What NES games are better on Famicom?

[greedostick]

I am starting to buy back all the nes games I once sold....again. I am curious before buying them all back though. What games on the NES are better for the Famicom? Or vise versa.

Anything from different endings, censored stuff, extra levels, or even different music.

Right now I only know of a few games. So some help would be much appreciated.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Castlevania III - no censorship, better music and graphics

Ninja Gaiden III - much easier game, passwords (and not knowing the language will spare you from that crap they called a story).

[Family Computer]

Pretty much every Japanese made game that was released first on the famicom. This is due to more diverse cart colors, smaller cart size, more attractive box design, art-work, and fact that it is the Japanese original in the language it was original produced in.

But I am biased, NES, to me, is only for the games never released in Japan, or the rare game that got a better version in the US.

For example—a game without translation/censorship/special features issues—the original super mario bros.

http://img249.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/users/4/5/7/0/lantiskaz2-img600x480-1182581516sumari1.jpg

[greedostick]

Pretty much every Japanese made game that was released first on the famicom. This is due to more diverse cart colors, smaller cart size, more attractive box design, art-work, and fact that it is the Japanese original in the language it was original produced in.

But I am biased, NES, to me, is only for the games never released in Japan, or the rare game that got a better version in the US.

Yeah, I understand the games are more desirable. I use to own a AV Famicom and a Disk System. I am still kicking myself for selling those. Especially games like Splatterhouse that came in clamshell cases.

However, what I am interested in knowing right now is what games are better because of different content inside the game. I understand the story in any nes game is going to be wrong. Ad I know a famicom disk games have save abilities instead of passwords. Just looking mainly for censored stuff, new music or levels, stuff like that.

Is there a website that compares nes games to famicom games? That may be more helpful.

[Aussie2B]

Super Mario Bros. 3 is nice if you want more of a challenge. They dumbed it down for the US release. In the original Famicom version, you change into normal (small) Mario whenever you take a hit, regardless of what power-up you may have. The Japanese version also has more Hammer Bros. suits, which is a plus if you ask me. :)

[Osaka]

I know Rockman 2 doesn't let you choose the difficulty like the American release of Mega Man 2 does. I think some of the others may be a bit more challenging (such as tougher enemies and bosses), but I'm not sure about that.

Contra for the Famicom has little story segments between each level, so you actually know what the hell is going on in the story. It's in English too :)

Ice Climber for the Famicom disk (and possibly the cart too, can't remember) has seals as your enemy instead of the yetis. I guess America didnt like the aspect of "clubbing seals" ^^;

The game Devil World would have been a black-box NES game if America wasn't lame.

Thats all I can think of at the moment. Might be able to find some more.

[Terminusvitae]

Amid all of the Famicom-fellating, it would be good to remember that Japan had some truly terrible, awful, horrible games as well, some of which the developers (in their infinite sadism that would make demons green with envy) decided to inflict upon us Stateside. And, then, there were others that, either through the grace of the Almighty or simple serendipity, never made the journey across the Western pond.

That said, it would have been much to our gaming benefit if Nintendo of America hadn't put on such a show of being straight-laced and Falwellian, as we would have received better versions of the aforementioned CV3, Contra, and so on.

[Family Computer]

Definitely Contra. It has the world map and some cutscenes that the NES version doesn't have.

[Chaz From Phantasy Star 2]

Dragon Quest. It has a lot more of that... shall we say... OLDSCHOOL CHARM that Dragon Warrior does not HAVE!

[PentiumMMX]

Castlevania III, as already said.

I've considered selling my NES and getting an AV Famicom and Import Adaptor (I hate fighting my NES to play Startropics 2)

[Family Computer]

you really should do that...It is the best of both worlds.

AV Famicom + Protect Disabled Disk System + HoneyBee Convertor = the ultimate Famicom/NES setup. It is truly worth it if you are a fan of the NES/FAMICOM. Add a Super Famicom + Honeybee Convertor and you have the goods!

[Garry Silljo]

Castlevania III - no censorship, better music and graphics

Ninja Gaiden III - much easier game, passwords (and not knowing the language will spare you from that crap they called a story).

Ninja Gaiden III is far too easy as it is. Making it easier would just make it boring. Tecmo new the game was too easy as well. I'm sure that's why they limited continues on that one and not the others.

[ubersaurus]

Honestly aside from Castlevania 3, I can't think of too many. Bionic Commando does blatantly have Hitler in the japanese version, however.

But yeah aside from CV3, the differences are trivial at best in most games, or we got a slightly better one(like Castlevania 2 or Dragon Warrior).

[Tron 2.0]

As for what been mention all ready.

Only other game i can think of is,MadCity/The Adventure of Bayou Billy.

The japanese version.. is supose to be easier then the u.s one.

I've seen the same thing as well to for, Zelda II Links Adventure.

[greedostick]

I agree, a AV Famicom and a disk system with a converter is the best setup. The AV Famicom has AV inputs and it looks really nice. And playing games like Kid Icarus and Metroid is alot better cause you can save the game. And considering a top loading nes does not have AV imputs, and the mod is really expensive and not as good as the factory av imputs, makes the decision much easier. Also a NES to Famicom adaptor is so much easier to find. It may be kind of hard to find one that is not too tight for the nes carts to get out. There are good ones out there though. Most I have encountered have been way to tight though. Also the av the av famicom uses is the same as the gamecube cord. So they are easy to track down.

Anyone know of any differences in these games

ghosts n goblins
8 eyes
battle of olympus
rolling thunder
karnov
little nemo
metal gear
milons secret castle
little samsom
lolo 1, 2, or 3
the other contra games
mike tysons punchout
rush n attack
super mario games
doki doki panic? besides different main characters.

Also I remember when I owned faxanadu for famicom it had some stuff the nes one didn't. Like crosses in the background.

[Family Computer]

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out is the same.

Doki Doki Panic is different than Super Mario 2 USA, because in order to complete the game you actually need to beat each level with all 4 characters. Definitely a fun game if you like SMB2 USA.

Metal Gear...I own the Famicom version, but I don't own the NES version. No Engrish though...well no English either!

Can't help you on the rest, not very well versed in the details of the NES versions.

[Blitzwing256]

a few off the top of my head:

zelda 2: had a differnt level up system, graphicly it was inferior but was a differnt play (had a few differnt bosses and a few earlier bosses show up in later dungeons)

metroid: had a save feature, nuff said.

kid icarus: save feature as well, downside being no second quest on either game.


section Z :could save your game

bionic commando : differnt enemy paterns, less censorship and overall better game.


adventures of lolo :first game was totaly differnt, same puzzles but it had a more exploritory setup rather then level based.

Blaster master : differnt stoyrline.

mad city: much easier, enemies don't take a ridiculous amount of hits, driving stages are actually playble, one downside some of the zapper leveels you have much less bullets then the us version, also has a second ending that the us version does not.

castlevania 2: save feature and some differnt music.

Salamander (lifeforce) differnt game menu, better sound differnt "codes" more animated title screen and the endings were taken out of the us version for some retarded reason.

Super dodge ball: you play as not surprisngly the japanese team, lots f little differnces therein.

zanac :was actually much inferior to the us version, lots of secrets not in the game that were added for the us version.

dragon quest 1-2 : technically inferior, password instead of save graphicly upgaded for the us release and 2 got extra storyline elements in the us as well
thats all i can think of off the top of my head.

[Blitzwing256]

I agree, a AV Famicom and a disk system with a converter is the best setup. The AV Famicom has AV inputs and it looks really nice. And playing games like Kid Icarus and Metroid is alot better cause you can save the game. And considering a top loading nes does not have AV imputs, and the mod is really expensive and not as good as the factory av imputs, makes the decision much easier. Also a NES to Famicom adaptor is so much easier to find. It may be kind of hard to find one that is not too tight for the nes carts to get out. There are good ones out there though. Most I have encountered have been way to tight though. Also the av the av famicom uses is the same as the gamecube cord. So they are easy to track down.

Anyone know of any differences in these games

ghosts n goblins
8 eyes
battle of olympus
rolling thunder
karnov
little nemo
metal gear
milons secret castle
little samsom
lolo 1, 2, or 3
the other contra games
mike tysons punchout
rush n attack
super mario games
doki doki panic? besides different main characters.

Also I remember when I owned faxanadu for famicom it had some stuff the nes one didn't. Like crosses in the background.

karnov : has a storyline and ending that were taken out of the us version.
lolo 1 (eggerland) had a more zelda aproach then the us level structure.

rush and attack :you respawn where you died (like in the 2player game) instead of being pushed back.

metal gear :some extra storyline elements, but its in japanese so yeah...

milon nemo and olympus are the same just you know in japanese.
and if i'm not mistaken, other then pirate carts rolling thunder never made it to japan. (nor did snakes revenge)

[ccovell]

Rolling Thunder was released in Japan, by Namco, of course. It even had its own sound chip in the cart for better music. :-)

[InsaneDavid]

little nemo

Different title screen and the gorilla has a cigar in his mouth, as does Flip (which is way more true to source) of which both were removed in the US release. However I swear that I played a NES version that had both these things years ago - but that's another thread. ;)

[DDCecil]

Batman - Stage 1-1/1-2 and 2-1/2-2/2-3's BG music is switched around (You get to hear the best music in the game even longer!) and there is no opening copyright screen, so you can get to the game quicker. The game is still in english and has the same "parrents" spelling error in the opening prologue.

[Kitsune Sniper]

karnov : has a storyline and ending that were taken out of the us version.

Ahem (http://vice.parodius.com/trans/karnov.html). ;p

[greedostick]

Rolling Thunder was released in Japan, by Namco, of course. It even had its own sound chip in the cart for better music. :-)

Yep, it's one of those clamshell case games

[KJN]

Mr. Gimmick had an extra soundchip in the japanese version.

[16-bit]

someone told me that Gun Nac was different on the famicom. Stuff like cigarette enemy ships were taken out

[Amos]

Check out the Famicom version of the first Golgo 13 game. Like the Japanese Bionic Commando, it also has Hitler as a boss.

http://i19.tinypic.com/6cmwo5h.jpg
http://i11.tinypic.com/6ar0g42.jpg

My favorite thing that got left out of the U.S. version: Karaoke Mode! (The lyrics to the Golgo 13 theme are displayed at the pause menu, so you can sing along.)

http://i13.tinypic.com/4qf5d9x.jpg

And of course, nekkid chix!

http://i18.tinypic.com/6873dy9.gif

[Family Computer]

is the game fun?

[Amos]

It it FUN? Only if you like drop-kicking chumps until they explode, sniping targets from hundreds of yards away, flying a helicopter, sleeping with anime chicks, avoiding deadly lasers with your special laser-viewing goggles, smoking cigarettes to recover your health, scuba diving, bombing holes in walls, talking to midgets, traveling all over the world and shooting Hitler's brain in a jar while avoiding dozens of Hitler clones and their floating bionic heads. If you're not into any of that stuff, then I can't recommend it.

[Family Computer]

well you know it sounds good on paper...

Seriously though, how are the controls etc. It has always just seemed like a game that wouldn't be well executed, but I have been wrong before (once I think).

[Tron 2.0]

well you know it sounds good on paper...

Seriously though, how are the controls etc. It has always just seemed like a game that wouldn't be well executed, but I have been wrong before (once I think).
Fun i guess if your a fan of the anime&manga.

Still the walkthrough makes it seem rather hard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXchlLv1QUk

Man i like slydogstudios nes tips videos very useful i might add.

[rbudrick]

I thought Golgo 13 sucked until I got to level 3 or so (Greece). i just thought it was too hard. After that, it was smooth sailing and one of my favortie NES games of all time. The game is incredible...a real James Bond-like thriller set in the Cold War. Awesome stuff.

Do not do the mazes w/o a map.

-Rob