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GBA.nfo Charts No. 2
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/ / / /__/ // /__/ /
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/ / /__ // / \ \ / / / / /\ / // ___// __ /
/ /_____/ // /__/ // / / / / \/ // _/ / / / /
/ // // / / /__ / /\ // / / /_/ /
/______________//____________//______/ /__//_//_/ \//_/ /_____/
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/ ___// /_/ // __ // __ //_ __// __/ /_ /
/ / / __ // __ // _ _/ / / \ \ _____ ____ __/ /
/ /__ / / / // / / // / \ \ / / __/ / / _ // _ /__ / __/
/____//_/ /_//_/ /_//_/ \/ /_/ /___/ /_//_//___//_/ /___/
AN INDEPENDENTLY RELEASED GBA-CHARTS!
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July 1, 2001 through July 31, 2001
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__ __ ______ ______ ______
/ //\ / //_ __// __ / / __ /
/ // \/ / / / / _ _/ / / / /
/ // /\ / / / / / \ \ / /_/ /
/_//_/ \/ /_/ /_/ \//_____/
==[ SOME WORDS ABOUT GBA CHARTS ]=============================================
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Here's the charts for the month of July. It was a fairly slow month with
only 23 releases: 17 of which were Japanese games most of which were
pretty non-playable for non-Japanese reading players. In fact there were
only two English games released all month. There were a few cool things
worth mentioning about the GBA scene this month: subport.org, everyone's
favorite Game Boy Color site opened it's long awaited and rumored GBA
section. This site should be regarded as _the_ place to get your GBA
release information and is the place where release information contained
in these charts was gathered this month and will continue to be gathered
for future issues of the GBA.nfo charts. I did get some positive feedback
on last month's chart even though it was released after the other charts
and I'm a nobody so I thought I'd make another for this month too. Heh..
It's not like I have anything else to do while I'm at work. In other
news, the new Flash Advance cards were released late in the month of July.
The now come in two flavors, 64M and 128M and sport a new smaller size to
look more like original GBA carts. It's too early to tell if they suffer
from the same crash problems as the first run of the carts, but according
to the manufacturer they don't have any problems. It's disappointing that
they don't have EEPROM support but they're reasoning (excuse) of multiple
EEPROM sizes makes sense at least. I should also mention that I'm not
giving any points to any EEPROM -> SRAM fixes from this point forward
for two reasons: 1. There has been at least two tools released that
will automatically patch a ROM that uses EEPROM to use SRAM for use with
the Flash Advance cards and 2. I can't tell who released what in regards
to EEPROM -> SRAM save fixes. There were at least ELEVEN different games
that had EEPROM -> SRAM patches released for them. Some were released by
Jurai, some were released by GBL, some by some group called NUKED, some by
other independents and one by RAPID FIRE. The problem is that some of
these releases were outright stealing these patches from each other and
claiming them as their own. Other people were repackaging Jurai's and
other independent releases and making an 8.3 file name version and putting
a generic independent NFO in the release. I tried to make heads or tails
of the situation and in the end decided that with the advent of the
generic EEPROM -> SRAM patcher it was a moot point.
On to the charts...
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/ ____// / / // // \/ / / / \ \
/ / / /_/ // // /\ / / / __/ /
/_/ /_____//_//_/ \/ /_/ /___/
==[ A WORD ABOUT THE POINT SYSTEM ]===========================================
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The point system is lifted from the RedboX N64 Charts point system which
out of all of the point systems out there is the most fair. I agree with
this system because ANY world premiere release, Japanese or not,
unplayable (due to foreign language) or not should be given full credit.
I can't I deem a Japanese game I can't play because of a language barrier
unplayable and therefore worth less (and less points) to the scene.
There's plenty of English language games that I would consider unplayable
crap. Also, I don't like the fact that negative points are ever given.
If the release is BAD or a DUPE zero points will suffice. Also, I am only
giving points to commercial game releases, selectable trainers and cracks
or save fixes. Points will not be awarded to hacks (non-selectable
trainers), manuals, box art, etc. Sorry but I can't keep track of all
that stuff.
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==[ THE POINT SYSTEM ]========================================================
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World Premiere Release of a Final Game : 8 Pts
Final Version of a Previously Released Game : 6 Pts
Beta Version of a Game / Kiosk Demo : 4 Pts
Crack & Trainer Patches : 2 Pts
Version Change Release/Patch : 2 Pts
Dupe or Corrupt release : 0 Pts
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______ _____ __ _____ ______ ____ _____ ____
/ __ / / ___// / / ___// __ // __// ___// __/
/ _ _/ / _/ / / / _/ / __ / \ \ / _/ \ \
/ / \ \ / /__ / /__ / /__ / / / /__/ // /__ __/ /
/_/ \//____//____//____//_/ /_//___//____//___/
==[ RELEASES SORTED BY NUMBER OF POINTS AWARDED PER GROUP ]===================
MTX!____.--._)\____ .-. ____/(___:.___
.--/ _ | | \___ \/ _ \/ ___/___]/ _ \--.
| / __| l | _/ \___ \ / \ |
`-\____ \_____|_\_ \__|__/ ____/___\ |__/-'
\( \( )/ `-'
==[ EURASIA ]=================================================================
-[ RELEASES ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN Size Pts
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03-JUL-2001 Yugioh! Dual Monsters 5 Expert I JPN/JAP 64 Mbits 8
03-JUL-2001 Breath of Fire JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
11-JUL-2001 Mahjong Detective JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
11-JUL-2001 Super Street Fighter II X Revival JPN/JAP 64 Mbits 8
12-JUL-2001 EX Monopoly JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
12-JUL-2001 Our Breeding Series: My Beetle JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
13-JUL-2001 GetBackers: Jigoku no Sukaramushu JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
17-JUL-2001 Klonoa: Empire of Dreams JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
17-JUL-2001 Mario Kart Advance JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
26-JUL-2001 JGTO Official Golf Master JPN/JAP 64 Mbits 8
26-JUL-2001 Mobile Professional Baseball JPN/JAP 64 Mbits 8
26-JUL-2001 Muscle Ranking JPN/JAP 64 Mbits 8
26-JUL-2001 Star Communicator JPN/JAP 64 Mbits 8
26-JUL-2001 Zero Tours JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
28-JUL-2001 Golden Sun JPN/JAP 64 Mbits 8
-[ TOTALS ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total Releases This Issue : 15
Total Score This Issue : 120
Average Points Per Release : 8
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
EURASIA rocked this month bringing us 15 world premiere releases,
unfortunately for most they're all in Japanese. At least a few are
playable, however. The best of the bunch are Super Street Fighter II X
Revival, Klonoa: Empire of Dreams and seemingly everyone's most wanted
release for the month of July: Mario Kart Advance. These three games are
the most playable featuring solid gameplay that even illiterates can
enjoy. The other 12 releases this month vary in the amount of Japanese
one need to know how to read to play the game. I personally found no
enjoyment in any of EURASIA'S 12 other releases due to language barriers.
Out of these 15 Japanese releases we'll see English versions of Breath of
Fire, Super Street Fighter II X Revival (replacing the X with Turbo),
Klonoa: Empire of Dreams, Mario Kart Advance (renamed to Mario Kart Super
Circuit) and Golden Sun.
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._ ______ _________
| /\__ ____________ __\ | _ ____\__ /
/ \/ _/ _ \ .|___\_ \/ //
// \ / \ / // | |/ _____/____/ .
_____|\/|___\______/\_______\_______/-rtx! _|
==[ MODE 7 ]==================================================================
-[ RELEASES ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN Size Pts
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11-JUL-2001 Pac-Man Collection USA/ENG 64 Mbits 8
18-JUL-2001 Jurassic Park III *BAD DUMP* USA/ENG 32 Mbits 0
19-JUL-2001 Jurassic Park III: The DNA Factor USA/ENG 64 Mbits 8
-[ TOTALS ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total Releases This Issue : 2
Total Score This Issue : 16
Average Points Per Release : 8
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
MODE 7, the only group to release any USA GBA ROMS this month released
them both: Pac-Man Collection and Jurassic Park III: The DNA Factor.
Pac-Man is easily the best of the two releases. It can actually be
resized to 32 Mbits and will work fine like that. Jurassic Park III: The
DNA Factor was originally released undersized at 32 Mbits the mistake was
fixed the next day with the proper dump at 64 Mbits. The Jurassic Park
game does require an EEPROM -> SRAM patch for it to work properly even if
you don't care to save.. just like Super Mario Advance did.
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____________________ _________
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/ / /_/\_/ \/ / / : /__. \/
/ __/_/ :\ / / \ '/ / . \
/___| \_____\ /__\___\/_______/
==[ PERVERSION ]==============================================================
-[ RELEASES ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN Size Pts
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17-JUL-2001 Space Hexcite - Metal Legend EX JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
17-JUL-2001 Mario Kart Advance *DUPE* JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 0
17-JUL-2001 Doraemon Midori No Wakusei JPN/JAP 32 Mbits 8
-[ TOTALS ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total Releases This Issue : 2
Total Score This Issue : 16
Average Points Per Release : 8
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
PERVERSION, a new group to the GBA scene, released 2 games this month:
Space Hexcite - Metal Legend EX (incorrectly titled in the release NFO as
Space Hexcite X) and Doraemon Midori No Wakusei (Rescue on Green Planet).
Both of these games were originally available in Japan way back in April
and were featured on the MIA list of these charts last month. It's good
to see these games released. If you dig Hexcite (and I do) you'll enjoy
this GBA version of Space Hexcite despite it being in Japanese. Doraemon
is also quite playable despite it being completely in Japanese as well.
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flflfl€ flflfl€ flflfl€ flflfl€ flflfl€ flflfl€ flflfl€
€€ € €€ € €€ € €€ € €€ € €€ € €€ €
€€‹€ €€‹fl €€‹‹ €€‹ €€ € €€ €€‹
€€ € €€ € ‹‹ € €€ ‹ € € €€ € €€ ‹
€€ € €€ € €€ € €€ € € € €€ € €€ €
€ € € € € € € € € € € € €
€ € € € € € €
€ ‹€ ‹€ ‹€ € ‹€ ‹€
==[ ABSENCE ]=================================================================
-[ RELEASES ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN Size Pts
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22-JUL-2001 Tweety and the Magic Gems *WORKING* FRA/FRE 32 Mbits 6
-[ TOTALS ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total Releases This Issue : 1
Total Score This Issue : 6
Average Points Per Release : 6
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
ABSENCE released a working version of the FRENCH Tweety and the Magic
Gems. Apparently the one released by LOST was bad and froze shortly after
booting or something. I never noticed since I didn't even try this French
version since the USA version sucked so bad.. and oh yeah, I don't speak
Frence. At least you Frenchies now have something to play in your
language besides Tony Hawk 2.
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\__ ___/ __/\__ /__/ \__\ _ /poyZ
__ _/ / | __/ / / _/ \_ _/ _/_ __
\\_\\ _____| _____/_____\__/\__/__\ \ //_//
-----\/----|/----------------------\ /-----
\/
==[ CEZAR ]===================================================================
-[ RELEASES ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN Size Pts
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02-JUL-2001 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 FRA/FRE 64 Mbits 6
-[ TOTALS ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total Releases This Issue : 1
Total Score This Issue : 6
Average Points Per Release : 6
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking of the French version of Tony Hawk 2, here it is. Released early
this month by CEZAR. For those of you that speak French or prefer your
Skateboarding to be French, here you go.
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[ NO DIZ ART AVAILABLE ]
==[ PARACOX ]=================================================================
-[ RELEASES ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN Size Pts
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28-JUL-2001 LEGO Racers 2 *BETA* UNK/ENG 64 Mbits 6
-[ TOTALS ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total Releases This Issue : 1
Total Score This Issue : 6
Average Points Per Release : 6
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
PARACOX released the only beta for the month of July: LEGO Racers 2. This
is another of the Mode 7 stype racers that I'm sure we'll see a ton of on
the GBA. This one seems to be a very early beta with a lot of work left
to do on it.
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____ / __/ ____\_ / / _____
| // |__/ _____// /_/\ |
`----\________/_______|-rtx\_____/____\----'
==[ CAPITAL ]=================================================================
-[ RELEASES ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN Size Pts
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01-JUL-2001 Iridion 3D *+3 TRAINER* USA/ENG -IPS- 2
05-JUL-2001 Rayman Advance *FINAL* *+4 BAD * EUR/MU5 -IPS- 0
05-JUL-2001 Rayman Advance *FINAL* *+4 FIXED * EUR/MU5 -IPS- 2
-[ TOTALS ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total Releases This Issue : 2
Total Score This Issue : 4
Average Points Per Release : 2
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
CAPITAL didn't release any games this month but they did release the only
two trainers. Here we have a trainer for Iridion 3D and Rayman Advance.
Both of these trainers are from Wayne Kerr. It's nice to see some more
trainers released for the GBA and since these were released early in the
month I was hoping there would be more trainers released later but sadly
no more were released in July. Hopefully this won't be the end of the
GBA trainers.
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/ /_/ // /_/ / / / / // // /
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==[ GAME OF THE MONTH ]=======================================================
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The game of the month for July 2001 is a TIE between Super Street Fighter
II X Revival and Mario Kart Advance. Both are top games on the GBA and
are definitely worth checking out. Sure neither are original and just
re-makes of previously released games for other platforms, but they are
solid releases and should be played. It's sad because next month's games
of the month will probably be the same games (US versions of course).
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/ _ _ \ / __ //\ / //_ __// /_/ // / / / / /
/ // // // / / // \/ / / / / __ // / \ \/ /
/ // // // /_/ // /\ / / / / / / // /__ \ /
/_//_//_//_____//_/ \/ /_/ /_/ /_//____/ /_/
==[ MONTHLY CHART ]===========================================================
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Pos Group USA Europe Japan Trainer Crack Total Pts
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1. EURASIA - - 015 - - 015 120
2. MODE 7 002 - - - - 002 016
2. PERVERSION - - 002 - - 002 016
4. CEZAR - 001 - - - 001 006
4. ABSENCE - 001 - - - 001 006
6. CAPITAL - - - 002 - 002 004
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Total Number of Releases : 23
Total Number of Points Awarded : 168
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
EURASIA continues to stomp the competition in the GBA scene. They
released almost 3/4 of all the ROMS for the month of July and there
doesn't seem to be anyone that will be able to catch them if they continue
at this rate. For Japanese release competition we have PERVERSION who
picked up some of EURASIA's early slack by releasing two previously
unreleased titles and MODE 7 provided us with the only two USA releases.
I'm sure we'll see things heat up in the next few months.
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/ __ \ / / / / __ /_ __// // _ _ \ / ___/
/ __ // / / / /_/ / / / // // // // _/
/ / / // /__ / /__ / / / // // // // /__
/_/ /_//____//____/ /_/ /_//_//_//_//____/
==[ ALL-TIME CHART ]==========================================================
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Pos Group USA Europe Japan Trainer Crack Total Pts
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1. EURASIA 005 002 023 - - 030 232
2. CAPITAL - - 013 003 - 016 110
3. MODE 7 009 002 - - - 011 076
4. RAPID FIRE - - 007 - - 007 056
5. CEZAR 003 003 - - - 006 034
6. THE CORP. 003 - - - - 003 020
7. INDEPENDENT - - 002 - - 002 016
7. PERVERSION - - 002 - - 002 016
9. LIGHTFORCE - 002 - - - 002 012
10. MENACE 001 001 - - - 002 010
11. TOTAL CRAP 001 - - - - 001 008
12. ABSENCE - 001 - - - 001 006
13. ANTHROX - - - 001 - 001 002
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Total Number of Releases : 084
Total Number of Points Awarded : 598
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Of course EURASIA is kicking ass in the all-time chart as well. They've
received over twice as many points as the next highest ranking group. As
you can see I've removed the NINTENDO BACKUP CREW'S entries from last
month since I'm not counting EEPROM -> SRAM patches any more and I am
making that change retroactively. Sorry but there's just no point IMO.
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/ _ _ \ / // __ \
/ // // // // __ /
/ // // // // / / /
/_//_//_//_//_/ /_/
==[ MISSING IN ACTION ]=======================================================
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Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN
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12-Jul-2001 Morita Shogi Advance JPN/JAP
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Only one game that I know of can be considered MIA this month: Moria Shogi
Advance. Not that most care, but for completists you'll probably want
this one some day, so here it is.
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/ ___// __ // _ _ \ / //\ / // ____/ / __// __ // __ //\ / /
/ / / / / // // // // // \/ // /___ \ \ / / / // / / // \/ /
/ /__ / /_/ // // // // // /\ // /_/ / __/ // /_/ // /_/ // /\ /
/____//_____//_//_//_//_//_/ \//_____/ /___//_____//_____//_/ \/
==[ COMING SOON ]=============================================================
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Rel. Date Release Title CID/LAN
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18-AUG-2001 Fortress USA/ENG
25-AUG-2001 Klonoa: Empire of Dreams USA/ENG
27-AUG-2001 Mario Kart Super Circuit USA/ENG
-[ COMMENTS ]---------------------------------------------------------------
Hmmm.. these are the only english releases that I could find as
potentially being released in August 2001. It's pretty disappointing
seeing how 2 of the three have already been released in another territory.
Hopefully I've missed a whole bunch but I fear that it's going to be
quite a slow month for the GBA. Several releases that were set to release
in August such as High Heat Baseball, Lady Sia and Disney's Atlantis got
pushed back to at least September.
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/ ___// __ //\ / // ___// / / / / // __// // __ //\ / /
/ / / / / // \/ // / / / / / / / \ \ / // / / // \/ /
/ /__ / /_/ // /\ // /__ / /___ / /_/ /__/ // // /_/ // /\ /
/____//_____//_/ \//____//_____/ \____//___//_//_____//_/ \/
==[ CONCLUSION ]==============================================================
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July was a slow month for English releases, obviously as I have stated
numerous times but at least nearly every release from every territory
found it's way to our GBA's. It's still fun to do this chart after
two rounds and as you may have guessed it's a little less thorough than
the last chart and the ASCII art is still lame, but I hope you've had
fun reading it and I'll see you next month.
- fab (fab@elitendo.com)
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02-AUG-2001
eof.
