Comparing game localizations

[Gideon Zhi]

In Pokemon Red/Green (Japanese versions), your path is blocked by an old man who is passed-out drunk. In Red/Blue (American versions), he just hasn't had his coffee yet.

This is actually really clever! I approve of this.

[KingMike]

I already told you in an email, Mato but Secret of the Stars had a town of drunks. Changed to a town of lazy people in the localization.
I've recorded some clips and I'll get them uploaded soon.

Japan
USA

Also, Estpolis Denki (at least the two SNES games) had various kinds of booze you could buy that would increase (various?) stats when used in battle, or restore HP when used outside of battle. In the localizations (Lufia), they were changed to various flavors of cider.

[shadowmanwkp]

Also, Estpolis Denki (at least the two SNES games) had various kinds of booze you could buy that would increase (various?) stats when used in battle, or restore HP when used outside of battle. In the localizations (Lufia), they were changed to various flavors of cider.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't cider alcoholic?

[USC]

It's probably referring to apple cider, which is not alcoholic. It seems to be an American thing - everyone else immediately thinks of "hard" cider.

[Spooniest]

In America, the first thing someone thinks of when they hear "cider" is "apple cider," which is a nonalcoholic drink, yeah.

"Cider" outside the States seems to exclusively refer to an alcoholic drink.

[KingMike]

Indeed in America, apple cider is probably the first thing they think of.

[tryphon]

How do you call "real" (i.e with apples AND alcohol) cider then ?

[Spooniest]

"Hard Cider" we call it.

[KillerBob]

Right now I'm trying to think of what games in the 90s had alcohol censored in some way, whether it was bars turning to cafes or actual alcohol changing to something else. All that comes to mind right now is FF4 and FF6, but I know there's a lot more than that!

A bar in Final Fight was changed to a club, see: http://rq87.flyingomelette.com/FF/F/1/SNESr.html

Koopa's and Peach's victory animations in Super Mario Kart depict them drinking champagne.

JP:   International:

JP:   International:

[VicVergil]

Demon's Crest has an item shop with all kinds of toxic substances serving as healing potions... and then the full HP potion is inexplicably Gingseng in the localization. It was Mandragora in the JP version but since it was hallucinogenic NoA vetoed it.
And I think the SaGa game with opium dealers (changed to banana dealers) counts too?

Terranigma (initially done by NoA but ultimately not published by them) has a few changes like orphanages turned into schools.

And the budget 3D remake for PS2/GC (2003) for Tengai Makyou II (originally on PCE, 1992) as well as its emulated releases for DS and PSP (but oddly not Virtual Console) kept most times where sake appears but changed the few instances where the underage hero (if the player goes out of their way) can actually drink it, to water.

[Tomato]

Whoa, thanks for the examples! I didn't know about a lot of these even though I've played the localized games before. I got a lot of learning to do 

[VicVergil]

Oh, btw, there's Septentrion too. It's an escape room game for SNES about making it out of a sinking ship and helping other survivors. The SNES localization (SOS) removed the door leading to the bar and the three drunken survivors. Meeting or saving those three becomes impossible.

And the bird throwing beer mugs at Wario in Wario Land 2 to make him drunk, throws black iron balls instead.

And inexplicably, the French versions of A Link to the Past and Illusion of Gaia reverted some characters to their drunkard selves.

[Chronosplit]

Legend of Dragoon changed the spell Demon's Gate.  One could say it's censored, but not quite in the way you'd expect:

Outside Japan
Japan

Also since Pokemon Red/Blue was mentioned, in Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen Gamblers were changed to Gamers upon localization.  They're Gamblers in Red/Blue/Yellow.  Gamblers actually returned in Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, but they were localized to PIs (as in Private Investigator) for some reason.  Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald also changed a few sprites.  I'll just leave the TCRF link on that one.

[Lariria]

Wow that is a spell about magical periods killing enemies alright

[SunGodPortal]

Legend of Dragoon changed the spell Demon's Gate.  One could say it's censored, but not quite in the way you'd expect:

Outside Japan
Japan

LMAO! OMG that's insane. hahaha

[jink640]

Legend of Dragoon changed the spell Demon's Gate.  One could say it's censored, but not quite in the way you'd expect:

Outside Japan
Japan

I think that the finished product removed an animation which had Ros'e stabbing herself for that magic. But in the end it just decided that periods can open gates to hell. 

[Chronosplit]

I think that the finished product removed an animation which had Ros'e stabbing herself for that magic. But in the end it just decided that periods can open gates to hell. 

I've heard of that before!  There's a magazine picture using a beta that some say supports it, because the character's in a pose that isn't used in the game.  I can't find it for the life of me though, I guess my Google-Fu's too weak.

[jink640]

I've heard of that before!  There's a magazine picture using a beta that some say supports it, because the character's in a pose that isn't used in the game.  I can't find it for the life of me though, I guess my Google-Fu's too weak.

Looks like it may have been in the German manual.
https://youtu.be/1Q_bWOS3AYQ?t=2m36s

[VicVergil]

I guess the people localizing Legend of Dragoon wanted that badly to have something as ridiculous as Mortal Kombat's white "blood".

But in the end it just decided that periods can open gates to hell. 

Demon's Gate is "Hell's Gate" in the JP version, you're spot on.
Funny how SCEA wanted that changed when they were the ones adding profanity (hell, fuck, etc) to the originally tame Final Fantasy 7's script to make it look more edgy than the stuff on Nintendo consoles. I wonder what happened in between both releases (and Breath of Fire 4, for that matter)

[Lariria]

BOF4 was localized by Capcom, so it doesn't really count.