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[mrkgoo]

...namely Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (NZ$13=US$9), and Street Fighter Alpha 3 (NZ$29=US$19). They are a real steal, especially Castelvania. It may not seem much cheaper, but consider that new GBA games cost around NZ$80-$100 (US$54-$68). And for some reason, I saw Doom today at NZ$109.50 (US$75) for GBA).

Anyway, I wanted to know if there was any way I could totally reset these games to their new conditions (ie, relocking all the modes and so forth). You know, kind of like what Advance Wars had, by holding down select or something. I checked Gamefaq, but no luck.

On that note, I was trying some random things, and I found something out - if you hold down both start and select during boot up of any GBA game, it doesn't boot the cartridge up, and instead of the normal 'ding' after "GameBoy" appears, followed by the nintendo logo, it just shows "GameBoy" and holds. Then, if you press any key, it boots the game. Any idea what this is really for? Was it designed for connectivity or something?

 

[Suburban Cowboy]

GBA games cost 50$ !?

 

[Syb]

If I remember correctly that button seqeunce starts the connectivity sequence.

 

[mrkgoo]

GBA games cost 50$ !?

Yes, yes they do (and that's just recently - they dropped the prices from US$68 when the DS came out), but remember, it's not all about simple price conversion, you have to factor in purchasing power. Cost in New Zealand isn't that high, except for consumer electronics.

You can now see why the whole no region thing is so important for GameBoy owners. We need to be able to purchase games when we go overseas. Funny, I paid US$50 for Ouendan on DS, and that works out to be about the same as going to buy any game here.

 

[Nester]

...namely Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (NZ$13=US$9), and Street Fighter Alpha 3 (NZ$29=US$19). They are a real steal, especially Castelvania. It may not seem much cheaper, but consider that new GBA games cost around NZ$80-$100 (US$54-$68). And for some reason, I saw Doom today at NZ$109.50 (US$75) for GBA).

Anyway, I wanted to know if there was any way I could totally reset these games to their new conditions (ie, relocking all the modes and so forth). You know, kind of like what Advance Wars had, by holding down select or something. I checked Gamefaq, but no luck.

On that note, I was trying some random things, and I found something out - if you hold down both start and select during boot up of any GBA game, it doesn't boot the cartridge up, and instead of the normal 'ding' after "GameBoy" appears, followed by the nintendo logo, it just shows "GameBoy" and holds. Then, if you press any key, it boots the game. Any idea what this is really for? Was it designed for connectivity or something?

Did they come with the full box and manual?

 

[Hydro_Alexis]

and Street Fighter Alpha 3 (NZ$29=US$19).

Nah mate ... a steal is getting alpha 3 with box for £5.50

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STREETFIGHTER...yZ112699QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

All mine cocksuckers now all i need is street fighter revival.

 

[mrkgoo]

Did they come with the full box and manual?

Nope.

There must be a way, though, right?

 

[Tarazet]

I erased the save files in the used copy of Harmony of Dissonance I bought, and Sound Mode and Boss Rush Mode were still unlocked. I don't have the manual so I don't know if there's any way to totally wipe it.. but I might be able to find an Aria of Sorrow manual. Let me dig around for it.

 

[mrkgoo]

I erased the save files in the used copy of Harmony of Dissonance I bought, and Sound Mode and Boss Rush Mode were still unlocked. I don't have the manual so I don't know if there's any way to totally wipe it.. but I might be able to find an Aria of Sorrow manual. Let me dig around for it.

sweet, thanks.

 

[Tarazet]

Well, I read through it and I don't see anything about it. Have you tried a bunch of things already?

 

[Lyte Edge]

Nah mate ... a steal is getting alpha 3 with box for £5.50

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STREETFIGHTER...yZ112699QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

All mine cocksuckers now all i need is street fighter revival.

Make sure you get the Japanese version. U.S. Street Fighter Revival has some pretty nasty bugs.

January 19 is Street Fighter Zero 3 Double Upper for the PSP. Can't wait.

 

[mrkgoo]

Well, I read through it and I don't see anything about it. Have you tried a bunch of things already?

Well, sort of, not really. I might just go and erase all the save game date, and just start a new game. I would;ve thought there'd be some way, though. Thanks for looking, anyway.

I went and erased all the save files, but the game still knows it has been 'finished', as it says,

Spoiler

enter'JULIUS' to play as Julius

. I'm guessing that's an unlockable.

Man, there MUST be a way...

 

[mrkgoo]

Ok, so I've spent all afternoon trying to hunt down these reset codes, and no luck - the closest I could get was someone here saying that Alpha 3 lacked a clear function.

This really annoys me - seeing as there are high scores, and all the modes and characters unlocked (I'll assume by a cheat).

Castlevania still prompts me to enter Julius to play as julius, but, thankfully, there is no special mode menu unlocked.

Bah. All games should come with an "erase game" function to clear all the data as if it were new.

 

[Tarazet]

Ok, so I've spent all afternoon trying to hunt down these reset codes, and no luck - the closest I could get was someone here saying that Alpha 3 lacked a clear function.

This really annoys me - seeing as there are high scores, and all the modes and characters unlocked (I'll assume by a cheat).

Castlevania still prompts me to enter Julius to play as julius, but, thankfully, there is no special mode menu unlocked.

Bah. All games should come with an "erase game" function to clear all the data as if it were new.

You paid $9 for one of the rarest GBA games there is (Aria of Sorrow), so you shouldn't complain. The cart alone can fetch $40 here, and a complete, mint boxed copy like my brother's is worth more than twice what it was new. If you really want to play it from the beginning, then bid on this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Castlevania-GBA...ryZ62053QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[mrkgoo]

You paid $9 for one of the rarest GBA games there is (Aria of Sorrow), so you shouldn't complain. The cart alone can fetch $40 here, and a complete, mint boxed copy like my brother's is worth more than twice what it was new. If you really want to play it from the beginning, then bid on this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Castlevania-GBA...ryZ62053QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Yeah, I know, but it is annoying. Interestingly, The copy of Aria of Sorrow I have is the USA version... (Alpha is-EUR). I wonder if either of these games ever even made it to Nintendo of Australia?

 

[Cheerilee]

Anyway, I wanted to know if there was any way I could totally reset these games to their new conditions (ie, relocking all the modes and so forth). You know, kind of like what Advance Wars had, by holding down select or something.

I got Aria of Sorrow used, and wanted to know the same thing. After a bit of hunting, I found an admin on the Konami forums willing to say that there is no built-in way to reset the memory for AoS.

Someone on GAF mentioned to me that there are GBA GameSharks/Action Replays that can let you dump/upload save files to/from your PC, and they give you the option of erasing the saveram in any GBA game, so that should work. I haven't been able to try it myself.

 

[mrkgoo]

I got Aria of Sorrow used, and wanted to know the same thing. After a bit of hunting, I found an admin on the Konami forums willing to say that there is no built-in way to reset the memory for AoS.

Someone on GAF mentioned to me that there are GBA GameSharks/Action Replays that can let you dump/upload save files to/from your PC, and they give you the option of erasing the saveram in any GBA game, so that should work. I haven't been able to try it myself.

Kind of sucks. But oh well. I can start as new, but I just don't know whther hard mode, or anything else is activated. Still, you save indivdual save files.

thanks.

Played a little bit so far...I played though Circle of the Moon (which, incidentally, didn't have a subtitle when it came out here), and thought it was alright. This seems better so far, but no way is it a Metroid...

 

[Tarazet]

Kind of sucks. But oh well. I can start as new, but I just don't know whther hard mode, or anything else is activated. Still, you save indivdual save files.

thanks.

Played a little bit so far...I played though Circle of the Moon (which, incidentally, didn't have a subtitle when it came out here), and thought it was alright. This seems better so far, but no way is it a Metroid...

If you've played Circle of the Moon, then this will seem a lot easier. Not as easy as Harmony of Dissonance, which even I, Mr. Softcore, can play without difficulty, but easier.

 

[bjork]

Can't you just erase the saved games?

I seem to remember both games giving you the option at the game's outset to play on normal or hard.

 

[mrkgoo]

Ok, I just finished Aria with the normal ending.

Ok, I can see the quality of the game on an objective level, but in no way do I like this better than Metroid. In fact, I may even Like Circle of the Moon better.

I hate having to switch my souls around to utilise the movement abilities - I can barely remember CotM, but I recall mixing allsorts of things to get different effects, like something that raised the MP restore level beyond what was needed to power certain abilities, allowing them to be active all the time. It was stuff like that that I thought was cool.

Maybe my memory od CotM is tainted (I sold it), but it seemed longer. Having said that, the level design and atmosphere of Aria is much better - less of the same corrdors, and much more interesting and varied, but it feels shorter. The graphics are REALLY good...everything just looks really nice.

Im not a fan of RPGs, so maybe that's why I don't like Castlevania as much as Metroid. I'm glad I bought it - I needed to see what all the hubbub was about, and it has confirmed that the best of Castlevania, for me, cannot best anything in the modern metroid series.

I never played the original Castlevanias, but the Classic NES one looks pretty cool (I can appreciate the development some games go though since 8-bit). I wonder what the originals were like, because these new ones seem like an old school platformer much more than Metroid, given a metroid style exploration and development, and topped off with RPG elements.

I still think Metroid identifies itself as a bit more unique and interesting, however, and Aria has helped me to decide to give Dawn of Sorrow a miss. At least for now.



As for Alpha 3, well, it's definitely solid (never really played alpha before - I always liked SF3 much more), but I can't help but feel I want SF2 more. I might give classic mode a go, seeing as it makes it more like Super SF2, but with more characters. I think what let's this game down in terms of nostalgia is the music and lack of announcer. Still, those are really minor quibbles, and it's amzing what Crawfish has achieved. The sheer amount of characters will keep me always picking htis up for a few bouts...but last night I spent ages trying to beat Akuma on difficulty 4! But then, I'm no pro, and I basically just heavy moves, partially from old school SF2 style (where timing was more important than your button choice - and feinting, and toying with your opponent) - this seems much more balanced in terms of each level of attack having hteir own prupose, let somewaht down by the strange button config.

I still wish I new what all the modes and things are in the options: like arcade vs. normal control, alpha comboson/off (plus all the other things in the options menu).

Funny, tplaying this reminded me of CVG mag ages ago, which I bought when I was younger. I recall such April fools tricks as SF2 on GameBoy, and Mario Kart on GameBoy (brick)...and I remember laughing and going," Fools! Who's going to believe that those are possible on GameBoy?". Haha, it's funny to imagine that a pretty much intact version of the a much more impressive game is on the Advance now. And that the best Mario Kart yet is on DS.

I wish I could go back in time with my micro or SP, and give old brick playing self a heads up!

All in all, I think I still made some fantastic purchases.