How to play Mega Drive (PAL) games in the USA ?

[akuma632]

I just got a Mega Drive game that's in PAL format. I can not get the game to play on my USA Genesis or my Retron 3, all that comes up is a message telling me it needs to be played on a PAL system. What can I do? I don't want to buy a PAL if I have a Genesis and I thought the Retron 3 would play it but no dice.

Anyone have any ideas please?

[tiktektak]

Region mod your console with a region and 50/60Hz switch.

[wiggy]

It's actually one of the easier region mods to do as well.

http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/sega/md1switches.htm

[Arseen]

That looks simple, but I already have PAL and JAP MD1 and MCD 2 and PAL 32-X. 

Altough I might MOD my JAP consoles so I can play all games on them.

[launchpad]

I know you can play Japanese MD games in a US Genesis when you hook them up thru a Game Genie.  At least the Mega Drive games I have you can.  I've never tried a PAL MD game though.  If I have any PAL Mega Drive games I'll try it out and let you know.

[wiggy]

I know you can play Japanese MD games in a US Genesis when you hook them up thru a Game Genie.  At least the Mega Drive games I have you can.  I've never tried a PAL MD game though.  If I have any PAL Mega Drive games I'll try it out and let you know.

Don't bother, they won't.   PAL and NTSC aren't compatible without modding.

Also, you can play MD games on a NTSC Genesis by shaving the cart port down a bit (which I imagine many folks here wouldn't be down for).

[marioxb]

Not newer games, like Bare Knuckle (Streets of Rage) 3 that also have region locking. You can tell if the game won't boot up in USA mode on an emulator. Plus, doing this with older Japanese games turns them English and vice versa.

[Quazimoto]

Weird...  I have a handful of PAL format Mega Drive games that work just fine on my NTSC Genesis consoles (both second and third models).  To the best of my knowledge, none of the systems are modded in any manner.  Actually, the only "problem" I have with playing any of them is with The Flintstones, which has a very thin (less that 1/8") blue frame around the game screen while playing.  The other games play perfectly.

[sheep2001]

it's only much later games that used region lockout.  and a few PAL games that were written specifically for 50hz.

Most games however were formatted for NTSC, and when released in EU, we got them slightly squished, and running slightly slower.  I have lots of genesis carts, and JPN MD carts which run just fine on my PAL megadrive with no modifications.

On the other hand if i do mod the MD, i get to play them in 60hz, at the speed they were originally intended, and full screen.  I really should get around to doing it i guess.

[Vt102]

It's actually one of the easier region mods to do as well.

http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/sega/md1switches.htm

Any idea if this works with Mega CD games too?

[wiggy]

It's actually one of the easier region mods to do as well.

http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/sega/md1switches.htm

Any idea if this works with Mega CD games too?

Does the MDCD output through the Genesis?  If so, I'd wager that it would, even though I don't 100% know one way or the other.

[Arseen]

It's actually one of the easier region mods to do as well.

http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/sega/md1switches.htm

Any idea if this works with Mega CD games too?

Nope.
Both Mega CD and 32-X need their own mods.

But there was/is one site that does triple switchless mod.
They mod Mega Drive/Genesis and 32-X and mod+change MCD bios.
After that you can control all mods with Mega Drive's rest button (including region and language on all three).

I'm at work now so I can't check what the site was, but I think I have it bookmarked at my home computer.

[sheep2001]

consolepassion.co.uk/switchless-modification

[amarthar]

But there was/is one site that does triple switchless mod.
They mod Mega Drive/Genesis and 32-X and mod+change MCD bios.
After that you can control all mods with Mega Drive's rest button (including region and language on all three).

You mean this site?
http://www.consolepassion.co.uk/

[Arseen]

consolepassion.co.uk/switchless-modification

You mean this site?
http://www.consolepassion.co.uk/

Thanks, that was the one I meant.