Another problem came from the fact that both the 464Plus and GX4000 (essentially a cut down 464Plus) had 64KB ram. As a result using the Plus features to the full was not so simple if the game was to run on these systems. If 128KB ram was the minimum then this would have allowed more flexibility for graphical data, sampled sound etc and would have easily enhanced a 64KB only game.
A 6128PLUS config with 512K ROM cartridge and disk Drive support is the optimum "from the shelf" Amstrad PLUS config, but such beast was never fully unleashed yet.
== Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Port ==
A good part of the Most games with CPC and PLUS existing versions are "Almost Direct Disk to Cartridge Port", a "Direct Disk to Cartridge Port" with small modifications. The use of the extra Plus features varied a lot. Some didn't use much, others used more.
== List Examples of Direct Disk to Cartridge Ports ==
Those were at least adapted to the ROM format.*[[Batman (Cartridge)]]
*[[Batman The Movie Barbarian 2 ( Cartridge )]]
*[[Barbarian 2 ( Cartridge )]] *[[Mystical ( Cartridge )]] *[[Klax ( Cartridge )]] *[[Tintin On the Moon ( Cartridge )]]
These could have benefited from using the Plus 4096 colour palette as a minimum.
Yet some of those actually had some especially made graphic pages (Tintin on the Moon perhaps) using PLUS palette, or some slight changes in palette. == List Examples of "Almost" Direct Disk to Cartridge Ports == Some other cartridge games looked similar to the CPC version, but did have some enhancements (few visual effect or cinematic/Intro pages). *[[Crazy Cars 2 ( Cartridge )]] : sky smooth colourfull gradient or HUD re-coloured... added option such as the map. Upgraded intro page too.
*[[Fire and Forget 2 ( Cartridge )]] : added smooth sky gradient while playing (same recipe as in Crazy Car2) and Fullscreen Intro/Cinematic pagesSome other cartridge games looked similar to the CPC version, but did have some enhancements.Some examples:
*[[Operation Thunderbolt Crazy Cars 2 ( Cartridge )]] : PLUS palette used, yet exactly same game engine (and datas).
*[[Wild Streets Fire and Forget 2 ( Cartridge )]] : mostly re-colouring to fit the better PLUS palette, and fullscreen intropage. (perhaps a few Hardsprites used ?)
This was still better than the direct ports, as it could give some "16bit version look" thanks to the PLUS palette (Atari ST portage lookalike).
== Price comparison ==
As most cartridges were the original games released from the GX4000 era, it was mostly applied to games. Now that the operation of the ACID protection chip is known, and the development of various homebrew cartridge hardware solutions may lead to Direct Disk to Cartridge Port applied to any kind of software or new cartridge games that make fuller use of Plus features.
Recent games may even be released in "Plus-Cartridge-friendly" version, provided the authors are interested in such release.
[[Category:Games]] [[Category:Cartridges| ]] [[Category:CPC Plus]] [[Category:CPC History]]