Convert MP3 to CRI HCA online for game projects built on CRI ADX2. Upload files up to 20GB and download the converted result in a few clicks.
Convert HCA to MP3Drag & Drop your MP3 file here
MP3 files, up to 20GB
Files stay private.
Automatically deleted after 24 hours.
Link
20GB upload limit.
4.8/5
Trusted for 1,827,796+ conversions
HOW IT WORKS
Three steps, no account, nothing to install.
01
Upload your MP3 file
Drag and drop an .mp3 file or select it from your device. Cover art and ID3 tags don't need to be removed first.
02
Convert to HCA
Keep HCA as the output format and start. The MP3 is decoded, its encoder padding is trimmed when it has a LAME or Xing header, and the audio is encoded at about 240 kbps for 44.1 kHz stereo.
03
Download the HCA
Download one unencrypted .hca file per MP3 and play it in vgmstream or a player built on it.
MP3
MP3 is a lossy compressed audio format built for small files and broad playback compatibility. It works on almost every phone, browser, car stereo, media player, and editing application.
HCA
HCA (High Compression Audio) is CRI Middleware's compressed audio format, used for music, voices and sound effects in games built on CRI ADX2, usually packed inside ACB or AWB banks. It can store a loop, and many games encrypt their HCA files with their own key. vgmstream plays it.
FILE FORMATS
SOURCE
MPEG-1 Audio Layer III has been the universal music format since the 1990s. It compresses audio by removing sounds the ear is unlikely to hear, so a song takes a few megabytes instead of tens. ID3 tags carry the title, artist and album art, and every phone, browser, car stereo and editor plays it.
TARGET
HCA (High Compression Audio) is CRI's successor to ADX, used for music and voice in CRI ADX2 games, especially on mobile and recent consoles. It compresses much more than ADX at good quality and supports loop points. Many commercial games encrypt their HCA with a game-specific key.
| Feature | MP3 | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Developed by | MPEG (Fraunhofer) | CRI Middleware |
| File extension | .mp3 | .hca |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy (MDCT) |
| Size vs uncompressed WAV | About 1/7 to 1/10 | About 1/8 to 1/10 |
| Tags and cover art | ID3 tags and cover art | Loop points |
| Best for | Music and podcasts everywhere | Music and voice in CRI games |
| Plays on phones and browsers | Yes | No, needs vgmstream |
USE CASES
Practical workflows where MP3 to HCA conversion is useful.
Swap a song into a CRI-based game
Modders replacing a song in a game built on CRI ADX2 can encode an MP3 as HCA and pack it into the game's ACB or AWB bank. The HCA plays once, which suits ending themes and other songs that don't loop.
Replace a jingle or fanfare
Short pieces that play once, such as a victory fanfare, a level-clear jingle or a menu sting, are a good fit, since MP3 carries no loop points.
Add fan-dub voice lines sent as MP3
When voice actors deliver their lines as MP3, each file can become an HCA for a game that stores its voices in CRI audio.
Keep a track starting on the beat
When the MP3 has a LAME or Xing header, the encoder's silence at the start and end is removed, so the HCA starts where the audio does.
Convert low-rate speech MP3s
MPEG-2 and MPEG-2.5 MP3s, such as 22.05 kHz or 8 kHz speech, keep their sample rate in the HCA instead of being resampled.
Convert tagged MP3s from a music library
MP3s with cover art, ID3 or APE tags convert without cleanup. The tags and artwork are dropped, since the HCA holds only audio.
Make HCA test files for tools
Developers of HCA decoders, bank builders or players can make unencrypted mono or stereo test files from everyday MP3s.
Prepare a set of songs for a mod
Add several MP3s to one job and download the HCA files together as a ZIP, then pack them into the game one by one.
Hear a song as HCA before packing it
Convert the MP3 and play the HCA in a vgmstream-based player to hear the encoded result before it goes into a mod.
Encode long medleys
Tracks up to 30 minutes convert, so full songs and long medleys work. Longer audio is refused.
SUPPORTED FILES
MP3 files of any common bitrate are supported.
Games built on CRI ADX2 use HCA.
Channels are kept.
The HCA keeps the MP3's rate.
Short clips encode the same way.
MP3 has no loop points. Use WAV to HCA with a looped WAV.
Only convert audio you own or have permission to use. Having a file doesn't automatically give you the right to put it into someone else's game.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Most problems come down to settings the game expects, not the conversion itself.
01
Many commercial games only accept HCA encrypted with their own key. dragdropdo writes unencrypted HCA.
02
MP3 has no loop points, so the HCA plays once. Use WAV to HCA with loop points in a smpl chunk.
03
The game probably expects a different sample rate. Check an original file from the game and match its rate before converting.
04
MP3 and HCA are both lossy. Start from a WAV for better results.
05
Compare your track's loudness with the game's other audio and adjust it before converting.
06
Make sure the new file uses the exact name and folder of the one it replaces, then test it in the actual game or build.
VGAudio, LoopingAudioConverter and BrawlCrate encode Nintendo and CRI formats once installed. dragdropdo runs VGAudio in the browser, so you can turn MP3 into HCA on any device.
| What matters | dragdropdo | VGAudio and Desktop Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing to install | ✓Yes. Runs in any modern browser. | ~Yes. Windows tools or the .NET command line. |
| Works on phones and tablets | ✓Yes. Desktop, Android, iPhone and iPad. | ~No. Desktop only. |
| Batch conversion | ✓Yes. Add many files and download one ZIP. | ~Yes, with LoopingAudioConverter or scripts. |
| Share finished files | ✓Yes. Send a unique link from the result page. | ~You upload and share the files yourself. |
| Pricing | ✓Free with daily limits. $2.99 or $6.99 passes for unlimited use, no monthly plan. | ~Free. |
| Setting loop points | ✓Read from a WAV's smpl chunk. MP3 sources play once. | ~Yes. Most let you type loop points directly. |
Other tools use different pricing, limits and workflows. This comparison describes dragdropdo's own features without assuming every other tool works the same way.
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WHY DRAGDROPDO
Convert MP3 to HCA in your browser, with nothing to install and nothing kept after 24 hours.
Private by default
Files are encrypted in transit and deleted from our servers automatically after 24 hours.
No install required
Convert in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone or iPad. No app and no sign-up wall.
Big files and batches
Upload files up to 20GB each, add several at once, and download the results one by one or as a ZIP.
Share & download
Save finished files to your device or pass them on with a share link from the result page.
MORE MP3 TOOLS
MP3 is a popular audio file format known for its efficient data compression and relatively high quality, making it ideal for music and audio streaming. Widely used for music downloads and digital media, MP3 files maintain a balance between sound quality and file size, ensuring quick downloads and easy sharing across platforms and devices.
Explore all tools
FAQ
Answers to common questions about dragdropdo's MP3 to HCA converter.
