Playing Japanese N64 games

[kingeatking]

That was a brill video! Cheers.

[JWC59382]

I just use a GameShark.

[theretrogamerno1]

Will it work on a pal n64? great video by the way!

[TheMarioo0]

cant you change the language in settings

[RayMKV]

Can you play the custom robo japanese version on the American console??

[roosteemon]

or you could buy a gamshark..... then you wouldnt have to damage your n64

[xan1242]

Camelot...

[Retrodesperado]

fun fact: You can use the lid that you took off to access the expansion pack, Like a beer cap opener. Easy as can be.

[chafenhimer]

son of a god damn diddly

[JonteP0nte]

Why didnt you just remove that grey bottom piece rather than drill into it? The top flaps were attached to the top of the case, right?

[MN12BIRD]

@JonteP0nte No the grey bottom piece actually holds the flaps to the top case.

[skater24481]

screw a gamebit, i used a pen :/

[KingHenryVR4]

I thought of a simpler way of doing it, just swap the backs on the carts

[thatguyontheright1]

@KingHenryVR4 Its good for when you have one or two imports, but becomes a pain in the ass when you have a bunch. This is the better route.

[92soothsayer]

japanese luigi on Mario Kart 64 sounds like luigi on Mario Party 2

[an1man1ac54l1f3]

Once, I got a North American Super Nintendo game running on my Japanese Super Famicom by dismantling the cartridge and inserting the ROM chip bare naked into the system :)

[luisjr1611]

No way... I love so much my 64!!

[Jedi9619]

wow thank you very much for the tip, im almost buy japanese games from ebay , now looking for the screwdiver...

[TheMcdjc1]

hey when i was a kid i remember play goemon 2 on a european nintendo 64

[TheMcdjc1]

@TheMcdjc1 a japanese goemon

[ryan7136]

you could just use a gameshark

[retrogamerSam]

Ah, the first MN12BIRD vid I ever watched... This brings back memories! :) I never actually did the mod, but this video (and the ones following it) is the reason why I started doing gaming videos back in the day.

[Herman0709]

I think that the Japanese cartrdiges work on the european N64, or am i wrong?

Since the back of the japanese cartridge looks like the european cartridge.

[nintendoman3ds]

get a spoon and spoon the exspanion pak

[Strivenigga]

dont call me a dumbass motherfucker i was only asking and u said urself it would be cool so shut the fuck up i was curious i asked a question is a crime against that

[supershadow64ds]

Jingly Keys VS Nintendo System = Jingly Jingly Jingly Jangly!

[beatles5445]

"son of a goddamn diddiley" 2:37

[Strivenigga]

can you put a old nintendo game in there?

[MN12BIRD]

@Strivenigga Not gonna happen. No.

[supershadow64ds]

@Strivenigga Idiot, NO YOU CANT PUT AN OLD NINTENDO GAME IN THERE, DUMBASS! But It would be pretty cool if someone made a mod that could...

[RunescapeRuShClan]

someone please help!! I have a ram expander 4mb memory expansion thing says yobo for n64 can i use that to play like majoras mask? or like games needed expansion pack? I will subscibe for answer. Someone PLEASSE help me out.

[MN12BIRD]

@RunescapeRuShClan Yeah Yobo makes a non-official expansion pak. It should work fine but they're known to overheat if you play for a long time. If you find the expansion pak games freeze a lot that might be why. But I just heard that form someone so who knows it could be fine.

[Siberianhusky89]

Use a fork. Works for me.

[didogazeto]

you've unlocked a card with a key! 2:25

[MN12BIRD]

@danielholmesmoo Yep sure does.

[Jackalakadingdong]

@MN12BIRD Why didn't they make a region lock for the N64...? thats kinda weird...

But then again why would there ever be a region lock on any system by itself... XD

[legocoolguy]

are us and european games differnet?

[MN12BIRD]

@legocoolguy Yes European games as always are PAL 50hz and region locked and won't work without other mods or special converters or something. Not to sure with the N64 but I think there are special converters to play PAL games.

[legocoolguy]

@MN12BIRD i have a pal n64 so can i play n64 games from usa?

[MN12BIRD]

@legocoolguy no not without further electrical mods

[legocoolguy]

@MN12BIRD do you thing a gameshark would solve the problem?

[PikachuDude101]

what screwdriver did you use?

[MN12BIRD]

@PikachuDude101 4.5mm security "Gamebit" as they call em

[spartan0997]

is there any way you can set the language to english?

[Okofo2]

Now I'm wondering. Can you fit an SFC/Pal Snes cartridge (With the tabs removed) into a N64? Would the connectors match?

[MN12BIRD]

@Okofo2 no not at all.

[tyson346]

can you do this but on a japanese nintendo 64 so it can play american gameS?

[MN12BIRD]

@tyson346 Yeah should work basically the same way they have tabs too just moved over a little or something different but if you can get the cart to fit it will work.

[LNERMallard]

I'm probably gonna sound silly, but.. is there ANY possible way to play SNES games on an N64? Just curious, since 64 bit is huge compared to 16 bit.

[MN12BIRD]

@LNERMallard No not without buying some expensive adapter like the Tri-star witch basically has SNES hardware inside.

[TheNatkidd]

@MN12BIRD Does the character's in that game speak japanese or no.

[leangreenbean333]

1:48 rule 34 n64

[ultimateshadowx9]

I was thinking of selling my N64 action replay, but may keep it..then again, I'm in the UK so other than cheating which I rarely do, it's pretty pointless 8\

[MisterMinnesota]

Have you heard of the N64 passport that sapposedly allows a person to play jap n64 games without mods on a US n64?

[MN12BIRD]

@MisterMinnesota Yeah seems pretty pointless unless you really wanna play some PAL games that you can't without it.

[youtookmypoptart]

:P i guess nintendo doesnt want americans playing japanese imports :P

[MN12BIRD]

@yucky2322 Yes PAL is usually 50hz while we are 60hz and depending on how the game was programmed it might not even run at the right speeds if you did force it to run.

[030398ryoma]

Just open the two games and switch the motherboards.

[thatguyontheright1]

@030398ryoma Its easier and less time consuming to do this.

[TheLoadingScreenz]

Will this make PAL games work on it too?

[MN12BIRD]

@TheLoadingScreenz No just NTSC-J games from Japan. Pal games would still require some type of mods I would guess.

[TheLoadingScreenz]

@MN12BIRD Okay, I was wondering cause someone gave me a PAL version of Banjo Kazooie a year ago in the box, guess I'll just keep using it as a display piece. :P

[TheLoadingScreenz]

Will this make PAL games work on it too?

[PixLhunter]

Great info man, thanks!

[MN12BIRD]

@FieryBurritoBoy It's from the model 2 SegaCD BIOS/Bootup screens.

[startup97]

@MN12BIRD Do you think Flea markets are a good way to buy old games?

[MN12BIRD]

@startup97 Oh yeah I've got many games and systems from Flea markets. But you gotta know who to go to becasue many of them will overcharge for the games. There's one near me and they guy is really fair with prices and usually gives me a better price. Always ask for a deal if you buy more than 1 game at a time.

[D2Kprime]

I never bothered with all that. All you had to do was cut the tabs off. I remember that a video store I used to go to had import N64 games and they all had the tabs cut off. Most places would not except import games for trade-in later on so cutting the tabs off really didn't hurt anything.

[kokyjabn]

Damn, that opetation remainds me the dentist... I can't stand that sound.

[1234GNRS]

I did that, but when i took the game in it again it didnt work? I have an european Nintendo 64 (PAL), and im trying to play USA games (NTSC). So i did this and nothing happened, only a black screen. The PAL games does still work, but not the NTSC.

So what do i do? will it work if i buy the Passport Plus 3? And what is wrong?

Thx :)

[MN12BIRD]

@1234GNRS Yeah NTSC games won't work in a PAL system even if you get them to fit they probably have software lockouts that check the systems region. I'm not sure about the Passport Plus (never seen that before)

[1234GNRS]

@MN12BIRD

great, then its not my games that are not working :D

I saw a video one using it, and then it worked so i guess so ;)

[LarryBundyJr]

@1234GNRS You need to buy an import adaptor that has two sockets on them one at the top for the import game and one for the back for the PAL game to read the security chip from.

But in all honesty, it's cheaper to get a US/Jap machine off eBay now. You don't even need to find one that has a power supply.

[ultimateshadowx9]

@LarryBundyJr And a TV that works with NTSC.

[MLink96]

I did this to mine! But mine looks like the tabs NEVER been there! It looks like its not even supose to be there! My dad did a really good job on removing them AND a good look!

[masterbuenaonda1]

I think that it would be an option buy the 'ultra 64' cartridge =),

i got the mine in a Flea Market for 1 dll ( the seller thought that the cartridge didn't work xD) ,and now i play (Only that game =/) Neon Evangelion :D.

Im giving just my opinion if someone wanna know if there is another option about play n64 game imports ;)

[MN12BIRD]

@AMTProductions1 LOL oh so that's what those are for! Plus if you were selling the game or giving to someone else they could play it too.

[MN12BIRD]

@AMTProductions1 Sure it would be easier the first time but you would have to do that every time you get an import! This you do it once and you can't tell anything has been done once it's back together.

[aprilmandy]

You could also just use a gameshark. The game isn't inserted when you use a gameshark, and you can just tell the gameshark to simply play then game with no cheats.

[metakight4]

Japanese n64 games are n different then the amarican ones =P i own mario 64 japan and banjo kazooie japan and both of them are not diffrent

[blainethomas]

wouldn't be better just to take out the plastic part with the tabs without taking the tabs off?

[bbitmaster]

A gameshark works great, no need to do all of this.

[sammyslamdunk]

If we have a GameShark, will that work? I don't have the gamebit to open up my N64

[sonicrulz14]

If only there were cartridges today (That would suck but would feel retro)

[MN12BIRD]

@sonicrulz14 Actually it wouldn't suck at all. Think about it 360 still uses DVD media witch is about 8GB on a disk right? Well now you can easily fit 32GB on an SD card that is affordable. WAY cheaper than memory was back in the days of actual cartridges like the N64. If a company wanted to make a system today with game carts similar to a NDS carts that hold 16 or 32GB they easily could.

[sonicrulz14]

@MN12BIRD well not that you think about it, that actually sound like a good idea, but why is it that many companies started switching to discs instead of cartridges?

[MN12BIRD]

@sonicrulz14 Price and storage. Back then memory was expensive and we didn't have memory chips of such high density. N64 carts got up to about 64MB and those were EXPENSIVE for Nintendo to produce. Sony used CD's because they held ~600MB and cost CENTS to make! So if it costs Nintendo $20 to make a cartridge and Sony .50 cents to make a CD and they sell a game for the same price Sony makes way more profit. But now it probably only costs about $5 to make a 32GB (32,000MB) memory chip.

[parsleysprigs]

@MN12BIRD yeah i was gonna say i use mp3 flash drives and store whole games on them the mp3 is about the size of a book of matches and has modern warfare 2 plus the maps packs and cod4with the maps

[TheRaker55]

Where do you get that special tool?

[BobtheMoneythedbr]

Why did they add the tabs? What's the point? Might be a dumb question but I don't see the logic because some Americans might want to buy Japanese games.

[ChibbyTonx]

@BobtheMoneythedbr exactly for that, some people would start to buy japanese games before the american release, so to mantain the american cartridges on sales they needed to make a diference between american and japanese consoles... i think they all are bitches >.<

[ibenez54]

but if u try to put an american game back in will it still fit in?

[Silverone43]

Well wouldn't it be easier to just swap the cards out of the carts? And just use the NA style cartridge to play Japanese games? I guess if u have the right equipment to do this it wuld be better in the long run but the other option seems logical too

[DeathAdder83]

1:48 N64 Porn lol! Informative video, I'll have to try that.

[axedry1991]

I've got a Europe version n64 and some japanese games. The Japanese games will fit in the EUR n64, but doesn't play them. Can somebody explain that please?

Is there a region lock or something?

THANKS :)

[guitarguybassdude]

@axedry1991 Please correct me if I'm wrong, But i think that Europe has its own format. This format is the PAL format. If I am right about this the europians are stuck with PAL only reading nintendo 64s

[davintheraven]

@axedry1991 Yes. Contrary to a common myth that Nintendo never put any region lock on any of their cartridge-based systems, Nintendo did implement a PAL/NTSC region lock on the NES, Super NES, and the N64. Japanese and American games are both NTSC format (again, contrary to a common myth that "NTSC" means "American"), so they only have a physical lock-out and not the software lock-out that exists between NTSC and PAL.

[joshbot360]

will this work with the other way around but with a nail file?

[r4x2]

Gameshark Pro is working fine for me. I didn't want to modify my N64.

[nidadip]

if you get a Japanese N64 on the bottom of the us n64 and the top of the Japanese N64 together you can play it

[TheDUGGINS19]

thanks for the video. Im just curious to know whether those black shades coming across your screen are because of your tv or maybe because the japanese cartridge has a different format to your american tv. this may sound like a stupid question but i have heard that they put the tabs there because different tvs around the world have different formats and they need to match the cartridge format.

thanks, DUGGINS

[MN12BIRD]

@TheDUGGINS19 That's just something the camera picks up and not anything you see in person.

[Zoowey07]

@TheDUGGINS19 The black lines on the tv aren't actually there, it has to do with refresh rate. Basically, the tv is showing its picture at 30 or 60 frames a second and the camera is maybe recording at say... 20 frames. That means the tv is refreshing its picture faster then the camera is recording it so you got black lines, because the camera simply is too slow to pick up the tv's picture.

[AntichristDemoncore]

Use the corner on the expansion pack cover to remove it dummy lol

[DarkAvatar1313]

A electric toothbrush and some denatured alcohol, will get that sharpie off your cart. I've saved a few dollars this way by buying tagged carts at a cheaper rate. It works about 90% of the time. When it doesn't it usually means it's not sharpie but a paint marker. Also anything with red ink on it is a lost cause.

[sonypsp05]

i been wanting the tennis game, but i only have the pokemon, mario kart and golf games the japanese versions ofcourse.

[ScReWaTtAcKeD]

1.just switch the boards of a (well, crappy) USA game

*cough*Superman 64*cough*, and your japan game of choice

*cough* sin and punishment *cough*

2. Insert the american cart (w/ japan board) and enjoy!

[DarkAvatar1313]

@ScReWaTtAcKeD

I don't have a N64 to test this but you may only need to swap the back half of the carts, so you would have the correct label.

[theswitchman90]

question. If I were to buy a japense, or for that matter any foreign system, could i plug it in and just play it on my tv here in america? And also wheres the best place to get foreign video games?

Thanks

[MN12BIRD]

@theswitchman90 Japan Yes usually but anywhere else usually not. The voltage is different for example from the UK or Austraillia and the plug too. The video signals are different most other country's using the PAL system we in North America use NTSC and so does Japan. Japan uses 100V AC and we use ~115V AC but that's usually not an issue.  I use my Japanese Famicom, Super Famicom and PCE over here with the Japanese power plugs and they are fine.

[AntichristDemoncore]

@MN12BIRD the voltage going out of the plug doesnt matter anyways its all changed once it goes to the super nintendo so the japanese games and receive the same voltage anyways

[MelodeeStation]

@theswitchman90

I'm not sure about other systems, but for the N64 it doesn't really matter. I have an American N64 here and it works with my European power supply. I think it would also work with a Japanese N64 and an American power supply.

[LuigiFan128]

@theswitchman90 The only systems you will have to get a step up converter is Pal system. Any lcd tv should take the 50 herts aswell

[ibanezshredder33]

God damn didly lol.

[goronhugs4]

I use the cover to lever the expansion pack out it makes it much easier.

[Alexdude99887]

thanks it really helps

[Zenex666]

It really would help J if you did have more light when showing things, flashlight or something, but as always good vid.

[borninthe90sdecade]

the n64 graphics still impress me

[redgenation]

This is very helpful, thanks.

[greenbike11isadouche]

you could also just use a game shark

[fakecape]

FUCKING HELPFUL!

thanks a lot for uploading this.

giving this 5 stars.

[mexicanwaluigi]

You took a lot more care than I did I just jamed open the game slot and ripped it a new one with my dremil.

[ghmaster21]

you can use a pen to take apart the 64 also...

[Joemamma69000]

does cutting the corners ruin your N64 in any way? like will something change with it will the games get stuck in there will it freeze during gameplay?

[mexicanwaluigi]

If you move your system around while you play it my freeze on you so you just keep it stationary.

[yur1fan]

just flip the 64 over?

[Snestastic]

Thanks for this vid Jake, this is probably a stupid question lol but if you take the system apart and take off the plastic with the tabs in can you just put the system back together without the plastic containing the tabs and play your jap games?

Also are there any jap games that don't work? i only wanna do this really so that i can buy sin and punishment :)

[MN12BIRD]

The plastic piece also holds the spring loaded flaps that cover the cart slot when no game is in so unless you don't want those either you could do that. Yes as far as I know this lets you play all Japanese games.

[Snestastic]

Cheers Jake, i was gonna buy a cheap system from ebay to mod and keep my clean system in its original state however i had a look last night and my system has already been modded :) next game im buying is gonna be sin and punishment :)

[kabuto335]

@MN12BIRD well, if the dust covers wont work without that piece, wat if i just keep a game in at all times?

[furballbear]

If you don't want to open your N64 you could always swap backs of the Japanese cartridges with American ones. Wouldn't that work?

[WarGamezzz]

for removing expansion pack just use a spoon dude

[crunchvx]

ever thought of doing an Lp on any of these games be fun to see

[fieereboy32]

perhaps you used a dremel to cut corners?

or whatever the device you used to make the cuts?

[MN12BIRD]

Yeah Dremel is like a brand name of rotary tool. I think it's just called a rotary cutout tool or something like that. I got that cheap one for like $20.

[fieereboy32]

ok tanks so much man for help me :)

[mexicanwaluigi]

@MN12BIRD yeah if its handheld its called a hand rotary tool. but if you say Dremel a lot of geeks know what your talking about. Just like if you say taser, even though a taser is a brand name its practically synonymous with a stun gun.

[EPILEPTICFUN]

You can use the handle of a spoon to remove the jumper/expansion pack.

[cpu64]

Dude, if you had a hard time removing ram expansion pack, its no wonder you didn't realize that a simple gameshark is a much faster, safer and easier solution. Nice tutorial though ^_^

[MN12BIRD]

Well for one a gameshark sticking up for no reason is lame and two I don't have an N64 gameshark so yeah I could have spend time and money trying to find one or you can do this at home for free. Gezz like I couldn't have figured out a gameshark would have done it. OMG yeah I didn't realize anything would fit on top of a flat gameshark. I guess you have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. I only did the same for the SFC on SNES and MD on Genesis in other videos.

[RyoJapan2008]

One Problem is also thats the Gameshark/ActionReplay Sulution not really good Work.

Some games don´t run withsich an Modul, so they wont start.

[blkplaguelmc]

@MN12BIRD Yea awesome vids man, but it looks like he really struck a nerve with that gameshark thing huh? lmao

[mexicanwaluigi]

@MN12BIRD Also gamesharks are known to be crummy I have one but it died on me a few months after buying it brand new from the store.

[unkownsoliderofpie]

For some reason on the inside of one of my friend N64 it's a transparent green, can any one tell me why?

[TheFunkyBones]

What color is the system?

BTW, why take the tabs off when you could have taken off the whole thing completely?

[unkownsoliderofpie]

The system is black.

[bushjt987]

Great guide man, heard of this but wasnt completely clear, thanks!

[CoreyCage]

There is an easier way to get the expansion pak out. just hook it with the key under the tab that is facing the cartridge slot.

[mortals94]

Japanese game cost more than the American ones on Ebay?

[tombert256]

can you just get a Gameshark and play the imports?

[TheJoeStudios]

How do you play American NES games on a japanese NES?

[famicomdork]

With a 72-to-60 pin converter.

[ShadicChao]

whats the tool called?game bit?

[Jshaw71]

cool, thanks for the video, defaintly something worth doing, imo, i don;t know of many japanese n64 games though, i will look around for some...

[Minifig666]

why not just leave out the top peice?

[aNESgamer]

Thanks

[aNESgamer]

where do you get the game screw??

[MN12BIRD]

EBAY I think

[deadguy718]

i have an N64 import thing so i can play foreign games

[polbonion]

to take my expantion pack out i used a fork lol

[SMAAAASHTV]

there's an easier way to take the expansion pack out....you can just use a corner of the expansion cover.

[mattsprinter]

Why not get a tristar 64? It will play NES, Famicom, Super Famicom Super

nintendo, and N64 games and has no region tabs blocking games.

[ScReWaTtAcKeD]

i no anothyer method to do this w/out taking out the tabs, here is what u need:

1. an american game of your choice i prefer using a crap game (superman [cough])

2. the japanese game you wanna play

3. one of those nintendo screwdrivers that open up the 2 back screws

switch the boards of each game and put the jp game into the american casing and you are done

[mattsprinter]

Does the "tristar 64" have these tabs?

[fairyheli2]

can you play japanese games on the uk n64 because the tabs are the same?

[MN12BIRD]

Nope even if they fit they wont work. UK is PAL and Jap/NA is NTSC they just wont play without some serious mods.

[dcosborne1]

my n64 is missing the slot thing that has the tabs can I play imports

[VideoGamer945]

if the contacts touch and connect then yes

[topsyandpip56]

Could you use this to play American games on a UK N64?

[MN12BIRD]

No PAL systems won't play American games without further mods.

[FuzzyDaKirbyFan]

will the japanese games work on a uk 64 cos i think the tabs are the same

[InfiniteGears]

If you wanted that to work you would need to disable the region lockout chip, look it up on google matey...

[ChainsawDoctor]

Nope; The N64 doesn't have a "Region Lock" chip; it has a Code Lock Chip; so it recognizes the code from a game's software chip;

You can use a Game Shark to play import games too

[MrZorage]

would the n64 work if it did not have top cover

[MN12BIRD]

Yeah it would work just don't hit the cart when its in because there is nothing to hold it straight and you could bend the pins in the N64 too hard.

[jas03000]

Anyone want to buy 007 Golden Eye and Perfect Dark from me? They are in perfect condition. I also have Stunt FX, Batman Forever and Earth Worm Jim2 for SNES.

Sell cheap.

[illuminatioracle]

starsocks-

STARFOX 64!

[TwighlightMist]

if I'm worried about causing damage to my primary 64, should I just get a spare and do it to that one?

[Toccaif331]

i heardyou can use a bic pen intead of a game bit