How to bypass the region check on some Mega Drive translations?

[DougRPG]

Hi, the problem is, I want to play some Mega Drive games on the real hardware, like King Colossus, Secret of Blue Water, etc, but it's impossible.
The guys who translated these game inserted a region check to choose what language to use, based on the console region. I'm trying to undestand why someone could make a decision like that, because the games were already released originally in japanese, so why to keep the japanese language? This decision makes impossible to play the games on the real hardware, because there are only japanese cartridges, so we need to play on japanese consoles.
The solutions are to use a generic donor cart (I'll not do this), or to play on a emulator (I want to play on the real hardware).

So the question is, is there some easy way to make these games always use the english script?

[tc]

Try using Game Genie or 32X. Either of those gives enough space for english consoles to fit many japanese cartridges.

Genesis 3 is another alternative. Extra compact and the wider slot without needing any adapter. American-only console (there was no Mega Drive 3 equivalent) so all units are 60hz english setting.

[Auryn]

Nothing is impossible :p
If you can solder, there are mods you can make yourself to switch language and 50/60Hz.
Just search for Megadrive region hack in google or youtube.

[DougRPG]

Hi, thank you, this is a solution, but I want to change the roms to always use the english language. I want to bypass this region check.
Is there a common solution for all games, or this region check is specific for each translation?

[tc]

i think that would be somewhere in the translation's programming.

but common solution for all games is simply buy an english console with the larger slot for japanese cartridges. then you could use their official cartridges as a donor and play in english. no need for any mod, converter, region check bypass, or generic donor.

[Auryn]

The soldering solution should universal for every game but there could be problems with some games if you run them at 50 Hz but they are programmed for 60Hz or opposite or with some games that have some kind of special protection.
The language change is just for the BIOS menu not for the game meaning that if the game it's japanese, it will not change to english if you have english as language. I don't think there are games that are multi language and with an automatic selector like the most PAL games for playstation 2, XBOX, NDS etc...

[Pennywise]

The dual-language feature is not something new introduced by Megadrive translations. Several retail releases had the very same features seen in the various translations.

[tc]

Yeah and that ability was inherited from Master System. Which Megadrive is a direct hardware successor to.

[Tony H]

The regional check can usually be bypassed by a single Game Genie code, or by changing a couple bytes in the ROM (with a hex editor).  If you're using an actual cart (were you can't change the ROM), then you'll need a Game Genie.  However, if you can change the ROM (ie. SD card, etc), then all you need is a hex editor.

If you're using a ROM...  Since we can't post ROM links here, just post the exact name of the ROM, and I'll see if I can find it.  I can then either tell you which bytes to change, or if you're not familiar with hex editors, I can email you an ips file. 

[KingMike]

I think the OP specifically wants me to remove the region checks on my Nadia translation.
Put one on nearly every ASM hack I made in the translation, for compatibility with the Japanese text.
There was another topic somewhere about it.
It's just a bit tedious to redo.

[tc]

Hence why I recommended a Genesis 3. It'd solve everything he wants at once.