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Global Defense Force on a US PS2
Bionic Monkey
Registered User, ClubPA regular
Registered User, ClubPA regular
I'm getting kinda sick waiting for a sequel to Earth Defense Force 2017, and have decided to look backwards. Global Defense Force came out in Japan and Europe but I only have a US PS2. I'm looking for the easiest way to legally play this game.
Am I stuck with getting a PAL PS2? And if so, will that even play on a US HDTV?
Am I stuck with getting a PAL PS2? And if so, will that even play on a US HDTV?
Bionic Monkey on
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I may be wrong but I think for playing any kind of import you're going to be required to have a way to successfully perform the swap method (without installing a modchip, of course). Then it's just a matter of either getting the proper homebrew for your USB stick and using the memory card exploit or paying the $30 or so dollars for the Swap Magic disc.
If you're interested, I'd be willing to install the exploit on a spare memory card of yours if you ship it out here. I'll cover the shipping cost back if you decide to go that route. Good luck!
P.S., I'm not sure if Global Defense Force (PAL) has a 60 Hz mode, but I think Swap Magic has a method to force it into 60 Hz as does other homebrew. I've played a few European games on my system, but they might have already had 60 Hz support so I can't be sure if it'll work.
HDLoader does a region check on the disc when it installs, but not when you launch an already installed game. Since you can use freeware tools to install a game to your PS2 hard disc drive from a PC that will bypass region restrictions, you can install an import game from your PC and then launch it from your PS2 without issue.
The biggest issues with using a program like HDLoader is
- You have to make sure the game is compatible (nothing like forgetting to check and then realising the game you just spent $40 to import won't work)
- You have to own an older model PS2, a Network Adapter, and a spare IDE hard drive
- You have to make sure thhat any PAL games you import will work on your NTSC television
A program like HDLoader is usually the easiest way to play an import game (no swap methods or additionaal hardware required other than the Network Adaptor and the hard drive, and almost any IDE drive will do), and it's legal as well.
Steam / Bus Blog / Goozex Referral
I was under the impression there was only the 1st party hard drive available though. How would I go about using a 3rd party IDE drive?
The Sony brand 40GB hard drive sold in the US with the FFXI bundle has specific firmware that the PS2 will recognise. This allows you to backup game saves to the HDD and install game data for a few games that have the feature. You can also install games to the official drive, but at 40GB it is rather limiting.
HDLoader and programs like it will recognise any standard IDE drive, but there are a few restrictions.
- Earlier versions of HDLoader will only recognise the first 127GB of a hard drive, and
- Some hard drives manufactured by Maxxtor (I think) have the power and IDE ports spaced slightly different from the norm, so they won't fit right with the network adaptor.
Since non Sony drives lack the firmware, they won't show up in the browser in your PS2's menu and you won't be able to back up gamesaves or play HDD games like FFXI.
You'll have to format a non-Sony drive using whatever software you get before you can install games to it.
Depending on whic software you end up with, if it does a region check which prevents you from installing an import game, you will have to put the drive into a PC and then run a third party program to rip the game disc from your optical drive to your hard drive. A secondary benefit to this method is that it installs games much quicker than it will from the PS2.
Steam / Bus Blog / Goozex Referral
PS2 Hard drive compatibility chart
Maxtor HDs are actually most reliable, as official PS2 HD was Maxtor. Western Digital drives don't fit.
I forgot to mention, additional benefits to running your games off of a hard drive is your discs stay in their cases, you don't use your PS2's lens, and the load times are cut significantly.
Steam / Bus Blog / Goozex Referral