Wii Freeloader Arriving Middle of March: Play All Import Games on Wii for £10.99

Datel have done it again: With the Wii Freeloader, play import Wii games on any Wii console. This means you can play USA Wii games on a UK Wii, Japanese games on a USA Wii or UK games on a Japanese Wii; any combination of regions you can think of, the Wii Freeloader will handle. Datel were previously rumoured to be working on it, but we're now (very) happy to announce it will be arriving in the second week of March at the low price of £10.99 - and it's available for pre-order now.

The confirmed release date is great news as the Wii is not yet known for it's vast library of games, and that number is diminished even further when you realise not every game is released in each region. Instead of waiting months for a UK release, you could play the USA Super Smash Brothers Brawl on your UK Wii right now. Even the hotly touted Wii Mario Kart is expected to debut in America long before it hits UK shores and we'll finally have access to the wide range of quirky Wii Japanese games that developers wouldn't dream of bringing over here.

Best of all, as no modificiation is required so it doesn't invalidate your warranty - and usage couldn't be easier! Just insert the Freeloader before the imported game you want to play, wait for the screen to load and then eject and swap for the intended game. It even works for Gamecube games as well, which opens up a huge back catalogue for the machine.

Region specific discs are a thing of the past as well with the new Wii Freeloader, all these Wii/Gamecube functions are performed from the one disc so no matter which Wii console you own, all you need is the Wii Freeloader. Are you as excited as we are? Leave a comment!

Pre-order it here for £10.99

Incoming Next Week: Lasers, Cables and Targets

Next week we have seven new products coming into stock. They should all be in stock by the middle of the week, so get your pre-orders in fast to have them shipped the day they come in.

First up are the Lock'n'Kill Adhesive Targets from Talismoon. Each of these make up a set of three different sized crosshairs that you stick in the middle of your monitor and use for games that don't give you a targeting reticule. The different sized targets mean if you have a bigger TV, you can use a bigger target and use a smaller target with a smaller TV.


Think in the Brother of Arms series or Gears of War, it's almost impossible to aim accurately without standing stationary and taking careful aim through the scope of a gun. The Lock 'n' Kill targets give you the advantage by enhancing your aim all the time, so you can take accurate pop shots while running. They're repeelable as well, so you don't have to suffer the indignity of crosshairs on your TV while watching Eastenders or Pop Idol (although maybe it isn't such a bad idea...)


Buy the Lock'n'Kill here for £2.49

Next up is the Xbox One 1080i VGA Frozen Cable. This custom built VGA cable supports resolutions of 480p/720p and 1080i (and there's a suprising number of games that can use these modes, look at HDTVArcade for an indepth list, not to mention homebrew apps such as XBMC). With 5.1 coax digital sound output, you'll be getting the best quality in every department. It's essentially a VGA cable for the original Xbox, something that many gamers have been screaming out for for years.

Usage of it is not as simple as plug and play as it will only work if your Xbox is set to NTSC mode and is using a specific VGA firmware (more details here). If you have the right setup to get it working, it's superb quality and by far the best original Xbox VGA solution out there.



Buy the Xbox Frozen VGA cable here for £12.99

If you've got kids who like to run amuck with consoles, you're sure to appreciate the Xbox 360 Disc Protector. Developed by ZooZen, the Disc Protector stops your Xbox 360 scratching your discs if the console is moved or jolted during gameplay. Three foam pads sit inside the disc tray to prevent excess movement. It's really easy to install and even features some retro NES-style blowing action, as you need to blow on the disc tray when performing the one-time setup.


Buy the Xbox 360 Disc Protector here for £4.99

Apparently, people are still mistreating their PSPs out there as the replacement nubs/joysticks continue to be a popular purchase. In addition to the black one we already stock, we're getting white ones in soon and will later be expanding our range to cover all the official colours.

Buy the White PSP Replacement Analog Nub for £4.99 here

Sony's portable pleasure machine has never been the most resilient unit though, so why not invest in a protective case for it? The PSP Slim Protective Clear Case is made from super hard and thin polycarbonate material that offers the best protection, whilst not interfering with your gameplay. All the connections (USB, power, GPS etc) remain open and it even includes extra analog/D-pad attachments to enhance the original a-bit-too-fiddly ones. Pink is incoming soon, to compliment our existing range.

Buy the Pink PSP Slim Protective Case with Buttons here for £5.99

Of course, we've mentioned this before on the blog, but we're also expecting the all-in-one HDMI to VGA cable HDFury Gamer 2008 Edition towards the end of the week. Be the first in the UK to get it by buying from the official UK distributor!
Buy the HDFury Gamer 2008 here for £49.99

Finally, we continue to expand our range of spares and repairs for next-gen consoles with a PS3 replacement Blu-ray lens. The KES-400AAA is a cheaper option to repair your console if you know that it's just the laser that's failed and not the full optical block. This factory new unit will fix disc reading errors, Blu-ray/DVD skipping or unusually long load times on games.

That's all for the stock update this week. Be sure to subscribe to the blog to hear all the latest news, reviews, special offers and stock updates going on at The Game Train!


What do you think about the new stock? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Joytech AV Control Centres: Connect Everything to Everything Else

We've just taken delivery of three new Joytech AV Control Centres that will let you connect all manner of video & audio connections (componenent, S-Video, AV, optical, RJ45 etc) and we're offering them at huge discounts.

First up is the Joytech Control Center 540C at £29.99 available in 'Xbox white'. Inspired by the curves of Microsoft's next-gen beast, the 540C has a frankly ridiculous number of inputs. With 5 component connections, 5 S-video, 5 composite and 5 optical audio (for 5.1 Dolby sound), you could probably hook up every console from the last ten years to this well-endowed machine, and you'd still have room to blast some tunes from your iPod through it.


Uniquely, it can also interact directly with the Xbox 360 via the included proprietary connection that feeds the sound and video straight through to the unit. The 5 port 100Mb RJ45 hub is a very welcome option as well being as most gamers shy away from the expensive 360 wireless adapter.

Unlike some of our other switchers which feature mechanical solutions for changing what you're viewing (buttons or switches), the 540C is one step away from being an auto-sensing sentinent lifeform from the Terminator. With the included remote you're only ever a button press away from selecting your source, all from the comfort of your favourite gaming chair.


Next up, the Joytech AV Control Center 245C at £47.99, available in Black or Silver has a gianormous seven inputs and uses advanced AS-HD™ technology to maintain optimum signal clarity at all times.



As usual with Joytech, the quality is top notch. When we put it through it's paces on our test rig we noticed no degradation in image quality with all the major next-gen consoles connected and flicking between them. A nice touch is that you can also rename what the devices are called on the 540C's LCD display - something I learnt when my puerile colleague set it up for the 'Nintendo Wee'.


Don't forget if you need extra component cables you can pick them up for Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3 and other sources.

HDFury Gamer Shipping Date (Almost) Confirmed!

Loads of you have been asking when the HDFury Gamer 2008 will be in stock and we can now confirm that it will be shipping to us on Friday. This means it should be in stock ready to send out by Wednesday/Thursday - we'll be able to confirm an exact date on Friday.

As the UK distributor and reseller for the HDFury, we will be amongst the first in the world to have the product in stock.



Here's a quick recap of HDFury Gamer's advantages:

- The first and only straight HDMI to VGA converter all-in-one cable
- Competitively priced to alternative component-to-VGA converters, but produces a far superior image.
- Allows DVD playback with upscaling up to 1080p on PS3/Elite or any others HDMI source. Also allows you to 1080p upscale PS2 games on a backwards-compatible PS3.
- Usable on non-HDCP compliant screens, but does not strip the HDCP signal

Pre-order it here for just £49.99 to secure yours

Say Hello to My Little Friend

We know you love all those hard-to-get videogame cables and accessories that The Game Train is famed for, but did you know we also stock videogame character plush toys?

Yoshi's a massive 51cm tall, which makes him even bigger than the Playstation 3 (physically, not metaphorically). We'll be getting more of his friends in stock soon, but it remains to be seen whether we'll get a Mario big enough to ride this Yoshi.

Buy Yoshi for £14.99

Gamepointsnow.com - Game Points Now!

This hasn't been mentioned before, so I thought I'd give a shout out to our sister site Game Points Now, for all your instant Xbox/Wii Points needs. The premise is simple: you can buy Xbox, Wii and PSN points or subscriptions, pay by Paypal or credit/debit card and you'll instantly be sent your code by e-mail. No fuss, no muss.

It's mostly for European (UK) codes at the moment, but you can also pick up different flavours of Japanese PSN codes, which can be used on any region PS3 and provides a glimpse into the more hardcore and bizarre world of gaming. There's a lot on the Japanese network.


GPN is a handy way of getting points fast and for Xbox, saves your credit card being linked to your Gamertag, which then stops your 11-year-old cousin who doesn't understand that POINTS MEAN MONEY spending ludicrous amounts of cash on downloading tiny Gamertag icons for most of the English Premier League just so that his Gamertag picture matches his Pro Evo team of choice (and yes, this incident does form 99% of the inspiration behind the site). It also stops Microsoft auto-renewing your Gold account as well, and besides, we're cheap - cheaper than doing it through the Dashboard!

It's owned and staffed by the same people as The Game Train so you can trust you'll be getting a great service.

HD Fury UK Power Adapter Wall Plugs Now Available

Following on from the price drop for each type of HD Fury, we're now selling the UK Power adapters for them. Though most setups work fine without a power supply, if you are using a HDFury with a HDMI or DVI cable longer than 5 metres, the signal will be weakened. With the HDFury Power Supply, it will be boosted to full strength.

Additionally, some HD-DVD or Blu-Ray players do not output enough power for the HDFury, especially if it's running at 1080p. If this is the case with your setup and if you're either getting a blank screen or a weakened signal, the power supply could resolve your issues.

Available here at £5.99. As always, shipped fast from the UK.

TheGameTrain.com is Official UK Reseller and Distributor of HDFury Products

We are now the official UK Reseller and Distributor of the HDfury Blue, Red and Green. The HDFury lets you plug any HDMI source (Blu-Ray player, PS3 etc) into a VGA screen without a HDMI input. We know there's a lot of fans of this little device, especially those of you who like to play your Playstation 3 on your PC Monitor, but find you get a black screen when you connect them together. The quality is extremely high with very, very little (no?) degradation in the picture. Check out a few shots below:



So what does Official Reseller mean then? Well, you get the same great service (same-day shipping from the UK, people you can actually talk to who know the products inside-out, flexible returns policy), only now at an even cheaper price. Yes, all the original HDFury models (Blue, Red and Green) are now a bargain-licious £72.99. Check out our links on the official HDFury.com site here.

If you're interested in volume amounts of the HDFury, please get in touch.

Those of you interested in the HDFury Gamer - we are also the UK Reseller/Distributor and we expect stock in next week. Stay tuned to the blog for a definitive release date. As soon as have it, we will ship it out same-day. Get your pre-order now for just £49.99 before the price goes back up to £54.99 once it's officially released!

Official Wii Replacement Game Cases - 99p each!

Have you ever broken the cases that your Wii games come in, only to find that it's next to impossible to find proper replacements for them? Sure, you can use plain white DVD cases, but it's not the same and they always look a bit shoddy next to their official Nintendo cousins.


We're now offering 100% official Nintendo Wii replacement cases for a mere 99 pence each! These are not just normal white DVD cases, they're the official Nintendo ones with the 'Wii' imprint on the inside case. They even come with the Wii brochure advertising forthcoming games and they come without any artwork on the outside cover. We are the only place in the UK where you'll be able to get these official Wii cases. Our stocks of these are limited, but we will re-stock regularly. Buy in bulk to save on postage!

Official Wii DVD/Game cases - only 99p each!

Datel Tool Batteries Rundown: What's available and what should I get?

The Datel Tool Battery is a special premodified battery with a modified EEPROM that will boot the PSP into service mode. Using widely available homebrew software you'll be able to restore a bricked PSP/upgrade firmware etc. Once done, and your PSP is fixed the way you want it, it's also possible to convert the battery back to a 'normal' battery and so use it in your PSP like an original battery.



There are two flavours of battery available - one for the original 'phat' PSP and one for the PSP Slim. Makes sure you pick up the right one for your PSP, as they're not interchangable.



An alternative solution is the Datel Battery Service Tool. This extremely useful device can convert any genuine Sony battery (it won't work on 3rd party batteries) into a service-mode Tool battery and back to normal again. And again. And again. It's a great value solution if you need to fix more than one PSP, or want a long term option if you need to switch between the two modes a lot.

XFPS Sniper blocked by Microsoft?

Microsoft are clearly not happy about the advantage you gain by using a keyboard and mouse on the 360 via the XFPS Sniper, as their latest joypads prove to be incompatible with it.

The XFPS Sniper requires a wired controller plugged into the XFPS at the same time as the (a wireless controller/charging cable won't work - it has to be wired) keyboard and mouse. Previously, all wired controllers had worked on it, including the official Microsoft ones. However, the latest version of the Microsoft wired joypad will not work with the XFPS. These have the serial number 'X811616-005' on the outside packaging.

The good news is, you can probably still find older models of the joypad, and it's still compatible with 3rd party controllers such as this Joytech one. In fact, we've put together a fantastic value bundle deal that combines the XFPS Sniper with a Joytech controller, at the low price of just £74.99 available right here.

Playing High Def Playstation 3 on a VGA PC Monitor - The Definitive Guide

Have you ever wanted to play your Playstation 3 on your PC Monitor? Most monitors support HD resolutions of at least 1024 x 768, which gives the equivalent 720p picture of an expensive HDTV. Heck, a lot of monitors support 1080p these days (1920 x 1080). So why can't you just buy a Playstation 3 VGA cable and plug it right into the back of a monitor? Well, because Sony being Sony, things are never as simple as they should be and there are various 'protection' measures to get around first.

Unlike the more user-friendly Xbox 360, there has never been an official Playstation 3 VGA cable released, and it's extremely unlikely that Sony will ever release one.

Without getting overly technical, the root of the problem lies in the PS3's insistence on HDCP or 'High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection', which is designed to protect audio/video content as it travels over HDMI or DVI connections. Think of it as Macrovision for High-Def content. In short, the PS3 won't allow a picture from a HDMI cable unless your screen supports HDCP. While most modern HDTVs (think post 2004) do support HDCP, there's loads that won't, and virtually no standard PC monitors will support it.

PS3: HDMI Vs. Component

So where does that leave us? There are two ways to get High-Def from a Playstation 3 - through a component connection which looks like this:


Or through the HDMI connection which looks like this:

If you have a 1080p screen, you'll be able to get full 720p/1080p from either type of cable. There are though, several crucial differences between the two:

- The component connection is analog; signal information can be lost over the cable, especially with longer leads.
- The HDMI connection is digital, no signal information is lost so there is no loss in image quality.
- The Playstation 3 encodes a HDMI signal with HDCP, meaning you must have a screen that supports HDCP (unlikely on a PC monitor).

PS3 on VGA Monitor

Of course, at the moment, neither of these solutions help us to get our PS3 to display on our PC monitor which uses a VGA connection, but it's important to know the background on the connections before you make a decision on which cable is best for you.

As there is no native PS3 VGA connection, all the available solutions involve converting either a component or HDMI signal into a VGA input.

Option 1: The Component to VGA Converter

The way this works is by linking a PS3 Component Cable from the Playstation 3 to a box of tricks in the middle, with a VGA cable coming out and linking to your monitor.

There are two models available, the Mayflash YPbPr to RGBHV Transcoder at £39.99 which comes with a mains adapter and jack to jack connection for transferring sound.

There is also the more recent XCM VGA Box at £44.99. This is powered by USB (either PC or console ports) and includes free Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 component cables:

Both boxes include a 'VGA passthrough', which means you can have your PC plugged in at the same time and just flick the switch whenever you want to choose between your PC/console, saving you from the constant hassle of unplugging/replugging the cables in.

Option 1a: The PS3 VGA Cable

Now hang on, I thought I said there wasn't a native VGA cable for the PS3? Well there isn't. The Mayflash PS3/Wii VGA cable at £29.99 is actually an all in one Component to VGA cable with PS3/Wii inputs on the one end and a VGA output on the other. You can tell it's converting the component signal as you need to set your PS3 up in component mode (rather than HDMI or AV) in order to get a HD picture.

Power is drawn directly from the console. While it gives a similar picture quality to the other component to VGA converters, it lacks some of the flexibility as you can only use it on the PS3 or Wii. And of course, it lacks the VGA passthrough (though you could use a VGA switch).

Option 2: The HDMI to VGA Converter

Because the PS3 forces HDCP onto the HDMI connections (meaning your screen must support HDCP), you need a device that does more than convert the HDMI connection to a VGA connection. The HDFury is a unique device that effectively 'adds' HDCP support onto your unsupported VGA screen. This means you can use your PS3 on any monitor and have support HDTV resolutions. As the signal is digital HDMI, there is less quality degradation so the picture quality extremely high, superior to the component to VGA converters.

There are two types of HDFury available, the HDFury Gamer at £49.99 which is an all-in-one HDMI to VGA cable, that adds HDCP support to your monitor:


Then there is the standalone HDFury at £74.99, which is a VGA to DVI adapter (which adds HDCP) that needs to be used in conjunction with a HDMI - DVI cable at £7.99 on a Playstation 3. So, the setup goes PS3 to HDMI-DVI cable to HDFury to VGA input on your PS3 :


There you have it! A comprehensive guide on how to play your PS3 games in full high def on your PC VGA monitor. Check out our sequel post soon which include screenshots from each device!

DS Shock! Cases Official Reseller - Good as Gold

The Game Train is now an official UK reseller of the Xtreme Enterprises DS Shock! Cases. These high quality, durable replacement cases are ideal if you've damaged your DS Lite (such as snapped a hinge or cracked a case), and want to give your favourite portable console a cool new look. View the complete range of colours here.

We're also excited to announce that we'll soon have the Magnum Gold DS Shock Case in stock. You can expect the same high quality product that you've come to expect, in a shiny new gold colour. Check it out below:

Chasing the Dragon (Accessories)

As well as being the official UK reseller of the extremely popular memory card device, the Memor32, The Game Train is now an official reseller of Dragon Accessories products - including console cables, adapters, converters as well as more exciting stuff like steering wheels, guitars and dance mats (heck, you could emulate the life of a rock star with those last three pieces of kit).

You can see our name on the recommended sellers list right here.