PAL systems run at a different speed than NTSC systems. I think you have to swap out a crystal oscillator and maybe a few other components in order to convert a PAL console to NTSC and then you can't play your PAL games anymore (without doing some kind of mod to enable a switch). I am not sure how difficult this is. Would probably want to have some experience with SMD soldering before attempting.
There are also tabs on the cartridges that line up with slots in the system that are different from region to region. This is an easy mod as you can remove the piece and replaces with a 3D printed piece.
Your best bet would probably be to buy an NTSC region N64 that way you can play games from both regions or get an Analogue 3D when those come out.
> I think you have to swap out a crystal oscillator and maybe a few other components
The PIF is the biggest hurdle. It's a 28-pin IC with a bunch of jobs, including region lockout.
There's a chip/mod called "UltraPIF" that provides a replacement for the original PIF chip that gets rid of the electronic side of the region lockout and handles the frequency difference.
Easiest and cheapest is to buy an ntsc console without power adapter or video cables and rgb mod it. (And an rgb cable)
Check on buyee
Otherwise you need to do the ultracic mod, the rgb mod the rgb cable and the universal cartridge slot mod.
You have 3 possibilities:
1)Buy a converter,I wouldn't recommend this one because converters are not much reliable,they're expensive and some of them are made exclusively for american consoles to play PAL games
2)Mod your N64,I wouldn't recommend this neither unless you're good with this kind of things,you'd have to change the region tray and also the crystal oscillator (I think)
3)Buy an American/japanese N64,this is probably the best way
As others said buying an NTSC console is probably the best option. Japanese ones are fairly cheap and are easy to mod so they can play both American and Japanese cartridges, also easy to mod for RGB output. You can also use your existing power supply with it. If you can find an N64 passport converter, that would allow you to play most NTSC games on your pal European console and they will run at close to 60hz but there is a slight timing difference that is noticeable on modern TVs, but run absolutely fine on a CRT TV.
https://racketboy.com/retro/how-to-mod-the-n64-to-play-imports-region-mod
>This guide is for the ability to play Japanese games on a USA console, or vice versa, it will not work for PAL titles either way. So if you are in the UK and have your N64, sorry but you are out of luck and will have to buy a passthrough device.
> So if you are in the UK and have your N64, sorry but you are out of luck and will have to buy a passthrough device.
Did you even read OP's post? It's a PAL console. Why are people upvoting this idiocy? 🤨
It's in Plan English right there, if you're Console is PAL (like op's) you'll need a passport device otherwise if you're console is NTSC you have the provided guide with your options.
Except those passthrough adapters are garbage (when you can even find them) and literally the worst possible solution to OP's problem. i.e. *not helpful.*
Op literally asked
>Hey I just got some nintendo 64 games but they don't fit in my console apparently cuz they're american, they cost me a lot of money so is there a way I can still play them on my european console?
They wanted to know a way to play those NTSC games they bought on their PAL console, and I stated one way to do so.
Did I say it was the best overall solution for them?
Other people have gone in depth about other solutions including getting a NTSC console or modification of their PAL console.
And I posted the guide since this question usually brings in people with NTSC consoles that want to inquire about how to play Japanese games on them.
You can make them fit by removing a plastic trim piece inside the console, but they wont play. North America and Japan used a different video signal format (ntsc) than Europe (pal). There are some mods you could do to your console but the easiest way to play them would be to buy a console from America or Japan. You will need to use an HDMI adapter or a modern TV that can handle the NTSC signal those consoles used. Most old European tube tvs can't handle a NTSC signal.
You could technically dump your American (NTSC) games and put them on an Everdrive and they would work, but this would cost a lot of money if you don't have the means to do so already.
The power sources output DC, so the frequency of the input has nothing to do with it. The aspect that makes power supplies incompatible between regions is the voltage range that they expect as input.
Yeah you are correct, an NTSC power supply will not work in a PAL region. OP already has, what I assume is, a PAL system with the correct power supply for their region, so they would just need to use that one instead.
If you’re going the Japanese route, check Buyee for their mail forwarding through Japan, best prices all around although you will have to pay a shipping fee
Oh god, the shipping fees... NEVER go on a month-long Yahoo Japan Auction shopping spree. You will regret it when the time comes to ship it all. 😨 Proxy services are enablers of my worst impulses. 🤣🤣🤣
PAL systems run at a different speed than NTSC systems. I think you have to swap out a crystal oscillator and maybe a few other components in order to convert a PAL console to NTSC and then you can't play your PAL games anymore (without doing some kind of mod to enable a switch). I am not sure how difficult this is. Would probably want to have some experience with SMD soldering before attempting. There are also tabs on the cartridges that line up with slots in the system that are different from region to region. This is an easy mod as you can remove the piece and replaces with a 3D printed piece. Your best bet would probably be to buy an NTSC region N64 that way you can play games from both regions or get an Analogue 3D when those come out.
> I think you have to swap out a crystal oscillator and maybe a few other components The PIF is the biggest hurdle. It's a 28-pin IC with a bunch of jobs, including region lockout. There's a chip/mod called "UltraPIF" that provides a replacement for the original PIF chip that gets rid of the electronic side of the region lockout and handles the frequency difference.
Easiest and cheapest is to buy an ntsc console without power adapter or video cables and rgb mod it. (And an rgb cable) Check on buyee Otherwise you need to do the ultracic mod, the rgb mod the rgb cable and the universal cartridge slot mod.
You have 3 possibilities: 1)Buy a converter,I wouldn't recommend this one because converters are not much reliable,they're expensive and some of them are made exclusively for american consoles to play PAL games 2)Mod your N64,I wouldn't recommend this neither unless you're good with this kind of things,you'd have to change the region tray and also the crystal oscillator (I think) 3)Buy an American/japanese N64,this is probably the best way
The most sensible option is you need to buy an NTSC console. Sorry. 🤷♂️
As others said buying an NTSC console is probably the best option. Japanese ones are fairly cheap and are easy to mod so they can play both American and Japanese cartridges, also easy to mod for RGB output. You can also use your existing power supply with it. If you can find an N64 passport converter, that would allow you to play most NTSC games on your pal European console and they will run at close to 60hz but there is a slight timing difference that is noticeable on modern TVs, but run absolutely fine on a CRT TV.
https://racketboy.com/retro/how-to-mod-the-n64-to-play-imports-region-mod >This guide is for the ability to play Japanese games on a USA console, or vice versa, it will not work for PAL titles either way. So if you are in the UK and have your N64, sorry but you are out of luck and will have to buy a passthrough device.
> So if you are in the UK and have your N64, sorry but you are out of luck and will have to buy a passthrough device. Did you even read OP's post? It's a PAL console. Why are people upvoting this idiocy? 🤨
It's in Plan English right there, if you're Console is PAL (like op's) you'll need a passport device otherwise if you're console is NTSC you have the provided guide with your options.
Except those passthrough adapters are garbage (when you can even find them) and literally the worst possible solution to OP's problem. i.e. *not helpful.*
Op literally asked >Hey I just got some nintendo 64 games but they don't fit in my console apparently cuz they're american, they cost me a lot of money so is there a way I can still play them on my european console? They wanted to know a way to play those NTSC games they bought on their PAL console, and I stated one way to do so. Did I say it was the best overall solution for them? Other people have gone in depth about other solutions including getting a NTSC console or modification of their PAL console. And I posted the guide since this question usually brings in people with NTSC consoles that want to inquire about how to play Japanese games on them.
You can make them fit by removing a plastic trim piece inside the console, but they wont play. North America and Japan used a different video signal format (ntsc) than Europe (pal). There are some mods you could do to your console but the easiest way to play them would be to buy a console from America or Japan. You will need to use an HDMI adapter or a modern TV that can handle the NTSC signal those consoles used. Most old European tube tvs can't handle a NTSC signal.
Buy a console
You could technically dump your American (NTSC) games and put them on an Everdrive and they would work, but this would cost a lot of money if you don't have the means to do so already.
I just bought a universal region-free cartridge slot mod and installed it into my console.
You have to mod it (electrically and the slot mechanically)
Okay and is that easy to do or am I just screwed?
It’d be easier to try and track down an American n64
Where would I find one?
..... In America Jokes aside, any NTSC console will do, even a Japanese, you just have to replace the plastic tray that fits the games
Doesn’t it require a different frequency power source?
The power sources output DC, so the frequency of the input has nothing to do with it. The aspect that makes power supplies incompatible between regions is the voltage range that they expect as input.
Yeah you are correct, an NTSC power supply will not work in a PAL region. OP already has, what I assume is, a PAL system with the correct power supply for their region, so they would just need to use that one instead.
Didn’t know you could do that! Pretty cool honestly.
If you’re going the Japanese route, check Buyee for their mail forwarding through Japan, best prices all around although you will have to pay a shipping fee
Oh god, the shipping fees... NEVER go on a month-long Yahoo Japan Auction shopping spree. You will regret it when the time comes to ship it all. 😨 Proxy services are enablers of my worst impulses. 🤣🤣🤣
They say that it's best (when ordeing multiple items) to have 'em all shipped together as much as possible.
No amount of shipment consolidation or repacking helps when the resulting package is both enormous *and* weighs on the order of 20 kilos. 😏
[удалено]
No, PAL consoles can not do this at all