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SNES Game Collecting (Tips, discussion, and info for like minded collectors)

oh wow, that's gonna be rough for some titles - i did read about save corruption being a possibility. do you recall if you played it with it plugged in to the wall, or just using the SNES' power? i read somewhere if it wasn't on its own power source, it could affect the system's output, but no idea what extent

After diggin' it out and playing with it a bit, I had it set up so the SNES AC into GS+ --> pass through cable(built into the gs+) connects into SNES. Pretty sure that's how I used it back then, since that's what the insructions said to do. If it had any affect on the SNES output, I really didn't notice it at all (or at least, no noticeable change using Mr. Nutz).
 

TheWraith

Member
hey guys, sorry to double post/bump this thread, but now that i have a legit mini, i was thinking of doing the RGB mod,

has anyone one here done it to a mini? there seems to be 2 options one w/ an amp and one w/o it. just wondering which one should i try to do. (no soldering experience)

I had one done with the amp, picture is absolutely perfect, great colors, no bar in the middle or jailbars at all. Really recommended.
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
are you able to return it, how recent was the purchase?

thanks man for letting me know, i'm looking for another on ebay as back up if this one needs to be returned.

update:
snes mini came in, tested it and just opened it up:

it looks legit according to the link
http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=counterfeit_snes

Glad you was more lucky then I was! I doubt I can return it, bought it pretty cheap on a local facebook-group Im part of. So I guess the hunt continues :)
 
I had one done with the amp, picture is absolutely perfect, great colors, no bar in the middle or jailbars at all. Really recommended.

oh nice! i guess i'll go the amp route. i looked at the tutorial and saw thay he also posted a optional resistors for the brightness issue. looks like i have to go shopping for the ingredients
Glad you was more lucky then I was! I doubt I can return it, bought it pretty cheap on a local facebook-group Im part of. So I guess the hunt continues :)
man, hopefully you can find just a core really cheap. i've see 3 on ebay that was about 55 bucks shipped for the core alone and one for 60 w/ controller and plugs. i was about to pull the trigger but i passed on them even though they were so low in price. i was looking for a dirty one so if i mess up the mod i wouldn't feel the pain too much.
 
i picked up zelda today, can't wait to rgb this snes

humeQ7gl.jpg
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
man, hopefully you can find just a core really cheap. i've see 3 on ebay that was about 55 bucks shipped for the core alone and one for 60 w/ controller and plugs. i was about to pull the trigger but i passed on them even though they were so low in price. i was looking for a dirty one so if i mess up the mod i wouldn't feel the pain too much.

Thanks! Yeah, I will definitely find it eventually - or just pull the plug on ebay.

Edit: Great game you got there!
 

IrishNinja

Member
congrats dave! i replayed LTTP years ago on s-vid and it looked great, gonna be gorgeous on RGB

After diggin' it out and playing with it a bit, I had it set up so the SNES AC into GS+ --> pass through cable(built into the gs+) connects into SNES. Pretty sure that's how I used it back then, since that's what the insructions said to do. If it had any affect on the SNES output, I really didn't notice it at all (or at least, no noticeable change using Mr. Nutz).

hmmm....that's good to hear! really wanna try one out when i come across a good & cheap one, they dont seem to go for much on ebay
 
Thanks! Yeah, I will definitely find it eventually - or just pull the plug on ebay.

Edit: Great game you got there!

congrats dave! i replayed LTTP years ago on s-vid and it looked great, gonna be gorgeous on RGB

thanks guys! snes collecting is really expensive compared to the other systems, i'm going to try pick my spots

just posting this over here in case someone knows:
Hey guys, when i initially got a launch type snes i linked a few scart cables and Mega, who graciously helped me out so many times, recommending the right rgb cable for it here:

Super Nintendo stereo RGB SCART lead SNES CSYNC FULL SHIELD, GROUNDED cable
20.99 usd

now that i got a snes mini i was reading the DIY article to RGB mod the snes mini and the author had two links to rgb cables the one above and this one below:

SNES SCART cable - Pro Coaxial Multicore csync Super Nintendo Famicom lead cord
36.99 usd

aside from the price difference, what benefit does the more expensive have and do i need it for the sony BVM?

edit: oh i got an answer to this post ^ thanks!
 

elmalloc

Member
I have an amp modded mini. With the Framemeister, my sync level is at 20 in order for it to not lose sync. I think that's abnormal for other Framemeister/SNES users, usually with the Genesis does it need a boosted sync cable. Either way, I'm happy with the SNES through FM.
 

SKINNER!

Banned
You guys ever played a PAL game on an NTSC machine? It's hilariously fast haha. Just tried a PAL Super Mario All Stars and things are so...zippy!
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
You guys ever played a PAL game on an NTSC machine? It's hilariously fast haha. Just tried a PAL Super Mario All Stars and things are so...zippy!

I do this all the time on the Nes, since I still own quite a few 50hz Nes-games but only a 60hz rgb-modded Famicom. Its cool for an extra challenge.
 
Very interesting, especially that he comments how this is actually a pretty good piece of hardware in the end, and can easily be modded for rgb.

that's positive!

anyways snesGAF, what games are you playing recently. this system just seems to have a lot of skyrocketing prices but there's still a few games decent price.

my rgb scart cable is in the mail. i'm going to try legend of zelda on it when it comes in.
 

Teknoman

Member
Grab some of the SFC SD: The Great Battle titles (specifically 2-5) They're pretty fun and each title is a different genre or subsection of a genre.
 

TheWraith

Member
that's positive!

anyways snesGAF, what games are you playing recently. this system just seems to have a lot of skyrocketing prices but there's still a few games decent price.

my rgb scart cable is in the mail. i'm going to try legend of zelda on it when it comes in.

Playing alternatively between Castlevania IV and Fire Emblem 3. Despite all the praise it gets, I really find Castlevania IV lacking in terms of overall level design and originality, and more of a glorified tech demo, The first game, III and Rondo all slay C IV. I do enjoy but Castlevania games on the snes really were a bit of a missed opportunity to me.
 
Yeah, I definitely like Castlevania 4, but it's not the strongest entry in the series, and it'd probably be the worst console Castlevania of that generation were it not for Dracula X. Still a really solid game though. And Fire Emblem 3 is great - that was my entry point into that franchise. You should totally play 4 and 5 once you've beaten it, if you haven't played them already.

I recently replayed Demon's Crest, and spent a lot of time trying to beat that game's secret boss without using items. (Most of the game is pretty easily beatable without items - they usually feel pretty extraneous - but that secret boss seems to be balanced around you bringing a bunch of healing items in.) I sort of dislike that fight, but it is cool to see such an extreme "superboss" on the SNES.

Also messed with Tetris Attack. That has to be the best multiplayer game on the system, really.
 
Playing alternatively between Castlevania IV and Fire Emblem 3. Despite all the praise it gets, I really find Castlevania IV lacking in terms of overall level design and originality, and more of a glorified tech demo, The first game, III and Rondo all slay C IV. I do enjoy but Castlevania games on the snes really were a bit of a missed opportunity to me.
i really liked simon's quest. 4 i think was the first one i beat. the first one gave me trouble at igor and then grim reaper.

fire emblem III is something i want to get.

Yeah, I definitely like Castlevania 4, but it's not the strongest entry in the series, and it'd probably be the worst console Castlevania of that generation were it not for Dracula X. Still a really solid game though. And Fire Emblem 3 is great - that was my entry point into that franchise. You should totally play 4 and 5 once you've beaten it, if you haven't played them already.

I recently replayed Demon's Crest, and spent a lot of time trying to beat that game's secret boss without using items. (Most of the game is pretty easily beatable without items - they usually feel pretty extraneous - but that secret boss seems to be balanced around you bringing a bunch of healing items in.) I sort of dislike that fight, but it is cool to see such an extreme "superboss" on the SNES.

Also messed with Tetris Attack. That has to be the best multiplayer game on the system, really.

dracula X is so expensive. that reminds me, i have chronicles from psn but it doesn't play on my pstv so it's just sitting there.
 

D.Lo

Member
Yeah, I definitely like Castlevania 4, but it's not the strongest entry in the series, and it'd probably be the worst console Castlevania of that generation were it not for Dracula X.
No way it's easily #2. Vampire Killer has only 6 stages and is kind of dinky and odd, and X68K is a cool but clunkier version of the same thing CV4 is, a 16 bit remake of CV1.

CV4 is so long and big and creative and has one of the best soundtracks ever.

DX>>>CV4>>>X68K>>>VK>DXX.
 
Yo, what the hell?! i was just playing ps1 castlevania chronicles and whipped a wall where there should be a porkchop. all these rocks came flying out and jumped me!!! i tried running up the stairs but they pounced on me.
 
No way it's easily #2. Vampire Killer has only 6 stages and is kind of dinky and odd, and X68K is a cool but clunkier version of the same thing CV4 is, a 16 bit remake of CV1.

CV4 is so long and big and creative and has one of the best soundtracks ever.

DX>>>CV4>>>X68K>>>VK>DXX.

I don't know what you mean with "dinky and odd". Bloodlines is razor-sharp - the only 16-bit CV with the fixed jumps of the NES games, but it throws in a perfect amount of additions to your toolset that let you play more offensively without trivializing the level designs (something even Rondo doesn't totally get right, really). It's one of the fastest games in the series, with tons of RNG enemies that are tough to pin down and always fun to deal with. Only real downside is that the last level is kind of limp; game doesn't end on an especially strong note.

CV4 is cool, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't stack up. It's overlong, there are tons of gimmicky areas that feel like they have hardly anything substantial going on, every boss in the game is Z-tier except for the last few (I think you can beat almost all of them just by standing in front of them and mashing the whip), most enemies aren't placed in ways meant to intelligently challenge the player and instead can just be disposed off from safe spots with the whip... there's no comparison. I do like its soundtrack though (aside from the kind of weak renditions of classic CV music in the last levels); I'd probably rate it over Bloodlines'. And since I brought it up, CV4 definitely has a better finale than Bloodlines.

X68K is way more successful at what it does than 4. Perfect length, perfect level of difficulty, dense stages with well-placed enemies and hazards, some really amazing boss fights (the werewolf is among the series' best)

4 is definitely way better than Dracula X though. That game feels like a fucked up, amateur-designed ROM hack. Even then it's still not straight-up bad, but it's not really worthwhile compared to any of the other CVs from that era.

Yo, what the hell?! i was just playing ps1 castlevania chronicles and whipped a wall where there should be a porkchop. all these rocks came flying out and jumped me!!! i tried running up the stairs but they pounced on me.

Try the left wall next time!
 

Timu

Member
SNES will probably be tough with how the prices are for those games, but quite a bit can be found under 40 bucks at least. Even though I own Sunset Riders, it's over 90+ bucks now. Still let's do it.
 

Roi

Member
This may be a stupid question but what is the best/cheapest way to have my SNES (cartridge) save files backed-up?!
In the future I want to get rid of my collection but for sentimental reasons I would like to have a back-up of the save files some of my childhood games, I don't need the ROM's just the save files!

I tried to search and the Retrode comes up in some articles, I think it does what I want but it's +60€ and I'm wondering if there's a cheaper way possible.

It would be really great if I could load those save files onto my SD2SNES. Is that even possible? Hope someone can help me with some information :)
 

RexRogers

Neo Member
SNES will probably be tough with how the prices are for those games, but quite a bit can be found under 40 bucks at least. Even though I own Sunset Riders, it's over 90+ bucks now. Still let's do it.
I'm going to make yet another post expressing shock at prices. I bought Sunset Riders for $52 in 12/2013 and made a note that I over paid. Really, how much higher can this market go before crashing?
 

NDPsycho

Member
This may be a stupid question but what is the best/cheapest way to have my SNES (cartridge) save files backed-up?!
In the future I want to get rid of my collection but for sentimental reasons I would like to have a back-up of the save files some of my childhood games, I don't need the ROM's just the save files!

I tried to search and the Retrode comes up in some articles, I think it does what I want but it's +60€ and I'm wondering if there's a cheaper way possible.

It would be really great if I could load those save files onto my SD2SNES. Is that even possible? Hope someone can help me with some information :)

Retrode was going to be my suggestion, but you're already looking into one. I think they're great, but they don't work for every game. I don't know of a cheaper solution, but I can say it works well and is easy to use.
 

Roi

Member
Retrode was going to be my suggestion, but you're already looking into one. I think they're great, but they don't work for every game. I don't know of a cheaper solution, but I can say it works well and is easy to use.

Thanks, do you know if you can load the save files into the SD2SNES?
 

Gozert

Member
I'm going to make yet another post expressing shock at prices. I bought Sunset Riders for $52 in 12/2013 and made a note that I over paid. Really, how much higher can this market go before crashing?

Can't really crash soon and hard enough, as far as I'm concerned. :p

However, demand is just too damn high and as long as people are willing to pay top dollar (or euro in my case), don't expect anything to change anytime soon. :(
 
I'm going to make yet another post expressing shock at prices. I bought Sunset Riders for $52 in 12/2013 and made a note that I over paid. Really, how much higher can this market go before crashing?

Paid $60 for my copy of SR a couple months ago and felt like I got a decent deal.

Market has a way to go, I think.
 

RexRogers

Neo Member
I started collecting for the snes in October 2013 and at the time I thought I was late to the party. Prices had already inflated, but I didn't think they still had the legs that they apparently do. Up up and away! At some point I may just have to buy an SD2SNES and liquidate everything else.
 

Gozert

Member
It really depends what you're looking for. Games that are considered the best are highly sought after and most people aren't willing to part with them anymore (perhaps partly because they are afraid prices will keep rising, so they can't easily buy the games back or just want to wait for better prices to sell). That's why games like A Link to the Past are getting so expensive, even though millions of them are out there.

Meanwhile a lot of uncommon and even some rare games are actually dropping in price (at least around here), because hardly anyone wants to play them and most serious SNES collectors already have them.
 
It really depends what you're looking for. Games that are considered the best are highly sought after and most people aren't willing to part with them anymore (perhaps partly because they are afraid prices will keep rising, so they can't easily buy the games back or just want to wait for better prices to sell). That's why games like A Link to the Past are getting so expensive, even though millions of them are out there.

Meanwhile a lot of uncommon and even some rare games are actually dropping in price (at least around here), because hardly anyone wants to play them and most serious SNES collectors already have them.

Have any specific examples of games dropping in price?
 

D.Lo

Member
I don't know what you mean with "dinky and odd".
Small enemy sprites, gimmicky 'collection of spheres and parts' bosses like most of Konami's Mega Drive games, poorly animated compared to contemporary games at release (and clunky badly drawn animations), a bunch of ridiculous shit like robots, and the absolute stupidity of trying to link Castlevania's MGM monster movie universe with Bram Stoker's Dracula novel.

It's fun and still good, and has a great soundtrack, but a low-ambition small game made without much continuity with or respect for what had come before.

Bloodlines is razor-sharp - the only 16-bit CV with the fixed jumps of the NES games, but it throws in a perfect amount of additions to your toolset that let you play more offensively without trivializing the level designs (something even Rondo doesn't totally get right, really).
Dracula X and Dracula XX both have the NES games' fixed jumps. And I wouldn't call VK/Bloodlines 'Razor sharp' it's kind of a loose scrappy game IMO. Clunky animations everywhere.

X68K is way more successful at what it does than 4. Perfect length, perfect level of difficulty, dense stages with well-placed enemies and hazards, some really amazing boss fights (the werewolf is among the series' best)
I prefer the SNES game, which is its own thing, less of a stock remake.

CV4 is very '80s 16 bit arcade' to me, except for being too easy. It really hit that Wardner/Ghouls n Ghosts kind of vibe.

4 is definitely way better than Dracula X though. That game feels like a fucked up, amateur-designed ROM hack. Even then it's still not straight-up bad, but it's not really worthwhile compared to any of the other CVs from that era.
DXX actually has fantastically designed graphics tiles, on a superficial level it has superior graphics to DX. but was seemingly rushed at the end, and the actual level layouts ended up rom-hacky.

A bigger cart and three more months it had potential to be great, it has a great engine and very nicely done tile work. It kind of sucks due to the lost potential really.

ADX is easily the towering winner of the gen however. So much detail, consistency and respect for what came before.
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
I started collecting for the snes in October 2013 and at the time I thought I was late to the party. Prices had already inflated, but I didn't think they still had the legs that they apparently do. Up up and away! At some point I may just have to buy an SD2SNES and liquidate everything else.

I seriously started in august 2008, and feel I was late lol :(
 

NDPsycho

Member
Thanks, do you know if you can load the save files into the SD2SNES?

I'm sorry I've never used an SD2SNES, so I couldn't reliably answer that. Maybe someone else with experience with that could answer? You would think so, but I wouldn't want to misinform you.
 

Cheerilee

Member
Thanks, do you know if you can load the save files into the SD2SNES?

AFAIK, SNES game saves were standardized as ".srm" a long time ago.

Back in the stone ages, people dumped games (and saves) with floppy-disk-based "game copiers", and the different brands of copiers attached "headers" to things (basically metadata), and the different brands argued with each other over file extensions, but the ideal solution for the end user was basically to cut the header off and rename the file extension however you please. The ROM itself doesn't care if you call it .sfc, .smc, .fig, or whatever. Emulators like ZSNES and SNES9X learned to ignore the file extensions and ignore the header. The rest of the save is just a digitally-perfect copy of the save ram, which looks the same no matter who makes it.

AFAIK, there used to be a tool in the SNESTOOL package called "savefix" which would cut the header off a savefile. I don't think there was even a battle as to what to call savegames, they're just .srm. ZSNES and SNES9X apparently didn't mess around trying to add their own headers, they just let things settle into a nice, clean standard.

I doubt SD2SNES is doing anything funny with their game saves (although I don't have firsthand experience).
 

RexRogers

Neo Member
just to get a bit more exposure posting here as well:

i just won a FF III cart from ebay, before i pay, i want to ask if this looks legit or fake.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121860122245?_trksid=p2057872.m2748.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

i sent an email asking them to open it up take pic of the board as well.

It looks real to me. I wouldn't worry about it since ebay always sides with the buyer. If it turns out to be fake just file a complaint and you'll get your money back.
 
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