Japan Consoles in the West

[ImAGaymer]

Okay so first sorry if this isn't the right forum to ask this. I tried to look at all the options and wasn't totally sure which would be the best, but picked what thought would be the best. So if this is wrong, sorry.

So to the topic at hand. I plan on coming into some money in the recent future and so I plan a lot of Japanese consoles. Ya know, Famicom, Superfamicom and so on. Problem is to my understanding the way Japan wires is different. So I couldn't plug into my socket and just play my games. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has this issue and there is a list of this somewhere. I know I could hack the American consoles, but I'd rather not do that. At least not outside. I'm fine with like, say Wii where its all internally but not like PS2 where you need to bust it open to do it or Super Nintendo where you need to ply the plastic pieces. I just don't like doing that. Id rather buy the Japanese consoles. Anyway, If anyone can point me in the direction of how to circumvent all these issues I'd love that.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Depends on the console. It would be infinitely more helpful if you actually gave a list of what you want to play.

For the Famicom and Super Famicom, buy a Genesis model 1 AC adapter, that can be used on both for power in the US without issue.

For PS1, you can just use a standard US AC cord for it, will work without issue.

For PS2, I would suggest you just use FreeMCBoot and a US PS2 instead of buying a JP PS2, will be much cheaper in the end. You don't need to "bust it open" or anything, you can make (or just buy) a FreeMCboot memory card for like $5 and use that to play any region game.

 

[ImAGaymer]

Depends on the console. It would be infinitely more helpful if you actually gave a list of what you want to play.

For the Famicom and Super Famicom, buy a Genesis model 1 AC adapter, that can be used on both for power in the US without issue.

The only thing you didn't list in that list is N64 and Gamecube. Gamecube is important because it would be used for the gameboy player. Everything else isn't region locked or is like the Wii. Which is to say, is easy to hack from what I hear.

For PS1, you can just use a standard US AC cord for it, will work without issue.

For PS2, I would suggest you just use FreeMCBoot and a US PS2 instead of buying a JP PS2, will be much cheaper in the end. You don't need to "bust it open" or anything, you can make (or just buy) a FreeMCboot memory card for like $5 and use that to play any region game.

So like. They are these memory cards that you just slide into the PS2? They will unlock the region locking? Am I understanding this right? I have 2 fat ps2's and 2 slim ps2's so whatever this needs I am set. I am on board with this just need to know the proper deal.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Yes, you install FMCB directly to a standard Sony memory card, which allows you to run homebrew applications like OPL which will allow you to play PS2 backups* (via a variety of ways, like a HDD with the network adapter, over a network via SMB, or just plain old burnt DVDs if you can't be bothered to buy the network adapter). I would strongly suggest you pickup a PS2 network adapter for one of your phats and use a HDD (you can shove up to 2TB if you get a SATA adapter) to play backups of JP imports.

*Note that this doesn't actually break region lock for legitimate games, so you won't be able to import JP PS2 games and play them directly, but you can just rip them (or "acquire" them elsewhere) and play them as a backup just fine.

 

[ImAGaymer]

Yes, you install FMCB directly to a standard Sony memory card, which allows you to run homebrew applications like OPL which will allow you to play PS2 backups* (via a variety of ways, like a HDD with the network adapter, over a network via SMB, or just plain old burnt DVDs if you can't be bothered to buy the network adapter). I would strongly suggest you pickup a PS2 network adapter for one of your phats and use a HDD (you can shove up to 2TB if you get a SATA adapter) to play backups of JP imports.

*Note that this doesn't actually break region lock for legitimate games, so you won't be able to import JP PS2 games and play them directly, but you can just rip them (or "acquire" them elsewhere) and play them as a backup just fine.

I appreciate ya helping. BTW do you know if there is something like this for Gamecube? Mostly I just want this for the GBA player. I have one but no disc. I know the smaller discs are prob hard to find or whatever, but honestly I just want to play GBA games on my tv man. You seem to know your stuff so ... I wanted to ask you. Even though its a different topic on a public forum ... I'm sorry XD

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I appreciate ya helping. BTW do you know if there is something like this for Gamecube? Mostly I just want this for the GBA player. I have one but no disc. I know the smaller discs are prob hard to find or whatever, but honestly I just want to play GBA games on my tv man. You seem to know your stuff so ... I wanted to ask you. Even though its a different topic on a public forum ... I'm sorry XD

There is something similar for the Gamecube, but it can be a bit more complex. One of the "easiest" ways to do it is using an SD Gecko to load Swiss (which is an ISO loader), which then loads the GB Player boot disc ISO from a storage device (which can be anything from a burnt disc, the SD card in the SD Gecko, or a separate device called the SD2SP2 which plugs into the SP2 port on the bottom of the Gamecube that isn't used by anything and gives it a Micro SD card slot you can load ISOs and homebrew from).

I actually set this up recently, I bought an SD Media Launcher (which is basically the same thing as an SD Gecko), which comes with a memory card->SD card adapter and an Action Replay. You would put Swiss on the SD card that you put into the memory card (along with the GB Player boot ISO), and then use the Action Replay to boot Swiss. Once loaded, you just choose the GB Player boot ISO, and bam you can use the Gameboy player.

 

[ImAGaymer]

I am going to take these notes and apply them all for me. This will be great for me. I really super appreciate you helping me with all this. I'd hug you but ... well the unnamed situation. So I will give you a W with my fingers to say you're a winner. Also Wario.