DK64 - Ice Key Discovery

[runehero123]

It's time to reveal the activation of a long lost SNS remnant in DK64. Of course, I am talking about the ice-key that was suppose to appear in the totals menu after cold-swapping from Banjo-kazooie. To make things more clear, please watch the following video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWLhww_IM6g

Now that you've seen the basics, let me explain how the ice-key is activated in Donkey Kong64. First, there is a value that states if the ice-key has been collected or not.

807FC839 - Icekey quantity

If the ice-key has been collected, this value will be 0x01, otherwise 0x00. When you first start up a Fresh Donkey-Kong64 cartridge(ROM) you will not have the ice-key collected. However, when you reach the following screen http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...ro123/dk64.jpg , the state will change to "Ice-key collected" .

Once the ice-key is collected, the state cannot be changed without using a gameshark. Therefore, the ice-key would have been stuck in Dk64s total screen the same way you cannot get rid of the secret items in BKs SNS screen. It would make sense because all items in the Totals screen never go away after you use them anyways.

To activate the ice-key in the menu, use one of these codes and the value 0x0008.

807FC818 - Golden Bananas Menu Modifier
807FC819 - Battle Crowns Menu Modifier
807FC81A - Boss Keys Menu Modifier

Once you do so, you will see that the item's name appears as the Icekey, and that you have 1 / 1 icekeys collected. Makes sense seeing a s there is only one icekey you can collect .

Still no sign of the ice-keys image anywhere. Don't worry though, I'm pretty close to finding that. Once I figure out how to get dk64 running correctly in nemu64, I'll investigate the ice-key code further with some ASM. Try to see what sets the ice-key to 0x01 in memory.

[Coolboyman]

Awesome job once again rune.

[torrentstorm]

Great this is great
I will now bring out my hacking tools and do anything to help you.

[dmoss]

I'm not a hacker, or someone that follows things like that very closely or easily, but the video that you posted really surprised me! I was unaware until now that the ice wall was in Crystal Caves...I knew it was there, but unaware there was a room behind it! That alone made me go:

Also, I was interested to see that the actual image of the Ice Key could remain in DK64; how incredible is that?! To think that they were that far along in DK64's production to include an ice key is awesome; and now, the knowledge the room beyond the wall (in Crystal Caves) exists...well, that's just cool.

Anyhoo, awesome find, and I sure hope you can continue to get good leads on your search, Rune!

[runehero123]

Originally Posted by torrentstorm

I will now bring out my hacking tools and do anything to help you.

Anything, eh :rolleyes

Originally Posted by Coolboyman

Awesome job once again rune.

Thanks. It's a shame that Donkey Kong64 fails to work correctly with Nemu64. Otherwise it would be pretty simple to find the image that the ice-key menu item uses. It's a possibility that the ice-keys image still exists in dk64. After all, my 2d-image modifier doesn't cover all of the images(camera seems to be missing).

I think this is more important though, because it could reveal potential information about any SNS functionality in Dk64. Even if it never made it past testing stages.

[EDIT]

Originally Posted by Dmoss

Also, I was interested to see that the actual image of the Ice Key could remain in DK64; how incredible is that?! To think that they were that far along in DK64's production to include an ice key is awesome; and now, the knowledge the room beyond the wall (in Crystal Caves) exists...well, that's just cool.

Oh er...my apologies. That room is normally there in the final version of Dk64. You have to use Chunky to get through the wall if I can remember correctly. I just used it as an example of what the Ice-wall may have looked like .

[Kahuna360]

Dude I checked out your vid.
Its effing historical man.
Bravo bud, Il tell my grandchildren of this discovery

[Klungo]

What I'd like to know is what the ice key did in DK64. Maybe we can still activate something through hacking.

[dmoss]

I'm alarmed that I didn't realize that; it's not your fault! XD

[Comrade Bear]

Wowzers. This is pretty ground-breaking.

[ParadoxAuthor]

I don't think there's really that much of a chance of something being activated, but I figure if Rune found this little remnant of the Ice Key, it has to be real.

[Evandy]

Wow. We're still finding new stuff today.

[Deltonax]

Wow, I can't believe this.This is a historical moment!

EDIT: it is also my 444th post!

[KEWB]

I had heard some people suggest sns connections to DK64 before, but they never carried enough evidence for me to believe they were actually connections. This one though...excellent find. You win a cookie. Enjoy.

[meta-knight]

and to all the people who thought we had found everything about sns

[Strandomguy]

Wow great find

It's still good to hear that even after 7 years of hacking we are still finding stuff