Game Saver © 1994 Nakitek [NAKI Interactive Technologies].
The Game Saver is a hardware peripheral that allows players to perform "save state" backups on games that do not natively support battery-backed SRAM. By plugging the game cartridge into the Game Saver and the device into the console, players can freeze gameplay progress at any point and store that data onto the peripheral's internal memory.
![Goodies for Game Saver [Model 55738]](images/covermini160/262644_1.jpg)
Model # 55738
Functionality:
The Game Saver functions as an external SRAM controller. When the 'Save' button is pressed, the device copies the current state of the console's Work RAM to its own internal storage chips. Pressing the 'Load' button performs the reverse, writing that data back to the console to restore the precise state of play.
Compatibility Limitations:
While it was marketed as 'Save any game,' it faced significant issues with titles that utilized special enhancement chips (such as the SA-1, Super FX, or DSP chips). These games managed their own memory internally, and the Game Saver could not reliably intercept or save the state of these dedicated processors, leading to potential data corruption.
The 'Save' Convenience:
This device was highly sought after for retro-gaming enthusiasts playing difficult "one-session" platformers or shooters, effectively providing a modern 'emulation-style' save-state feature on original 16-bit hardware.