Question about reproduction carts

[Ninjamohawk]

Would it be possible to play a reproduction cart of a NES game that utilized an external sound chip? Specifically I'm wanting to get repros of Akumajou Densetsu and Mouryou Senki Madara, which both use Konami's VRC6 sound enhancer. (I think they might be the only games to use it O_o)

I've heard that the NES doesn't have the capability to utilize these external mapper enhancements but I thought I'd check.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

yes, it is possible to create NES reproductions of games with expansion audio chips such as the konami VRC series, but the catch is the donor would have to be the Famicom versions of exactly those games you want to reproduce.

In other words, the only donor source for creating an Akumajou Densetsu repro complete with VRC6 and the correct board is Akumajou Densetsu. The EEPROMs could be removed and replaced with new ones that give you the English translation, making it technically a reproduction.

Keep in mind though, that an unmodified NES is incapable of producing Famicom expansion audio. The cart sends the signal, but it travels via an unused pin on the NES. On the NES-001 (toaster) you can bypass this problem by amplifiying the signal with roughly a 47k resistor soldered between the fourth and ninth pins of the unused expansion port on the bottom.

[Ninjamohawk]

So then the answer is "yes technically but it'd be a pain in the ass and the big repro sites probably wouldn't do it."?

[Satoshi_Matrix]

If you provide them the donor yourself I don't see why they wouldn't. The only thing preventing English Akumajou Densetsu reproductions is the fact that there is no NES donor. Therefore, it's impossible to create an NES reproduction of Akumajou Densetsu.

The only suitable donor is the Famicom Akumajou Densetsu. You need to find a working Famicom copy and then find someone who will do Famicom reproductions.

If you want it to be playable on an NES, you need a Famicom to NES converter that's modified to carry VRC6 expansion audio through the converter rather than just to ground.

Then you have to have an NES-001 that's also modified to carry the VRC6 audio from the cartridge lines through the user made audio amplidier so you can hear it through your tv speakers.

It's doable, but if you're a noob at it, just get a Famicom ;)

Check out this article I wrote. It will help you to decide what to get.

http://satoshimatrix.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/nesfamicom-starting-guide/