If I get a Japanese NGPC, am I partially screwed?

[migo]

I'm strongly leaning towards getting an NGPC right now, and I've found a few Japanese ones on eBay that are a reasonable price. My assumption is that since they're not region locked as long as I get English games they'll work in English. Is this the case though, or are there games that come with multiple languages that'll go to Japanese and give me no option for English even if they're a US/UK release?

[Ed Oscuro]

No, that's just the fullsize Neo Geo MVS / AES games that have ROM space to waste on multiple languages. Region locking didn't happen in handhelds until the DSi, afaik, and the NGPC certainly isn't.

[Swamperon]

. Region locking didn't happen in handhelds until the DSi, afaik, and the NGPC certainly isn't.

And that's hopefully where it will end.

[A Black Falcon]

Actually, looking at emulators, it does look kind of like the Neo-Geo... that is, NGPC emulators have an English or Japanese language setting, and some games do determine the game language on the system's language setting, while others have different versions for each region. What I don't know is whether you can change the system language in the system options somewhere with an actual NGPC, or if it's hard locked... of course though, any game will work in any system.

The Game Gear is similar, it has internal regions that can determine which version of a game you see, but all games will work on any system. What is different with the DSi (and, presumably, the 3DS) is that the lockout isn't just a language marker, but a lock that restricts you from playing games from other regions. It was indeed the first handheld ever with such a lock. It wasn't the first ever with internal regions, though; it's just that nobody had ever actualy locked out games from other regions before, because of how dumb and pointless an idea it is with handhelds...

[retroman]

There is no lockout....as for language, if it was coded in then maybe.

[The_Chosen_One]

You can change the language settings on the NGPC, so regardless if it's Japanese or not you'll still be okay, and of course as has been mentioned no region lock.

Any US or Euro (and some Jap) games will play in english.

Shameless Plug - I have lots of Neo Pocket stuffs for sale here (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144928) - no systems left though.

[Logicdustbin]

there are some games that did not get translated, but every neo geo pocket game will play in a NGPC.

there are also some NGPC's that you can only get in Japan; special models, difference 'clear' colored models.

but any system will run just fine for you,


you might also consider getting a modded system (front light mod)

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v246/Logicdustbin/?action=view&current=MOV00525.mp4

these cost more because you need to take a donor GBA SP and transplant the light screen into the NGPC.


http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145535

[tomwaits]

You'd be fine with a Japanese NGPC, but as noted some Japanese carts will only play in Japanese. Mostly the Japan exclusive titles and games with a lot of text like Faselei!, Cardfighters Clash, maybe Dark Arms?, etc. won't change language to match the console's setting. Just make sure you buy US or Euro carts for those games...

[Mayhem]

Some of the early carts have both English and Japanese on them, the later ones generally do not.

[migo]

Thanks for the answers, I really did pick the right site for info!



Shameless Plug - I have lots of Neo Pocket stuffs for sale here (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144928) - no systems left though.



http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145535

Both of these links don't work for me, it says I don't have permission to view the thread, but not why. Anyone know why this is?

[AB Positive]

You probably have rights now - I think you need ten posts to be able to fully view the marketplace - which I believe those links go to.

Basically - get english carts, set your system to english (turn on the system without a cart, go through the basic options) and you'll be able to play your games in english w/ no lockout.

Get thee some Cardfighters Clash! Stat!

[migo]

It's evidently not 10 posts, or even 15. I still can't get to it. Any forum game threads specifically dedicated to postwhoring?

[Mayhem]

You need 10 days after first joining to see the Buy/Sell forum... it was a precaution taken to stop "fly by night" sale spammers (people who would just join a place to flog their stuff) and has generally worked over time...

[A Black Falcon]

You can change the language settings on the NGPC, so regardless if it's Japanese or not you'll still be okay, and of course as has been mentioned no region lock.

Will that affect games like, say, Samurai Shodown 2 that in an emulator display in English only when the emulator is set to English and in Japanese only when the emulator is set to Japanese? I'm thinking yes, but it's a pretty important point to make sure about...

[The_Chosen_One]

Will that affect games like, say, Samurai Shodown 2 that in an emulator display in English only when the emulator is set to English and in Japanese only when the emulator is set to Japanese? I'm thinking yes, but it's a pretty important point to make sure about...

I'm guess I'm not sure where your going with it. Basically I was saying that if you have a Jap Pocket and you set it to English, any US or UK game will play in English, and some Japanese games will too.

So......yes, if it's set to Japanese on the pocket (regardless of the pockets region) Samsho 2 will probably play in Japanese, and if it's set to English it'll probably play in English.

I say probably as there are some games that are exempt from this as has been mentioned, the later Jap releases etc. and I can't remember them all.

[Kiddo]

IIRC these titles did not have any language options of note (Note that I'm kinda cheating here by looking up a ROM list. Aw, well!)

- Biomotor Unicron (Get a US/PAL version)
- Evolution - Eternal Dungeons (Get a US/PAL version)
- Faselei! (Get a US/PAL Version)
- Gals Fighters (Get a US/PAL version)
- Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny (Get a US/PAL version)
- Magical Drop Pocket (Get a US/PAL version)
- Rockman Battle and Fighters (I recall a fan translation was being attempted for this a while ago - IIRC that project is dead.)
- SNK Vs. Capcom CardFighters Clash 2 (The fan translation on this one, however, I think was completed. http://cfc2english.blogspot.com/ )

By no means a complete list, but... I didn't want to check every single Pachinko and Mahjong game release.

[migo]

What's the deal with Fan translation? You need something printed out beside you or is it like the PS2 Undubs where you patch the disc and play on a modded PS2?

With Rockman, it's a fighting game, so I'd assume that's not such a big deal?

[Mayhem]

The actual text in-game was translated into English. You'd need a flash linker and a card for the NGPC to transfer it and then play it on a real handheld.

[migo]

Is there a link for that?

[A Black Falcon]

Here's a complete NGPC game list, separated by languages, excluding all Mahjong, Hanafuda, and Pachislot titles. For now I also left off Western-released casino titles. There were a bunch of casino titles released here -- Slot machine games, Baccarat, 21, etc. All these games could perhaps be added later, if I want to take the time. Not sure.


Separate US and EU/Japan releases, but the main title screen is the only difference, both are in English:

Bust-A-Move Pocket (US) / Puzzle Bobble Mini (EU/JP) - puzzle game


Games which were released in multiple regions and have only one version of the game inside, so all languages are available in any version of the game (sometimes in a menu option, often based on system language, sometimes where they are just all the same because of the minimal amount of text):

(Note that no B&W only games released in the US, and nor did the B&W NGP system, but the NGP system and some B&W games were available in limited release in Europe.)

Dark Arms - Beast Buster 1999 (JP title: Beast Busters: Yami no Seitai Heiki) - action-RPG
Samurai Shodown! (B&W only game) (JP/EU release only) (JP title: Samurai Spirits!) - fighting
Samurai Shodown! 2 (JP title: Samurai Spirits! 2) - fighting
Cool Boarders Pocket (JP/EU release only) - racing (though it's sort of platformer-esque, really)
Crush Roller - arcade action (port of a classic early '80s arcade game)
Puyo Pop (JP title: Puyo Puyo Tsuu) - puzzle
Fatal Fury F Contact (aka Fatal Fury First Contact; JP title: Garou Densetsu: First Contact) - fighting
King of Fighters R-1 (B&W only game) (JP/EU release only) - fighting
King of Fighters R-2 - fighting
Neo Turf Masters (JP title: Big Tournament Golf) - sports
NeoGeo Cup 98 Plus Color - sports
SNK Vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium (JP title: SNK vs Capcom: Choujou Kessen Saikyou Fighters) - fighting
Pocket Tennis (B&W only game) (JP/EU release only) - sports
Pocket Tennis Color - sports
NeoGeo Cup 98 (B&W only game) (JP/EU release only) - sports
Baseball Stars Color - sports
Shanghai Mini - puzzle
Metal Slug - 1st Mission - action-platformer
Metal Slug - 2nd Mission - action-platformer
Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure - platformer
Pac-Man - arcade action
Pocket Reversi (JP/EU release only) - board game


Games with separate releases for the Japanese and English language versions - get the US/EU versions for English. Unless it is stated otherwise, assume games came out in all three regions. The main way to tell US and EU carts apart is that EU versions don't have ESRB ratings on the carts, while US carts always will. All carts will work in any system of course, though.:

Dive Alert (Matt and Becky versions) - action-sim-RPG game where you control a submarine. The main thing different between the versions is the main and sub characters' gender. Other differences are minor - slight text differences, different sub hulls.
Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams - shmup
Puzzle Link (JP: Renketsu Puzzle Tsunagete Pon! Color) - puzzle
Puzzle Link 2 (JP: Tsunagete Pon! 2) - puzzle
SNK Vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash, SNK and Capcom versions - card battle
Biomotor Unitron - RPG
Evolution - Eternal Dungeons (JP title: Shinkisekai Evolution: Hateshinai Dungeon) - RPG. JP/EU only release. The European English language release is very rare and fairly expensive.
Faselei! - strategy, US version has no box (later blister-pack release only)
Gals Fighters - fighting
Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny (JP title: Bakumatsu Roman Tokubetsu Ben: Gekka no Kenshi - Tsuki ni Saku Hana, Chiri Yuku Hana) - fighting, US version has no box (later blister-pack release only)
Magical Drop Pocket - puzzle
Picture Puzzle (JP title: Oekaki Puzzle) - Puzzle (Picross clone). JP/EU only release, I'm pretty sure. English-language version is uncommon but not expensive.


Japan only release, but the game has a full English option or is fully in English:

Delta Warp - puzzle game. 100% English, I'm pretty sure.
Baseball Stars - sports game. Game language depends on system language - Japanese for Japanese system setting, English for English setting.
Big Bang Pro Wrestling - sports game. Game language depends on system language - Japanese for Japanese system setting, English for English setting.
Dynamite Slugger - sports game (baseball). Runs on the Baseball Stars engine. Game language depends on system language - Japanese for Japanese system setting, English for English setting.

Wrestling Madness - leaked beta rom of Big Bang Pro Wrestling, I believe. Other than the different title and some color changes ingame, it appears to be identical to the released version, and like Big Bang Pro Wrestling is in both English and Japanese depending on system language setting.

Note that some standard Neo-Geo games also do this same "Japan only release, but it's in English in an English-region system" thing. One example of this is Twinkle Star Sprites.


Japanese-only titles with Japanese text and no English option:

Rockman Battle and Fighters - fighting (a fan translation was started, but abandoned quite early on; there is a patch, but it's version 0.1 and translates little.)
SNK vs. Capcom Card Fighters Clash 2 - card battle (though as noted, there is a complete fan translation patch for this game)
Kikou Seiki Unitron (Bio-Motor Unitron 2) - RPG just like the first one
Nige-Ron-Pa - RPG starring a green-haired girl. Looks good, too bad it's not in English. I'd like to play this game.
Ogre Battle Gaiden - strategy game with gameplay like the SNES Ogre Battle game. Side-story title, and the only Ogre Battle game not available in English.
Memories Off Pure - visual novel
Ganbare Neo Poke-kun - weird and unique "virtual life" game / minigame collection. Neo Poke-kun became the NGPC mascot, and has had cameo appearances in some more recent SNK games, such as with Ai in NGBC, which is fitting, since Ai carries an NGPC.
Mizuki Shigeru Youkai Shashin Kan - a kind of action-RPG I think... I tried to figure it out, but I just couldn't quite figure out how to do the battles so I can't get anywhere. Could be good for people who know the language or can figure out how to play.
Infinity Cure - visual novel
Bikkuriman 2000 - minigame collection
Cool Cool Jam - music game
Party Mail - Japanese heavy card/collection/life sim/something other other title
Pocket Love If - visual novel
Puzzle Tsunagete Pon! (B&W only game, first version of Puzzle Link) - puzzle
Densha de GO! 2 - train sim
King of Fighters - Battle de Paradise - board game
Melon-Chan's Growth Diary - life sim (B&W only game)
Master of Syougi (aka Shogi no Tatsujin) - Japanese chess game (B&W only game)
Master of Syougi Color (aka Shogi no Tatsujin Color) - Japanese chess game, color sequel to the above
Mezase! Kanji Ou - Kanji test game. Learn your Kanji!

I think I've listed all NGP/NGPC games that aren't homebrew, mahjong, casino, pachislot, or pachinko games. If I've missed any, mention them.

[migo]

Thanks! That's a very useful list.

[Mayhem]

Is there a link for that?
There's a link to a mostly complete translation here (http://cfc2english.blogspot.com/) but I don't think that's the one I have... not sure where that one might have gone now, may have to hunt on my hard drive...