Question: Playing Mario RPG snes on a PAL system.

[Bighab]

I need some help/info on playing Mario RPG snes on a PAL system. I sold a guy in Sweden a mint copy of Mario RPG. It worked fine for me when I tested it. He gets it and and can't get it to work. He is using it with a converter cart to play on his PAL system. I tell him that Mario RPG has a special graphics chip that converter carts won't work with. I was told that in order to play it you need a special mod done to your PAL snes for it to work. So can anyone tell me if there are actual converter carts that work with Mario RPG? or does anyone know anythng about the mod required to play it on a PAL snes? Thanx :)

[Speedy]

As far as i know there is no converter that can play Mario RPG correctly. The Fire converter with FX chip support plays it, but at one point it stops (dunno where, perhaps you can find it in the import forum, found it there a while ago).

[Zubiac666]

could be wrong BUT
I guess the Action Replays 2 and 3 play it too.
I remember reading this in some mag.
it could be true cause I've the AR2 and it plays all my imports(fx-chip ,"new" jap games etc)without flaws.
:)

[davidleeroth]

I think Super Mario RPG is the only thing that cannot be played with any other than a native US SNES.
The adapters let you play only so far and the same goes for a universal- modded PAL SNES. I haven't played the game with AR but I have one the last adapters released and it does reset after a while as does my modded PAL SNES.

I even heard that a universal- modded US SNES refuses to go beyond a certain point in the game.

[Bighab]

What point in the game does it crash/freeze up? So a modded PAL system can't play it properly either?

[davidleeroth]

I can't remember exactly and I don't have the game anymore, but it wasn't very far from the beginning. But I guess it depends on the adapter, too.

And no, a modded PAL unit doesn't play it properly, unfortunately.

[NvrMore]

So a modded PAL system can't play it properly either?

Yes it can, but SMRPG is one of those games that N went to extremes with for regional protection so it's a pain to get it working.

Basically it runs on two region checks.

The first is a CIC lockout check, which, unlike other games it performs intermittently throughout the time the game is running on a system.
A standard CIC mod on a PAL SNES won't work because then the game can't perform the intermittent check due to the SNES's chip being disbaled.

The second is a speed check testing for the current rate the game is running at. If the game isn't running in 60htz it won't work. 50/60htz mod required.

So, the only way to successfully run the game is to replace the CIC in the SNES with an NTSC chip rather than simply disabling it. However that mod is a major pain to perform and for all the trouble you might as well just get a NTSC SNES.

50/60htz mod plus an adapter (later model e.g. Honeybee) may work but I haven't tried that one yet, so I can't say for certain.

[Predatorxs]

davidleeroth is pretty much right the only real way to play the game with out any modifications, or crashing is to play the game in a US Snes..

[badinsults]

I have heard of people getting it to work, but it was mostly hit and miss. Probably a good time to invest in a NTSC Snes/SFC.

[hydr0x]

yeah it's a pain in the ass, i tried several converters (Honey Bee, Universal AD-29, Fire, Fire FX) but only Fire FX did even start at all and crashed after the fight against that Arrow Guy early in the game :(

i heard it works with some combination (maybe an AR2 or 3 or an FX+60Hz-Mod) but i'm not 100% positive :(

does anyone here have a spare ac-adaptor for an us-snes for me? i've got 2 naked us-snes and i can't use them as they have a weird ac-plug :( they pal-rgb cable should work, right?

[pentarou]

I read somewhere that an Action Replay Pro can play the game if the cart is tilted forward - that doesn't sound very stable, though.

[Bighab]

Thanx for the info everyone :) Hopefully I can help the person I sold the game to be able to play it properly.

[anagrama]

does anyone here have a spare ac-adaptor for an us-snes for me? i've got 2 naked us-snes and i can't use them as they have a weird ac-plug :( they pal-rgb cable should work, right?

Do you have Radioshack/Maplins or other similar electronics stores in Germany?
My US SNES runs off a variable powerpack I got for about £8, with an adaptor 'bit' that plugs into the SNES that cost around 50p.
The adaptor bit is the difficult part to find, but I can pick one up for you, if you want?

And yeah, a PAL RGB lead is fine. I use a Gamecube lead with mine.

[hydr0x]

does anyone here have a spare ac-adaptor for an us-snes for me? i've got 2 naked us-snes and i can't use them as they have a weird ac-plug :( they pal-rgb cable should work, right?

Do you have Radioshack/Maplins or other similar electronics stores in Germany?
My US SNES runs off a variable powerpack I got for about £8, with an adaptor 'bit' that plugs into the SNES that cost around 50p.
The adaptor bit is the difficult part to find, but I can pick one up for you, if you want?

And yeah, a PAL RGB lead is fine. I use a Gamecube lead with mine.

great :) i've got a power pack (btw, i should be able to use the snes pal ac-adaptor as well with the right adaptor bit, shouldn't i?) so that would be great if you could pick up such a "bit" for me...