Robert asks: I am in the US Air Force stationed in the UK. Here's my problem.

I have a Multisystem TV (it has a regualar US plug, will work off of 220 or 110 volts and 50 or 60Hz, can accept PAL or NTSC). I have a modded Panasonic Q and a Action Replay with freeloader on it.

I just bought Star Wars Rebel Strike and Wrestlemania XIX (both PAL). I used my feeloader to play them, but after it tells me to insert game, it acts like it wants to start the game, but nothing happens. Is there some trick I need to do, or is there something I'm missing?

Aussie Ben says: Ah! Ah! Yes, I get this when I want to boot most newer games with the Action Replay. Unfortunately, it's a bit fiddly to get it to work, but it can be done. You need to select "Freeloader" from the Action Replay Main Menu, and when it says "Insert the Game Disc", press Y to bring up the Region Select Menu. Choose Europe, and then proceed to switch discs as normal. When it goes to load, you might get what appears to be green static for a second or two, but then the game will load as normal.

Gideon asks: Hi, all. Reading TYP's review of the Gamecube VGA mod cable, I started wondering about GBA VGA output. Has it been done? Is it possible? To me and my non-engineering brain, it seems like it would be easy: the GBA must already output an RGB VGA-ish scheme because its output goes to an LCD screen. Thanks for your time.

TYP says: You're probably right, but there's little point in doing such a mod. If you want VGA GBA action, I recommend you grab a GC VGA cable and a Game Boy Player (which supports progressive scan). It works wonderfully!

Jonny says: I'm no technical expert, but my guess would be that the GBA display standard is not that close to VGA. It has a funky resolution and an unusual color pallet, not to mention various issues of power requirement and proprietary input/output interfaces that Nintendo has probably incorporated.

Mad Marthigan asks: On your updated release dates list, you have Conflict II listed for November. Is that still the case? I read on another website it was coming out in January so it won't be buried by AAA titles coming out for Christmas. I am a big fan of this game and can't wait to play the sequel, can you let me know what's up ?

Daniel says: Although it did see release on other systems, you're right that the GameCube version was delayed until January. You should be able to pick it up this week.

Jonny says: The game was just shipped on GameCube. We hope to have a review of it very soon!

Danny asks: Have you heard anything about a GameCube version of Advance Wars?

Daniel says: Nope.

Jonny says: The last console Wars game was 64 Wars, which was only announced for the N64 Disk Drive. I'm not sure if it was ever even released, but it doesn't make much difference, as only a handful of people could have played it anyway.

I think GameCube Wars is still a possibility, but it would require Intelligent Systems to move away from Game Boy Advance development for a while. So far, they've been stuck on the GBA and haven't touched GameCube, to my knowledge. It's hard to complain when they are pushing out such great handheld titles, but a lot of us wish they would lend some of that expertise to the GameCube, which really needs the kind of strategy and RPG titles that Intelligent Systems specializes in. Let's hope!

Bergerac asks: With Midway canceling another game for Gamecube is there any chance that in the future 3rd parties could be forced contractually or with the licensing to publish a game that they announce for a system. Instead of pulling a Midway; building up hype of a game for a system’s fan base and then cancelling it on those fans but still releasing it for competing systems.

Steven says: Third parties can basically do whatever they want. They can announce a game, develop it, finish it, then decide not to release it at all. Even Nintendo has done this (Mini Racers for the N64). Publishers have no requirement to release a game for a system after they announce it, even if it might get the fanbase a bit angry.

The only reason this could be prevented in the future is to tie in a minimum amount of games to be developed with the console licensing contract. This is probably not going to happen, as these days you can't force anyone to make a certain amount of games for your system unless you get some sort of exclusivity from them.

Zosha says: Unfortunately, unless the game has been promised via a contract or the like, there's nothing stopping a publisher from either moving it to another system or canning it altogether.

However, the main point that seems to go unsaid is implying that Nintendo is losing 3rd party support. This isn't entirely true. Unlike the N64 era, Nintendo has solidified its ties with Japanese 3rd parties: the most notable fruits of these relations would be the RPGs coming from Namco, and the return of Square-Enix, however limited it may be. While western devs seem to be turned off by the GC, japanese developers have been increasing support steadily. It may not be a landslide, but consider this: Four years ago, would anyone in the industry seriously believe that there would be an original "Tales" game or "Final Fantasy" title on a Nintendo console? Or that SEGA would co-develop one of Nintendo's famous franchises? Precisely.

As things gear up for the next generation Nintendo is still working on the 3rd party question. We just have to wait.

Jonny says: I wouldn't get too worried about Midway's support of GameCube. The fact is that GameCube is actually doing better right now than it has been before, not worse. Midway is canceling titles for GameCube because it can't afford to publish them. The company is serious financial trouble, because it hasn't had a decent hit since Mortal Kombat: Dark Alliance. It was counting on titles like Blitz Pro, Hitz Pro, and Spy Hunter 2 to sell briskly in 2003, and I don't think any of them met expectations. Spy Hunter 2 was especially a disaster in sales. This is a case of Midway cutting their losses on games that they realized, late in development, would not be successful on any system. And, because the GameCube versions are usually lagging the others in development, they are the easiest to kill off.

I expect Midway and other companies like them, including Acclaim, to come back with stronger GameCube support in 2004. It will be hard to resist the now significantly larger installed base for the system. But it all depends on whether these companies can cook up more viable software lineups, which remains to be seen.

YeerKiller9 asks: At E3 a year or two ago, Nintendo showed off Doshin

the Giant for Gamecube and you guys covered it. Since then, I haven't heard

anything about it. Did it become vaporware or get canceled? I haven't read

of it being canceled, just...nothing. Do you guys know anything about

whether we'll ever see it because it looked cool. Thanks.

Aussie Ben says: Doshin the Giant did end up coming out in English, but it was a Europe only PAL release. It happened around the same time the US got Animal Crossing, I believe - I remember people from both regions complaining that they got one game and not the other. If you've got a PAL Cube, it'll run without any problems, but if you're in the US you'll need a Freeloader or Action Replay to get it to boot. You can probably find copies of it on Ebay. Look for the big yellow smiling giant with the outie belly button. You can't miss him.

TYP says: I have the Japanese version of that crazy game, myself. It's pretty import-friendly, as the game mostly uses symbols to convey the villagers' needs. GameFAQs always wins, too.

Daniel says: Yeah, the trouble with E3 is that since you're seeing projects in development, many of them don't have any concrete plans for release. There are a lot of products we've seen at shows that may never see the light of day in the states: Kururin Paradise, SD Memory Card adapters, portable GameCube LCD screens, the Game Eye camera for GBA, Roll-o-Rama, Stage Debut, and the list goes on. At least Doshin made it out in Japan and Europe.

Jonny says: I too have the Japanese version of Doshin the Giant on GameCube. I never got around to reviewing it because, frankly, I don't know what to think of it. I barely understand the gameplay, and even after reading some guides, it wasn't very clear how to make certain events happen. It's certainly a very funny and interesting game, and it's fun to romp around the islands and create/destroy things. The graphics are also not bad, especially the water effects. It's a slow, relaxed game that I would probably enjoy in English, but there is honestly not a lot going on and not very many different things to do. If you can find a version that's pretty cheap, it might be worth checking out. Don't spend a lot of money to import it though.

Kyle asks: hey, how come my gamecube keeps saying "the disc could not be read"

every time i play a game?

could you help me?

TYP says: Well, it's possible you're not inserting the disc fully into the system, or all your games are damaged, but more likely your GameCube is dead. All disc-based systems eventually die like this. If you bought the system within the last year and haven't tinkered with it, call up Nintendo and get them to repair it for free. Otherwise, you're probably best off buying a new GC for $100.

Steven says: Make sure there's nothing on the GC lens, either. Get a tissue and wipe it very carefully, because scratching the lens (which is something that also might have happened) is a lot harder to fix than a dirty one.

Jonny says: I think this message also comes up when trying to play a game on a system from the wrong region. If your system is modded, make sure the current regional setting matches that of the games you are playing.

Another possibility is that you aren't pushing the discs down until they click, or you aren't closing the lid until it clicks shut. Or the latch on the lid may be broken so that it won't stay closed. That latch can probably be fixed with a bit of ingenuity, saving you repair costs or a full replacement.