System Card Question

[wolfman]

Stupid question, maybe someone can help me out:

-Will a region-modded PC Engine work with a Japanese System Card and a US release?
-Will a (non modded) PC Engine work with an Arcade Card Pro and a US release?
-What US games are out there that need more than the 2.01 System Card (e.g. when do I need the US Super System Card)?

I thought so far I´d be safe with a System Card 3.0 and an Arcade Card Pro, but today I read US Games won´t work with it...so.....I am a bit puzzled. 

[CrackTiger]

If you have a region mod, then you can play any region HuCards other than SuperGrafx games.

All CD games are region free, so as long as you have a high enough level of System card, then you can play any region CD games.

The Arcade Card was not released in North America, therefore no North American CD games require it and will all run using the Super CD System 3.0 card.

There are a few CD games that will only work with a particular System card. For example, Altered Beast CD will only run properly using the 1.0 System card.

Where did you read that US CD games won't work with Japanese System Cards? It's not true, but they likely meant that you can't just stick a Japanese System card into a North American system, unless the system has had a region mod done.


These are the North American games which require a Super CD System 3.0/3.1 system card:

Beyond Shadowgate
Bonk 3 Bonk's Big Adventure CD
Camp California
Cotton
Dragon Slayer The Legend Of Heroes
Dungeon Explorer II
Dungeon Master - Theron's Quest
Dynastic Hero (The)
Exile: Wicked Phenomenon
Forgotten Worlds
Gate Of Thunder
Godzilla
Implode
John Madden Duo CD Football
Loom
Lords Of Thunder
Meteor Blaster DX
Might And Magic III: Isles Of Terra
Mysterious Song
Prince Of Persia
Pyramid Plunder
Revival Chase
Riot Zone
Shadow Of The Beast
Shape Shifter
Sim Earth: The Living Planet
Super Air Zonk


You can look up PC Engine games by format, region, genre, etc on this site:

http://pcecp.com/index.php?mode=catalog&action=normalsearch

[Bernie]

Werent there a small handful of games that wont run on the USA 3.0?  I seem to recall one of the Far East of Eden games, and something else.

[EvilEvoIX]

There are a few CD games that will only work with a particular System card. For example, Altered Beast CD will only run properly using the 1.0 System card.

So if I purchase this game for my Duo R, it won't run at all?

[Tatsujin]

There are a few CD games that will only work with a particular System card. For example, Altered Beast CD will only run properly using the 1.0 System card.

So if I purchase this game for my Duo R, it won't run at all?

it will run until level 1 is finished. if you insert a sys card 1.0 it will totally run.

[thesteve]

another note
on a duo system cards except the arcade card can be run from a flash cart, as the system itself has the system3 ram

[roflmao]

There are a few CD games that will only work with a particular System card. For example, Altered Beast CD will only run properly using the 1.0 System card.

So if I purchase this game for my Duo R, it won't run at all?

If you have a flashcard, you can put the Sys. 1.0 image on it and play Altered Beast past the first level.

[wolfman]

If you have a region mod, then you can play any region HuCards other than SuperGrafx games.

All CD games are region free, so as long as you have a high enough level of System card, then you can play any region CD games.

The Arcade Card was not released in North America, therefore no North American CD games require it and will all run using the Super CD System 3.0 card.

There are a few CD games that will only work with a particular System card. For example, Altered Beast CD will only run properly using the 1.0 System card.

Where did you read that US CD games won't work with Japanese System Cards? It's not true, but they likely meant that you can't just stick a Japanese System card into a North American system, unless the system has had a region mod done.


These are the North American games which require a Super CD System 3.0/3.1 system card:

Beyond Shadowgate
Bonk 3 Bonk's Big Adventure CD
Camp California
Cotton
Dragon Slayer The Legend Of Heroes
Dungeon Explorer II
Dungeon Master - Theron's Quest
Dynastic Hero (The)
Exile: Wicked Phenomenon
Forgotten Worlds
Gate Of Thunder
Godzilla
Implode
John Madden Duo CD Football
Loom
Lords Of Thunder
Meteor Blaster DX
Might And Magic III: Isles Of Terra
Mysterious Song
Prince Of Persia
Pyramid Plunder
Revival Chase
Riot Zone
Shadow Of The Beast
Shape Shifter
Sim Earth: The Living Planet
Super Air Zonk


You can look up PC Engine games by format, region, genre, etc on this site:

http://pcecp.com/index.php?mode=catalog&action=normalsearch

I stumbled upon it in another forum this weekend, but I don´t remember where. Since I do have a mixture of US and Japanese games I got suspicious whether all would work on my LT. I am afraid I wasn´t clear - I am only concerned about CD games, I am aware about the HU limitations.

Do you mean US games only work with US super system cards and Japanese with their own (I got you right on Altered Beast, but not the rest...)? Does a Japanese Arcade Pro work with a US CD? I am a little confused, as I don´t get a clear picture of your post....I always thought the Arcade Pro was sort of a "Joker Card" that would allow ALL games NO MATTER WHAT REGION to be played.

So I am f**** with my japanese System Card 3.0 and Arcade Pro, when I wanna play US games?

[Bernie]

If you have a Japanese system, and the Arcade Pro or the 3.0, then yes you can play the USA CD games. 

[wolfman]

If you have a Japanese system, and the Arcade Pro or the 3.0, then yes you can play the USA CD games. 

Thanks, that´s a definite answer!

[Bernie]

NP.  It can be somewhat confusing with so many different types of PCE hardware. 

If you have a Japanese system, and the Arcade Pro or the 3.0, then yes you can play the USA CD games. 

Thanks, that´s a definite answer!

[deubeul]

-Arcad Card Pro = Arcad Card Duo + Super system card 3.  So basically it's THE Arcad Card needed by the old cd-rom2 systems, but also works on Duos/Scd

-Cds: region free

-Hucards: not region free

-Altered Beast Cd works only with syscard 1.0.

-SCD/AC games have shorter loadings when running with an AC and in some cases (3x3eyes, don't know others) more frames and cd music during cinematics.

-You can use Jap syscards on a turbo or US syscards on a Pce if region-modded.

[wolfman]

You can look up PC Engine games by format, region, genre, etc on this site:

http://pcecp.com/index.php?mode=catalog&action=normalsearch

Yes, I am already registered with it. Unfortunately the System Card info for each game is missing...but apart from that it´s a great site.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

All CD games are region free....

What do you mean?

[CrackTiger]

-Arcad Card Pro = Arcad Card Duo + Super system card 3.  So basically it's THE Arcad Card needed by the old cd-rom2 systems, but also works on Duos/Scd

-Cds: region free

-Hucards: not region free

-Altered Beast Cd works only with syscard 1.0.

-SCD/AC games have shorter loadings when running with an AC and in some cases (3x3eyes, don't know others) more frames and cd music during cinematics.

-You can use Jap syscards on a turbo or US syscards on a Pce if region-modded.

Altered Beast CD works without the 1.0 card, you just can't transform into beasts.

Bi-compatible games have different changes when run in the higher system card mode. It's never faster loads, but sometimes entire loads are skipped and sometimes there is different content. 3 x 3 Eyes has WAY longer loads in ACD mode and new content. But it also eliminates some short loads.

The term "Jap" is against forum rules.

[CrackTiger]

You can look up PC Engine games by format, region, genre, etc on this site:

http://pcecp.com/index.php?mode=catalog&action=normalsearch

One of the main filters you can choose is "Format", which is also listed on each game's page.

CD = CD-ROM2 -requires at least System 1.0 card.
SCD = Super CD -requires at least System 3.0 card.
ACD = Arcade Card CD -requires the appropriate Arcade Card for your setup.

Yes, I am already registered with it. Unfortunately the System Card info for each game is missing...but apart from that it´s a great site.

[TurboXray]

I think it's easier to understand, if you understand the underlying issue first.

 Japanese games don't checked for region detection bit. There is a bit on the system for JP and Other, and games can read this bit to identify the region of the system. 'Other' happens to be North America (Europe test run of the TG doesn't counter, but I believe it's also set to Other).

 The only games that I know of, that check this region bit, are US games. And those are US hucards, not CD games. There's also another method of region protection between the JP and Other region models; the US/Eu systems have the data bus pins in a different physical order. Since Japanese hucard games DON'T check for the region bit, they could normally run on a US/EU system - except for that one small thing that they changes, those 8 data lines on the hucard port. So it keeps US/NA hucards from playing on japaense systems, and vice versa. Even with a flash card, you either have to mod your Japanese system for the region bit or patch every games to bypass it; which ever (for using US hucards on Japanese systems).

 CD games don't check for this. Either US/NA or Japanese ones. Both can be played on either system. I think there are 2-3 games total, CD, that don't run on US models simply because of a bug. One of them is Altered Beast, and that's simply a bug in the software when accessing a system card other than the original 1.0 (even on Japanese systems).

 Where you get in trouble with CD games and different region CD units, is the system cards themselves. Obviously you can just run a JP system card on a US model, and vice versa, as-is (because system cards are hucards).

 If you're buying or have an 'all-in-one unit', then it's usually only the Arcade Card that's an issue; assuming you have a US/NA model. You'll have to mod the system with a bus changing switch, or buy a converter pass-through card. I've heard of problems with pass-through when using it on the Arcade Card, but nothing conclusive. If you have an all-in-one unit (or a SuperCDROM^2 addon), get the Duo version of the Arcade Card. There are less parts to 'fail' inside it, and probably draws a little less juice from the hucard port (which is a problem for some systems and/or weakened AC/DC power units over the years).

 As thesteve said, if you have something like the Turbo Everdrive, then you can run older system cards on all-in-one/supercdrom^2 units. People do this to play Altered Beast, but also to access the system card error screens (sometimes funny animation sequence or mini games like in Rondo of Blood).

[wolfman]

One of the main filters you can choose is "Format", which is also listed on each game's page.

CD = CD-ROM2 -requires at least System 1.0 card.
SCD = Super CD -requires at least System 3.0 card.
ACD = Arcade Card CD -requires the appropriate Arcade Card for your setup.

Yes, I know. If you´re new you´re not used to the nomenclature and whats behind it (ie SCD = 3.0)...will take me a while to memorize that.  O:)

[wolfman]

I think it's easier to understand, if you understand the underlying issue first.

Indeed, your explanation helped to understand the whole issue better.

If you're buying or have an 'all-in-one unit', then it's usually only the Arcade Card that's an issue; assuming you have a US/NA model. You'll have to mod the system with a bus changing switch, or buy a converter pass-through card. I've heard of problems with pass-through when using it on the Arcade Card, but nothing conclusive. If you have an all-in-one unit (or a SuperCDROM^2 addon), get the Duo version of the Arcade Card. There are less parts to 'fail' inside it, and probably draws a little less juice from the hucard port (which is a problem for some systems and/or weakened AC/DC power units over the years).

My setup is IFU+LT+CDROM2. Am I in trouble with games when I use japanese System Card 3.0/Arcade Pro with US-CDs? I am not sure if I got you right in that regard...

[pulstar]

US games will work fine if you use your Arcade Card. Only the games with bugs won't work (ie. Altered Beast, as has already been mentioned).

[Nazi NecroPhile]

My setup is IFU+LT+CDROM2. Am I in trouble with games when I use japanese System Card 3.0/Arcade Pro with US-CDs? I am not sure if I got you right in that regard...

Which part of ALL CD GAMES ARE REGION FREE are you not understanding?

[wolfman]

My setup is IFU+LT+CDROM2. Am I in trouble with games when I use japanese System Card 3.0/Arcade Pro with US-CDs? I am not sure if I got you right in that regard...

Which part of ALL CD GAMES ARE REGION FREE are you not understanding?

What is your problem?

[Nazi NecroPhile]

I don't have one, but you seem to have one in understanding that disc games are 100% region free.  As long as you're using the appropriate system card (which are region specific), you're all set.  It's really not that difficult to understand.

[Tatsujin]

so NecroPhile did I get you right there, that I can play all my CD games on my DUO, regardless of its country of origin?

[thesteve]

Yes 2

[deubeul]

-Arcad Card Pro = Arcad Card Duo + Super system card 3.  So basically it's THE Arcad Card needed by the old cd-rom2 systems, but also works on Duos/Scd

-Cds: region free

-Hucards: not region free

-Altered Beast Cd works only with syscard 1.0.

-SCD/AC games have shorter loadings when running with an AC and in some cases (3x3eyes, don't know others) more frames and cd music during cinematics.

-You can use Jap syscards on a turbo or US syscards on a Pce if region-modded.

Altered Beast CD works without the 1.0 card, you just can't transform into beasts.

Bi-compatible games have different changes when run in the higher system card mode. It's never faster loads, but sometimes entire loads are skipped and sometimes there is different content. 3 x 3 Eyes has WAY longer loads in ACD mode and new content. But it also eliminates some short loads.

The term "Jap" is against forum rules.

Thanks for precision, and really sorry for the bad term, i ignored it was offensive/racist in English langage. My deepest apologies.

[TurboXray]

I think it's easier to understand, if you understand the underlying issue first.

Indeed, your explanation helped to understand the whole issue better.

If you're buying or have an 'all-in-one unit', then it's usually only the Arcade Card that's an issue; assuming you have a US/NA model. You'll have to mod the system with a bus changing switch, or buy a converter pass-through card. I've heard of problems with pass-through when using it on the Arcade Card, but nothing conclusive. If you have an all-in-one unit (or a SuperCDROM^2 addon), get the Duo version of the Arcade Card. There are less parts to 'fail' inside it, and probably draws a little less juice from the hucard port (which is a problem for some systems and/or weakened AC/DC power units over the years).

My setup is IFU+LT+CDROM2. Am I in trouble with games when I use japanese System Card 3.0/Arcade Pro with US-CDs? I am not sure if I got you right in that regard...

No, US CD games will play fine on a CDROM^2 unit with either ACpro or SYScard3.0 . Those cards are backwards compatible with older US CD 2.0 games as well.