today, I've made one of my typical impulse decisions and bought a GameCube from eBay for a relatively cheap price (30€). I've also ordered a XenoGC right away because I'd like to play backups.
However, it wasn't until after I bought all that stuff that I did some actual research and found out that playing backups isn't that simple, which is why I'd like to ask you guys for some advice.
So basically, I think I have four possible ways of playing backups:
1. Boot Swiss either via a burnt disc or game exploit and play burnt discs:
This would probably give me the highest possible compatibility but the disc drives seem to be very unreliable which means I'd likely have to try multiple brands of Mini-DVDs and tweak the laser.
I'd like a reliable solution so I don't think I'm going to choose this option.
2. Boot Swiss either via a burnt disc or game exploit and play games from an SD card:
Very convenient as I have an SD Gecko as well as tons of SD cards lying around. Still need to get a burnt disc with Swiss to work though (I think game exploits are too inconvenient because they take a while to load). Also, there are compatibility issues with booting games from the SD Gecko and many games face stutters, especially the Metroid games, which I'd really like to play. Are these stutters bad? Can they be remedied by simply using Class 10 SD cards (I don't think so as I'm guessing that the Gecko/MC Slot is the real bottleneck here)?
Should I be able to get the burnt Swiss disc to work and the games would be playable and enjoyable from an SD card, this would be an acceptable solution.
3. Sell the GameCube as soon as I receive it:
I've got a soft modded Wii that I'm currently using to play GameCube games and that works flawlessly so it's actually kind of stupid to go for the GC in the first place. However, the GC was the first console I've ever owned and I really like its looks so I kinda still want one
Also, the possibility of getting a Gameboy Player at some point is also pretty attractive.4. Installing a WODE into the GameCube:
I've already mentioned my Wii but what I didn't mention is that it has a WODE installed in it. Now, seeing as Nintendont works as great as it does now, I was considering removing it from my Wii anyway. I've already read the guide on the wiki on how to put a WODE into a GC but I'm not quite sure how feasible a mod like this is. I've got some soldering skills (as long as the pads aren't super tiny) but still, the guide makes it look pretty intimidating. Would I be able to somehow still use Swiss and WiiRD cheat codes on games that I've got stored on the SD card in the WODE?
In conclusion, what I'm looking for is a way of playing backups of GC games with cheats in a way that is reliable and doesn't have compatiblity issues at least with the most popular games (Pokemon, Zelda, Metroid come to mind). What to you think is the best way for me to accomplish that?
Sorry if this post seems a little all over the place. If I need to clarify anything, just tell me. I'd really appreciate if you could give me some advice
