Question in regards to SNES Reproduction Cartridge

[Sneak613]

Just looking into geting some info on some of these reproduction cartridges I've been hearing about. I wanted to inquire about having one made for myself.

I know there aren't a lot of places that will custom make SNES cartridges, so if anybody has any suggestions of websites that I should check out, please let me know. And thank you in advance.

Lately, I've been (again) addicted to an old Super Famicom game - "Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium". Of course the game is entirely in Japanese, so I've taken to playing a ROM copy of it translated on an emulator.

I recently came up with an idea after discovering these "reproduction cartridges", although I still have my doubts if it can be done. I think it could be, but I just wanted to pose 2 questions before I explored the idea any further.

1. What I'm wondering is can a reproduction be made from a patched (translated) japanese (SFC) rom and work properly on a North American SNES?

Also, in this game, a great feature is the create a wrestler mode. I have spent a lot of time creating a number of characters in the game, and they're save in an .SRM file. I created the characters on the ROM copy of the game (as it's translated). This file is recognized by the emulator (zSnes), and my created characters are there each time I load up the game in the emulator.

Which leads me to my second question:

2. If it is possible to have that translated japanese (SFC) ROM put onto a cartridge, is it then possible to have my .SRM file copied to the cartridge as well (on a battery?) ??

Thanks for any info anybody can give me. I'm also curious what websites/companies would be able to do this?

I sent an email a few weeks ago to this guy: but have yet to hear anything back.

Figured I'd pose the question on here.

Thanks in advance everybody. I've even cusom designed a sticker label (for the SNES cartridge) in advance if it can be made. :)

[Satoshi_Matrix]

1. What I'm wondering is can a reproduction be made from a patched (translated) japanese (SFC) rom and work properly on a North American SNES?

Yes, the SNES/SFC has no region locks via software and internally the hardware is identical. English patched SFC games will play fine on any SNES.

Like most cartridge based consoles, the differences between the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super Famicom are superficial. The only thing preventing games from each region fitting into the other region's console are they are physically shaped differently.

If you were to remove the tops of the shells of each system, all SNES games would run on a Super Famicom and all Super Famicom games would run on an SNES.


2. If it is possible to have that translated japanese (SFC) ROM put onto a cartridge, is it then possible to have my .SRM file copied to the cartridge as well (on a battery?) ??

I believe there was a product specifically designed to do this called the Retrode, but it was both expensive and produced in very limited quantities, so you're out of luck.

On the other hand, The Super Powerpak from Retrozone would allow you to do this. It'd be a lot more expensive than one reproduction, but you might want to consider it. The SNES Powerpak is a thing of magic. It fits into any SNES or Super Famicom and runs nearly every SNES game except for ones with special enhancement chips such as the FX, CX4 and SA1.

[Sneak613]

Yes, the SNES/SFC has no region locks via software and internally the hardware is identical. English patched SFC games will play fine on any SNES.

That's good news. I had no idea that it was simply a cartridge size/shape issue. I figured there might be some sort of 'lock-out chip' or something that Nintendo might have used to prevent this. I'm surprised more people haven't physically modified (using a dremel tool?) their SNES/Super Famicons.



I believe there was a product specifically designed to do this called the Retrode, but it was both expensive and produced in very limited quantities, so you're out of luck.

On the other hand, The Super Powerpak from Retrozone would allow you to do this. It'd be a lot more expensive than one reproduction, but you might want to consider it. The SNES Powerpak is a thing of magic. It fits into any SNES or Super Famicom and runs nearly every SNES game except for ones with special enhancement chips such as the FX, CX4 and SA1.

I guess that could be an option (Super Powerpak)worth looking into.

I was kind of hoping to have a single cartridge made specifically for that game. I guess I could have the (translated) cartridge made, and then go to the lengths to re-create all the characters I had saved on my emulator copy of the game. Time consuming, and something I wish I could avoid.

I guess it's a completely different process (harder?) to 'dump' .SRM's (saved games) onto a cartridge than it is a ROM file. Funny, I would have thought the same process (machine?) would have possibly worked for both? I guess with one (the ROM) you're dumping it onto a chip, and with a saved game (.SRM) you'd be putting that onto a battery?

Thanks for your help though. Anybody who has any other ideas/comments, please feel free to share.

[Blitzwing256]

if you can find someone to make the repro for you, it isn't hard at all to copy over your srm file, some of the old school copiers would let you transfer save files to real cartridges (you'll have to do a little research as to which ones do, and they can be tricky to use as few of them are in english)

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I'm surprised more people haven't physically modified (using a dremel tool?) their SNES/Super Famicoms.


There are a lot of people that have. Japanese Super Famicom cartridges are a bit smaller than the US ones. To modify a US SNES to play Super Famicom games all you need to do is take a pair of pliers and remove the two plastic tabs inside the cartridge slot. SNES games will still play fine and now Super Famicom games will fit.

Getting SNES games to fit into a Super Famicom is a lot more work, as the cartridge port is rounded, not rectangular. To get SNES to fit you need to use a dremel, and most gamers would probably agree that doing so would ruin the exterior beauty of the Super Famicom. I suppose this can be done, but I wouldn't ever do it to my Super Famicom.



I was kind of hoping to have a single cartridge made specifically for that game. I guess I could have the (translated) cartridge made, and then go to the lengths to re-create all the characters I had saved on my emulator copy of the game. Time consuming, and something I wish I could avoid.

There ARE folks out there who make SNES reproductions that could put your save file onto the cart's SRAM and give you what you're after. I was simply suggesting you might want to save up and simply buy a Super Powerpak instead, as it would satisfy all future needs for other SNES reproductions as well.

[badinsults]

There are a lot of people that have. Japanese Super Famicom cartridges are a bit smaller than the US ones. To modify a US SNES to play Super Famicom games all you need to do is take a pair of pliers and remove the two plastic tabs inside the cartridge slot. SNES games will still play fine and now Super Famicom games will fit.

Getting SNES games to fit into a Super Famicom is a lot more work, as the cartridge port is rounded, not rectangular. To get SNES to fit you need to use a dremel, and most gamers would probably agree that doing so would ruin the exterior beauty of the Super Famicom. I suppose this can be done, but I wouldn't ever do it to my Super Famicom.




There ARE folks out there who make SNES reproductions that could put your save file onto the cart's SRAM and give you what you're after. I was simply suggesting you might want to save up and simply buy a Super Powerpak instead, as it would satisfy all future needs for other SNES reproductions as well.

Most modern copiers (such as the Retrode) allow you to transfer saves to and from you computer as well.

Also, another option on the flash cart market is the Super Everdrive. It is substantially less expensive than the Super Powerpak. In fact, the Super Everdrive costs about the same as paying someone to make a reproduction.

[Greg2600]

If you buy only the cart and do the case\label yourself. Otherwise it's within range of the Powerpak. I know people say good things about www.gamereproductions.com, but $100 for say Star Fox 2 is steep.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Star Fox 2 is a LOT of work. A friend (!) of mine made me a Star Fox 2 repro and even still he charged me $60. I watched him do part of it, and there are so many wires that need to be soldered and modifications to be done it's a wonder they don't charge more than $100.

[theclaw]

Getting SNES games to fit into a Super Famicom is a lot more work, as the cartridge port is rounded, not rectangular. To get SNES to fit you need to use a dremel, and most gamers would probably agree that doing so would ruin the exterior beauty of the Super Famicom. I suppose this can be done, but I wouldn't ever do it to my Super Famicom.

Do you know of any adapter that make SNES games play on a Super Famicom? I'm still actively looking. I also want NES to Famicom and that's also become harder to find as of late.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Do you know of any adapter that make SNES games play on a Super Famicom? I'm still actively looking. I also want NES to Famicom and that's also become harder to find as of late.

... You need those? I have a couple of both handy.

[theclaw]

Sure, I'm open to talk about that. :)

I own both a Super Famicom and Twin Famicom. Yet obviously by far most of my library worth playing is American.

[Sneak613]

Just to update my thread, the cartridge has been made. It was substantially cheaper than the PowerPack, and now I have my own North American (translated) Super Fire Pro Wrestling Premium X cart - with my .SRM file (with all my edited characters)!!!

Thanks to everybody who helped me out and made this possible! :)

[kirbykirb]

What PCB board did he use?

[Sneak613]

What PCB board did he use?

No idea. I assume just some old random SNES game.. ? There was no label on it when I got it, so who knows?

Sneak