SNES Powerpak is now available

[jeffg]

http://www.retrousb.com/product_info...products_id=84

I have been waiting for this since I got my powerpak a year ago.

[digitalpress]

'Bout time! Love his products. I'm in line.

[Flibbith]

that looks pretty cool

[vrikkgwj]

I think this is the closest I'll ever get to playing an authetic cart copy of Secret of Mana 2 on my SNES. Consider this guy bought.

[OldSchoolGamer]

OK, I am confused about the whole "lockout chip" option for this product. Could someone please break it down in simple/noob/moron terms? If I plan to use this on an original NTSC AMERICAN SNES what option do I go for? etc.....

[hamburglar]

OK, I am confused about the whole "lockout chip" option for this product. Could someone please break it down in simple/noob/moron terms? If I plan to use this on an original NTSC AMERICAN SNES what option do I go for? etc.....

You need to select the NTSC lockout chip option.
If you had a PAL console you would select the PAL option.

[BetaWolf47]

IDK, that incompatibility list is pretty bad right now. I'd rather wait until they support more chips.

[c0ldb33r]

IDK, that incompatibility list is pretty bad right now. I'd rather wait until they support more chips.

Does it matter? Don't they just update the firmware?

This is great news! I love my NES version

edit: why would someone want the "none" option for the lockout chip? - never mind, I read on the site, it's for clones

edit 2: I see that the incompatible games are the ones that rely on extra chips. Will they need to actually install new physical chips in order to make these games compatible or can they just use software upgrades? I'd like to be able to play Super FX games.

[portnoyd]

edit 2: I see that the incompatible games are the ones that rely on extra chips. Will they need to actually install new physical chips in order to make these games compatible or can they just use software upgrades? I'd like to be able to play Super FX games.

Likely would need new chips. If software would be able to do the job, I doubt you'd need to get the DSP-1 chip extra.

So basically, you can play everything you'd want except Super Mario RPG, both Kirbys, Mega Man X2/X3 and all the Super FX games. A decent hit to the popular games for the system, but isn't a deal breaker.

[badinsults]

IDK, that incompatibility list is pretty bad right now. I'd rather wait until they support more chips.

Um, to install chips other than the DSP series would likely require a complete redesign of the board to account for the voltage requirements. Really not worth it for the 25-30 games (mostly Japanese) that have special chips other than the DSP1. Note that hackers have managed to create a version of Star Ocean that doesn't require an SDD-1 chip (which was used purely for graphics decompression), and though a large game at 96 Mb, it will play on this thing.

Personally, I think this thing is awesome, and I can't wait to get one (once I have a job )

[c0ldb33r]

I just sent an email to the site asking whether they have plans to include the Super FX or other chips in the future. I also asked whether it would be possible to purchase a cart now, and send it back to him for installation of extra chips later (if they introduce them).

I'll post the response if I get one.

Looking at the incompatible games list, I'm really just interested in the Super FX and SA-1 chip games.

[klausien]

Looking at the incompatible games list, I'm really just interested in the Super FX and SA-1 chip games.

There's nothing wrong with keeping 10 games around with the rest of the library on a single cartridge. Think about it. It's still ridiculously awesome. Not a big deal.

I can't wait to try this thing!

[Sailorneorune]

Possibly stupid question - would it be possible to play Terranigma on a US SNES with this cart?

[c2000]

Pretty cool! The interface could use some work, though.

[BetaWolf47]

Possibly stupid question - would it be possible to play Terranigma on a US SNES with this cart?

Something tells me that you'd need a translation of the Japanese version, though I could be wrong.

I don't get the argument here... a $40 clone that can't play four or five big games is crap, but a $125 cart that can't play twenty of them is garbage? That's a bit much for something that will probably be only used to play hacks and translations.

[c0ldb33r]

I just sent an email to the site asking whether they have plans to include the Super FX or other chips in the future. I also asked whether it would be possible to purchase a cart now, and send it back to him for installation of extra chips later (if they introduce them).

I'll post the response if I get one.

I got this response from Retrozone:

Unfortunately other expansion chips are simply not happening. They are far too complex for affordable chips right now.

In another email, I asked whether the cartridge will be redesigned in the near future to deal with extra SNES chips.

The hardware will not be changing for years, unless a massive unknown hardware bug is found. In that case there would be a recall so you are safe!

Given that their not going to change the Super FX chip situation, I think I'm just going to get one now. There's no benefit in waiting.

edit: there, mine's ordered I ws afraid they would run out before Christmas.

[Kiddo]

I can't seem to find any e-mail form. I wanted to ask about Satellaview-software compatibility (Whether BS-X/8M Pack or compatible slotted card/8M Pack, or Soundlink games).

[badinsults]

Possibly stupid question - would it be possible to play Terranigma on a US SNES with this cart?

You could play it, but chances are it would have graphical glitches and speed issues, on account of the fact that it was designed for a PAL snes. I believe there is a patch that allows you to play it in an NTSC snes without glitches (check romhacking.net?). Otherwise, you would have to do the 50/60 Hz mod to your SNES to play it without issues.

[c0ldb33r]

You could play it, but chances are it would have graphical glitches and speed issues, on account of the fact that it was designed for a PAL snes. I believe there is a patch that allows you to play it in an NTSC snes without glitches (check romhacking.net?). Otherwise, you would have to do the 50/60 Hz mod to your SNES to play it without issues.

Would there be a Game Genie code that would fix this? The Powerpak has a built-in Game Genie.

One thing I just realized is that I'm going to need a whole bunch more blank save files on this cart over the NES one. There are a lot more SNES save capable games than NES ones. I love my NES powerpak, but hate the way it deals with save files.

[understatement]

It's cool I'll give it that but my PC can play all ROMs and a USB SNES controller is way cheaper.