Camecube memory cards and accessories

[EvilEdna]

Hi all,

I have a couple of questions We have been living in the States and bought and use a Gamecube out here. Thanks to this terriffic site, we are thinking we will sell the GC here and buy a new one in the UK. We have US games and know we can use them on a UK system using "Freeloader". However, what do we do about memory cards? We have saved games on these and are not sure whether we will still be able to access them from a UK GC?

Also, we have a Gameboy Player for the GC. Is this plug-and-play compatible in the UK? I can not see any reason why the controllers would not work, but if anyone knows differently, please let me know.

We did try asking Nintendo US - who's basic answer is buy everything new in the UK, don't take anything with you. ft:

Cheers for any answers

EE

[Spatial]

Buy everything new ? Good old corporate advice there

Controllers are region free, so your US stuff should work fine with a UK cube.

The memory card is the same thing. If you're using Freeloader to boot US games on a UK Cube the saves should work fine. It's only Japanese and American / PAL games that can't be kept on the same memory card.

[MadMarc]

No the freeloader saves don't match with the normal ones.
Example that has been verified: PSO characters done by Freeloader on a UK GameCube with a japanese game doesn't work on a Japanese GameCube with the same game.

You should keep your US GameCube, place a switch for the japanses games and order US versions of games you want in UK.

GameBoy Player hardware is compatible between the different GameCube versions but the disc is region-locked. You must either find the uk disc or buy a new GameBoy Player.

[Mayhem]

Best advice as per above:

1) Keep everything you have and bring it to the UK. Any saves made on US games will not work on PAL versions of the games NOR using Freeloader to run said US games on a PAL machine.

2) Get a stepdown transformer (rated 100W) for the power supply or find a UK power supply (from Nintendo Europe).

3) Get a TV that can handle NTSC signal (most from the last 5 years should be fine) when you are here in the UK.

4) Best solution, get a modded RGB Scart cable that works on an NTSC Cube. Or just use the same composite or S-video cables you are now.

5) Order games from places such as PlayAsia, LikSang, VideoGamesPlus and Tronix. Not only will they be NTSC (US or Japanese) but cheaper than the PAL ones you can buy in the shops here.

6) You'll need Freeloader for the Japanese games if you don't get the Cube region switched. You'll need a separate memory card regardless for the Japanese titles.

Anyhow, hope that helps. Any more question, just ask!

[Commander Marklar]

NOR using Freeloader to run said US games on a PAL machine.

Incorrect, that works fine.

To be honest, you'll be fine mixing US/PAL saves. Best option is to get a PAL PSU (from any game shop...) and just continue as you have been. Simple really. Spatial hit the nail on the head.

[Spatial]

Well my VJ, Ikaruga, RE4 and other saved games work fine using Freeloader on a PAL machine, and then also worked on my US machine as well. Works the other way round as well. I've just checked them and they all work fine.

I do agree with what Mayhem and Marklar said tho. You'd be better of keeping your US machine, unless you're trying to cut down on the amount you're transporting over.

[Mayhem]

Ah... I was told it didn't work. Okay, I'll correct that in my brain now

[EvilEdna]

Thanks for the replies.

We figured that it would be cheaper to sell up here and buy a new one in the UK. Simple economics (assuming I have read the FAQ correctly).

1. Sell here and buy in UK: 40 quid for a used system, plus 17 quid for Freeloader. Plus no hassle over which NTSC version the TV supports: Total 57 pounds

2. Ship over: Need new PSU (25 quid), must get NTSC compatible TV and then get SCART RGB lead (45 quid), and then Freeloader on top. Total: 94 pounds.

Am I missing something? If I buy an NTSC compatible TV, do I still need SCATY/RGB cable for instance?

[Papercut]

You could just use s-video, as long as you get the NTSC compatible TV. Most all modern UK TVs are NTSC compatible.

You wouldn't need a NTSC compatible TV if you bought a modded RGB scart cable though, just a 60Hz TV (NTSC color only affectes composite and s-video).

You would be best off getting a UK PSU as had been said; using the Freeloader is a pain. Also, go to something like a Gamestation and try to get a UK PSU for much less than the offiicial ?20. Alternatively a 50 Watt stepdown for about ?10 would easily do the job if you couldn't find one.

You should really only be looking at about ?30 for the UK PSU and Freeloader (which you wouldn't really need if you imported).

[Papercut]

Ah... I was told it didn't work. Okay, I'll correct that in my brain now

That was probably someone with a Japanese machine. Most of the time the Freeloader wants memory cards formatted to the host machine's language, so run US/PAL games on a JPN machine with Freeloader and you end up with an incompatible memory card.

[charlesr]

So are you thinking of buy a UK GC when you get here? Cos we all use US/J ones. Freeloader is a pain in the arse after a while (I am lazy). But as you say, yes it will be cheaper to get a UK one (only ?15 for the rgb lead).