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> I would deliver my game software code to Nintendo, who would add the secret key to it

Did it really work this way on NES? I thought they only used the lockout chip and no signatures, since it would use too much processor power 40 years ago

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The lockout chip(s) are physical chip(s) on the cart and in the console that communicate directly with each other on the cart pins. The CPU is not involved. It's not a "secret key" in the cryptography sense per se.

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