question about gyromite + 'gyro' / robot block (US vs. JP)

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bucky o'hare
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question about gyromite + 'gyro' / robot block (US vs. JP)

Post by bucky o'hare »

I was under the impression that the reason some carts housed the internal Famicom -> NES adaptor is because the JP versions were overproduced and it was cheaper to build adaptors than build completely new boards. And subsequently, I thought the JP and US versions had to be the exact same game.

Taking a look at the NSF, however (found here and here), I hear jingles I don't recognize, and I can't find the main stage theme. Is the US version unripped? Or are the games actually the same and the nsf is simply incomplete?
bucky o'hare
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Post by bucky o'hare »

Ah, nevermind, someone found it here-
http://www.zophar.net/music/nsf/gyromite.html

The last place I expected to find a missing NSF. :P
It appears the other nsf is stack up, and it's just mislabeled.
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NESter
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Post by NESter »

Was Stack-Up ever released in the US? It's pictured on an old Fun Club/Nintendo Power poster of mine along with Gyromite, but despite how common that game is, I've never come across Stack-Up.
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BMF54123
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Post by BMF54123 »

A cousin of mine has a copy, so I'm assuming it was released here. :P
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NESter
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Post by NESter »

BMF54123 wrote:A cousin of mine has a copy, so I'm assuming it was released here. :P
Cool. I should have thought just searching for it on eBay, though, heh. :oops: It only took me a few seconds to find an NES copy of the game. Thanks anyway!
bucky o'hare
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Post by bucky o'hare »

NESter wrote:Was Stack-Up ever released in the US? It's pictured on an old Fun Club/Nintendo Power poster of mine along with Gyromite, but despite how common that game is, I've never come across Stack-Up.
Same here, Stack Up has to be far fewer in numbers than Gyromite.
Or we both had really bad luck! I'm under the impression Stack Up isn't all that rare if you're tying to get it specifically, but when I was collecting NES games and worked up a collection of 200~ carts over a couple years, I never saw nor got my hands on Stack Up. And I saw Gyromite countless times.
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Memblers
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Post by Memblers »

It seems pretty rare, I've never seen a cartridge of it in person. I do remember years ago seeing collectors pay craploads for sealed copies of it though (pretty weird box size too, since it has all the needed accessories).

Not surprising it's so rare, it had to be purchased separately. My first NES came with R.O.B. and Gyromite, and if I had known Stack-Up was available I'm sure I would not have gotten it. :P
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NESter
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Post by NESter »

bucky o'hare wrote:
NESter wrote:Was Stack-Up ever released in the US? It's pictured on an old Fun Club/Nintendo Power poster of mine along with Gyromite, but despite how common that game is, I've never come across Stack-Up.
Same here, Stack Up has to be far fewer in numbers than Gyromite.
Or we both had really bad luck! I'm under the impression Stack Up isn't all that rare if you're tying to get it specifically, but when I was collecting NES games and worked up a collection of 200~ carts over a couple years, I never saw nor got my hands on Stack Up. And I saw Gyromite countless times.
This might seem like a dumb question, but if Gyromite and Stack-Up were released during same period, do you think certain copies of Stack-Up might have a famicom adapter in it as well (not that I've ever found one in a Gyromite cart)?
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Memblers
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Post by Memblers »

NESter wrote: This might seem like a dumb question, but if Gyromite and Stack-Up were released during same period, do you think certain copies of Stack-Up might have a famicom adapter in it as well (not that I've ever found one in a Gyromite cart)?
Yeah, I'm sure they would. IIRC, I remember hearing someone say that Stack-Up is a sure bet to find one of those adapters (don't know if I would count on that though). Thing is, you could probably sell it for the cost of 10 Gyromite carts and end up with maybe a couple adapters, heheh.
bucky o'hare
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Post by bucky o'hare »

Memblers wrote:
NESter wrote: This might seem like a dumb question, but if Gyromite and Stack-Up were released during same period, do you think certain copies of Stack-Up might have a famicom adapter in it as well (not that I've ever found one in a Gyromite cart)?
Yeah, I'm sure they would. IIRC, I remember hearing someone say that Stack-Up is a sure bet to find one of those adapters (don't know if I would count on that though). Thing is, you could probably sell it for the cost of 10 Gyromite carts and end up with maybe a couple adapters, heheh.
That's what I've heard too. That might add to the difficulty in finding stack-up, people treated it as a safe bet for grabbing that adapter.

Those weren't the only two games with the adapter either.
http://www.classicplastic.net/dvgi/edit ... nvert.html

There's actually a pretty set criteria for finding out if a game has the adapter before you open it-
-An early release Nintendo published game, "black box" titles such as Gyromite, Duck Hunt, Pinball, etc.
-A five screw shell, using standard flathead screws.
-The little assembly fingers on the edges of the connectors will be over to the side, rather than in the center.

Image

See the little tabs or "fingers" off to the side? Supposedly if you meet all 3 criteria it is a guarantee. Don't know if it *has to* meet all of them, however.
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Post by 67726e »

See the little tabs or "fingers" off to the side? Supposedly if you meet all 3 criteria it is a guarantee. Don't know if it *has to* meet all of them, however.
The best way to tell if it is an adapter cartridge is to pick it up. It is heavier than a standard NROM board game and you can tell the difference. I have found 3 cartridges by this method and I have never been wrong (although having an NROM game with you can help for comparison of weight.)
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NESter
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Post by NESter »

Memblers wrote: Thing is, you could probably sell it for the cost of 10 Gyromite carts and end up with maybe a couple adapters, heheh.
I had no idea Stack-Up was that rare! I just assumed that I wasn't looking hard enough all these years.

bucky o'hare wrote: -A five screw shell, using standard flathead screws.
Yeah, my Gyromite copy has five flathead screws. No adapter, though. :(
I'm not sure if any of my games meet the other criteria, but I'll check. Thanks for the info! :)
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locke_gb7
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RE: Gyromite

Post by locke_gb7 »

NESter wrote:
Memblers wrote: Thing is, you could probably sell it for the cost of 10 Gyromite carts and end up with maybe a couple adapters, heheh.
I had no idea Stack-Up was that rare! I just assumed that I wasn't looking hard enough all these years.

bucky o'hare wrote: -A five screw shell, using standard flathead screws.
Yeah, my Gyromite copy has five flathead screws. No adapter, though. :(
I'm not sure if any of my games meet the other criteria, but I'll check. Thanks for the info! :)



You are right the Zophar one has two more tracks. Actually i got the right NSF btu it was missing two tracks apparently, got it from Knurek's Archive
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