How do video games that run on systems without internal memory save?

Question

Like for example, how would a gameboy cartridge save game data? What is the internal process that saves the game?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Cartridge video games had an internal battery and memory to allow saving on the cartridge itself. Otherwise for less complex games whenever you started a level you’d get a code for that level that you’d input whenever you started it up to take you to that level. This worked fine for simple linear games but for more complex games that had many different variables like inventory, choices made, quests completed or uncompleted etc they would save on the cartridge itself, which is why you could give your cartridge to someone else and they could play your save on their system.