Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

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MSR1701
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Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby MSR1701 » January 23rd, 2020, 9:00 am

I recently picked up the Sega CD Battlecorps and found that it played audio music when inserted into my car's CD player.

Does anyone know of any Sega CD/Sega Saturn/Playstation/other CD-ROM titles that will play audio music/tracks when used in an audio CD player?

(Note - if only a warning track is played, please note).

Thanks!

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ActRaiser
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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby ActRaiser » January 23rd, 2020, 1:30 pm

Didn't most of them have what's called Redbook audio?

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MSR1701
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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby MSR1701 » January 23rd, 2020, 2:05 pm

ActRaiser wrote:Didn't most of them have what's called Redbook audio?

Many do, though that is not a 100% guarantee that they will run in an audio player. Over the years I've tried a few here and there, with mixed results. Recently I saw in an article that the Sega CD version of Terminator can be run in an audio player for almost it's full soundtrack.

I am curious if anyone else has tried any game discs in audio players and had success, and which ones work.

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VideoGameCritic
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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby VideoGameCritic » January 23rd, 2020, 7:16 pm

Could playing these games potentially "hurt" your normal CD player? I've heard it's possible, although I can't imagine how that would work.

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ActRaiser
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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby ActRaiser » January 23rd, 2020, 7:53 pm

I used to play with this stuff all the time. If I recall correctly the first couple of tracks were the data tracks and then any music would be on the other tracks.

You could also place a dreamcast disk in your computer CD player and look at a couple of things. You couldn't see a lot but it surprisingly worked as I didn't have a GDROM computer drive.

I can't imagine it hurting your audio player unless it got confused with the data tracks. Just skip to the audio tracks and it should be fine.

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MSR1701
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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby MSR1701 » January 23rd, 2020, 8:15 pm

VideoGameCritic wrote:Could playing these games potentially "hurt" your normal CD player? I've heard it's possible, although I can't imagine how that would work.

I heard something similar when I was younger, though aside from data that screeches, I think the warning was to avoid bad press if something weny wrong, as these were not designed to be audio disks, but game discs.

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Matchstick
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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby Matchstick » January 23rd, 2020, 11:25 pm

MSR1701 wrote:
VideoGameCritic wrote:Could playing these games potentially "hurt" your normal CD player? I've heard it's possible, although I can't imagine how that would work.

I heard something similar when I was younger, though aside from data that screeches, I think the warning was to avoid bad press if something weny wrong, as these were not designed to be audio disks, but game discs.

As ActRaiser stated, most of these discs have some sort of data layer as the first track. In most cases, CD players automatically skip over this (or play it as a few seconds of silence) before skippng ahead to track 2 and beyond, where the audio files are usually located. You're right, too, MSR - some old games did come with a disclaimer not to play them in a CD player, as that first data track could come across as screeching, distorted audio, and could potentially damage speakers if they were turned up too high. Sort of like playing a cleaning tape in a cassette deck - set speakers to low volume beforehand, and you're all set.

Now this is my kind of thread! I knew I couldn't be the only one who has some of the most-played songs in their iTunes library coming from rips of their Saturn and Sega CD games. On this particular computer, I only have two games ripped to my library, both Japanese Saturn titles: Daytona USA Circuit Edition Digital Pinball Necronomicon. Gotta love that Mr. Big soundtrack in Daytona!

I believe many classic PC titles allow for this, too. I know I had the Command & Conquer and SimCity 3000 soundtracks on my Windows 98 computer back in the day, and I believe both came from their respective game discs. I no longer have those titles, but I know I played those soundtracks to death way back when.

I would be happy to test out my Saturn and Sega CD collection this weekend and see what titles can and cannot be played on my home stereo. I will test out my PlayStation games, as well. I have about 20 games from each system, so it should be a pretty good idea of what to expect. Off the top of my head, I believe Ecco: The Tides of Time and Earthworm Jim Special Edition on the Sega CD both play music in a standard CD player. Sonic CD and Road Rash may do so, as well, if memory serves. Same can't be said for the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on the OG PlayStation, which was a huge disappointment to me and my buds back in the day. Womp, womp.

I will do some testing this weekend and report back with what I find. Stay tuned, MSR!

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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby djc » January 24th, 2020, 12:46 am

A lot of Sega CD games include the in-game audio as separate tracks. Turbo CD/Duo games did this as well.

Most "modern" (yeah I know) CD players will skip the data track (track 1 typically) and just start at track 2. Older players will play track 1 but it's just some digital noise. Won't damage the player or speakers as some people used to warn.

Some of my favorites for audio are:
Sonic CD (awesome soundtrack - especially playing on a surround-sound setup)
FIFA (some crowd chants along with the in-game music which is great)
Mortal Kombat (actually has the great Mortal Kombat techno song even though it's not used in the actual game)

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MSR1701
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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby MSR1701 » January 24th, 2020, 8:20 am

Matchstick wrote:
MSR1701 wrote:
VideoGameCritic wrote:Could playing these games potentially "hurt" your normal CD player? I've heard it's possible, although I can't imagine how that would work.

I heard something similar when I was younger, though aside from data that screeches, I think the warning was to avoid bad press if something weny wrong, as these were not designed to be audio disks, but game discs.

As ActRaiser stated, most of these discs have some sort of data layer as the first track. In most cases, CD players automatically skip over this (or play it as a few seconds of silence) before skippng ahead to track 2 and beyond, where the audio files are usually located. You're right, too, MSR - some old games did come with a disclaimer not to play them in a CD player, as that first data track could come across as screeching, distorted audio, and could potentially damage speakers if they were turned up too high. Sort of like playing a cleaning tape in a cassette deck - set speakers to low volume beforehand, and you're all set.

Now this is my kind of thread! I knew I couldn't be the only one who has some of the most-played songs in their iTunes library coming from rips of their Saturn and Sega CD games. On this particular computer, I only have two games ripped to my library, both Japanese Saturn titles: Daytona USA Circuit Edition Digital Pinball Necronomicon. Gotta love that Mr. Big soundtrack in Daytona!

I believe many classic PC titles allow for this, too. I know I had the Command & Conquer and SimCity 3000 soundtracks on my Windows 98 computer back in the day, and I believe both came from their respective game discs. I no longer have those titles, but I know I played those soundtracks to death way back when.

I would be happy to test out my Saturn and Sega CD collection this weekend and see what titles can and cannot be played on my home stereo. I will test out my PlayStation games, as well. I have about 20 games from each system, so it should be a pretty good idea of what to expect. Off the top of my head, I believe Ecco: The Tides of Time and Earthworm Jim Special Edition on the Sega CD both play music in a standard CD player. Sonic CD and Road Rash may do so, as well, if memory serves. Same can't be said for the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on the OG PlayStation, which was a huge disappointment to me and my buds back in the day. Womp, womp.

I will do some testing this weekend and report back with what I find. Stay tuned, MSR!


Thanks, Matchstick!

And thanks DJC for the info as well!

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Matchstick
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Re: Classic CD-ROM games compatible with Audio Players

Postby Matchstick » January 26th, 2020, 5:41 pm

Welp, here we go, the results of my findings from my own game collection. Games that only seem to have a warning track (or tracks) will be noted, and if the disc is a "Greatest Hits" version of sorts, that will be noted, as well. Game discs that only played a data track are not listed. All game discs were played on a mid-90s Sony Discman, and all were recognized in one way or another.

I have lumped in the games mentioned by djc, and encourage others to add to this list, as well. I seem to have misplaced my massive CD wallet full of Sega CD games, so I was fairly limited in that category. I have only included games that I have managed to test this weekend, and have not included any titles that I remember listening to from memory years ago.

With all that out of the way, let's get started!

Sega CD

Ecco: The Tides of Time (full soundtrack)
FIFA (crowd noise / in-game music)
Midnight Raiders (intro movie soundtrack w/ voiceovers)
Mortal Kombat (game soundtrack and live-action movie theme song)
NBA Jam (game soundtrack and some voiceovers)
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (full soundtrack)
Sonic CD (full soundtrack)

Sega Saturn

Akumajo Dracula X (warning track)
Biohazard (warning track)
Bulk Slash (Sega Saturn Collection Version) (two short songs from the in-game soundtrack)
Daytona USA Circuit Edition (full soundtrack)
Digital Pinball Necronomicon (full soundtrack)
King of Fighters 96 (full soundtrack - YES!!)
Dynamite Deka (Sega Saturn Collection Version) (full soundtrack, with voiceovers from cutscenes)
Fighters Megamix (full soundtrack)
Fighting Vipers (full soundtrack, including the Pepsi Man theme)
GunGriffon (full soundtrack)
Panzer Dragoon II (three songs from the in-game soundtrack)
Sega Bomberman Fight (full soundtrack)
Sega Rally (full soundtrack - track 16 is "GAME OVER, YEAAAAAAH!!")
Shin Shinobiden (two short songs from the in-game soundtrack)
Street Fighter Zero 2 (warning track)
Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? (warning track)
Vampire Hunter (warning track)
Virtual On (full soundtrack)
X-Men vs Street Fighter (full soundtrack - YES, AGAIN!!)

Sony PlayStation

Alien Trilogy (Greatest Hits Version) (full soundtrack)
Castlevania: SOTN (Greatest Hits Version) (warning track, followed by a short song)
Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors (full soundtrack)
Loaded (full soundtrack - lots of memories of this one)
Rampage World Tour (two songs from the in-game soundtrack)

That's all for now! Most PlayStation games I own do not play anything but a data track. Also, I wish there were more consistency from the Capcom fighting games. Strange that X-Men vs Street Fighter has the entire soundtrack on the Saturn, yet none of my other Saturn games made by Capcom do. Strange again that Darkstalkers has its soundtrack yet Vampire Hunter does not. That being said, I'll take what I can get, and it's nice having that KOF '96 soundtrack to balance things out.

Again, feel free to add to this list, as my game collection is pretty tiny compared to that of many other users on this site. Once I find the bulk of my Sega CD collection, I will be sure to update the list with whatever additional titles I come across.


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