Translation hacks on actual Hucards - Is it possible?

[Arjak]

I recently discovered this awesome website where you can send in NES cartridges to the webmaster and he will put on a game unreleased in America of your choice! For example, you can get copies of translated Japanese games like the original versions of Final Fantasy 2 and 3. You can also get american prototypes, even hacks!

Here's the site:

http://www.nesreproductions.com/

Apparently, what this guy does is take out the old rom chip of the game you send in, solder in a new one with your game, adds batteries and new components when necessary, attaches a new label for the game on the cartridge (you heard me right), and sends it back (all for a price, of course).

At this point, you're probably wondering: What does this have to do with the PC Engine?

Well, today I was looking at ebay for a Hucard game I was interested in getting after I buy one of D-Lite's Duo-Rs with the S-Video and Region mods and I was thinking, "Too bad it's in Japanese, I wish I could have the translation right on the Hucard; that guy at nesreproductions.com can do that with a NES cartridge."

It was about then that I had the epiphany. I thought, "Why can't I?"

Now that all of that backstory is out of the way, I pose the question:

Is it possible to replace the rom chip of a Japanese Hucard with a chip of the same game after it's been patched with a translation hack, and have it work on an actual PC Engine?

[Turbo D]

I doubt that it can be done with a normal hucard because of the chips. Maybe on a streetfighter 2 hucard 

[Arjak]

Why is this? Do they use some kind of special chip?

[SignOfZeta]

The ROM chips in a NES cart are huge, off-the-rack things that can be easily replaced with other ROM chips. The chips in a HuCard are super small, and pretty damn custom. Its possible, but really really...not worth it. You are better off just buying a re-writable HuCard.

[Arjak]

Re-writable Hucard? They have those!?

Two questions:

1. How do I get them?

2. How do I put the data on them?

[Turbo D]

I bought this one http://www.ic2005.com/shop/product.php?productid=26&cat=0&page=1 . It works pretty good but not all roms work correctly on it. You have to try different versions till you find the one that works. It also doesn't work on a turbografx-16 with the cd attached. I know that sounds wierd, but its true. It works on the duo, pc engine and turbografx-16 just fine from my personal experience. There is also one by tototek but it is ugly and gay.

[Bonknuts]

I bought this one http://www.ic2005.com/shop/product.php?productid=26&cat=0&page=1 . It works pretty good but not all roms work correctly on it. You have to try different versions till you find the one that works. It also doesn't work on a turbografx-16 with the cd attached. I know that sounds wierd, but its true. It works on the duo, pc engine and turbografx-16 just fine from my personal experience. There is also one by tototek but it is ugly and gay.

 I've heard no such problems from the "ugly and gay" tototek card 

[Spector]

The tototek card is so ugly and gay that I couldn't even get one rom working on it!

With the neo flash card, so far on my PC Engine, all hacks work on it, so JJ and Jeff, World Court Tennis and the American translation of Jap Wonderboy work on it fine.

[Kitsunexus]

I thought the HuCard chips were of the "black blob" variety...

And as for the NES dude, screw it.

Just get this:
http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?productID=133

Yeah it's expensive, but you're paying for an FPGA that emulates all the memory mappers. You can read more about it here, and see exactly why the price is justified.

[Keranu]

The tototek card is so ugly and gay that I couldn't even get one rom working on it!

With the neo flash card, so far on my PC Engine, all hacks work on it, so JJ and Jeff, World Court Tennis and the American translation of Jap Wonderboy work on it fine.

I love your game choices to put on your flash card . Sometimes I wonder if you're actually European, Spector, as you're against RGB mods and play American versions of games  . I dig your style though and love your avatar!

[ccovell]

First, almost all Japanese PCE games work on the Tototek card.  Second, to play US games, there are usually 2 barriers: many US ROMs are bit-swapped, and most US ROMs have regional lockout as well.  Overcome those (plus ugliness and gayness) and classic games such as JJ & Jeff will work in the card on your PCE.

[Black Tiger]

The only roms I ever had trouble getting to work on the Tototek card were CD PSG rips, which I solved by loading them individually.

[Spector]

The tototek card is so ugly and gay that I couldn't even get one rom working on it!

With the neo flash card, so far on my PC Engine, all hacks work on it, so JJ and Jeff, World Court Tennis and the American translation of Jap Wonderboy work on it fine.

I love your game choices to put on your flash card . Sometimes I wonder if you're actually European, Spector, as you're against RGB mods and play American versions of games  . I dig your style though and love your avatar!

Heh yeah it seems JJ and Jeff isn't quite the most popular game around here     
It's interesting to see the differences between the two though. I think it's a couple of levels too long, but it still has its moments for sure. And that World Court Tennis... that's one wild game! I mean, who the hell thought that idea up - an RPG game where you save the world by challenging people to tennis matches???

[Keranu]

The tototek card is so ugly and gay that I couldn't even get one rom working on it!

With the neo flash card, so far on my PC Engine, all hacks work on it, so JJ and Jeff, World Court Tennis and the American translation of Jap Wonderboy work on it fine.

I love your game choices to put on your flash card . Sometimes I wonder if you're actually European, Spector, as you're against RGB mods and play American versions of games  . I dig your style though and love your avatar!

Heh yeah it seems JJ and Jeff isn't quite the most popular game around here     
It's interesting to see the differences between the two though. I think it's a couple of levels too long, but it still has its moments for sure. And that World Court Tennis... that's one wild game! I mean, who the hell thought that idea up - an RPG game where you save the world by challenging people to tennis matches???

My favorite part about World Court Tennis is how you start off in Chicago and it's just a little village with like three houses and is located on the border of an ocean  .

[Bonknuts]

The tototek card is so ugly and gay that I couldn't even get one rom working on it!

With the neo flash card, so far on my PC Engine, all hacks work on it, so JJ and Jeff, World Court Tennis and the American translation of Jap Wonderboy work on it fine.

I love your game choices to put on your flash card . Sometimes I wonder if you're actually European, Spector, as you're against RGB mods and play American versions of games  . I dig your style though and love your avatar!

Heh yeah it seems JJ and Jeff isn't quite the most popular game around here     
It's interesting to see the differences between the two though. I think it's a couple of levels too long, but it still has its moments for sure. And that World Court Tennis... that's one wild game! I mean, who the hell thought that idea up - an RPG game where you save the world by challenging people to tennis matches???

My favorite part about World Court Tennis is how you start off in Chicago and it's just a little village with like three houses and is located on the border of an ocean  .

 Heh - that's exactly how I pictured Chicago when I was a kid. Uncanny...