What are my options for backing up my old cart-based game saves?

[Cyber Akuma]

Those batteries don't last forever, and I can't keep track of all my batteries to replace them... not to mention one mistake during replacement and poof it's all gone. But I can't find much ways to actually back then up. Mostly games older than N64, but if I could also add N64 in there as well that would be very helpful. I don't really need to worry about GBA and later since those are easy to backup.

 

I can't see to find any reasonable options for N64 and older however:

 

Retrode ceased production long ago and is no longer being made, the only retailer has been out of stock forever. Used ones go for absurd amounts on ebay.

 

Sanni's cart reader is only available as a parts list and schematics, I have ZERO electronics or soldering skills. I can SOMETIMES replace the save battery of a cart or extend a wire, that's about it. I definitely cannot put together a circuit board just from schematics and a parts list.

 

A Retron would be very expensive to just use as a save backup device, plus I really don't want to support them since that thing is just a bunch of Android emulators, many of them without a commercial license, being sold for profit.

 

Do I have any options before my saves are gone? Assuming not all of mine are gone just yet.

 

[Tanooki]

Well for the N64 if you can find the thing on ebay, look for a thing called a DEX DRIVE. They made them back in the later 90s, an adapter to pop your N64 memory cards into and dump the data/manage it on the computer. For the GBA you said you have that covered, but on the whole as much as it sucks, you could buy a Retron5 or better yet a RetroFreak as they dump the games and the save data to their own hardware, and you can throw a SD card into either and pull this data and pop it on your PC too. Those systems both run around 10+ cartridge formats from Nintendo(all from GBA back to NES for the R5) and the other (FC, TG16, much else the same on the RetroFreak.)

 

You'll have to figure something out I guess if you don't want the Retron5 (or the RetroFreak), but getting all high and mighty about emulators and their provenance seems pretty petty and pointless as they're not going to care in the least bit about your moral crusade. You need a tool and it's likely your best choice given the ten plus formats it covers since you can't afford to buy a bunch of individual devices or let alone the parts to do it yourself since the skills aren't there.

[Cyber Akuma]

Well for the N64 if you can find the thing on ebay, look for a thing called a DEX DRIVE. They made them back in the later 90s, an adapter to pop your N64 memory cards into and dump the data/manage it on the computer. For the GBA you said you have that covered, but on the whole as much as it sucks, you could buy a Retron5 or better yet a RetroFreak as they dump the games and the save data to their own hardware, and you can throw a SD card into either and pull this data and pop it on your PC too. Those systems both run around 10+ cartridge formats from Nintendo(all from GBA back to NES for the R5) and the other (FC, TG16, much else the same on the RetroFreak.)

 

You'll have to figure something out I guess if you don't want the Retron5 (or the RetroFreak), but getting all high and mighty about emulators and their provenance seems pretty petty and pointless as they're not going to care in the least bit about your moral crusade. You need a tool and it's likely your best choice given the ten plus formats it covers since you can't afford to buy a bunch of individual devices or let alone the parts to do it yourself since the skills aren't there.

 

I have a N64 and PS1 Dex Drive actually. The issue with that though is that it only lets me backup N64 memory cards, many of the games saved to the cartridge itself, not to memory cards.

 

And you misunderstood, my issue is specifically with the Retron taking OTHER'S emulators, many of which are released under a non-commercial license, and selling them, making a profit off of other's work without giving the creators a cent. I don't have an issue with emulators themselves.

[Austin]

 

A Retron would be very expensive to just use as a save backup device, plus I really don't want to support them since that thing is just a bunch of Android emulators, many of them without a commercial license, being sold for profit.

 

You can buy a used one. It will be considerably cheaper and you won't be supporting Hyperkin directly.

[tbb033]

Console copiers could be used to back up saves, not just games, to floppies or whatever media it writes or connects to. Usually, some games/copiers have issues. I never could get saves working right on Phantasy Star 4 and a Smart Bros. copier.

[Tanooki]

 

I have a N64 and PS1 Dex Drive actually. The issue with that though is that it only lets me backup N64 memory cards, many of the games saved to the cartridge itself, not to memory cards.

 

And you misunderstood, my issue is specifically with the Retron taking OTHER'S emulators, many of which are released under a non-commercial license, and selling them, making a profit off of other's work without giving the creators a cent. I don't have an issue with emulators themselves.

 

Ahh gotcha. I knew what you meant. You're one in a very very long line of people complaining over that and no one ultimately cares or they would have been punished for it by now so it's just kind of punishing yourself as I see it. Plus Austin is right, buy one used, they're you're guilt free as hyperkin gets nothing. That's a win win there.

[Eltigro]

There's this thing for the SNES. Not sure how it works, but I think you can use the floppy drive to save games. Those could then be transferred to a file on a computer or something. Metal Jesus did a video about one a while back.

 

[Tanooki]

My best friend had one of those back in high school or some variation of that piracy tool there. It ran on stock disks and it would split the game over as many necessary and it did save to the floppy too which could be put onto a computer you're right about that. The game though was not a standard file format nor were the saves but I think with the game in the slot you could write the data back if you could read the chinese (or trial and error) to do it.

[pacman000]

Couple of articles on this:

 

http://www.platypuscomix.net/interactive/saveyoursaves.html

 

http://www.platypuscomix.net/interactive/saveyoursaves2.html

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I use a 2032 holder with two wires soldered off the leads that I then solder in parallel with the current battery on the cart. This way I can remove the original and replace it out without losing my saves currently on the cart. The trick is that I solder the wires to different points on the cartridge itself so it doesn't interfere with the current battery that I'm trying to remove.

[Cyber Akuma]

 

You can buy a used one. It will be considerably cheaper and you won't be supporting Hyperkin directly.

 

Hmm... I suppose that's an option. How well does the save backup/restore feature even work?

 

 

Console copiers could be used to back up saves, not just games, to floppies or whatever media it writes or connects to. Usually, some games/copiers have issues. I never could get saves working right on Phantasy Star 4 and a Smart Bros. copier.

 

I know, most of those devices I mentioned have the primary purpose of dumping carts, the save backup/restore feature is more of a bonus due to it already being able to dump the cart itself anyway.

 

 

I use a 2032 holder with two wires soldered off the leads that I then solder in parallel with the current battery on the cart. This way I can remove the original and replace it out without losing my saves currently on the cart. The trick is that I solder the wires to different points on the cartridge itself so it doesn't interfere with the current battery that I'm trying to remove.

 

I want to backup my saves though, not just keep the battery going.

[cybercylon]

As far as the Retrode goes, yes production stopped in about 2013 for the original version. Dragonbox.de was licensed to make the the Retrode 2 and the three adapters. I think they get made in batches. It is worth putting your email address in to get notified when what you want is available. They were out of stock earlier this year, but were more readily available mid summer though late fall. With the holidays, I am sure nothing is in stock.

 

Also, while you can back up games and saves with a Retrofreak, a dump of a game is encrypted so it only works with the Retrofreak that was used.