Shining Force CD + RAM cart/MegaCart

[balkiry]

Hey guys, I've done some googling on this topic but the answers were mixed...

Seems it's impossible to finish shining force CD on the Mega CD without a ram cart. And since I have a pal mega cd 2, the pal ram carts are pretty much impossible to find.
My questions are:
1. Will an NTSC ram cart work with a pal machine (pretty sure the answer is no)
2. Will the MegaCart allow you to finish Shining Force CD?

Thanks!

[Breetai]

I can tell you that a Japanese NTSC RAM cart works on an American system and vice-versa. I can also tell you that PAL Mega Drive games work on Japanese and American systems, unless they are region-locked. Also, the PAL video format does not affect the carts at all; just the video output. Therefore, I think it is safe to assume that US or JP memory RAM carts will work on an Australian PAL Mega Drive. The Japanese RAM cart might be your cheapest option, as they are relatively easy to find compared to other regions, so I'd go with that.

No idea about MegaCarts.

[Az]

I'm pretty sure the Mega Cart won't allow you to finish, but I may be mistaken.

From my understanding to finish Shining Force CD you must have more accessable RAM space than is provided internally, so a RAM cart fixes that.

The Mega Cart only allows you to back up (or restore) your save files, it doesn't actually function in the way a normal RAM cart does by giving you additional in-game accessable RAM.

With a Mega Cart you would have additional space, but just not accessable at the same time as the internal memory. Kinda like how the Pro Action Replay backup RAM works on a Saturn.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Wait. What?

SOME games can access the Memory Cart natively and save directly to it, and I'm pretty sure Shining Force could do so. He's not talking about gameplay RAM, but backup RAM, the one that CD games used to save their game data.

[Zebbe]

I wrote this on Sega-16 long ago:

Anyone who's just out for storing their saves might think about either the Mega Cart or a RAM cart. Since the Mega Cart can only store files and doesn't load them, you have to use it by sending files back and forward between it and the internal memory. That is pretty troublesome if you ask me, and I prefer using a RAM cart for that task. You can never have more data on one Mega Cart file than on the internal RAM, so there is no big use for it with Shining Force CD, folks.

http://www.sega-16.com/feature_page....238&title=Sega Gear: Tototek Mega Cart

To access the third book of SFCD, the game must view two files of completed book 1 and 2, which requires more memory than the internal RAM, which is all a Mega Cart can handle. So a RAM-cart is mandatory. Also, my JP RAM-cart works fine on my PAL units.

[ubersaurus]

Shining Force CD does indeed save directly to a RAM cart; my friend borrowed mine so he could finish his copy of the game. I have no idea if a US one would work in Australian CD units, but I would think so... I don't expect there's much difference internally on the consoles outside of video output.

[balkiry]

I think it is safe to assume that US or JP memory RAM carts will work on an Australian PAL Mega Drive.

Thought this was solved, but it isn't...
A JAP cart will not fit in a PAL mega drive apparently. Be warned PAL Mega CD gamers:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Retro-Video-Games

In theory one could try an adapter, but I can't find any evidence of anyone using a JAP mega CD RAM cart successfully on a PAL machine with an adapter.

my JP RAM-cart works fine on my PAL units.

Interested in this statement Zebbe, how is this possible? Have you modified the cartridge slots?