Game Center CX in USA

After finally watching the "Game Center CX in USA" special episode, and thoroughly enjoying it as usual, I have two things to say (although it's probably old hat at this time)...

Why the hell take Arino and crew to that dump of an indie game store 4Jays?  Wow, the games and display monitors don't work - big surprise.  Staff that doesn't know crap about games, an owner who always seems like he's pissed off someone is in his store, and outrageously overpriced inventory.  Seriously, they didn't seem too proud that their "fine establishment" was being featured on international television, at least they weren't faking for the camera.  Also while I know that the segment was for quick plays of some usually not found in Japan NES games, why was StarTropics not mentioned?  There has to be a copy in there - a game developed by Nintendo, by Japanese game developers working in America, specifically for the American audience.  Never mind that it's my favorite NES / Famicom game, it truly is a unique specimen of NES / Famicom history.

Second, the segment in the laundromat with Ms. Pac-Man.  Really, no one could do research that the reason that Ms. Pac-Man was moving so fast is because the game had a "speed up" chip installed?  It makes me wonder how much research is really done for the games on the show that are featured.  It also goes to show how much we need something like the Video Game History Museum to act as an information repository, open to everyone.

Pirate multicarts - NES libraries in your pocket

Now that I'm back in Silicon Valley I have access to my favorite video game seller's full inventory. It also means that I have first choice at stuff as it comes in since it seems his family all gets together here as their base of operations. Today in fact he had boxes of new stuff that had just come in from other flea markets. Yes, it's nice to be here where the source is rather than down a ways when he would get to the Tuesday flea market back in the central valley. Don't get me wrong, I got great stuff from him there and I'm sure there are things I miss that he picks up on the way there or while there - but as things go, being here gives me a better chance at the best stuff and to further forge a better friendship.

Pirate Game Boy milticarts are part of that as he is the only person I've ever known that doesn't sell them at insane prices. His Game Boy multicarts used to be $10.00 each but were sold to me for less. These days the price is even lower than it was before and he had a pile of them - which were rotated out the next week, I do plan on buying a ton of them for resale one day. Game Boy Advance multicarts are the sweet spot however as they contain a bunch of NES games with little or no repeats. (GB multicarts are usually six or so games repeated a bunch of times) Of course they're simply the PocketNES emulator hardcoded to a non-flashable chip along with a selection of NES and Famicom ROM dumps. But get a cartridge with the right assortment of games on it and it's the best thing you've ever played. The magic came to a peak when he showed me he had a new version that was a 50 in 1 cartridge. He has a bunch of them, all the same, but the 50 games (49 without repeat) are all top titles. I have other lower assortment multicarts which have a few different games not on other multicarts but if I was to take one multicart with me it would be the 50 in 1.

Since I buy right from his base of operations I can check out the full selection as well. Also, as usual, his regular price isn't bad at all - but my price is amazing. Especially considering one can walk down a few stalls and find similar multicarts selling for over $85.00! Yeah I know they're grey market. Yeah I know it's a slap in the face to those that developed PocketNES. Yeah I know eventually it'll just be cheaper to buy a flash cartridge and do it myself. But for the time being, these cheap NES / Famicom libraries are exactly what I needed to keep my GBA-SP charged and in use.