A guide for the aspiring import gamer: Part 4

Continuing with the 90's theme, I'm going to move onto a personal favorite of mine, the Super Nintendo!

A Super Nintendo (top) and Super Famicom (bottom)


Now, unlike the Genesis, Japanese cartridges will fit in an American system, but there is a slight problem.

There are tabs in the US SNES's cartridge slot that prevent the Japanese carts from getting to the connector. There are two very easy methods to getting around this.

1. Simply break off the tabs in the slot by using needlenose pliers. This is the quickest and easiest method available, and should only take a few minutes to break the tabs and file them down so they are smooth. The safest way to do this is to use a 4.5 mm gamebit to open up the case so you can get to the slot easier. But if you're too cheap for $5, or too lazy to get one, you can just do it very carefully and try not to damage the connector. This method will only work on the US SNES, since cartridge slot on the Super Famicom is too small to fit an American cart.

2. Use a Game Genie to extend the cartridge slot.

Games of interest:
Ranma 1/2: Chougi Ranbu Hen (Ranma 1/2: Super Battle)

Ok, I'll admit I'm recommending this because I'm a fan of Ranma 1/2, but it's actually a pretty decent fighting game. While not as fast paced as Street Fighter, it has solid fighting mechanics, awesome super moves, and even a tag battle mode, which was pretty unique for the time. You can choose to play as several characters from the series like Ranma (male and female), Ryoga, Akane, Ukyo, and many others (no Happosai though). Come one, you know you would want to put the smack down on everyone using Kuno (10 points if you get it).

The Ganbare Goemon series

Known as Mystical Ninja here in the US, there are several Goemon titles that didn't make it overseas. The game is an action platformer that combines some RPG elements such as items and leveled abilities. The games go between exploration stages and side scrolling platformers.

The Parodius series

No, you are not seeing things, that is a flying Dracula-kun fighting a giant pirate cat/submarine thing with robot penguins and chickens flying around. Parodius is a side-scrolling shooter with the WTF factor turned all the way up, and that's what makes it awesome. Parodius is literally a parody of the Gradius series, hence the name, but it also uses elements from other shooters like the Twinbee series. You can choose to play as a variety of characters like Vic Viper, Goemon, Dracula-kun, Twinbee, Takosuke (a flying octopus!), and many other crazy characters. I highly recommend checking this out.

Alright, that's it for this week. Come back Monday for a new post!