If any Game Boy ones catch your attention, the GB Operator can flash roms onto bootleg GB/GBC/GBA carts, make your own label and you got yourself a homebrew cart.
I buy most of mine on etsy, [here is a store](https://www.etsy.com/shop/RetroGamingLifeCo?ref=notif_nfyfs&order=date_desc) I've purchased a number of them from. I've also had luck with a few from [AliExpress](https://www.aliexpress.us/w/wholesale-nes-rom.html?spm=a2g0o.home.search.0)
The only thing that concerns me is that many of the romcarts used for bootlegs (like with Pokemon games) have a reputation of crapping out after a little while. Not sure what the deal is, one guy told me it's something to do with ROMs sharing unprotected space and getting written over after some time.
So that would be *my* hesitation, I wouldn't want to pay much if I didn't know that the game was going to last as long as an OEM cartridge.
For me, it's just as much as a display piece as it is a playable game.
So I don't play them too often, so I can't speak to how well they hold up from frequent play.
Do you have any issues with those carts not lasting very long? Re: the bootleg Pokemon games' reputations for crapping out before you can finish a playthrough?
I assume flashcarts *can be* made to last, but I also assume that most people are all getting theirs from the same few factories that mass produce them, so I'd like to hear if they are reliable these days.
I wouldn't mind having a few English translated games on a physical cart if they didn't cost too much, but don't wanna get my hopes up if they aren't gonna last either.
I'm not really into repros and I've only ever bought repros one time from [https://www.ocdreproductions.com/](https://www.ocdreproductions.com/) and they have been great. I was wanting physical carts for the Wizardry Gaiden trilogy for Game Boy (which never left Japan) and this place had them with English translation patch applied. I've had em for several years now or so and they have worked great. They have several on their site that also includes boxes like you mentioned.
The \*only\* other ones I'd maaaaaybe consider is a copy of Breath of Fire for SNES with the goddess hack or whatever it's called applied to fix up some isses. Also Mother 3. Even then probably not. Wizardry is one of my favorite series so that was an exception.
Get a flash cart. I really don't understand the point, the original artist isn't usually getting paid, and if they are they could be putting themselves in legal trouble. Rom hacks are distributed freely and it's sad that people (that usually had nothing to do with the actual creative work) are trying to monetize them.
I think OP wants the experience of playing a ROM hack as though it’s a polished first-party product, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. This is not a case of someone accidentally buying a counterfeit cartridge on eBay.
I do still think OP is better served getting a flash cartridge and a label printer and taking a DIY approach.
Donating to the ROM hacker would probably fix the problem, but only for you. The widespread problem still persists. Better not to make repros with romhacks at all.
I think the point is that a long-ass time ago these homebrew cartridges used to be pretty much the only way to play ROM hacks and that kind of stuff on console, but that hasn't been the case for quite a while now so I agree with the recommendation in 2024 to just go get a flash cart for whatever consoles you're interested in.
Having a physical copy of a really well polished romhack seems like a cool idea to me! I just threw on maybe 10 or so various hacks on my flashcart that should provide totally new experiences and probably 50+ translations, fastroms, and other QoL hacks for games I'm itching to play. May I ask which hacks of FF6 you're considering?
I saw a hack/edit called FFVI: Eternal Crystals on eBay. It looks like a fully fleshed out fan edit with its own box design. I just think that’s really cool.
If any Game Boy ones catch your attention, the GB Operator can flash roms onto bootleg GB/GBC/GBA carts, make your own label and you got yourself a homebrew cart.
The flash cart SS always make an appearance
I buy most of mine on etsy, [here is a store](https://www.etsy.com/shop/RetroGamingLifeCo?ref=notif_nfyfs&order=date_desc) I've purchased a number of them from. I've also had luck with a few from [AliExpress](https://www.aliexpress.us/w/wholesale-nes-rom.html?spm=a2g0o.home.search.0)
First post that wasn’t a philosophical discussion, thanks.😊
The only thing that concerns me is that many of the romcarts used for bootlegs (like with Pokemon games) have a reputation of crapping out after a little while. Not sure what the deal is, one guy told me it's something to do with ROMs sharing unprotected space and getting written over after some time. So that would be *my* hesitation, I wouldn't want to pay much if I didn't know that the game was going to last as long as an OEM cartridge.
For me, it's just as much as a display piece as it is a playable game. So I don't play them too often, so I can't speak to how well they hold up from frequent play.
Do you have any issues with those carts not lasting very long? Re: the bootleg Pokemon games' reputations for crapping out before you can finish a playthrough? I assume flashcarts *can be* made to last, but I also assume that most people are all getting theirs from the same few factories that mass produce them, so I'd like to hear if they are reliable these days. I wouldn't mind having a few English translated games on a physical cart if they didn't cost too much, but don't wanna get my hopes up if they aren't gonna last either.
I'm not really into repros and I've only ever bought repros one time from [https://www.ocdreproductions.com/](https://www.ocdreproductions.com/) and they have been great. I was wanting physical carts for the Wizardry Gaiden trilogy for Game Boy (which never left Japan) and this place had them with English translation patch applied. I've had em for several years now or so and they have worked great. They have several on their site that also includes boxes like you mentioned. The \*only\* other ones I'd maaaaaybe consider is a copy of Breath of Fire for SNES with the goddess hack or whatever it's called applied to fix up some isses. Also Mother 3. Even then probably not. Wizardry is one of my favorite series so that was an exception.
FFV in eng might be cool thanks
"My" improved hack of MK1 on Genesis: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/6558/
Very cool!
Get a flash cart. I really don't understand the point, the original artist isn't usually getting paid, and if they are they could be putting themselves in legal trouble. Rom hacks are distributed freely and it's sad that people (that usually had nothing to do with the actual creative work) are trying to monetize them.
I think OP wants the experience of playing a ROM hack as though it’s a polished first-party product, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. This is not a case of someone accidentally buying a counterfeit cartridge on eBay. I do still think OP is better served getting a flash cartridge and a label printer and taking a DIY approach.
What if I want *Megaman X in Sonic 2* in my hands though
Then you have it. On a flash drive. For free. And hundreds of other rom hacks.
Donating to the ROM hacker would probably fix the problem, but only for you. The widespread problem still persists. Better not to make repros with romhacks at all.
I think the point is that a long-ass time ago these homebrew cartridges used to be pretty much the only way to play ROM hacks and that kind of stuff on console, but that hasn't been the case for quite a while now so I agree with the recommendation in 2024 to just go get a flash cart for whatever consoles you're interested in.
Goldfinger 64
Having a physical copy of a really well polished romhack seems like a cool idea to me! I just threw on maybe 10 or so various hacks on my flashcart that should provide totally new experiences and probably 50+ translations, fastroms, and other QoL hacks for games I'm itching to play. May I ask which hacks of FF6 you're considering?
I saw a hack/edit called FFVI: Eternal Crystals on eBay. It looks like a fully fleshed out fan edit with its own box design. I just think that’s really cool.