Special thanks to rainponcho for helping out with the nasty region lockouts.


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Utilites explained:
===================

WindHex32: Hex Editor.

SNESTool v1.2: Used for removing region lockout bullshit. Needs DOSBox for running on Windows machines. 
               It usually succeeds where uCON64 fails.

uCON64 v2.0.3: Can also be used for removing region protections, but is less reliable than SNESTool.
	       Still, there are titles where SNESTool fails and uCON64 wins.

GGGuy: Insert a cheat code into a ROM permanently. This tool was used for Tetris & Dr. Mario.
       Pro Action Replay code 80BD9439 or Game Genie code 7B8B-1FD7 in order to disable region protection.
       (Source: https://tcrf.net/Tetris_%26_Dr._Mario#Region_Error)

TUSH v1.1.1: Tool for adding, removing and recognizing ROM headers.

ROM Hasher v1.0: Verify good ROMs, recognize ROM headers and wether it's a LoROM or HiROM.

Lunar IPS v1.02: Creating and applying IPS patches.


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How NTSC patching works:
========================

In either 7FD9 (LoROM) or FFD9 (HiROM) the destination code is stored (assuming a headerless ROM).
The following destination codes make a game run in NTSC:

  00 = Japan
  01 = USA


The following make it PAL: 

  02 = Europe
  06 = France
  07 = Netherlands
  08 = Spain
  09 = Germany
  0A = Italy


NTSC patches set the destination code to 01.
This is all and is pretty much what emulators do,
when force a ROM into NTSC mode. 

ZSNES: set checkbox on ROM load ("Force NTSC")
Snes9x: copy "NTSC = TRUE" into [ROM] section of snes9x.conf


However, region lockout protection might cockblock you. To remove this shit, preferably use SNESTool.


NOTE: You can do this vice versa. Changing whatever the destination code is to 02 will force PAL.
      This is why Universal PAL Patches are included, which do the exact thing.
      Keep in mind: While converting PAL to NTSC might work flawlessly, the other way around might not.
      (Secret of Mana (G) PAL => NTSC, Secret of Mana (U) NTSC => PAL)


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PAL optimization:
=================

To counteract the slower speed of PAL games, there are titles which have been either slightly or heavily altered 
to work better on a 50Hz machine.


PAL optimized games can be either:

  - movement speeds adjusted,
  - animation speeds adjusted,
  - music speeds adjusted,
  - other gameplay aspects adjusted,
  - cutscenes adjusted,
  - or everything at once.


The following seem to be optimized more heavily:

  - Donkey Kong Country 1-3
  - Super Mario All-Stars
  - Super Mario Kart
  - Super Mario World
  - Super Metroid


These are reported to be slightly altered (e.g. intro/cutscene music speeds adjusted):

  - ActRaiser (fix available)
  - ActRaiser II (fix available)
  - Lufia II - Rise of the Sinistrals
  - Secret of Mana
  - Terranigma


Problems that can occur patching PAL optimized ROMs:

  - something / everything is too fast
  - timings are off, e.g. cutscene music does not fit anymore
  - gamebreaking bugs (try Donkey Kong Country 2)


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When no US-NTSC version exists
==============================

Some of the following games have been released in Japan but not in the US, while others are PAL only.
When there is no real NTSC version, the PAL speed might be the one considered during development.
Source: http://retrocollect.com/downloads/sneslists/snes_eu_but_not_us.pdf

  - 90 Minutes: European Prime Goal
  - Archer Maclean's Super Dropzone
  - Astrix
  - Astrix & Oblix
  - Cannon Fodder
  - Daze Before Christmas
  - Dino Dini's Soccer
  - Dirt Racer
  - Dragon Ball Z
  - Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension
  - Dragon Ball Z: La Legende SAIEN
  - Dragon Ball Z: Ultime Menace
  - F1 Pole Position 2
  - F1 World Championship Edition
  - FIFA Road to World Cup 98
  - The Firemen
  - Hebereke's Popoitto
  - Hebereke's Popoon
  - The Humans
  - Hungry Dinosaurs
  - Jelly Boy
  - Kick Off
  - Kick Off 3: European Challenge
  - Lucky Luke
  - Manchester United Championship Soccer
  - Marko's Magic Football
  - Mega-Lo-Mania
  - Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament
  - Might and Magic II
  - Operation Starfish
  - Parodius
  - Player Manager (Kevin Keegans)
  - Pop'n TwinBee
  - Pop'n TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventures
  - Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods
  - Power Drive
  - PowerMonger
  - Putty Squad
  - Sailormoon
  - Sensible Soccer: European Champions
  - Smash Tennis
  - The Smurfs
  - The Smurfs: Travel the World
  - Spirou
  - Super Bomberman 3
  - Super Dany
  - Super Ice Hockey
  - Super International Cricket
  - Super Morph
  - Syvalion
  - Terranigma
  - Theme Park
  - Tintin in Prisoners of the Sun
  - Tintin in Tibet
  - Turbo Toons
  - Virtual Soccer
  - Waterworld
  - Whirlo
  - Winter Gold
  - World Class Rugby
  - World Masters Golf: Competition Edition
  - Worms