Up for sale is a region-free SNES bundle, everything tested and fully working. eBay link is here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SNES-Super-Nintendo-with-2-Controllers-3-Games-Cables-Super-Game-Boy-More-/322452561579?
If the tabs are removed, it's region free as far as NTSC is concerned, but still can't do PAL.
As far as I know, the Super Famicom and the US SNES uses the same CIC lockout chip, meaning the shape of the cartridge is the only difference between the two regions.
Sure games like Mother 2 or Seiken Densetsu 2 has a software layer of region protection, they read the region flag (in register $213F) and displays a warning screen if the flag doesn't match the expected region. But this flag can only be NTSC or PAL, you can't tell the difference between a Japanese and American system using this flag as they are both NTSC.
Quote from: P on March 19, 2017, 02:48:08 am
If the tabs are removed, it's region free as far as NTSC is concerned, but still can't do PAL.
As far as I know, the Super Famicom and the US SNES uses the same CIC lockout chip, meaning the shape of the cartridge is the only difference between the two regions.
Sure games like Mother 2 or Seiken Densetsu 2 has a software layer of region protection, they read the region flag (in register $213F) and displays a warning screen if the flag doesn't match the expected region. But this flag can only be NTSC or PAL, you can't tell the difference between a Japanese and American system using this flag as they are both NTSC.
I never heard of any other lockout, but anyway I've tested the locking with an SFC Super Metroid, SFC Super Mario Kart, and Super Game Boy 2. All work great. I'm not including them because I'm replacing my SNES with an SFC.