Pro Tips 03: Playing Import Saturn Games with an Action Replay

[Attuneawake78]

Every time I hear someone talk about this method of playing imports they talk like its so shunned or illegal. I don't get it. Interpol shouldn't care that you region-broke your system with legal merchandise.

[meckatz]

does the 4m plus enable you to play burned isos?

[MuscIeBound]

Hey do you know if this will work if i want to play American games on a Japenese Saturn?

[devmiles]

I have this card but it seems with some japanse games the sound skips and the game intro's won't play (streetfighter zero 2 dash & x-man vs streetfighter), i get some sort of loop. it can play the games though. this card is a very good purchase i have to say, bang for the buck!

[joshuavideogames]

So X-men vs. Street Fighter and Vampire Savior wont work with this? They are the main reason why i bought this thing.....

[RurouniZel]

@joshuavideogames As far as I'm aware, anything that requires an additional cart won't. Sorry. :(

[NaTroyBoy]

@RurouniZel - That's interesting because from what I see in your video, you're using the 4M Plus which also includes the RAM expansion for the games that require it (i.e. X-Men vs Street Fighter, Vampire Savior, etc). I've seen videos from other users, like Classic game Room, who use the ARP in their videos to specifically play those games. Have you actually tried it for those games? (this is a genuine question as I do not have one and would like to know for sure if it works)

[PhucDNguyen827]

@joshuavideogames

i agree w/ you, i have almost over 400 Japanese sega saturn games including this one, n i have like 7 Saturn consoles,2 American consoles w/ the oval shape buttons and i have 5 new models of the white japan Saturn too and all expensive. I'm such a big fan of sega saturn and always will become one. i spend almost over $5,000 worth of Capcom and SNk games for my japanese sega saturn, my room looks like a library full of JAP saturn games. enough to even by a BMW.

[HamtaroSonicHedgehog]

@joshuavideogames: Actually They Can work because the Action Replay also includes those 1MB/4MB Expension Pack in the Cartridge itself for games that require it,Like X-Men vs Street Fighter X3

[Pokpal178]

I don't know if I made some dumb mistake, but after a while of not playing my Japanese games (using my Action Replay 4M Plus), it either went to the system menu or froze on the copyright screen [rather than going to the menu. I heard about other units restarting but never about the problem I'm having. If, by chance, you've had this problem before, could you help me?

[RurouniZel]

@Pokpal178 Try cleaning out the cartridge slot to see if that helps. Beyond that I'm not sure. Sorry, I wish I could be more helpful. :/

[RurouniZel]

@daveyplacey I've never tried that, but in theory that should work. :-) Do let me know if it works. ^_^

[mikeelman]

Dude, is realy THAT simple ?? No modchip, no nothing besides the action replay ??

What about PAL games on an american system ??

[RurouniZel]

@mikeelman I've no idea if PAL games work. This also doesn't work for games that require an extra cart like X-men vs. Street Fighter. But 95%+ Japanese Saturn games will work on a US system with this.

[hardmancanada]

thanks a million!! I know now how importe japanesse game!!

[coreykun667]

does it work with rockman 8?

[RurouniZel]

@coreykun667 I don't see why not, but I've not tried it.

[stunycrew246]

Could it play the Dungeons And Dragons Collection?

[RurouniZel]

@stunycrew246 I don't see why not unless the game requires the MPEG card.

[ezcompane]

Hey I'm having problems getting mine to work properly. I'm trying to play the import version of Policenauts and Snatcher, but it keeps getting hung up on the "Loading" screen after I select start. Any suggestions on what I can try??

[RurouniZel]

@ezcompane Sadly I don't know, sorry. :( I've never tried Policenauts.

[ezcompane]

Can't get mine to work. It keeps getting stuck at the "Loading" screen. I have Snatcher, Policenauts, and Panzer Dragoon II Zwei that I'd like to play.

[MRjamesBrownJR]

i just purchased an action replay. and it doesn't work. i cleaned the cart and it still won't work. any suggestions anyone?

[artnandez]

@MRjamesBrownJR try gently cleaning the contact points on the saturn cart slot with a q-tip and a bit of rubbing alcohol, make sure that the sega saturn is off before you insert the ram cart, try inserting the cart, and re inserting it a couple of times. if all else fails, try getting a cheap saturn off ebay or at a fleemarket!!

[RurouniZel]

@MRjamesBrownJR Is it an Action Replay Plus?

[MRjamesBrownJR]

@RurouniZel yes it is.

[RurouniZel]

@MRjamesBrownJR Try cleaning the cartridge connectors in the system. The first time I used it I had to do that and put it in a couple of times before it worked. Once it did I just left it in there and it's worked since.

[diasflac0g]

Like someone else mention the MPEG card does NOT go in that slot it goes into a smaller slot thats located where you put the Saturns Lithium battery at xD

[VOLTIS5]

I actually bought one of theses a few years ago and for some the cartridge don't work any more. Is there an internal battery for this? I'm just trying to figure out why it isn't working anymore.

[R33Racer]

That slot wasn't used for MPEG palyback, that was for the expansion slot on the rear of the machine.

[Wampaa]

Thanks for the tips. I just won a saturn off of ebay and was wondering the best way to import a few games.

[RurouniZel]

I have no idea, but I wouldn't count on it. The cartridge is American and so I don't think it would initially boot on a JPN Saturn. Once I get my hands on a JPN Saturn I'll be sure to give it a shot though.

[TRexTurtle]

Would this still work if someone wanted to play North American games on a Japanese Saturn?

[JRock424]

@TRexTurtle Yes. It's a universal cart.

[Kitsushika]

i got mine in the mail last week, its sooooo awesome i can play marvel vs capcom now!!!

[SoukerWorldGaming]

Will it work on European games?

[RurouniZel]

I've never tried it. I think it's just NTSC games, I suppose it might work though there might be some video issues with PAL standard.

[badassrover]

where can i get one of those ?????

[jester18uk]

is grandia in english? how can you play it?

[RurouniZel]

Sadly, the Japanese version of Grandia is not in English. :( There are several walkthroughs online if you can't read it, or if you've played the PSX version it's basically the same story.

[kiltsonfire164]

Grandia for Saturn would've been translated in english if it wasn't for Bernie Stolar who refused this game in the States, Europe and Australia!

[DanNinjaMan]

Can you use this method to play backups?

[RurouniZel]

Not that I'm aware of. As far as I know, this only works for genuine games.

[DanNinjaMan]

Well snap, I need to cancel that order then and get a mod chip.

[Wuzzi666]

mmm i have a japanese saturn,if i used this on the japanese one,can it play US saturn games on it?

[nikirfan]

absolutely, i'm using it right now to play US saturn games, I can't read japanese.

[Cadw]

Will the Action Replay Plus cartridge work for PAL systems?

[RurouniZel]

When you play Japanese games on a PAL Saturn with a 4M Action Replay etc the saturn still outputs in 50hz. Japanese games like Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter were designed to run at 60hz, so when they output in 50hz they can run into problems like the sound slowing down or stages not working etc. Some Japanese/USA games run ok in 50hz with no problems other than the boarders and the slower gameplay.

[kittenclaws187]

can i ask. have you tried playing dracula x. thats the one im interested in. and if so, how was it. also what games did you find that run good or bad. you mentioned xmen/street fighter. thanks for the time.your vid is making me think about trying this.

[RurouniZel]

Technically, I've not played it, but if it's the Japanese version on a US system it should work fine. All games run exactly the same on US/Japanese systems, it's when you go from there to a PAL system (Europe) where things get tricky.