GameCube 'chipped'
Imported GameCubes will play both American and Japanese games, confirmed
IGNcube have confirmed, albeit without providing any concrete evidence at this time, that a Japanese GameCube can be modified to play American GameCube software with "a few neat modifications to the hardware." Describing the process as "not entirely an easy one," they do assert that anybody with a soldering gun and a steady hand should be able to accomplish the task "without fail". This is great news for gamers the world over, particularly the overzealous amongst us who may have purchased the system, all of its launch titles, every peripheral available and other random knickknacks when it hit the deck running on September 14th. (So… you, then -Ed) The modification, IGN report, works so that players can "actually switch between US and Japanese software from the back of the GameCube," similar to the developer switches witnessed at ECTS last month. Several outlets, it is said, have already implemented the region switch on their GameCubes, and it won't be long before it is widespread. We encourage anybody eager to circumvent the region protection to wait for the US GameCube release to be absolutely sure. It never pays to be a guinea pig when a £200 console is at stake! IGNcube expect an update in the next few weeks with full details on the modification. As they say, the very knowledge that it is a doable task will help some to put their schedule of sleepness nights on hold for a while.