> > So while trying the latest Kega, which is awesome btw, I found a "disable
> SRAM"
> > function, and it made the copy-protection code fail. Hooray ! But still there
> > are many unanswered questions here...
>
> My guess: the games tries to write to SRAM. Impossible on an original cart with
> no SRAM (=> original game, go ahead), possible with copiers that simulated SRAM
> in some way to allow SRAM games to save (=> lock the game). And easy, free
> protection mechanism, as long as copiers cannot turn off SRAM saving.

I think I recall hearing about something similar being done back in the day with StarFox for the SNES, or something like that, maybe Mario Kart.

It's easy enough to check for the possibility that the game is being run under a "cart copier" or something similar (emulator), in many cases. Looks like what is happening here.

Wonder how many console cart games have anti-anti-piracy cracks. :P