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Now that Datel's highly-anticipated FreeLoader disc is now available over here, to us as European gamers, a whole new world is open to us with our Nintendo GameCube gaming. Whether you have the Action Replay disc and all-those-cheats, or not, playing import games from Japan and the US, in this country, is now a problem of a past - even with a PAL console. So, as soon as the latest big-name title arrives in America, after selling-out in Japan, you can grab yourself a copy, through your local on-line, or even local, importer.
Importing has never been easier (with Nintendo games, anyway)!
So as far as waiting upto 6-months-longer than the Americans for the likes of Metroid Prime (which is FINALLY released tommorow!), or SEGA's Super Monkey Ball 2 (which rolled-along last-Friday), you can just spend a-little-extra on import costs, to get the game MUCH-sooner than all your mates without FreeLoaders.
In short, we will never "have" to wait 6-months for a PAL-conversion, ever again!!
(Plus, we're now also able to get some of those titles that will never see the light-of-day in Europe - like Animal Crossing.)
But what kind of effect will Datel and their FreeLoader disc have on the future?
Well, providing we have no further problems with version 1.06 regarding future-GameCube-games (like some did with version 1.01), then it seems like there will barely be a GameCube owner out-there, who's 'in-the-know', without either their FreeLoader disc on its own, or the Action Replay pack, together.
There always has been - and I'm sure always will be - every reason to import Nintendo games from abroad, when you look at how long we've had to wait, in the past, for the latest titles from some of Nintendo's top-franchises - just look at what happened to Zelda: `Ocarina of Time`, and how it got set-back, time-and-time-again!
How could anyone 'seriously' be happy waiting all-that-time for the PAL conversions, when an American import could be less-than-a-week-away?!?
So imagine it all in the near-future, perhaps only a year-or-two away from now, when Nintendo are - and have-been - pumping-out the likes of Mario Kart, and sequels to `The Wind Waker` and 'SunShine, while we Europeans are still having to wait an eternity just to get a taste of what the Japanese have already done-and-dusted...
By then, it may well be the case that almost every-last-Nintendo GameCube-owner has turned to importing games, instead of waiting for their European releases - especially when you just look at some of the prices you can find for NTSC games on the 'net! And with "everyone's" 'Cube games flying-in from abroad, and nowhere else, we could quite easily see a huge drop in the already-dissapointing sales figures of all-GameCube-games, in general. Third-party games tend to sell badly-enough on the GameCube, as it is, right now. And with that, we've already seen the likes of Rare and Codemasters deny us their support, just because of how things could be.
Just imagine how low the sales of even a ultra-realistic-looking Nintendo follow-up in the Zelda series, to `The Wind Waker` could be, in Europe, with almost every gamer with even slightest-bit of common sense in their heads having already imported that same game from the USA, 2-or-3-months-ago...!
So you can, already, see how my concern is beginning to grow over the future of Nintendo GameCube game-sales, in Europe, with the FreeLoader around.
If you think Nintendo's treatment of Europe is bad-enough, already... - just think how much worse it could get, if our attention did turn to importing from abroad, thanks to th FreeLoader....
And what if Datel were to produce similar discs for the PlayStation2 and X-Box; allowing others gamers than just GameCube-owners the oppurtunity to play import games, first, without having to "illegally" get their console "chipped", or 'modified'...
This could become a serious issue, with only a few years!! And European gaming could suffer from it all - badly.
Unless, of course, Nintendo and co. can find a way to speed-up the conversions of their latest 'hits' from PAL-to-NTSC form, without leaving us European gamers with months of 'nothingness', where we all start to lose-faith in our beloved companies, like the "Big N" (or decide to turn to importing...).
Datel's FreeLoader/Action Replay disc may seem like just the kind of thing we've been waiting for, to save us from the torment of waiting several-months-on-end, but just think of how it could change things, in the future of gaming.
What are your opinions on this?
Are you one of those "import-mad" gamers who will do anything possible to get their hands on the goodies, first, before anyone else??
Importing has never been easier (with Nintendo games, anyway)!
So as far as waiting upto 6-months-longer than the Americans for the likes of Metroid Prime (which is FINALLY released tommorow!), or SEGA's Super Monkey Ball 2 (which rolled-along last-Friday), you can just spend a-little-extra on import costs, to get the game MUCH-sooner than all your mates without FreeLoaders.
In short, we will never "have" to wait 6-months for a PAL-conversion, ever again!!
(Plus, we're now also able to get some of those titles that will never see the light-of-day in Europe - like Animal Crossing.)
But what kind of effect will Datel and their FreeLoader disc have on the future?
Well, providing we have no further problems with version 1.06 regarding future-GameCube-games (like some did with version 1.01), then it seems like there will barely be a GameCube owner out-there, who's 'in-the-know', without either their FreeLoader disc on its own, or the Action Replay pack, together.
There always has been - and I'm sure always will be - every reason to import Nintendo games from abroad, when you look at how long we've had to wait, in the past, for the latest titles from some of Nintendo's top-franchises - just look at what happened to Zelda: `Ocarina of Time`, and how it got set-back, time-and-time-again!
How could anyone 'seriously' be happy waiting all-that-time for the PAL conversions, when an American import could be less-than-a-week-away?!?
So imagine it all in the near-future, perhaps only a year-or-two away from now, when Nintendo are - and have-been - pumping-out the likes of Mario Kart, and sequels to `The Wind Waker` and 'SunShine, while we Europeans are still having to wait an eternity just to get a taste of what the Japanese have already done-and-dusted...
By then, it may well be the case that almost every-last-Nintendo GameCube-owner has turned to importing games, instead of waiting for their European releases - especially when you just look at some of the prices you can find for NTSC games on the 'net! And with "everyone's" 'Cube games flying-in from abroad, and nowhere else, we could quite easily see a huge drop in the already-dissapointing sales figures of all-GameCube-games, in general. Third-party games tend to sell badly-enough on the GameCube, as it is, right now. And with that, we've already seen the likes of Rare and Codemasters deny us their support, just because of how things could be.
Just imagine how low the sales of even a ultra-realistic-looking Nintendo follow-up in the Zelda series, to `The Wind Waker` could be, in Europe, with almost every gamer with even slightest-bit of common sense in their heads having already imported that same game from the USA, 2-or-3-months-ago...!
So you can, already, see how my concern is beginning to grow over the future of Nintendo GameCube game-sales, in Europe, with the FreeLoader around.
If you think Nintendo's treatment of Europe is bad-enough, already... - just think how much worse it could get, if our attention did turn to importing from abroad, thanks to th FreeLoader....
And what if Datel were to produce similar discs for the PlayStation2 and X-Box; allowing others gamers than just GameCube-owners the oppurtunity to play import games, first, without having to "illegally" get their console "chipped", or 'modified'...
This could become a serious issue, with only a few years!! And European gaming could suffer from it all - badly.
Unless, of course, Nintendo and co. can find a way to speed-up the conversions of their latest 'hits' from PAL-to-NTSC form, without leaving us European gamers with months of 'nothingness', where we all start to lose-faith in our beloved companies, like the "Big N" (or decide to turn to importing...).
Datel's FreeLoader/Action Replay disc may seem like just the kind of thing we've been waiting for, to save us from the torment of waiting several-months-on-end, but just think of how it could change things, in the future of gaming.
What are your opinions on this?
Are you one of those "import-mad" gamers who will do anything possible to get their hands on the goodies, first, before anyone else??
I'm going to get a FreeLoader for when 'Ultimate Muscle' comes out in the US, other than that, I tend to just get PAL games. (Ultimate Muscle is a crazy wrestling game based on those old pink M.U.S.C.L.E toys from the 80's, it looks pretty darn fun, and its made by AKI, the guys responsible for the N64 WCW titles).
Even though I have the means of playing import games, I'm not sure if I'll actually bother.
There are way too many games that I want coming out soon, and to have even more choice in America would just overwhelm me with a load of unplayed games sitting in my collection.
There are way too many games that I want coming out soon, and to have even more choice in America would just overwhelm me with a load of unplayed games sitting in my collection.
Nice post ;) good read.
uuh. well i got AR last week. i havent ordered an import game yet. dont know when i will really. I totally agree with you. It is great to have such an efficient way to play games there are in effect 'not meant to be here' yet.
jc
uuh. well i got AR last week. i havent ordered an import game yet. dont know when i will really. I totally agree with you. It is great to have such an efficient way to play games there are in effect 'not meant to be here' yet.
jc
wkrs is meant to say works - bl**dy keyboard and fingers
Last week I spent £40 on a flip top lid and boot disc for my PS2 just to play imports, glad to say it wkrs great every time. Also ordered Bomberman Kart for £17, that has never been released outside of Japan. So in my opinion Freeloader is a bargain, I was quite happy to spend £40 and 1 hour of my time fitting new case (bye bye warranty). I get USA PS2 Imports for £44.99 inc recorded delivery 5 days after release in US so can't even complain about the price and delivery.
Now that Datel's highly-anticipated FreeLoader disc is now available over here, to us as European gamers, a whole new world is open to us with our Nintendo GameCube gaming. Whether you have the Action Replay disc and all-those-cheats, or not, playing import games from Japan and the US, in this country, is now a problem of a past - even with a PAL console. So, as soon as the latest big-name title arrives in America, after selling-out in Japan, you can grab yourself a copy, through your local on-line, or even local, importer.
Importing has never been easier (with Nintendo games, anyway)!
So as far as waiting upto 6-months-longer than the Americans for the likes of Metroid Prime (which is FINALLY released tommorow!), or SEGA's Super Monkey Ball 2 (which rolled-along last-Friday), you can just spend a-little-extra on import costs, to get the game MUCH-sooner than all your mates without FreeLoaders.
In short, we will never "have" to wait 6-months for a PAL-conversion, ever again!!
(Plus, we're now also able to get some of those titles that will never see the light-of-day in Europe - like Animal Crossing.)
But what kind of effect will Datel and their FreeLoader disc have on the future?
Well, providing we have no further problems with version 1.06 regarding future-GameCube-games (like some did with version 1.01), then it seems like there will barely be a GameCube owner out-there, who's 'in-the-know', without either their FreeLoader disc on its own, or the Action Replay pack, together.
There always has been - and I'm sure always will be - every reason to import Nintendo games from abroad, when you look at how long we've had to wait, in the past, for the latest titles from some of Nintendo's top-franchises - just look at what happened to Zelda: `Ocarina of Time`, and how it got set-back, time-and-time-again!
How could anyone 'seriously' be happy waiting all-that-time for the PAL conversions, when an American import could be less-than-a-week-away?!?
So imagine it all in the near-future, perhaps only a year-or-two away from now, when Nintendo are - and have-been - pumping-out the likes of Mario Kart, and sequels to `The Wind Waker` and 'SunShine, while we Europeans are still having to wait an eternity just to get a taste of what the Japanese have already done-and-dusted...
By then, it may well be the case that almost every-last-Nintendo GameCube-owner has turned to importing games, instead of waiting for their European releases - especially when you just look at some of the prices you can find for NTSC games on the 'net! And with "everyone's" 'Cube games flying-in from abroad, and nowhere else, we could quite easily see a huge drop in the already-dissapointing sales figures of all-GameCube-games, in general. Third-party games tend to sell badly-enough on the GameCube, as it is, right now. And with that, we've already seen the likes of Rare and Codemasters deny us their support, just because of how things could be.
Just imagine how low the sales of even a ultra-realistic-looking Nintendo follow-up in the Zelda series, to `The Wind Waker` could be, in Europe, with almost every gamer with even slightest-bit of common sense in their heads having already imported that same game from the USA, 2-or-3-months-ago...!
So you can, already, see how my concern is beginning to grow over the future of Nintendo GameCube game-sales, in Europe, with the FreeLoader around.
If you think Nintendo's treatment of Europe is bad-enough, already... - just think how much worse it could get, if our attention did turn to importing from abroad, thanks to th FreeLoader....
And what if Datel were to produce similar discs for the PlayStation2 and X-Box; allowing others gamers than just GameCube-owners the oppurtunity to play import games, first, without having to "illegally" get their console "chipped", or 'modified'...
This could become a serious issue, with only a few years!! And European gaming could suffer from it all - badly.
Unless, of course, Nintendo and co. can find a way to speed-up the conversions of their latest 'hits' from PAL-to-NTSC form, without leaving us European gamers with months of 'nothingness', where we all start to lose-faith in our beloved companies, like the "Big N" (or decide to turn to importing...).
Datel's FreeLoader/Action Replay disc may seem like just the kind of thing we've been waiting for, to save us from the torment of waiting several-months-on-end, but just think of how it could change things, in the future of gaming.
What are your opinions on this?
Are you one of those "import-mad" gamers who will do anything possible to get their hands on the goodies, first, before anyone else??
Importing has never been easier (with Nintendo games, anyway)!
So as far as waiting upto 6-months-longer than the Americans for the likes of Metroid Prime (which is FINALLY released tommorow!), or SEGA's Super Monkey Ball 2 (which rolled-along last-Friday), you can just spend a-little-extra on import costs, to get the game MUCH-sooner than all your mates without FreeLoaders.
In short, we will never "have" to wait 6-months for a PAL-conversion, ever again!!
(Plus, we're now also able to get some of those titles that will never see the light-of-day in Europe - like Animal Crossing.)
But what kind of effect will Datel and their FreeLoader disc have on the future?
Well, providing we have no further problems with version 1.06 regarding future-GameCube-games (like some did with version 1.01), then it seems like there will barely be a GameCube owner out-there, who's 'in-the-know', without either their FreeLoader disc on its own, or the Action Replay pack, together.
There always has been - and I'm sure always will be - every reason to import Nintendo games from abroad, when you look at how long we've had to wait, in the past, for the latest titles from some of Nintendo's top-franchises - just look at what happened to Zelda: `Ocarina of Time`, and how it got set-back, time-and-time-again!
How could anyone 'seriously' be happy waiting all-that-time for the PAL conversions, when an American import could be less-than-a-week-away?!?
So imagine it all in the near-future, perhaps only a year-or-two away from now, when Nintendo are - and have-been - pumping-out the likes of Mario Kart, and sequels to `The Wind Waker` and 'SunShine, while we Europeans are still having to wait an eternity just to get a taste of what the Japanese have already done-and-dusted...
By then, it may well be the case that almost every-last-Nintendo GameCube-owner has turned to importing games, instead of waiting for their European releases - especially when you just look at some of the prices you can find for NTSC games on the 'net! And with "everyone's" 'Cube games flying-in from abroad, and nowhere else, we could quite easily see a huge drop in the already-dissapointing sales figures of all-GameCube-games, in general. Third-party games tend to sell badly-enough on the GameCube, as it is, right now. And with that, we've already seen the likes of Rare and Codemasters deny us their support, just because of how things could be.
Just imagine how low the sales of even a ultra-realistic-looking Nintendo follow-up in the Zelda series, to `The Wind Waker` could be, in Europe, with almost every gamer with even slightest-bit of common sense in their heads having already imported that same game from the USA, 2-or-3-months-ago...!
So you can, already, see how my concern is beginning to grow over the future of Nintendo GameCube game-sales, in Europe, with the FreeLoader around.
If you think Nintendo's treatment of Europe is bad-enough, already... - just think how much worse it could get, if our attention did turn to importing from abroad, thanks to th FreeLoader....
And what if Datel were to produce similar discs for the PlayStation2 and X-Box; allowing others gamers than just GameCube-owners the oppurtunity to play import games, first, without having to "illegally" get their console "chipped", or 'modified'...
This could become a serious issue, with only a few years!! And European gaming could suffer from it all - badly.
Unless, of course, Nintendo and co. can find a way to speed-up the conversions of their latest 'hits' from PAL-to-NTSC form, without leaving us European gamers with months of 'nothingness', where we all start to lose-faith in our beloved companies, like the "Big N" (or decide to turn to importing...).
Datel's FreeLoader/Action Replay disc may seem like just the kind of thing we've been waiting for, to save us from the torment of waiting several-months-on-end, but just think of how it could change things, in the future of gaming.
What are your opinions on this?
Are you one of those "import-mad" gamers who will do anything possible to get their hands on the goodies, first, before anyone else??