Castlevania Portrait of Ruin original cart freezing :(

[Bruno]

So I'm sad that I got the original one and it still freezes but I will spare you guys of the sad talk that in my country games costs a lot

Got the original US cart and even so I tested a lot of it before starting to play for real. I tried to freeze in that teleport, the menu and stuff and it passed perfectly in places that would freeze in my R4.

So I started playing and it was everything OK but when I arrive at Forest of Doom I begin to explore and since it's not that difficult and for my luck could not find a save point I decide to keep playing and in some open area where there is a giant tree and tombstones enemies the game freezes

So please give my some opinions:

Anyone with original carts have problems? I really don't believe that my cart is damaged. I think it's some kind of bad programming or maybe the DS Lite can't handle that game! Do you guys think that if I had a DSi or a 3DS it would fix the problem like extra RAM or something since in that place the game does slow down cause of the giant tree enemy?

Should I return the cart and get my money back? I mean I don't want to get another copy play again from the beginning and find that it still freezes. But on the other hand man I loved this game and it just froze one time making me lose some progress and if I used a flash cart even a better one than my crappy R4 it could still freeze so...

[Zorlon]

I don't have issues using the Supercard DSTwo kit (3DS though still playing it, but not up to the point you have described yet) or the Acecard2i kit (3DS before it was blocked, completed the game with that kit) either when I used that one, both playing the US dump, even my very old now M3Real kit had no issues (DS Lite, game was completed), but my original R4 kit did have issues partly due to a slower microSD though I think, not 100% sure that is going back to when it was first released and I had issues with one of the other Castlevania's also

It is indeed sad to hear that the original cart is also having issues though

[Bruno]

Hi Zorlon

It's sad right! I was so happy like: ow a new and sealed DS game and one of my favorites Series! I was like playing that game like crazy non stop and it's rare for me doing that hahahaha ohhhh boy :-(

I tried to Google a little and some other ppl had problems too with original carts so I don't know what to think

I hope this freezing was some kind of one time bad luck. Even though it's brand new I cleaned the contacts and put it back on the DS and when I arrive home I will come back to that place and test the hell out of it while I pray for it to not freeze!

[Warrior]

I used to own the original card of PoR and I dont recall any freezing, I beat the game on my Supercard DSOne i and had no freezing issues, on the R4 clone and M3i zero I used to have I believe there was freezing, not quite sure, memory is pretty bad.

[Bruno]

I'm trying to replicate the freezing for like 30 min now and nothing!

EDIT: one hour now and my battery is dead For now I'm happy to see that it's not freezing!

When it's recharged I'm going to play for real and try to pass this area I had the freeze problem. Also original carts rules cause my battery is lasting more!

A doubt that it's not related to the freezing: I know we can make a backup of the original cart save but how about write this backup in another cart for example? Can this be done?

[Ragnar]

Err, freezing in an original cart? Are you 100% sure it's authentic? I assume you know since you live in South America that there are extremely convincing fakes.

Spoiler warning:

[Warrior]

A doubt that it's not related to the freezing: I know we can make a backup of the original cart save but how about write this backup in another cart for example? Can this be done?

You need a flashcard to accomplish that task , its possible, iv yet to do it myself though.

On another note, you do know you can play your DS with it plugged in while recharging right?

[Zorlon]

None of my DS consoles ran out of charge normally I have only had this happen once but I was traveling for a rather long time,

You can get batteries that last a little longer and even boosters, boosters are just a second battery connected externally and give a bit of extra bulk to the system,
some like these for the extra bulk as well as longer battery charge.

Myself I just have the battery that came standard in both my 3DS and my 3DSXL,
I would even go as far as to say these tend to last about as long as my phone playing games,
I keep them on charge most the time unless in transit, just like I do with my phone.

[Bruno]

Err, freezing in an original cart? Are you 100% sure it's authentic? I assume you know since you live in South America that there are extremely convincing fakes.

Spoiler warning:

OK I took some time to analyze my cart and it looks legit! The only thing I could not find is that club Nintendo thing but it's not for all games right?

Also I looked for another sites on Google and it really looks legit to me!

So maybe that freeze was like a chance in a million!

[Warrior]

Bruno, the club nintendo slip is for nintendo first party games, not for and other publisher/developer .

About the freezing issue, I think I recall reading about it a long time ago, when i used to own the game I don't recall any freezing (guess thats because I didnt own it for very long )

[deadlegion]

Did you buy your console brand new and have you ever dropped it?

[Bruno]

Freezing again This last one is a part where there is nothing "heavy" going on in the screen I was just jumping to try get a little enemy so it's either my cart or the DS Lite. Thing is that using my crappy cloned R4 runs better other games than playing this original one! I'm not going to lie sometimes using my R4 games would freeze but not as much this game.

Did you buy your console brand new and have you ever dropped it?

I was thinking about this deadlegion! My DS Lite comes from China and I'm pretty sure it's refurbished. Got at a good price when DS was too much expensive here for a hand held device that I love but it's not that powerful It arrived in pretty good condition and never gave my problems.

I never dropped but since it's refurbished well Do you think this could be something wrong in the DS? Could this be a bad batch of Portrait or Ruin games?

[deadlegion]

Could be the game, could be the console or it could be a combination of both.
The DS can freeze if you drop it while playing a game sometimes. Some of them will freeze randomly if they've had a hard life.
They're handheld consoles but aren't indestructible.

I would test your game on a console that is very new and is known to have been treated very well (like a friend that is anal about such things).

[Bruno]

I usually take good care of my things and I never dropped cell phones or hand held devices but since it's refurbished yeah the poor thing must have gone through some s***

As for asking a friend it's going to be difficult since ppl I know usually don't care about video games or if they do it's usually consoles that have soccer or shooting games and devices like DS or 3DS is considered either for children or for gay ppl Not my words!!!!!!

I have being thinking about get a 3DS but I was not planning to get one right now so I guess I will have to think about it cause If I return the game for the seller test it she will just give me a lot of trouble cause she can just say it's working and I would have to pay the shipping to get it back and nothing would be resolved for me.

I'm stuck in here so if someone have other opinions please let me know and thx for all the help till now


EDIT: OK need a little help about getting a new machine to play DS games. 3DS XL seems to be the wisest choice since getting a old console VS getting the new one with back wards compatibility would be better. Thing is that 3DS XL is expensive as hell in here even the 3DS! so I thought about the 2DS what you guys think? 2DS would let me play all DS games in a better bigger screen right? I never saw them but for me the 2DS looks to have better hardware a bigger and better screen than the DSi XL! Also the 3D effects is something really worth it? Like you can finish the games for 3DS without missing anything if you turn 3D off right?


EDIT2: Also I had some hunch and decided to check the DS Slot 1 while my carts were inside and comparing with my R4 that it's completely still when I try to put my finger in that little opening in the back where you can see your cart this Portrait of ruin cart is loose as hell and I can move it with my finger! Original carts are like this or did I find the problem? I tried to play while moving the cart and the game did not freeze but still...


EDIT3: Yeah 3 I know I'm crazy I was testing the game some more and was able to pass both parts it froze on me and no freezing. After that I made some more digging and I found this on a site called TV Tropes:

Game-Breaking Bug: Aside from the occasional freeze glitches, there's a glitch that makes the game Unwinnable by Mistake if you skip the dialogue after you battle Death.

also I was able to replicate this freeze some guy in game faqs told every time I tried:

I've never had it happen to me accidentally. You can force the game to freeze though. Example go to the water lift room and get on the lift. While on the lift cast Ice Needle.

Yeah so I guess the original game is bugged and I don't know how the team from this well know and best flash carts kits was able to fix them if they really did cause I saw lot's of ppl using good SD's and good kits and even so they got freezing that's why I got the original instead of a DS Two for example in hope that I would avoid all this freezing s***

Based on this I can say that my DS and original cart are alright right? I'm just unlucky to get freezes when some ppl don't get even one

[Ragnar]

My DS Lite comes from China and I'm pretty sure it's refurbished.

Are you 100% sure it's authentic? I assume you know since you live in South America that there are extremely convincing fakes...

Spoiler warning:

EDIT: OK need a little help about getting a new machine to play DS games. 3DS XL seems to be the wisest choice since getting a old console VS getting the new one with back wards compatibility would be better.

The 3DS XL is the correct thing to buy, it's the biggest/best model, and you can pirate on it. You need to hunt down buying some older stock, but it's still readily available. I can walk into my local Bestbuy and buy a Gateway capable 3DS XL right now (I checked, I'm kinda planning on getting one). You need to check serial numbers if you're buying new. Or if you buy used, you can just contact the seller and make them check the firmware version. You can find details here:
http://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/3DS_hac...g_a_new_3DS.3F

Also the 3D effects is something really worth it? Like you can finish the games for 3DS without missing anything if you turn 3D off right?

The 3D effect is worthless. I used it for like 10 seconds just to see, then flipped it off and have never touched it again.