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Software region: Difference between revisions
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Most markets only retail one region of system and games, to prevent consumers accidentally purchasing games that are not compatible with their own system. However, in some locations, notably the Middle East and Southeast Asia, multiple different regions of system are retailed. | Most markets only retail one region of system and games, to prevent consumers accidentally purchasing games that are not compatible with their own system. However, in some locations, notably the Middle East and Southeast Asia, multiple different regions of system are retailed. | ||
Software regions are used to prevent physical copies of games being played on systems of a different region. This means that, for example, a Japanese region copy of [[Pokémon X and Y|Pokémon X]] cannot be played on an American region Nintendo 3DS system | Software regions are used to prevent physical copies of games being played on systems of a different region. This means that, for example, a Japanese region copy of [[Pokémon X and Y|Pokémon X]] cannot be played on an American region Nintendo 3DS system. | ||
==Game Boy and Game Boy Color== | ==Game Boy and Game Boy Color== | ||
The [[Game Boy]] and [[Game Boy Color]] families are not region-locked. However, Japanese Pokémon games for these consoles cannot communicate with games in any other languages. | The [[Game Boy]] and [[Game Boy Color]] families are not region-locked. However, Japanese Pokémon games for these consoles cannot properly communicate with games in any other languages; attempting to do so can cause corruption on both ends of the link. | ||
Special event distributions for the [[Generation I]] and {{gen|II}} games are only restricted by the inability of Japanese events to be received by games in other languages, and events in other languages cannot be received by Japanese games. | Special event distributions for the [[Generation I]] and {{gen|II}} games are only restricted by the inability of Japanese events to be received by games in other languages, and events in other languages cannot be received by Japanese games. | ||
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There are four regions for the Nintendo DSi family, as well as one for the iQue DSi (the equivalent of the Nintendo DSi in mainland China). Each region has an associated letter used to represent it, which can be found at the end of the Nintendo DSi firmware version number. The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on [[Bulbapedia]] are purely descriptive. | There are four regions for the Nintendo DSi family, as well as one for the iQue DSi (the equivalent of the Nintendo DSi in mainland China). Each region has an associated letter used to represent it, which can be found at the end of the Nintendo DSi firmware version number. The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on [[Bulbapedia]] are purely descriptive. | ||
Region-locking does not apply to Nintendo DS games, which can be played regardless of region, but does apply to Nintendo DSi-enhanced and DSi-exclusive games. It also does not apply to DSi-enhanced games when played on an original Nintendo DS, because region-locking on the Nintendo DSi is merely a software restriction and not a technical one. | |||
Regions are also used to restrict the list of countries that can selected from when choosing the country for the Nintendo DSi Shop. This means that American region systems cannot select Japan as their home country. | Regions are also used to restrict the list of countries that can selected from when choosing the country for the Nintendo DSi Shop. This means that American region systems cannot select Japan as their home country. | ||
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===Games=== | ===Games=== | ||
Due to region-locking, some Nintendo DSi-enhanced and DSi-exclusive games cannot be played on all Nintendo DSi systems due to not being released for some regions. The Japanese, American and European regions dominate the other regions in the number of available games. | Due to region-locking, some Nintendo DSi-enhanced and DSi-exclusive games cannot be played on all Nintendo DSi systems due to not being released for some regions. The Japanese, American and European regions dominate the other regions in the number of available games. | ||
Below is a list of Nintendo DSi-enhanced Pokémon games, indicating whether they can be played on each region of Nintendo DSi. | Below is a list of Nintendo DSi-enhanced Pokémon games, indicating whether they can be played on each region of Nintendo DSi. | ||
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==Nintendo 3DS== | ==Nintendo 3DS== | ||
There are five regions for the Nintendo 3DS family, as well as one for the {{wp|iQue}} 3DS XL (the equivalent of the [[Nintendo 3DS XL]] in mainland China). Each region has an associated letter used to represent it, which can be found at the end of the Nintendo 3DS firmware version number. The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on Bulbapedia are purely descriptive. | There are five regions for the Nintendo 3DS family, as well as one for the {{wp|iQue}} 3DS XL (the equivalent of the [[Nintendo 3DS XL]] in mainland China). Each region has an associated letter used to represent it, which can be found at the end of the Nintendo 3DS firmware version number. The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on Bulbapedia are purely descriptive. | ||
Region-locking does not apply to backwards compatibility with Nintendo DS games, but does apply to Nintendo DSi-enhanced and DSi-exclusive games. Region-locking is merely a software restriction and not a technical one, as fans have created hacks that allow region-locking to be bypassed. | |||
Regions are also used to restrict the list of countries that can selected from when choosing the country for the [[Nintendo eShop]]. This means that American region systems cannot select Japan as their home country. | Regions are also used to restrict the list of countries that can selected from when choosing the country for the [[Nintendo eShop]]. This means that American region systems cannot select Japan as their home country. | ||
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===Games=== | ===Games=== | ||
Due to region-locking, some Nintendo 3DS games cannot be played on all Nintendo 3DS systems due to not being released for some regions. The Japanese, American and European regions dominate the other regions in the number of available games. However, despite region-locking, [[Pokémon Bank]] is able to communicate with games of any region (even if they cannot be played on that system). | Due to region-locking, some Nintendo 3DS games cannot be played on all Nintendo 3DS systems due to not being released for some regions. The Japanese, American and European regions dominate the other regions in the number of available games. However, despite region-locking, [[Pokémon Bank]] is able to communicate with games of any region (even if they cannot be played on that system). | ||
Below is a list of Nintendo 3DS Pokémon games, indicating whether they can be played on each region of Nintendo 3DS. | Below is a list of Nintendo 3DS Pokémon games, indicating whether they can be played on each region of Nintendo 3DS. | ||
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===Distributions=== | ===Distributions=== | ||
Special event distributions for the [[Generation VI]] and {{gen|VII}} games are restricted by region for [[Nintendo Zone]], serial code, and [[Nintendo Network]] distributions. Local wireless and infrared distributions are not region-locked. | Special event distributions for the [[Generation VI]] and {{gen|VII}} games are restricted by region for [[Nintendo Zone]], serial code, and [[Nintendo Network]] distributions. Local wireless and [[infrared]] distributions are not region-locked. | ||
Events in Hong Kong and Taiwan are generally made available for Taiwanese, Japanese, and PAL region systems. | Events in Hong Kong and Taiwan are generally made available for Taiwanese, Japanese, and PAL region systems. | ||
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==Super Nintendo Entertainment System== | ==Super Nintendo Entertainment System== | ||
There are three regions for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on Bulbapedia are purely descriptive. | There are three regions for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on Bulbapedia are purely descriptive. | ||
Region-locking on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System between NTSC regions is merely a physical restriction and not a technical one. It is possible to remove plastic tabs from an American region system so that it can play both Japanese and American region games; however, because American region game cartridges are larger than Japanese region ones, they do not fit in the Japanese region Super Famicom and so cannot be played on it. | |||
Conversely, due to PAL and NTSC games using different video standards, PAL games cannot be played on NTSC systems due to technical limitations, and vice versa. | |||
===Regions=== | ===Regions=== | ||
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===Games=== | ===Games=== | ||
Due to region-locking, some SNES games cannot be played on all SNES systems due to not being released for some regions | Due to region-locking, some SNES games cannot be played on all SNES systems due to not being released for some regions. | ||
Below is a list of SNES Pokémon games, indicating whether they can be played on each region of SNES. | Below is a list of SNES Pokémon games, indicating whether they can be played on each region of SNES. | ||
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==Nintendo 64== | ==Nintendo 64== | ||
There are three regions for the [[Nintendo 64]], as well as one for the {{wp|iQue}} Player (the equivalent of the Nintendo 64 in mainland China). The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on Bulbapedia are purely descriptive. | There are three regions for the [[Nintendo 64]], as well as one for the {{wp|iQue}} Player (the equivalent of the Nintendo 64 in mainland China). The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on Bulbapedia are purely descriptive. | ||
Region-locking on the Nintendo 64 between NTSC regions is merely a physical restriction and not a technical one; the difference is the position of tabs on the back of cartridges and the corresponding game port on the console itself. It is possible to remove plastic tabs from an NSTC system so that it can play NTSC games from both regions. However, due to PAL and NTSC games using different video standards, PAL games cannot be played on NTSC systems due to technical limitations, and vice versa. | |||
===Regions=== | ===Regions=== | ||
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==Nintendo GameCube== | ==Nintendo GameCube== | ||
There are three regions for the [[Nintendo GameCube]]. The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on Bulbapedia are purely descriptive. | There are three regions for the [[Nintendo GameCube]]. The regions do not have publicly known official names, so the names used for the regions on Bulbapedia are purely descriptive. | ||
Region-locking on the Nintendo GameCube is merely a software restriction and not a technical one, as fans have created hacks that allow region-locking to be bypassed. | |||
===Regions=== | ===Regions=== | ||
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Regions are also used to restrict the list of countries that can selected from when choosing the country for the Wii Shop Channel. This means that American region systems cannot select Japan as their home country. | Regions are also used to restrict the list of countries that can selected from when choosing the country for the Wii Shop Channel. This means that American region systems cannot select Japan as their home country. | ||
Region-locking on the Wii is merely a software restriction and not a technical one, as fans have created hacks that allow region-locking to be bypassed. | |||
===Regions=== | ===Regions=== | ||
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Regions are also used to restrict the list of countries that can selected from when choosing the country for the Nintendo eShop. This means that American region systems cannot select Japan as their home country. | Regions are also used to restrict the list of countries that can selected from when choosing the country for the Nintendo eShop. This means that American region systems cannot select Japan as their home country. | ||
Region-locking on the Wii U is merely a software restriction and not a technical one, as fans have created hacks that allow region-locking to be bypassed. | |||
===Regions=== | ===Regions=== | ||