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System 16/18 — encryption chip & key per game (reference)

The "which key for which game" of System 16/16B (and relatives): to re-key / de-suicide or convert a board you need the right chip and, for FD1094/FD1089, the right key number 317-xxxx. Table transcribed in-wiki from the MAME definitions (sega/segas16a.cpp, sega/segas16b.cpp).

Re-key / de-suicide method: System 16/18/24 FD1094.

How to read

  • Chip: the set's protection. FD1094 = 68000 encrypted with a battery-backed key (suicide) → needs the key (Arduino re-key, or a live battery). FD1089A/B = fixed key (no battery). MC-8123 = sound (Z80) encryption. 8751 = protection MCU. Unprotected = bare 68000 (trivial conversion).
  • Key (317-xxxx): the key number to program into the module (the keys themselves live in the MAME romsets — not hosted here; we give the mapping).
  • Board: 16A or 16B (different layout / ROM format).

Several sets = several keys

A game often has several revisions/regions, each with its own key. Identify your exact set (World/Japan/US, Rev A/B) before re-keying.

FD1094 — suicide (key to re-key)

Game Board Key
Ace Attacker 16B 317-0059
Ace Attacker (Japan, System 16A, FD1094 317-0060) 16A 317-0060
Altered Beast (set 5) 16B 317-0069
Bay Route (set 2, Japan) 16B 317-0115
Bay Route (set 3, World) 16B 317-0116
Bullet 16B 317-0041
Cotton (set 1, Japan, Rev A) 16B 317-0179a
Cotton (set 2, Japan, Rev B) 16B 317-0179b
Cotton (set 3, US) 16B 317-0180
Cotton (set 4, World) 16B 317-0181a
Cyber Police ESWAT (set 1, Japan) 16B 317-0131
Cyber Police ESWAT (set 2, Japan) 16B 317-0128
Cyber Police ESWAT (set 3, US) 16B 317-0129
Cyber Police ESWAT (set 4, World) 16B 317-0130
Dynamite Dux (set 2, Japan) 16B 317-0094
Dynamite Dux (set 3, World) 16B 317-0096
Excite League 16B 317-0079
Flash Point (set 1, Japan) 16B 317-0127A
Flash Point (set 2, Japan) 16B 317-0127A
Golden Axe (set 1, World) 16B 317-0110
Golden Axe (set 3, World) 16B 317-0120
Golden Axe (set 4, Japan) 16B 317-0121
Golden Axe (set 5, US) 16B 317-0122
Heavyweight Champ (Japan) 16B 317-0046
Juuouki (set 1, Japan) 16B 317-0065
Juuouki (set 3, Japan) 16B 317-0068
MVP (set 1, Japan) 16B 317-0142
MVP (set 2, US) 16B 317-0143
Passing Shot (Japan, 4 Players) 16B 317-0070
Passing Shot (Japan, 4 Players, System 16A) 16A 317-0071
Passing Shot (World, 2 Players) 16B 317-0080
Passing Shot (World, 4 Players) 16B 317-0074
RyuKyu (Japan) 16B 317-5023
RyuKyu (Rev A, Japan) 16B 317-5023A
Shinobi (set 1, System 16A) 16A 317-0050
Shinobi (set 2, System 16B) 16B 317-0049
Sonic Boom 16B 317-0053
Super League 16B 317-0045
Tetris (set 1, Japan, System 16B) 16B 317-0091
Tetris (set 2, Japan, System 16B) 16B 317-0092
Tetris (set 3, Japan, System 16A) 16A 317-0093a
Tetris (set 4, Japan, System 16A) 16A 317-0093
Wonder Boy III - Monster Lair (set 1, Japan, System 16A) 16A 317-0084
Wonder Boy III - Monster Lair (set 2, Japan, System 16B) 16B 317-0085
Wonder Boy III - Monster Lair (set 3, World, System 16B) 16B 317-0089
Wonder Boy III - Monster Lair (set 4, Japan, System 16B) 16B 317-0087
Wrestle War (set 1, Japan) 16B 317-0090
Wrestle War (set 2, World) 16B 317-0102

(48 sets)

FD1089A — fixed key

Game Board Key
Action Fighter 16A 317-0018
Action Fighter (System 16B, FD1089A 317-0018) 16B 317-0018
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars (set 1, FD1089A 317-0021) 16A 317-0021
Alien Syndrome (set 1, Japan, old, System 16A, FD1089A 317-0033) 16A 317-0033
Alien Syndrome (set 2, System 16A, FD1089A 317-0033) 16A 317-0033
Alien Syndrome (set 3, System 16B, FD1089A 317-0033) 16B 317-0033
Alien Syndrome (set 6, Japan, new, System 16B, FD1089A 317-0033) 16B 317-0033
Aurail (set 1, Japan) 16B 317-0167
Defense (System 16B, FD1089A 317-0028) 16B 317-0028
Dunk Shot 16B 317-0022
Dunk Shot (Rev A, FD1089A 317-0022) 16B 317-0022
Dunk Shot (Rev C, FD1089A 317-0022) 16B 317-0022
SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative (System 16B, FD1089A 317-0028) 16B 317-0028
Wonder Boy III - Monster Lair (set 5, Japan, System 16A) 16A 317-0086

(14 sets)

FD1089B — fixed key

Game Board Key
Action Fighter 16A 317-unknown
Action Fighter 16A 317-unknown
Action Fighter (System 16B, FD1089B 317-unknown) 16B 317-unknown
Action Fighter (System 16B, FD1089B 317-unknown, analog controls) 16B 317-unknown
Alien Syndrome (set 5, System 16A, FD1089B 317-0037) 16A 317-0037
Aurail (set 2, World) 16B 317-0168
Fantasy Zone 16A 317-0016
SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative (Japan, newer, System 16A, FD1089B 317-0027) 16A 317-0027
SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative (Japan, old, System 16A, FD1089B 317-0027) 16A 317-0027
Sukeban Jansi Ryuko (set 1, System 16A, FD1089B 317-5021) 16A 317-5021
Sukeban Jansi Ryuko (set 2, System 16B, FD1089B 317-5021) 16B 317-5021
Time Scanner (set 1, System 16A, FD1089B 317-0024) 16A 317-0024
Time Scanner (set 3, Japan, System 16B) 16B 317-0024

(13 sets)

MC-8123 — SOUND encryption

Game Board
Alien Syndrome (set 7, System 16B, MC-8123B 317-00xx) 16B
Altered Beast (set 2) 16B
Altered Beast (set 4) 16B
Center Court (World, 4 Players, prototype) 16B
Shinobi (set 3, System 16B) 16B
Shinobi (set 4, System 16B) 16B

(6 sets)

8751 — protection MCU

Game Board
Altered Beast (set 6) 16B
Altered Beast (set 8) 16B
Body Slam 16A
Dump Matsumoto (Japan, 8751 317-0011a) 16A
Dynamite Dux (set 1, World) 16B
Golden Axe (set 2, US) 16B
Golden Axe (set 6, US) 16B
Juuouki (set 7, Japan) 16B
Quartet 16A
Quartet (Rev A, 8751 315-5194) 16A
Quartet 2 16A
Tough Turf (set 1, US) 16B
Tough Turf (set 2, Japan) 16B
Wonder Boy III - Monster Lair (set 6, World, System 16B) 16B
Wrestle War (set 3, World) 16B

(15 sets)

Unprotected — bare 68000 (no key)

Game Board
Action Fighter (System 16B, unprotected, analog controls) 16B
Action Fighter (unprotected) 16A
Action Fighter (unprotected, analog controls) 16A
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars (set 2, unprotected) 16A
Alien Syndrome (set 4, System 16B, unprotected) 16B
Aurail (set 3, US) (unprotected) 16B
Bay Route (set 1, US) (unprotected) 16B
Fantasy Zone (Rev A, unprotected) 16A
Fantasy Zone (unprotected) 16A
Quartet 2 (unprotected) 16A
Shinobi (set 5, System 16B) (unprotected) 16B
Shinobi (set 6, System 16A) (unprotected) 16A
Shinobi (set 6, System 16B) (unprotected) 16B

(13 sets)

Other / to verify

Game Board
1991. 3.28 16B
Atomic Point (Korea) 16B
Doraemon no Dokodemo Door 16B
Fantasy Zone 16A
Fantasy Zone (prototype) 16A
Fantasy Zone (Time Attack, bootleg) 16B
Fantasy Zone II - The Tears of Opa-Opa (System 16C version) 16B
Fantasy Zone II - The Tears of Opa-Opa (System 16C version, prototype) 16B
Flash Point (Japan, bootleg set 1) 16B
Flash Point (Japan, bootleg set 2) 16B
Flash Point (World, bootleg) 16B
Heavyweight Champ (set 1) 16B
Heavyweight Champ (set 2) 16B
Lock On (Philko) 16B
Major League 16A
Riot City (Japan) 16B
SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative (bootleg, set 1) 16B
SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative (bootleg, set 2) 16B
SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative (bootleg, set 3) 16B
SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative (bootleg, set 4) 16B
SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative (bootleg, set 5) 16B
Shinobi (Beta bootleg) 16A
Shinobi (Star bootleg, System 16A) 16A
Snapper (Korea) 16B
Time Scanner (set 2, System 16B) 16B
Toryumon 16B
Waku Waku Thomas (Japan) 16B
Waku Waku Ultraman Racing 16B
Wanpaku Fishing 16B

(29 sets)

Notes & preservation

  • The FD1094/FD1089 keys have been extracted by the community (MAME) → a suicided set is revived with the right key (re-key), or via **decrypted ROMs
  • bare 68000**. See FD1094.
  • System 18 adds an 8751 MCU on top of the FD1094 → see System 18 conversions.

Sources & attribution

Review & corrections

How this space is used

Spotted a wrong value, an outdated procedure, a chip reference that does not match your board? Say so here, with what you observed (model, board revision, serial number, measurement). Every report is cross-checked against a source before anything changes — an unverifiable correction is published as “reported by …, not cross-checked” rather than silently applied.

Reading is open to everyone; posting requires signing in with Discord. Reports from the wiki's declared reviewers are handled first; anyone else's are read too, but go through a human before anything is changed.