ROM Hacks News
No one was expecting Super Mario RPG to receive a remake. Likewise, CoolCatBomberMan never expected himself to make any further changes to “Super Mario RPG: Relocalized.” After all, the hack itself accomplishes everything it set out to do. Surely, there’s no realistic means of improving it further, right…?
Wrong! After watching a playthrough on Twitch, CoolCatBomberMan came to the realization that his hack looks, for lack of a better term, amateurish. Unprofessional. Sloppy. Rather than shrugging and moving on, CoolCatBomberMan decided to go over his script one last time, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to improve it all to the best of his ability. Formatting edits, rephrased dialogues and name changes for various items, monsters and Special Skills were applied over the course of nearly two months. Not everything was done solely by CoolCatBomberMan, however. Thanks to CalicoStonewolf’s incredible hacking ability, the name “Shooting Star Summit” can now be seen in its entirety in the World Map.
With this, “Super Mario RPG: Relocalized” has now reached what CoolCatBomberMan considers its absolute peak. If you have been holding off on this hack, waiting for it to be “complete,” or if you simply were unaware of its existence before now, then by all means, give it a try! Whether you’ve never played Super Mario RPG before, or wish to experience your favorite childhood game in a brand new way, this hack will provide what is perhaps the best possible version of Mario’s first RPG adventure on Super Nintendo!
[ COMMENTS ] Relevant Link - RHDN Project Page
ROM Hacks News
In 2021, CoolCatBomberMan attempted to create a patch for Super Mario RPG that rewrote certain aspects of the game’s script to be more in line with the Japanese script. That patch was called “SMRPG-Reworked Text.” While it did receive glowing reviews, one review was particularly spiteful, claiming that CoolCatBomberMan had “a complete misunderstanding of this intent all the way through.” This review, though hurtful, wasn’t entirely wrong. “Reworked Text” at times did, in fact, excise parts of Woolsey’s script based entirely on personal tastes, and rather than carefully consider the context and meaning of various pop culture references in the Japanese script, the patch simply threw in whatever joke or meme seemed appropriate at first glance. Eventually, CoolCatBomberMan requested for the patch to be removed, and never spoke about Super Mario RPG again…
…Until January 2022, when he built up the motivation to try again. Despite not knowing Japanese, CoolCatBomberMan was determined to go over every line in the game’s script with a fine-toothed comb, using a copy of the Japanese script that was posted online, several online dictionaries, Clyde “Tomato” Mandelin’s livestream, website and Snes9X Wanderbar plugin, and when all else failed, consultation and feedback from nejimakipiyo. The resulting process was agonizingly slow, but allowed CoolCatBomberMan to know with absolute certainty what was said in Japanese at any given moment. However, the truth of the matter is that not every aspect of Woolsey’s script is inaccurate to the Japanese script. Frankly, there are places in the script where Woolsey did, in fact, provide the best translation possible. So, what should be done about such instances?
CoolCatBomberMan decided the best course of action for his relocalization was to take on the role of an editor, opting to only change a line in Woolsey’s script if it notably deviates from the Japanese script without good reason, makes grammatical errors, or is simply formatted awkwardly. The result is a patch that is more in line with the Japanese script, while still conveying the feeling of Mario’s world being a fantastical land of adventure and whimsy, filled with colorful characters from all walks of life. And, of course, several JP pop culture references have been replaced with more appropriate American equivalents. You won’t find any Austin Powers quotes, but it should be noted that some quotes were simply translated as-is, because there simply wasn’t any other viable way to translate them back in 1996. If you want to experience Super Mario RPG, but can’t move past your distaste for Woolsey’s creative liberties, then this patch will provide all the good from his script, with none of the bad. For real, this time!
Enjoy!
