Neo SNES Myth cart review by Kuroiso

[kuroiso]

Neo SNES Myth cart review by Kuroiso:

The cart:

Inside the box (with the same model that the flash of Neo MD and Neo N64) we find the Super NES cart in black color, a 256 Mb GBA cart size memory card (also compatible with this one and MD and N64 models) that surely will be of 512Mb in the final product, an USB cable and a CD with drivers.






In Internet it is possible to find an updated version of the software (3.01) to burn the games to the cart and also of the drivers.
You only need to connect to Neoflash's web page and download it.
The software is very intuitive (it's the same that uses the Neo Myth MD and N64). If we have the Neo MD or N64 flash cart, this one works in the same way: drag the game to the list and press Burn. There is no need to select the save type, the software will choose it automatically, if needed. If it is the first time we use the cart, we should format it before we use it.





The cart has a very elegant aspect, with a light of functioning and the entry for the memory card in the front, the cable USB entry and a button with two positions (with no function at this time) in the part of above and an entry to insert a Super NES cart in the behind. In order to start the flash, it needs that we have an original cart put in this entry. It can be anyone from our console region. The menu in the console is like the MD one, with blue background and every button has a different function. We can choose the game with up and down buttons, and load it with the B button.The cart is multiregion. If we have a Japanese, European or American console, we can put a game of the same region of the console to boot the cart.







If we want to play games that have an special chip (Super Mario Kart who have a DSP-1 chip or others) we will need a cart with the same chip in order to load this game.
In Wikipedia we can find the games that have a special chip inside:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips

It includes a 256 Mb card (perhaps a 512Mb (64MB) in the final product). In this card is possible to put a los of games of the Super Nes system. To extend the space for games, there exists an adapter of SD cards that we can buy separately.

The compatibility is excellent: all the European games that I have tried, and that do not need a special chip, have worked as the original one (with the Super Mario Kart with the DSP-1 chip I have started the same game). Even the software has choosen the save type of every game automatically. If we want to play games from other regions, we need to patch them.






My opinion:

Neo SNES myth cart is an excellent flash cart, compatible with practically all the games from the same region of the console I have tried and all the type of saves that the software selects automatically. Some special chip games need a game with the same chip in order to run. The Neo Myth SNES has all the necessary to be the best SNES flash cart in the market, even better than the SNES Powerflash or the Tototek one, that needs a printer port to connect the cart. The Neo SNES Myth cart is easily connected through the USB cable and the games can be burned without problems. In addition, Neo SNES cart has a software that is updated every little time, compatible with all the Neo carts and supported by experts coders. This cart is a perfect option to enjoy the Super NES and take advantage of his great catalogue of games (if you own them, of course).


Advantages:

- Very easy to use software and menu.
- Excellent compatibility.
- The cart supports all save types and the software select them automatically.

Disadvantages:

- Games that use special chips need a game that includes the same chip.
- The software does not have an option to patch the games region yet.


Tested games:

Good Set (v2.04):


Games tested with Super Mario World:

-Captain Commando (E) [!] - Perfect
-Donkey Kong Country (E) (V1.0) [!] - Perfect
-Final Fight (E) - Perfect
-Final Fight 2 (E) - Perfect
-Final Fight 3 (E) - Perfect
-Final Fight Guy (U) - Region problem
-F-Zero (E) [!] - Perfect
-Killer Instinct (E) [!] - Perfect
-Krusty's Super Fun House (E) - Perfect
-International Superstar Soccer Deluxe (E) - Perfect
-Illusion Of Time (E) - Perfect
-Knights Of The Round (U) - Region problem
-Marvel Super Heroes - War of the Gems (E) - Perfect
-Ranma Nibunnoichi (E) - Perfect
-Ranma Nibunnoichi - Gu Choki Ougi Jaanken (J) - Perfect
-Rival Turf (E) - Perfect
-Robocop Versus The Terminator (E) - Perfect
-R-Type III - The Third Lightning (E) [!] - Perfect
-Star Ocean (J) [!] -  Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Stunt Race FX (E) [!] -  Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Super Mario All Stars (E) [!] - Perfect
-Super Mario Kart (E) [!] -  Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Super Mario World (E) (V1.1) [!] - Perfect
-Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi´s Island (E) (M3) -  Doesn't work: Black Screen
-TMNT IV - Turtles In Time (E) - Perfect


Games tested with Super Mario Kart:

-Captain Commando (E) [!] - Perfect
-Donkey Kong Country (E) (V1.0) [!] - Perfect
-Final Fight (E) - Perfect
-Final Fight 2 (E) - Perfect
-Final Fight 3 (E) - Perfect
-Final Fight Guy (U) - Region problem
-F-Zero (E) [!] - Perfect
-Killer Instinct (E) [!] - Perfect
-Krusty's Super Fun House (E) - Perfect
-International Superstar Soccer Deluxe (E) - Perfect
-Illusion Of Time (E) - Perfect
-Knights Of The Round (U) - Region problem
-Marvel Super Heroes - War of the Gems (E) - Perfect
-Ranma Nibunnoichi (E) - Perfect
-Ranma Nibunnoichi - Gu Choki Ougi Jaanken (J) - Perfect
-Rival Turf (E) - Perfect
-Robocop Versus The Terminator (E) - Perfect
-R-Type III - The Third Lightning (E) [!] - Perfect
-Star Ocean (J) [!] -  Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Stunt Race FX (E) [!] -  Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Super Mario All Stars (E) [!] - Perfect
-Super Mario Kart (E) [!] -  Perfect
-Super Mario World (E) (V1.1) [!] - Perfect
-Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi´s Island (E) (M3) -  Doesn't work: Black Screen
-TMNT IV - Turtles In Time (E) - Perfect


No-Intro 20091111:


FX chip games tested with Stunt Race FX:

-Dirt Racer (Europe) (En,Fr,De) - Error screen
-Dirt Trax FX (USA) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Doom (Europe) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Star Fox 2 (Japan) (Proto) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Starwing (Europe) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Starwing (Europe) (Rev 1) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Stunt Race FX (Europe) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi's Island (Europe) (En,Fr,De) (Rev 1) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi's Island (Europe) (En,Fr,De) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Vortex (Europe) (En,Es) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Winter Gold (Europe) - Doesn't work: Green Screen

Other chip games tested with Stunt Race FX:

-Megaman X2 (Europe) - Error Screen - Then the game starts but freezes after intro
-Megaman X3 (Europe) - Error Screen - Then the game starts but freezes after intro
-Super Mario Kart (Europe) - Works but with graphics problems (track is completely green)


DSP-1 chip games tested With Super Mario Kart:

-Bike Daisuki! Hashiriya Tamashii (Japan) - Perfect
-Final Stretch (Japan) - Perfect
-Lock On (USA) - Perfect
-Michael Andretti's IndyCar Challenge (Japan) - Perfect
-Pilotwings (Europe) - Perfect
-Super Air Diver (Europe) - Perfect
-Super Air Diver 2 (Japan) - Perfect
-Super 3D Baseball (Japan) - Perfect
-Super Bases Loaded II (USA) - Perfect
-Super F1 Circus Gaiden (Japan) - Perfect
-Suzuka 8 Hours (Japan) - Perfect
-Super Mario Kart (Europe) - Perfect

-DSP-1A: Ace o Nerae! (Japan) - Perfect
-DSP-1B: Ballz 3D (USA) - Perfect
-DSP-2: Dungeon Master (Europe) - Perfect
-DSP-3: SD Gundam GX (Japan) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-DSP-4: Top Gear 3000 (Europe) - Doesn't work: Black Screen

Other chip games tested With Super Mario Kart:

-Megaman X2 (Europe) - Error Screen - Then the game starts but freezes after intro
-Megaman X3 (Europe) - Error Screen - Then the game starts but freezes after intro
-Metal Combat - Falcon's Revenge (Europe) - Perfect
-Star Ocean (Japan) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Europe) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Stunt Race FX (Europe) - Doesn't work: Black Screen
-Super Mario RPG - Legend of the Seven Stars (USA) - Doesn't work: Black Screen


I hope this review will help you to choose this wonderful cart. And sorry if it has errors and for my english  

[amptor]

Interesting review, but you only tested with Mario Kart.  I have a box in my closet with every NTSC/U game containing the special chips (SA-1, SDD-1, FX, Capcom chips, etc) and could test the cart with them all but he sends reviewers without appropriate hardware to do reviews I guess   I'm assuming though that since it was only reviewed with a common DSP1 cart that quite possibly the final product only supports DSP1 much like a standard backup unit.  Was hoping for something a little more interesting but everyone has known for a long time that such a backup device will never exist.

[kuroiso]

As I posted in other topic, I have the Stunt Race FX PAL cart as well and I have tested the same games with this cart and FX games too, but I haven´t add this to the review yet. (Now they are added to the list). To be a tester for this cart Dr.neo only wanted to know if we have a DSP cart, he didn't talk about FX or SA-1 carts. And this review could be modified every time I test new games.

[amptor]

I'm guessing that it works like the older copiers, where for example you need Megaman X2 plugged in to run Megaman X2 and that one won't work with Megaman X3.  Ah well it was easy enough to collect up all those carts   I kinda wonder why Nintendo doesn't use these examples as a way to protect their current handheld system.  Maybe it draws too much power.

[stefan_iro]

Hi amptor!

I also got a test kit for the SNES Neo Myth cart and I can confirm that you can´t play Mega Man X3 (Capcom C4 chip) with Mega Man X2 plugged into the back of the Myth cart.
I have a lot of special chip games in my room and up to now only DSP-1 games are supported (like in the Super Wild Card days...). Even DSP-3 and DSP-4 are not working.

Anyway, nice review kuroiso!

[FloBo]

I kinda wonder why Nintendo doesn't use these examples as a way to protect their current handheld system.  Maybe it draws too much power.

Well, back in the old days, the special chips were used to extend the limited capabilities of the base console system. For example rotating sprites wasn't possible on the SNES alone. Yet using the SuperFX chip, sprite rotation was just regular business (see Yoshis Island).
Todays handhelds have so much computing power that it is just not necessary anymore. Besides building cartridges with special chips is alot more expensive than building standard ones with just some flash and rom.
Think about it this way: the later games which used the SA-1 for example nearly contained a second SNES with higher specs in the cartridge. This just doesn't make sense from todays point of view. Back in the old days Nintendo had to perform such stunts in order to compete with the strong Playstation as their Nintendo64 was delayed multiple times in a row...

Ahh, the good old days... should stop talking like a waterfall

[amptor]

Well I still don't get why he has so many black screen issues with common games, some of them are NTSC/U that always worked fine on emulator and super wildcard among well every other copier.  Kind of makes the unit look bad to someone who has used a copier before but doesn't know much about this stuff.

Knights of the Round (U) and Final Fight Guy (U) are not special games at all, they should work.

I own PAL and NTSC snes systems and could have tested all sorts of things lol.  If this guy has all the hardware and complete goodsnes set, he should easily find working roms as long as they aren't using special chips as said.   But then again, those two in particular didn't need a crack unless you need to run it through a tool to allow them to work on a PAL system.

And yeah I know the special chips were there to add more capabilities.  Anti piracy protection was just a side effect to it.

[mic_]

Well I still don't get why he has so many black screen issues with common games, some of them are NTSC/U that always worked fine on emulator

Knights of the Round (U) and Final Fight Guy (U) are not special games at all, they should work.

Maybe he has a PAL SNES without a 60 Hz mod? Final Fight Guy for example has software region protection and needs to be patched with SNESTool if you want to run it on a PAL SNES. Same thing with some Konami games (Dracula X, Gokujou Parodius, Chibi Maruko-chan Mezase Minami no Island etc), and probably many others.

[kuroiso]

As mic_ said, I have a PAL SNES without a 60Hz mod. This two NTSC/U games (Knights of the Round and Final Fight Guy) run, but I get a region problem screen ("This game is for NTSC systems...").
In order to load this NTSC/U games with region protection in a PAL SNES, you have to patch them.

[~tak]

@amptor

btw, I notice the same behavior also for some PAL games on a NTSC-J console without 50/60Hz and CIC Lockout switch. After patching them = no issue to play them on my SFC. This is not just a NEO Myth issue, it's a quite well known problem for region protected games. emulators have another behavior than real hardware. even on the good oldschool copystation you had to fix some games before playing 'em.

just to make clear that this is not just an issue of playing NTSC ROMs on a PAL system it's also vice-versa

 

[amptor]

Maybe he has a PAL SNES without a 60 Hz mod? Final Fight Guy for example has software region protection and needs to be patched with SNESTool if you want to run it on a PAL SNES. Same thing with some Konami games (Dracula X, Gokujou Parodius, Chibi Maruko-chan Mezase Minami no Island etc), and probably many others.

Hmm yeah, but shouldn't it be posted before and after patching?   I guess one could assume from this that the cart itself doesn't have built in region patching available which would make sense because usually these types of devices require the CIC for the region of deck it is plugged into.  I have a PAL snes too, brand new and tested once but I haven't been using it so of course I haven't run into NTSC issues besides a few Japan titles in the past.  And after resolving my SWC DX floppy issue which was basically a kernel issue of the o/s, haven't had any problems running games any more at all.

[mic_]

Well, eventually I think a plugin should be developed for the NEO2 Ultra Menu that can check for software region checks in SNES ROMs and patch them the same way SNESTool does.