This is just something I've always been curious about. Considering the game came with the expansion pack because of a bug in the game and not because it was to fully take advantage of the extra RAM, wouldn't it be possible to play the game without the pack somehow? Perhaps using a gameshark code or something to bypass the screen that doesn't allow the game to start. I know this sounds crazy, but for some reason I always wanted to see this bug actually happen. Edit: Just to be clear, I do have an Expansion pack. I just wanted to see if it were somehow possible to play the game without because it was not originally intended to run with one until right before launch because of a bug.
From what I've read, it cannot be used without the expansion pak. However, the expansion paks can be found for pretty cheap online, right?
I doubt the bug was visual, more of a 'behind the scenes' bug. It probably prevented the game from actually running.
In the Conker's Bad Fur Day Director's Commentary (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFP9r6vJL2qCCERMBP_ZWUEV0vaSL4rHf) one of the ex-Rare workers mentions that DK64 wasn't supposed to use the expansion pack, but there was a bug in the game that they couldn't find and fix in time for release, and the bug didn't occur if the N64 had an expansion pak, so the decision was made to make DK64 only work if there was an expansion pak present. Seems strange to me (surely it would make more sense to delay the game for a couple of weeks, rather than release the game on time but requiring a (relatively) expensive hardware add-on?) but then I don't understand business. Any fans of CBFD, or anyone who likes hearing short vignettes about the games industry, should watch the CBFD director's commentary. It's very interesting.
It depends how breaking the bug was. In game development, you could fix one bug and create another. If it's not detected then a delay could be months instead of weeks. They have contracts and release dates to meet.
Thanks for the link. I will definitely be checking this out. I'll take any information regarding CBFD.
You probably could use a GameShark or patching the ROM to bypass the check and see how the game fails. I don't think anyone actually said what the bug caused to go wrong so it would be interesting to know for sure what happens. It could be nothing interesting at all like a very sudden or immediate crash. You'd need someone to disassemble or use a debugger on the game to find out where to patch out the check.
I know that DK64 had the Expansion pak bundled in with the game, and was I think more expensive as a result (though N64 games varied in price anyway).
