View Full Version : Game Title Debates
Pezcore343
11-11-2010, 05:59 AM
I don't know why it bothers me so much, but ever since the first Halo was released (I know it's not a classic game, but the real topic at hand concerns all console generations) I've always called it Halo. As far as I'm concerned, that's the title. Just "Halo". And I remember in 2001 and 2002 when I first got into it that the majority, if not the entire community, referred to it as Halo as well. If someone said Halo: CE in those days, they meant Halo: Custom Edition for the PC.
In recent years, I guess ever since the release of Halo 3 I've noticed it, people have started referring to it as Halo: Combat Evolved in order to distinguish it from the other Halos in the series. It just always struck a nerve with me. In my eyes, Halo is the title and Combat Evolved is a tag line like on a movie poster. You don't hear people talking about "X-Files: The Truth is Out There" or "Alien: In Space No One Can Hear You Scream". It's just my opinion, but it's something that has always bothered me immensely.
So on to the topic of discussion, are there any games that perhaps have a somewhat ambiguous title, and you are diehard in support of one version over the other? Another example I can think of is Zoda's Revenge. How can you put the subtitle after the main title? It should totally be StarTropics II: Zoda's Revenge. Amirite?
Obviously both of these are just my opinions so no one get angry or anything, but I want to hear your opinions on this. What game titles do you wish people would just get right?
Rob2600
11-11-2010, 03:06 PM
"Combat Evolved" isn't a tagline, it's the subtitle. Here are some other examples:
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Graham Mitchell
11-11-2010, 04:21 PM
On the topic of title ambiguity, how the hell do you pronounce Xexyz, Kileak, Seaman (semen or sea man?), Turrican, Exed Exes, Cameltry, Volfied, Chack'n'Pop (taito had some really bad ones), Qix...I'm sure there are many others that I can't think of right now.
Kitsune Sniper
11-11-2010, 04:25 PM
On the topic of title ambiguity, how the hell do you pronounce Xexyz (...)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xexyz
"Xexyz (pronounced zeks'-zees/zeks'-iz)"
And don't forget about Xexex - officially pronounced Sexsex.
Rob2600
11-11-2010, 05:32 PM
On the topic of title ambiguity, how the hell do you pronounce Xexyz, Kileak, Seaman (semen or sea man?), Turrican, Exed Exes, Cameltry, Volfied, Chack'n'Pop (taito had some really bad ones), Qix...I'm sure there are many others that I can't think of right now.
Kartia... is it "kar-tee-uh" or "kar-shuh"?
Pantechnicon
11-11-2010, 05:56 PM
How can the "Final" Fantasy have 12+ sequels?
TurboGenesis
11-11-2010, 06:02 PM
I have never heard anyone ever refer to the original Xbox launch game as 'Halo: Combat Evolved' we have always refer to it as just 'Halo'
similar to the motion picture 'Star Wars: A New Hope' - 'Star Wars: episode IV' this film has always been regarded as just 'Star Wars' and no one I am aware of speaks of the succeeding films as 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back' or 'Star Wars: Return of the Jedi'… they are simply known as just 'Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi'
that is my examples…
Gooch3008
11-11-2010, 07:36 PM
needs moar ff3 or ff6
Cornelius
11-11-2010, 07:48 PM
I'm a big fan of the NES game Jaleco, but now that I think of it, I don't even know how to pronounce it properly.
I used to have problems with Mr. Do!. Is it pronounced "doh" as in do-re-mi... the sound the cherries make when collected? Or does it sound the same as in "do you want fries with that shake?".
My Japanese friend thankfully told me the later pronunciation was correct, and since he's Japanese I assume he's right.
pseudonym
11-11-2010, 07:57 PM
I always pronounced the word Gaiden as "Gay-den" in Ninja Gaiden until I was corrected a few years ago. The more you know and all that.
allyourblood
11-11-2010, 09:52 PM
I'm a big fan of the NES game Jaleco, but now that I think of it, I don't even know how to pronounce it properly.
"JAL-uh-co"
Some of their games used to have this spoken out loud during the opening credits (I believe on the SNES).
j_factor
11-11-2010, 10:05 PM
A lot of people put Out Run as one word, but I've always seen it as two.
I used to have problems with Mr. Do!. Is it pronounced "doh" as in do-re-mi... the sound the cherries make when collected? Or does it sound the same as in "do you want fries with that shake?".
My Japanese friend thankfully told me the later pronunciation was correct, and since he's Japanese I assume he's right.
Since there's a sequel called Mr. Do Run Run, I always assumed the latter.
Pezcore343
11-11-2010, 10:24 PM
"Combat Evolved" isn't a tagline, it's the subtitle. Here are some other examples:
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
I know what a subtitle is. I just never thought of Combat Evolved as a subtitle for Halo.
Drixxel
11-11-2010, 10:35 PM
Continuing in the vein of j_factor's first example, I often see Mega Man written as one word, Megaman or MegaMan. It's much the same way with the Game Boy. These seem like names naturally suited for a single word with double capitalization but it annoys me for whatever reason to see them anything but two pieces separated by a space.
goatdan
11-11-2010, 11:41 PM
I have always wondered what is the most normally accepted way to spell Eliminator Boat Duel. The box spells it like I just did, but the cartridge has the amazingly awesome type of calling it ELIMINOTOR BOAT DUEL.
I tend to refer to it like that, as it is much more common to see the end label than it is to see it in a box.
Aussie2B
11-12-2010, 12:14 AM
I think we have to blame the companies more than the fans. Like how Capcom has used BOTH Mega Man and MegaMan. And other weird cases of capitalization mid-title, like the aforementioned StarTropics. And, yeah, I too have been confused at times over if something is a legitimate subtitle or just a tag line. I create my own game collection page and I try to get the titles 100% correct. I remember I just recently had an internal debate over putting Toy Story 2 on there. I still can't decide if "Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!" is a tag line or not.
Jorpho
11-12-2010, 12:33 AM
Where's that terrible ad informing people in no uncertain terms that Garius is pronounced "Gay Ar Us" ? I can't seem to find it.
buzz_n64
11-12-2010, 01:23 AM
I hear yeah, it's even worse when the label says one thing, and the in game title says another. Sometimes one version has a subtitle, and another won't (example- Super Mario World: Super Mario Bros. 4) but it is to be expected. Just shake your fists angrily like an old man at the game companies! :)
SpaceHarrier
11-12-2010, 03:08 AM
Sometimes games with pretentious abbreviated titles annoy me..
S.L.A.I (Steel Lancer Arena International) or XGRA (Xtreme G Racing Association) for PS2.
Sometimes they don't: M.U.S.H.A. (metallic uniframe something hurr ahhhnggghh)
*shrug*
Pezcore343
11-12-2010, 03:32 AM
Sometimes games with pretentious abbreviated titles annoy me..
S.L.A.I (Steel Lancer Arena International) or XGRA (Xtreme G Racing Association) for PS2.
Sometimes they don't: M.U.S.H.A. (metallic uniframe something hurr ahhhnggghh)
*shrug*
Or M.U.S.C.L.E. = Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere
Emperor Megas
11-12-2010, 05:18 AM
Where's that terrible ad informing people in no uncertain terms that Garius is pronounced "Gay Ar Us" ? I can't seem to find it.it's "Gaiares", actually. A combination of Gaia (the Goddess of Earth) and Ares (the God of war).
And I remember that was on a promotional T-Shirt. Wait, here it is:
http://www.1up.com/media?id=2839407&type=lg
http://box422.bluehost.com/~videogc7/forum/images/smilies/0803_guyaboveme.gif God, what a douche. Just look at that epic mullet, and pencil thin 'stache.
The worst part is the pronunciation on the shit isn't even right.
And Pezcore343, I'm pretty positive that Combat Evolved IS the subtitle, not just a tag line.
The Playstation used to be abbreviated PSX and is now referred to as PS1.
Emperor Megas
11-12-2010, 06:43 PM
The Playstation used to be abbreviated PSX and is now referred to as PS1.I don't think that the PlayStation was ever 'official' abbreviated PSX. I think consumers and the media were responsible for that sticking, not SONY. I think the PSX abbreviation was a throwback to the PlayStation's developmental cycle.
I believe the actual PSX console was an ill fated Japan only variant of the PS2.
Enigmus
11-12-2010, 06:44 PM
I'm still wondering whether it's Tehn-gehn or Tehn-jehn when saying Tengen. Quite confusing, really.
Also, the question of "3D Worldrunner" or "3D World Runner" is another guess-and-check one.
kupomogli
11-12-2010, 07:42 PM
I don't think that the PlayStation was ever 'official' abbreviated PSX. I think consumers and the media were responsible for that sticking, not SONY. I think the PSX abbreviation was a throwback to the PlayStation's developmental cycle.
I believe the actual PSX console was an ill fated Japan only variant of the PS2.
While it's an unofficial name for the Playstation, PSX was abbreviated as such at the very beginning of the systems life. I've known for it to be abbreviated as such for as long as I can remember.
If you look up the Wiki for the Playstation, they reference PSX as being originally listed by Sony as PS-X Playstation Experimental. Other references list how the Playstation was also marketed as the PSX and how some members of Sony hated the name "PlayStation" and rather have kept the abbreviation of PSX.
So technically the name was once official, but once that changed we still kept calling it that.
Another example I can think of is Zoda's Revenge. How can you put the subtitle after the main title? It should totally be StarTropics II: Zoda's Revenge. Amirite?
It's actually called Zoda's Revenge: Star Tropics 2 in the sense that it's called Rainbow Islands: the Story of Bubble Bobble 2.
While I agree it should have been Star Tropics 2: Zoda's Revenge, it was more marketing on Nintendo's part as Zoda's Revenge sounds like a name that might pique someone's interest.
--
Chocobo is one that I've heard many pronunciations. Me and my friends called it Ch-uh-co-bo(Ch, then uh is almost immediately dropped so sounds more like Ch-co-bo,) but I've heard it being called Coco-boo and Coco-bo. Then once FF10 came out we get Choco-bo. I actually haven't heard anyone else call it Choco-bo until FF10 though, though I'd agree it's correct.
Rob2600
11-13-2010, 10:05 AM
I'm still wondering whether it's Tehn-gehn or Tehn-jehn when saying Tengen. Quite confusing, really.
I agree!
Growing up, I assumed it was Ten-jehn, but as an adult, I've heard others pronounce it Ten-gehn.
j_factor
11-13-2010, 07:26 PM
Chocobo is one that I've heard many pronunciations. Me and my friends called it Ch-uh-co-bo(Ch, then uh is almost immediately dropped so sounds more like Ch-co-bo,) but I've heard it being called Coco-boo and Coco-bo. Then once FF10 came out we get Choco-bo. I actually haven't heard anyone else call it Choco-bo until FF10 though, though I'd agree it's correct.
Chocobo's Dungeon 2 had an official trailer, in which the announcer pronounces it "Chocobo". Before that, I'd always pronounced it "Ch'cobo".
The 1 2 P
11-13-2010, 08:30 PM
I'm still wondering why Namco decided to rebrand the Soul Calibur games as the one-worded Soulcalibur. And on topic, I've never once referred to the original Halo as combat evolved. In an interview I read with Bungie earlier this year, they stated that the "combat evolved" subtitle was Microsoft's idea because they thought Halo by itself wasn't explainatory enough. But Bungie themsleves hated it.