SNES Powerpak is now available

[schnuth]

Omgosh, I want!

Is there a translated version of the Japanese Terranigma that could be played so you don't have to mess with the Pal version?

Once I applied this patch the PAL version of Terranigma works great on my NTSC SNES & Powerpak:

http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/541/

Hope this helps!

[eastbayarb]

I got terranigma working on my SWC DX2 copier many years ago. Works on my PowerPak without a Patch because even though my SNES is USA, but since it is connected to my RGB monitor, doesn't matter if it's PAL or NTSC

[Nature Boy]

So what's the 'DMA' setting for anyway?

My Super Castlevania IV problem looks like it was due to DMA=1 instead of DMA=0.

I've read before that this fixes a lot of issues with cards, but never what the setting actually does? I bought my card along with the PowerPak, so I never thought of touching that setting until my Castlevania problems.

I haven't really had any time to play around with it much, but I have zero complaint so far (getting one game to work doesn't qualify as complaint worthy in my book - I love a challenge!)

[Greg2600]

Is there a limit to what size CompactFlash card it supports?

"PS: The price went up to $135."
What was the price before?

Is there an incompatibility list for the NES PowerPak? I didn't see one on the site.

No limit I guess, but you don't need more than 2GB for SNES. The price was originally 125 plus 11 for the optional DSP1 chip. Now it's 135 plus 11. NES Powerpak latest mapper/drivers will work with nearly every NES/Famicom game except those that used the MMC5 mapper, which was the largest. They include Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NA/EU version), Just Breed, Metal Slader Glory, Gun Sight, Uchuu Keibitai SDF, Nobunaga's Ambition II, Bandit Kings of Ancient China, Romance of the Three Kingdoms II, Uncharted Waters. Castlevania III Japan works.

So what's the 'DMA' setting for anyway?

I think the latest mapper set from Retrousb sets the DMA to Off automatically.

[shadowkn55]

I got terranigma working on my SWC DX2 copier many years ago. Works on my PowerPak without a Patch because even though my SNES is USA, but since it is connected to my RGB monitor, doesn't matter if it's PAL or NTSC

That's not how the lockout chips works. How you connect the system to a screen is irrelevant. Your snes probably has the lockout chip disabled.

[Mitch]

There is a beta version of some new mappers that are supposed to fix most of the issues here. Use at your own risk, though they are suposed to work pretty well. I will be testing them myself shortly.

Mitch

[Troglodyte]

Can anyone tell me (in their opinion) which version of the (non mini) SNES console seems to be the most PowerPak compatible overall at this point in time?

I recently won a lot of items on eBay, which included two SNES consoles of unknown condition. Assuming that they are both in working condition, and one of them has better compatibility then the one in my personal collection, I may swap the two, before selling the others off.

Thanks in advance

[Mitch]

With the new mappers compatibility is much better. The only issue I have seen is with my brothers 1/1/1 SNES having intermittent loading problems. I'm sure that issue will be fixed eventually as well.

Mitch

[schnuth]

New mappers for both the SNES and NES Powerpak have been posted on RetroZone today. The SNES mini is now supported for those of you who have been waiting. I have yet to try the new mappers out, but hopefully it fixes problems some people have been having.

[maxwell7301]

The new mapper set fixes Dragon Quest III (DQ Translations Eng 1.1). There's no need for any save fix now, and also no more text corruption issues that I was complaining about earlier.

I wonder if a save fix is still necessary for Star Ocean? Haven't tried that yet. I imagine I'll find out if I ever get around to playing Star Ocean.

[maxwell7301]

Hey, I had some issues with my Lexar 4GB Platinum 80X and the new mapper set.

I had everything working perfectly with the 1.02 mappers and DMA=0, but with the 1.03 mappers, the menu text was corrupting, and some games had issues with loading, requiring multiple hard resets to work. Also, pressing select at the boot screen revealed some corrupted looking text at times, and worked perfectly at other times.

I finally went out and bought a Sandisk Ultra II 2GB. No issues at all with the new mappers. Everything seems to be 100% perfect, even with DMA=1.

I'm pretty happy now. It took 3 months, but I think I have finally obtained a CF card that is 100% compatible with the SNES Powerpak.

I have no use for the Lexar card now. It turns out I know someone that uses a camera that takes CF cards, so I'll probably sell it to that friend.

[renejr902]

I HAVE A GREAT NEWS !!! I GOT BS F-ZERO 2 to work
i think its the first bs game to work on powerpak. but i cant get bs zelda to work

how to get BS F-Zero 2 working

1. You need this rom title: BS F-ZERO Grand Prix 2 (J) [f1].smc
2. you need to remove header ( i use snesROMUtil.exe )
3. change the byte at $7fd5 to $20

ENJOY

Tell me if you get it working thanks
note: i have Mapper v1.03
note: i TRIED Several fzero2 rom and different way to patch it. only the way i explain before work.

[Troglodyte]

I HAVE A GREAT NEWS !!! I GOT BS F-ZERO 2 to work

That is great news! How on earth did you figure this out ?!

[eastbayarb]

That is great news! How on earth did you figure this out ?!

Indeed this is great news! I just hope some day BS Zelda will work. And hopefully games with irregular file sizes like Contra III (it really sucks that game doesn't work - it's like the PowerPak NES version not being able to play Contra, or Super Mario Bros 3) Awesome job!

[Troglodyte]

hopefully games with irregular file sizes like Contra III (it really sucks that game doesn't work - it's like the PowerPak NES version not being able to play Contra, or Super Mario Bros 3)

Crude... that kind of sucks. I didn't know that.
Thankfully, those carts are fairly common.
I assume there is some kind of
incompatibility list. This info
is good to know.

I have a feeling that someone will figure out how to inject just the right amount of
"junk" / blank date into the ROMs to make them the appropriate file sizes to work.

I don't own either of the PowerPaks yet... but I plan to eventually purchase two of each.
Since someday, maybe sooner than later, I will be moving out of my parents house,
and my entire video game collection is basically split between my younger brother
and I, even though I bought most of it.

I have been trying to think of the fairest way to to this. I plan to eventually house almost the entire physical game collection in a game / storage / display room, and basically never play the physical carts. Then I plan to purchase two NES PowerPaks, and two SNES PowerPaks, and another RetroDuo. The additional PowerPaks and the RetroDuo will be purchased as a gift for him I would assume. We have sort of talked about the PowerPaks, and he agrees this might be the best solution, since he also likes to play on the 'real thing'. Expensive? Yes, but not nearly as
expensive as trying to own two carts of every game. Plus, it will take up a lot less room.

[Mitch]

Contra 3 works if you do the same byte change as above. ie: change the byte at $7fd5 to $20.

Mitch

[Widar]

1. Download Cygnus Hex Editor FREE EDITION
2. Open the rom file ( you need the star ocean rom of 96mbit edition translated in english, made by neviksti)
3. go to edit choose GO TO and write : 0081D5 , choose ok
4. now change the 32 value to 31. FORGET the h
5. change the others too the same way:
0081D6: 45->02h
A081D5: 32->31h
A081D6: 45->02h

6. go to file and choose save

i hope it can help a few people.

note: i sent you the patch anyway)

Have anyone gotten this patch to work on a PAL SNES? I've been in contact with renejr902, patched and everything but saving still doesn't work.
Anyone else encountered this problem?

[Troglodyte]

Contra 3 works if you do the same byte change as above. ie: change the byte at $7fd5 to $20.

Awesome. I have a feeling these tricks will be added to the latest firmware in the future. It would be mad easy to implement.

[maxwell7301]

I just tried the byte change on Contra III, and it works fine now.

Another game that doesn't seem to load on SNES Powerpak is Super Adventure Island. I wonder if the same fix could be applied?

EDIT: Super Adventure Island works with the same fix for Contra. I had to delete the header first (used snestool), then change the hex value at $7FD5 to $20.

Apparently, this fix works for 8 megabit lorom games.

[j.m.ratkos]

I found that while the "good" version of sanrio world smash ball! (jp) doesn't work, the overdump does