Translations of early Famicom games

[KingMike]

The game also seems to have quite a number of voice clips... if incredible compressed, and I wonder how well even Japanese people can understand what they're saying, in order to fit the cartridge limits.

[Psyklax]

Hey there everyone, a teeny tiny update from me.

While working on Crayon Shin-chan for the Game Gear, I got a PM from Guyver regarding Sherlock Holmes, because he noticed that the most vital clue in the game was wrong! Filler missed a zero, I noticed it, but somehow I put the original translation in the game. So, we both messed up a little there. So anyway, I've submitted version 1.1 to the database, because we agreed that a new version is required here. After reading this thread again, I also noticed that I'd made two minor errors... but I'd forgotten about them, and I'm not resubmitting it.

So, that's all for now, just a very minor fix. Once I finish on Shin-chan, I really ought to finish off Zoids as well - I'd made good progress there...

[filler]

Hey there everyone, a teeny tiny update from me.

While working on Crayon Shin-chan for the Game Gear, I got a PM from Guyver regarding Sherlock Holmes, because he noticed that the most vital clue in the game was wrong! Filler missed a zero, I noticed it, but somehow I put the original translation in the game. So, we both messed up a little there. So anyway, I've submitted version 1.1 to the database, because we agreed that a new version is required here. After reading this thread again, I also noticed that I'd made two minor errors... but I'd forgotten about them, and I'm not resubmitting it.

So, that's all for now, just a very minor fix. Once I finish on Shin-chan, I really ought to finish off Zoids as well - I'd made good progress there...

BTW: If we're resurrecting this thread, I'll mention that I took a serious swing at translating Mezase Pachi Pro Pachio-kun just a little while ago. I managed to translate more of the script than I thought I would, though I wouldn't say it's more than 50% done. Looking up pachinko terms was even kind of interesting. There's surprisingly little English language information out there about it. I'd like to play the game for a bit more context, so expect the project to be set back a few years. Still, that may be one more script from that time period translated at some point.

[Fyr]

I have my rom dump but haven't been able to find a translator for Haja no Fuuin. So at this point, I consider my translation project dead, unless someone knows who I can turn to.

[Psyklax]

Hey guys, I just wanted to bump my old thread because Stardust Crusaders have released a translation of Dead Zone for the FDS, which was the second part of this project. So to keep things clear, I've added the early FDS list to the first post in the thread, alongside the Famicom cartridge list.

That's all! I wish I could say something about Zoids, but I haven't even looked at it for a year and a half, and I just don't have the energy right now to get on with anything else. Let's hope this doesn't last forever.

[Pennywise]

I've been meaning to work on Tsuppari Oozumou for years now. Project folder's definitely been collecting dust. I haven't really done any work on it except for ask FlashPV to do the title screen which now says "Sumo Clash". I think I was torn on how to handle all the 16x16 sumo wrestler names. IIRC, they were all puns and even converting the font to 8x16 didn't give me a whole lot of room to work with. Plus, a lot of screens/text need to be hacked to be horizontal instead of vertical. A lot of work for such a small game, but I think eventually I'll get around to it.

[KingMike]

What did the existing partial translation patch call it?
Was it just Sumo Wrestling?
I suppose calling it Tecmo Sumo (Wrestling) would be period-appropriate. (I mean, they even used that naming pattern for an arcade beat-em-up called Wild Fang/Tecmo Knight!)

[marioxb]

What did the existing partial translation patch call it?
Was it just Sumo Wrestling?
I suppose calling it Tecmo Sumo (Wrestling) would be period-appropriate. (I mean, they even used that naming pattern for an arcade beat-em-up called Wild Fang/Tecmo Knight!)

I personally call it "Slap, Strike, Fight!" since the Wii game was localized as "Eat, Fat, Fight!" https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/wii/959424-eat-fat-fight/images

[goldenband]

1985 is now fully cleared, as Choujikuu Yousai: Macross has a title screen translation.

[tygerbug]

There was a wave of Famicom mystery games after The Portopia Serial Murder Case in 1985 until about 1990. Some were on FDS but I'm interested in Famicom.

We have occasionally discussed turning a Famicom mystery game into a Twin Peaks game for NES.

In particular, Satsujin Club (JB Harold Murder Club) seems like a good candidate. It was released in English on Turbografx CD and DOS, I believe. So the text exists, and the graphics in the NES ROM are laid out in a very straightforward manner ideal for hacking.

Searching for ROMs with the words "Satsujin, Jiken, and Tantei" turns up more than twenty titles (see below), though some aren't in this style.

Pretty much none of these are translated, and script dumps are not available publicly. This is understandable since these are not a popular genre of game, and require a lot of translating, but this entire genre stands out as untranslated when most Famicom games now have translations.

I see there's an effort under way to translate Hokkaidou Rensa Satsujin - Okhotsk ni Kiyu. This title's graphics look strange in YY-CHR so would not be ideal for hacking.

Satsujin Club (JB Harold Murder Club) || Seta || Mystery Adventure
Hokkaidou Rensa Satsujin - Okhotsk ni Kiyu || Loginsoft || Mystery Adventure
Mei Tantei Holmes - Kiri no London Satsujin Jiken || Towa Chiki || Mystery Adventure
Mei Tantei Holmes - M Kara no Chousenjou || Towa Chiki || Mystery Adventure
Nishimura Kyoutarou Mystery - Blue Train Satsujin Jiken || Irem || Mystery Adventure
Nishimura Kyoutarou Mystery - Super Express Satsujin Jiken || Irem || Mystery Adventure
Pro Yakyuu Satsujin Jiken! || Capcom || Mystery Adventure
Satsui no Kaisou - Soft House Renzoku Satsujin Jiken || HAL Labs || Mystery Adventure
Tantei Jinguuji Saburou - Toki no Sugiyuku Mama ni || Data East || Mystery Adventure
Tantei Jinguuji Saburou - Yokohamakou Renzoku Satsujin Jiken || Data East || Mystery Adventure
Yamamura Misa Suspense - Kyouto Hana no Misshitsu Satsujin Jiken || Taito || Mystery Adventure
Yamamura Misa Suspense - Kyouto Ryuu no Tera Satsujin Jiken || Taito || Mystery Adventure
Yamamura Misa Suspense - Kyouto Zaiteku Satsujin Jiken || Taito || Mystery Adventure
Yamamura Misa Suspense Series - Kyouto Zai-Tech Satsujin Jiken || Hector || Mystery Adventure

[goldenband]

At this point the Famicom list in the first post needs two addenda:

Choujikuu Yousai: Macross - title screen translation (all that's needed) by BlackPaladin
Law of the West - translated by GAFF

I don't think any others have been completed, so there are ~22 Famicom games left to translate from 1983-1987 (not counting unfinished projects with patches on RHDN, namely Artelius, Hoshi wo Miru Hito, Tsuppari Oozumou, and Uchuusen: Cosmo Carrier).

Scripts have been dumped for a bunch of them -- Artelius, Kyonshiizu 2, Tenka no Goikenban: Mito Koumon, Yamamura Misa Suspense: Kyouto Ryuu no Tera Satsujin Jiken, and Zoids: Chuuou Tairiku no Tatakai -- but none have reached the stage of re-inserting a translated English script.

Work was also done by another hacker on Tsuppari Oozumou but that was abandoned.

[KingMike]

There was a wave of Famicom mystery games after The Portopia Serial Murder Case in 1985 until about 1990. Some were on FDS but I'm interested in Famicom.

Note that the first Sherlock Holmes Famicom game (I assume that is the one that was translated) was not a mystery game. It was a strange platformer of some kind.

[Pennywise]

I might as well mention that I dumped the script for Toki no Tabito Time Stranger and sent it off to a translator. It's not a high priority, so I haven't asked about the status, but if it's ever finished, there will be a patch for it.

If I had played the game before I dumped the script, I probably wouldn't have bothered with it, but whatever.

[goldenband]

I might as well mention that I dumped the script for Toki no Tabito Time Stranger and sent it off to a translator. It's not a high priority, so I haven't asked about the status, but if it's ever finished, there will be a patch for it.

If I had played the game before I dumped the script, I probably wouldn't have bothered with it, but whatever.

That's great news! As for your last sentence, any game with this as a screenshot can't be that bad:

\

In fact I think I'll make that my new profile picture!

[pangenttech]

"Michael English Daibouken" is listed at Datacrystal as needing a Japanese to English translation. I don't think that's the case. The game is already largely in English and is about translating Japanese to English. A translation would, I think, defeat the point.

I would personally like an FDS to NES translation of this game, but I'm sure that's difficult.

I think people overlook the FDS library generally, and a port to NES could help.

[releasethedogs]

Is anyone working on a Monster Maker: 7-tsu no Hihou translation. It's one of the few RPG's that does not have an English patch.

[goldenband]

Is anyone working on a Monster Maker: 7-tsu no Hihou translation. It's one of the few RPG's that does not have an English patch.

That game had a 1991 release, and this thread is only for games released from 1983-1987. (That said, I hope someone is working on a translation.)

[goldenband]

At this point the Famicom list in the first post needs two addenda:

Choujikuu Yousai: Macross - title screen translation (all that's needed) by BlackPaladin
Law of the West - translated by GAFF

And now Zoids: Chūō Tairiku no Tatakai has also been localized, thanks to Life With Matthew and filler, so that's three addenda for the first post.

The current untranslated Famicom list through 1987 would therefore be:

1986
Seikima II - Akuma no Gyakushuu
Toki no Tabibito - Time Stranger

1987
Artelius
Family Mahjong
Family Trainer 5 - Meiro Daisakusen
Ginga no Sannin
Haja no Fuuin
Hokkaidou Rensa Satsujin - Okhotsk ni Kiyu
Hoshi wo Miru Hito
Ide Yousuke Meijin no Jissen Mahjong
Jongbou   
Karaoke Studio
Karaoke Studio Senyou Cassette Vol 1
Kyonshiizu 2
Mezase Pachi Pro - Pachio-kun
Morita Shougi
Pro Yakyuu - Family Stadium '87
Tenka no Goikenban - Mito Koumon
Tsuppari Oozumou
Uchuusen - Cosmo Carrier
Yamamura Misa Suspense - Kyouto Ryuu no Tera Satsujin Jiken

Per Psyklax, the two Karaoke games are pretty much pointless to translate, so there are essentially 19 early Famicom games left to deal with.