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NEC PC-Engine/SuperGrafx => PC Engine/SuperGrafx Discussion => Topic started by: soop on March 21, 2011, 05:46:45 AM

Title: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: soop on March 21, 2011, 05:46:45 AM
Because honestly, though I'd always wanted to play the Ys games, I'm really put off by the method in which I'd play them.
But seeing as they're USA releases, are CDs region locked?
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Necromancer on March 21, 2011, 05:51:59 AM
Nope, there is no region locking on discs.  There are however a handful of games (such as Altered Beast) that don't work properly with certain system cards, so you'd need a region mod. to play those on a US system.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: soop on March 21, 2011, 05:58:00 AM
Nice, so if/when I get my CD system, I'll probably go for the USA version.

This business with certain games not working with Syatem Cards...  Is there a list?

I'm not sure I understand though, Altered Beast is a Hu Card - so surely it can't even be there with a system card?
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Senshi on March 21, 2011, 06:00:42 AM
There is a CD-ROM version as well.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Necromancer on March 21, 2011, 06:02:19 AM
This business with certain games not working with Syatem Cards...  Is there a list?

Not that I know of, though you might find one if you search the forums for a bit.

I'm not sure I understand though, Altered Beast is a Hu Card - so surely it can't even be there with a system card?

Altered Beast was released as both HuCard and CD, the latter needing a 1.0 system card to function properly.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: soop on March 21, 2011, 06:12:34 AM
Oh weird! So if you have a Super CD, you actually need a previous version of the CD System?

And there I was thinking the Arcade Card Pro was the be-all and end-all!
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: sunteam_paul on March 21, 2011, 06:50:34 AM
The ones that dont work are so few it's not worth stessing too much about it.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: nat on March 21, 2011, 08:03:15 AM
Oh weird! So if you have a Super CD, you actually need a previous version of the CD System?

And there I was thinking the Arcade Card Pro was the be-all and end-all!

It is, really.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: farankoshan on August 28, 2011, 11:52:46 AM
So just to get this straight:

A. (US) Turbografx-16 CD-Rom systems can play:
US CD games - off the bat (with corresponding system card)
Japanese CD games - some, but for others with hucard converters for the JP system cards to work on US systems

B. (JP) PC-Engine CD-Rom systems can play:
Japanese CD games - off the batt (with corresponding system cards)
US CD games - require Turbochip converters to work with system cards

** I own a Super CD-Rom2, which already comes with a System Card 3 firmware. So does this mean I can play virtuall every CD game out there (US & JAP), except arcade CDs?
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Edmond Dantes on August 28, 2011, 12:07:24 PM
So just to get this straight:

A. (US) Turbografx-16 CD-Rom systems can play:
US CD games - off the bat (with corresponding system card)
Japanese CD games - some, but for others with hucard converters for the JP system cards to work on US systems

Correct.

Quote
B. (JP) PC-Engine CD-Rom systems can play:
Japanese CD games - off the batt (with corresponding system cards)
US CD games - require Turbochip converters to work with system cards

Incorrect--you don't need an American system card to play American games IIRC.  A Japanese one will work just fine and dandy.

Quote
** I own a Super CD-Rom2, which already comes with a System Card 3 firmware. So does this mean I can play virtuall every CD game out there (US & JAP), except arcade CDs?

That's exactly what it means.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: farankoshan on August 29, 2011, 03:55:19 AM
** I own a Super CD-Rom2, which already comes with a System Card 3 firmware. So does this mean I can play virtuall every CD game out there (US & JAP), except arcade CDs?

That's exactly what it means.

Thanks, Mr. Dantes. ;)
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Necromancer on August 29, 2011, 03:57:33 AM
** I own a Super CD-Rom2, which already comes with a System Card 3 firmware. So does this mean I can play virtually every CD game out there (US & JAP), except arcade CDs?

Yes, except for something like the aforementioned Altered Beast.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Senshi on August 29, 2011, 04:54:12 AM
Have you checked out the explanation of the all the different consoles on the homepage? That helped me sort everything out when I first started trying to figure out what was going on with all these systems.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: farankoshan on August 29, 2011, 04:54:23 AM
I understand. ;)
And fortunately enough, I can live without that one. :)

Sapphire, though... hmmm...

Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: nat on August 29, 2011, 02:20:35 PM

Altered Beast was released as both HuCard and CD, the latter needing a 1.0 system card to function properly.

Or, if you've got a flash cart, you can just load the System 1.0 BIOS onto it and "pretend" it's a real 1.0.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: SignOfZeta on August 29, 2011, 08:06:17 PM
Or just skip Altered Beat entirely because its f*cking shit. The arcade version is only passable as it is. The PCE version tips the game over the edge into pure garbage land.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: vestcoat on September 02, 2011, 10:54:31 AM
I'm surprised this thread has seen so much discussion.  The answer is NO.  Altered Beast shouldn't even factor into the equation.  Whether a CD system can run a Tennokoe Bank Hucard is a heck of a lot more important than its ability to play Altered Beast.

All one has to do is make sure their CD system can use any necessary system cards.

If someone wants to play the one terrible game that requires the 1.0 System Card (which was only released in Japan), they'll need to make sure their system can run a Japanese Hucard (i.e. play is on a PCE or on a U.S. deck with a converter or region mod).

If you want to play the twelve ACD games, you'll need to make sure your system can handle the Arcade Card Duo or Pro.
 
Same for GameExpress games.

Necro and Sunteam - what are these several games with incompatibilities you've hinted at?  If there are actually any others I'd really like to know.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Necromancer on September 02, 2011, 11:40:10 AM
Necro and Sunteam - what are these several games with incompatibilities you've hinted at?  If there are actually any others I'd really like to know.

There's just a few, not several.  Besides the aforementioned Altered Beast, the only ones I can think of are Bonanza Bros., Shadow of the Beast, and A. III.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: vestcoat on September 02, 2011, 01:21:22 PM
Oh, okay.  Thanks.  Do these games require specific system cards?  Or do they not work in U.S. decks at all?
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: thesteve on September 02, 2011, 02:30:02 PM
they require certain system cards.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Tatsujin on September 02, 2011, 05:39:07 PM
X-multiply is one of my fave irem games :)

So rad darky fm musiks.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Edmond Dantes on September 02, 2011, 06:30:33 PM
Uhhh Tatsujin, shouldn't your post have been in the Image Fight topic?
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: nat on September 03, 2011, 09:25:17 AM
Tatsujin gets..... confused sometimes.
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: farankoshan on September 04, 2011, 07:45:51 AM
X-multiply is one of my fave irem games :)

So rad darky fm musiks.

Was this released on PC-Engine...?  :-s
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: Edmond Dantes on September 04, 2011, 07:44:56 PM
No.  It just kinda came up in the Image Fight II topic because X-Multiply was on a compilation with Image Fight I
Title: Re: Are CD games region locked?
Post by: farankoshan on September 05, 2011, 09:52:17 AM
Bonanza bros is on a genesis compilation for PS2. Yay for cheapness!