Expert: Octane - 10/15/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hello again Octane,

yesterday, I received Afterburner JP and the day before the HoneyBee PAL to NTSC US/JP converter.
Well, it's only a physical adapter and Afterburner JP crashes on it (I just get the cppyright message and then the screen goes dark and crash), I have ordered a Game Genie now (the PAL model for Mega Drive of course) which should bypass the region locks from what I read.
(Some with using codes and some without)
According to wikipedia it is the common method for bypassing regio locks without modification of my mega drive

I seem to be some sort of unlucky to run into games that are protected ..

As for the ATGames. yes, according to this source here: The different firmware versions are very different.

check the review here (almost nothing works) http://www.aeropause.com/2008/07/review-atgames-sega-megadrive-twin-pad-player/ and the first comment (almost anything works) by zengu.


The NTSC / PAL issue seems to be bigger than what it sounded like in your first reply (or I am just unlucky with my choice of games :) ).
Thanks in advvance
All the best!
Bye!

Joerg

ANSWER: Gday again Joerg,

You could just be picking one of the 20% of early release games that require a speed or Language check.  Afterburner II may have had a funky chip in it that checks the console speed/language because of the special Rumble controller that was designed for it at a wild guess.  Unfortunately for the Megadrive any lockout will be code unlike a actual chip like nintendo stuff.  Thus why Codemaster/Gamegenie work around it fairly good.  Good luck in finding those codes for games that need it.  From memory I only ever had maybe a handful of NTSC/Japanese games and I only ever had a problem with one, but my console had the switches to get around this so my memory could be alittle fuzzy as to what works and what does not because when it did not work I just swapped around it.  One day I will sit down and write this huge document on what works with what.  I'll put that on my to do list since I now own a games shop so huge amounts of carts is possible.

I dug out a Honeybee converter I had floating about in a box of stuff and pulled it to pieces.  All it really is, is a basic riser for your cartridge slot. (So you can fit in those Japanese carts.  I have one like that for the SNES which was built for America but of course fails on a PAL console.)

On a little more research of Atgames consoles there is a couple of versions of Atgames consoles.  I never seen one in person other than the handhelds.  I don't stock the them in my shop as there is little point when I have so many refurbished Genesis for about the same or cheaper price.  Plus even then I think they are kind of crappy and don't work as well as the YOBO clone consoles.  The easy way to tell the difference is if it does have a PAL/NTSC switch on the back it an older version of the console. The newer version have no switch and do some sort of auto detect as to what cartridge is placed in it.

Again I went with switches and never had a problem, I had a boot cartridge for the CD games and I believe the 32X was region free.  You've made me think about dragging a Sega out of mothballs and testing again.

Here is a partial list I found that may help some.

http://www.consoleplus.co.uk/bin/genesis_lockout.txt

Octane

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Octane!

Thanks for the region lockout list!

Thanks for also checking how to determinate the different versions of the ATGames console!

I will go for the switches but as said earlier, I have to wait till that guy in Cologne found a way to get the RGB cable working. (Doesn't seem to be that easy).

I didn't want to wait to get to play Afterburner II till that happened, though :)

I can tell you that I received today the PAL version of Game Genie (which seems to be pretty rare, only one guy in France sold the PAL version on ebay, the others all sold the NTSC version)

I found in this guide a hint that the region lock can easily be bypassed http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/MEGADRIVE-GAMES_W0QQugidZ10000000017859036

I did send him an email and he told me that he didn't need to enter any code. (according to wikipedia, the region lock is just "a few bytes in the header of the ROM." which Game Genie seems to bypass.

I have tried it now and it works!

Only problem is, the whole thing is pretty fragile, probably the pins on the Game Genie aren't the best. Is it safe to use contact spray?


You said earlier, the b/w picture is not a big issue. but I am a 100% guy, I can't stand of the music plays too slow ;)

When you have finished your guide one day, please let me know and send me a copy :)

(I am an Expert in the email and ICQ category).

Thanks in advance!
Sincerely,
Joerg


ANSWER: Gday Again Joerg,

Glad the Game Genie worked for you.  I guess that it was hard to locate a PAL one possible because they where all called "Action Replay" and not Game Genie.  I remember never seeing a Game Genie in Australia they where all Action Replays.

I don't see why you could not use a contact spray or any other cleaning fluid on it providing yout not taking a wire brush to it it shoudl be fine.

It been a pleasure

Octane

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Octane,

are you sure about that? According to what I know, Action Replay as made by Datel while Game Genie was made by Codemasters/Gallob

Having a look at ebay and wikipedia they look like 2 totlly different products from companies.

And yes, my Game Ganie is really a PAL version, it does have a label in French on it :)

Or did they kind of coperate? would be glad if you could explain that because it really confuses me now.

also do you have maybe the manual of the game genie seperately?

thanks in advance!

Sincerely,
Joerg Droege


Answer
Gday Joerg,

Apologies for my mistake.  The Action Replay and Game Genie are 2 different devices.  The Action Replay was usually released in PAL territories and the Game Genie was released in NTSC Territories.

Finding a PAL Game Genie is something of a rarity. As there where very low numbers released.  Same apply to finding Action Replays in the USA.  I just assumed wrongly that because you where in a PAL territory you would have and Action Pro because that was the standard.

Sorry for the confusion.

Octane