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F-Zero Breaks Freeloader - Intentionally?
Thanks to Gamers.com for their article pointing out that the Japanese release of Nintendo's hotly-awaited F-Zero GX is partially incompatible with the Datel Freeloader region-free disc for the GameCube, which "normally allows players to run Japanese games on American or European Cubes without difficulty", as it "refuses to display the select screens or the in-game interface overlays (such as the speedometer, placing indicator, and so forth)." Since this a major Nintendo-developed title, and one of the first to sport notable incompatibilities with Freeloader, could it be that Nintendo are deliberately releasing games to break region-free circumvention, or is this just a coincidence?
It is probably just coincidence.
I haven't lost my mind!
It is backed up on disk...somewhere...
If you were the publisher for a game in Europe, you'd sure as hell want to make sure that the Japan/US versions of the game (which might be out months before yours due to localization delay) can't be bulk imported by retailers and sold - cos that money won't go to you, it'll go to the overseas publisher.
Likewise, the original publishers that sell the rights to overseas publishers want region locks so that they can inflate the cost of the rights. It's more money for them to sell truly exclusive rights to a region (due to region locks), than some half-assed rights because overseas retailers can just import from overseas.
That's one reason, there are other more minor ones too, like limiting marketing to one region so they can see how well it does, and apply those stats to the budgets for other regions.
Same deal with DVD regions too.
The most common reason for the games appearing in black and white seem to be that your TV does not support NTSC (or PAL60).
If you are sure your TV does support that, have you tried holding 'B' when the game boots up? You usually get a 60mHz option appearing.
Of course this is assuming you have a PAL console.