Hi, I have a Action Replay Pro 1 and a Action Replay Pro MK3. When i use theses cartridges with Super Mario Kart it's work only when codes are Off. In Action Replay Pro -> Mario Kart can't boot after selecting codes (only working with switch on top without go into the AR menu) In Action Replay MK3 -> Mario Kart boot after selecting codes, but it freeze when i switch to the top. Everytime the same issue. It's possible to uses codes with Mario Kart on a real Super Nintendo PAL ? And another issue, i can't boot at all Starfox with the AR MK3. But Starfox works great with AR Pro 1. Thanks for future helps. Best Regards.
Most likely because they don't pass through the special chips in the cartridge properly, or they interfere.
Thanks for your answer. But the strange thing they are codes made for the Action Replay Pro : http://bsfree.org/index.php?s=4&d=5&g=2596 Anyone totally sure about no Action Replay can use codes with Super Mario Kart ?
re: passthrough for special chips so that's not the issue with the MK3, unless maybe traces on the AR are broken. And SF booting on the AR Pro tells us this one also has passthrough.
I have opened the AR MK3, contact are clean and no trace seem to be broken (checked continuity with a multimeter). I can send a pictures of the 2 faces of the PCB if someone can check if eveything is ok.
Tried Mario Kart (DSP1 chip), Starwing (Super FX chip), Yoshi's Island (because also Super FX) and Mario World (because cross-checking, has no chip) on my PAL SNES and MK3 Action Replay. Mario Kart won't start properly with the switch in the top position, which I believe enables codes, and when changing the setting to the top one in-game (tho I'm not sure if you're supposed to even do that, don't have the manual!), the game crashes immediately. Starwing doesn't seem to start at all through the PAR MK3, while Yoshi's Island seems to behave the same way Mario Kart does, i.e. it works with the switch in the bottom and middle positions, not the top, and crashes when it's changed to that one during the game. Mario World works fine with all settings, including cheat codes (tried infinite coins from BSFree, 7E0DBF63), and didn't crash when changing the switch position in-game. My educated guess would be that, while nominally compatible with special chip games, as rso pointed out, the PAR causes timing or bus access problems with the chips when you're playing such a game and you're trying to use cheats, i.e. have the PAR hook into the system to constantly poke the memory with your code's values?
Thanks a lot xdaniel, you confirm that it's happen to me. Strange that nobody says this on the web before. So we have exactly the same experience with the Action Replay MK3 cartridge. Super Mario World (cheats and normal) works perfectly too. Same issues here with Starwing,Super Mario Kart and Yoshi Island. Again thanks a lot =) So we can't do nothing ? It's a hardware issue If nothing can be done for the ARs to work with theses games, maybe i can use a import/backup save cartridge (Super ufo 8 ?) But maybe it will not works due of additionnal chips on theses ?
Games that feature additional hardware like Super FX may not like the AR using RAM cheats however you might be able to use ROM cheats (like Game Genie) and still be able to play. In order for RAM cheats to work the AR is likely hooking onto an interrupt to get the CPU to execute it's cheat/patching code to write the values you want to RAM. In many games this isn't a huge issue but games that are more timing sensitive which includes Super FX it could cause glitches or crashes. Super Mario Kart uses the DSP-1 chip and the AR could interfere with it or its timing. Again ROM type cheats may work. With a device like the Super UFO you will be unable to play games that use the Super FX. Some devices can play Super Mario Kart if they support DSP-1. Once again if you want to cheat you should try using ROM based patching codes such as Game Genie or PAR codes that don't start with 7E or 7F.
Some copiers are capable of reading and writing the battery backed SRAM in your cartridges. I'm not certain the Super UFO can but I think it might have an option in the menu somewhere. Super UFO copiers that have the DSP-1 installed in them can play Super Mario Kart when loaded as well.
Thanks. I was able to write a save on my Super Mario Kart cartrigde with the Super Ufo Pro 8 . Problem solved
