and safely opening the cart.

 

That is the hardest part of my Famicom cares, trying to open it without plastic accidents, wish there was some solid attempt that's safe and I'm not aware of one other than using vice grips with enough squeeze to bend it to pop the side tabs.  I simulate it using a plastic pry and my hand, only had a brittle Exerion have an issue and a few other less than nicely kept carts.

 

That looks legit, so what's your plan?  It was amazingly nice and generous of you to supply the rom, a number of lesser individuals would have hoarded it or sought out any and all payout.  That would be a fun one to own, even as a loaner.

 

Also I typed this days ago, not sure why it didn't appear, but hitting to reply now saved it this long??  -- and he's right, strange it has red vs dead fox, but maybe the name was still under debate.

That's a distinct possibility. Hard to say at this point. But by all accounts, it's legit, so...

 

If it helps, Gaming Alexandria consulted Frank Cifaldi to verify its legitimacy, which he did.

My plan is to distribute the ROM (I see no point in keeping it to myself) and just hold onto the cart. Not much else, really.