X-Gear's
Xploder
Overall Rating
100%
Type of Hardware
Game Enhancer / Utility
" ...Packed with features, this cartridge really satisfies. "
Controls
Simple to use... One switch on the outside of the cartridge - On/Off. All other choices are made from a on screen menu system when you turn on your PlayStation... You simply use a standard PSX controller to choose your options.
Learning Curve
Some of the features are more difficult to use than others. Choosing a cheat code from the list of codes included inside the Xploder is quite simple. You simply navigate through the list of cheat codes on screen in the built in menu. (There are hundreds of codes installed on the Xploder cartridge when you purchase it.) Entering your own codes or cheats into the Xploder game enhancer is actually not much harder. You can simply type in codes that you find in cheat code websites, the Xploder website, or call Xploder's 24 hour codes hotline for the latest codes. (We also will have a section for Xploder codes in the near future.)
There are some more sophisticated features that require a little more skill. These would include saving games to a PC (printer type cable not included) and grabbing screens directly from the PlayStation's graphics memory (the best method for grabbing screenshots). These are relatively easy to understand if you are familiar with PCs.
Finally, for those who like to tinker with games, know a little about how they work, and want to make their OWN cheat codes... This device can be used along with some free software availiable at the Xploder website to isolate specific game variables (such as number of lives, level, ammo, etc.) and then to change the value of those registers. Once you have located the exact variable and value you wish, you have a cheat code that can be used with the Xploder or other compatible game enhancers. (TOO sweet!)
Functionality
This game enhancer has features for every little cheat! You wanna enter codes you found on your favorite cheat code site? OK! You wanna make your OWN cheat codes? No problem! You want to get high - quality screen grabs from your favorite game and put them on the web? Go ahead. And - at this very reasonable price, it's worth it for even ONE feature... let alone all the others. It can even save games to your computer, allowing you to share characters, saved games, created levels, etc. with others through e-mail or over the 'net.
Features
- On / Off switch
- Game Cheat Codes
- - Hundreds of Codes Built In
- - Add Your Own Codes: Xploder stores up to 10,000(!)
- On Screen Menu System
- Compatible with other Game Enhancer Codes
- Save Games to Your PC
- Grab Screen Shots from the PSX's Video Memory
- Make Your OWN Cheat Codes Using Free Software
Drawbacks & Problems
This product in and of itself is not a game. It is ONLY a utility device. It will allow you to do things with your PlayStation, PSX games, and your PC that you could not hope to do without it. But, if you don't have the other hardware already, the Xploder doesn't do much.