using Japanese N64 in America

[k_chan42]

I am just about ready to do some import gaming before I move to Japan next year. I bought a great condition Japanese Nintendo 64 from Ebay last month (wasn't expensive, but the shipping fee was insane) and I recently got Sin and Punishment: Successor to the Earth from Ebay (one of the best titles that didn't come out in America until the Wii Virtual Console). I am still waiting for the game to arrive. I was wondering if it's OK to use my Japanese Nintendo 64 to play Japanese Nintendo 64 games without the use of a step up transformer. Japan 100 V vs. America 110-120V

Sin and Punishment happens to be one of those games that I missed out on, and I really want to experience the game for myself now that my Japanese is improving, even though I am pretty busy with school and also my preparation to go to Japan next year to study abroad and beyond.

I am not sure what the exact voltage is in San Francisco, which is where I am living right now. Is it 110 or 120V? In any case, I just want to find out if it's OK to play without a transformer. Thanks a lot.

[133MHz]

Yes, it's OK.
Even better than the Famicom, the N64 uses a switching power supply, which by design can tolerate a wider range of voltages (the output voltage is automatically kept constant through an isolated feedback circuit which regulates the duty cycle of the pulses which are being fed to the high-frequency transformer.... dammit, did it again)

[PatMan33]

No... don't stop!

[Jedi Master Baiter]

Or you could be like me & use a GameShark to play Japanese games.

[133MHz]

Or you could snap the goddamn tabs off your US N64 cart connector, just like with the SNES.

[k_chan42]

"Or you could snap the goddamn tabs off your US N64 cart connector, just like with the SNES."

No, I won't ever do that, especially if I bought the Japanese N64. I won't take apart my American N64. I am too gentle to take apart anything, let alone my precious N64. Plus, I really feel like owning the Japanese hardware and software anyway.

Also, no Gameshark for me. I never like Gameshark.

[ericj]

I have N64 japanese carts coming to me hopefully soon, so I'll be snapping off the goddamn tabs any day now on my US N64.  Doesn't bother me. *snap*  *snap* 

[Jedi Master Baiter]

Doesn't bother me. *snap*  *snap* 

Where's the love?

[ericj]

Oh, there's lots of love. 
I got my N64 for like $5, so no big deal IMO. Plus, I'll probably take it apart and neatly cut them out with a Dremel. 

[nurd]

I got a converter with some weird robot fighting game at one of the game store way down the street.