Hello, here is my guide on how to get every version of both games. This is also a great place to talk about version differences.
For specific information regarding playing PAL, please check out Happens' post here:
https://forums.the-elite.net/index.php?topic=23399Goldeneye 007NTSC-UThis is the most common version in North America, usually referred to as English or just NTSC. The easiest way to distinguish between NTSC-U and PAL is that NTSC-U has an ESRB rating on the front. NTSC-U should be the easiest version to find and obtain and is worth about 10-20 dollars.
NTSC-JThis is the version released in Japan. This cartridge stands out from the others as the art on the label is completely different, additionally featuring Xenia and Natalya. The Japanese version of Goldeneye isnt actually that rare, and sometimes auctions on Ebay can appear for as low as $0.01!
Find and post links for ebay auctions of Japanese Goldeneye
in this thread. If you want to search for the cheapest possible Japanese copy, I recommend using the different keywords "jp, jap, japan, japanese, import." If you're impatient, you might end up paying over 50 dollars for a Japanese version, but if you wait around and keep checking Ebay, one might appear for super cheap!
Interestingly, the Japanese version has the same internal programming as the PAL version, so levels that would normally be advantaged on PAL and disadvantaged on NTSC-U have a nice middle ground on NTSC-J. The Japanese version seems to handle lag better, so the AR33 and Watch Laser fire faster than NTSC-U, but not as fast as PAL. If you have no way to access or play PAL version, you should be using NTSC-J for any levels that would normally be PAL advantaged, listed below.
In addition, the Japanese version has stronger auto-aim for each difficulty. Playing 00 Agent on NTSC-J has auto-aim roughly equivalent to playing Secret Agent on NTSC-U, playing Secret Agent on NTSC-J has auto-aim roughly equivalent to playing Agent on NTSC-U. On Agent, NTSC-J may have slightly better auto-aim, but it is very negligible because auto-aim on Agent is already very strong.
Lastly, for whatever reason, body armors are not removed on NTSC-J Secret Agent and 00 Agent levels, so levels such as Silo, Bunker 2, Depot, and Caverns, become MUCH more survivable. For this reason, NTSC-J is also used as the best version for full game runs especially on higher difficulties.
PALPAL is the version released in Europe and Australia, valued about the same as NTSC-U. If you have a PAL version it will have no ESRB rating on the label. Goldeneye PAL version is disadvantaged on most levels, losing time to slower moving doors and more lag. On the laggiest levels, some weapons actually fire faster on PAL, such as the Watch Laser and AR33, thus the PAL playable levels in Goldeneye are:
Train (All difficulties)
Jungle (All difficulties)
Caverns (Secret Agent only)
Aztec (All difficulties)
Perfect DarkNote: Access to Perfect Dark's solo missions requires the Expansion Pak.
NTSC-UEnglish version of Perfect Dark. Good for all levels EXCEPT Deep Sea Agent and Special Agent. There should be no trouble in finding a cart for between 10 and 20 dollars.
NTSC-JJapanese version of Perfect Dark. There are some extra shields known on this version, the most useful of which lies in Infiltration PA. Some other alterations such as Joanna's face and the inability to destroy the sensitive information early on Defense PA.
*New find* The
"swag" ending on Rescue, in which you crouch and walk through the corner of a glass wall doesn't work on this version.
One other reason to use the Japanese version is the thinner and less intrusive Objective Complete messages.
Japanese Perfect Dark is probably the most difficult to find and obtain out of all versions of the games, and is usually found for between 40 and 60 dollars.
PALEuropean version of Perfect Dark, again valued about equally to NTSC-U. PAL has
multiple language settings.PAL is known to have much slower lifts and loses alot of time on levels like Extraction, Infiltration, Rescue, etc. One minor exception to this is Maian SOS, where the "1:40 cycle" exists on PAL.
The major use of PAL Perfect Dark lies on Deep Sea Agent and Special Agent, where PALs slightly larger resolution allows the Farsight to zoom and shoot further, which in turn allows the Cetan Megaweapon to be destroyed manually instead of having to wait for Elvis who is very slow. Also, it's been known that the ending of Attack Ship on PAL is, on average, much quicker than NTSC.
Console Region LockingNTSC-U:
NTSC-J/PAL:
The region locking for Nintendo 64's is purely physical, in order to play NTSC-U games on a Japanese console, and vice versa, you can either remove the dust tray inside the console (hard) or replace/remove the back half of the cart. Replacing the back half of the cart requires
a 3.8mm gamebit screwdriver.In order to play PAL, you will need:
1. A PAL console.
2. A compatible power source according to your region. N64 power sources are universal, so you can use a power supply from an NTSC console on PAL and vice versa.
3. A PAL display. This is the hardest part about playing PAL. In NTSC regions, most TVs display PAL very poorly, usually in Black/White and probably with major cropping or improper resolution. Finding a Multisystem display or anything capable of displaying PAL with no input lag has proven difficult for many players and is the reason why the PAL advantaged levels are generally underplayed.
Japanese Menus and Options:For easy translation, mate.
https://imgur.com/a/qZpff - Image album containing the Goldeneye options in English, and cheats menu in both English and Japanese for comparisons.
https://imgur.com/a/ZF9vP - Image album with the menus in Perfect Dark. Excludes mission menus. Good reference for options and cheats in the Japanese version as the menus are much more complicated than Goldeneye.
