classic games improved when localized?

[Blitzwing256]

We've all gone over how some games are horribly butchered when brought over seas, we've all seen how unplayably bad that exile 2, bayou billy and double dragon 2 were when they decided to tweak the games for us release...
we've all seen how stuff is just inexplicably removed from games like lifeforce contra and karnov.

but how about when a game is made BETTER when it comes over seas?

a few that come to mind:

Zelda 2:
fixed the experience system, added more tile sets for dungeons, added a new boss for level 5, tweaked gained exp to make more sense and enhanced graphics.

metroid + kid icarus
added a second quest option to both games, metroid got an extra ending (armourless samus)

final fantasy 7
two new super bosses, new materia + weapon for yuffie

dragon warrior 1
much better graphics . better interface. save feature

dragon warrior 2
new opening story +save feature

[ishashobar]

The only game i can think of is Illusion of Gaia. The boss of the Sky Garden was changed by the creators since they were unhappy with the Japanese boss.

Most Square RPGs that had an "International" re-release had mixture of US only and new content.

[Boltorano]

I thought I heard somewhere that Illusion of Gaia had a different (and less interesting) boss in the Flying Gardens area in the JP version, but I could be thinking of something else.

Edit: Seems somebody else was thinking the same thing and posted at the same time.

[kupomogli]

but how about when a game is made BETTER when it comes over seas?

final fantasy 7
two new super bosses, new materia + weapon for yuffie

The first boss on FF7 is also unique for the western versions. Japan just had random enemies as the boss.

[Boltorano]

The first boss on FF7 is also unique for the western versions. Japan just had random enemies as the boss.

Didn't it also tell you to that you should attack the enemy after it enters "charging my laser" mode? Which is the exact opposite of what you should do.

I'm actually surprised to hear that wasn't actually in the JP version, considering it would be far from the first Final Fantasy title to feature a "gathering energy" gimmick for the first boss.

[APE992]

Final Fantasy 7 is WORSE with a localization. If you knew how bad the translation was you'd never have included it in the list.

There are a handful of games out there that the Japanese decide are better in terms of script that they re-translate them back into Japanese and release them as a special edition of sorts.

[TonyTheTiger]

Doki Doki Panic/SMB2 is improved essentially every which way. The only thing of particular interest that got lost in the conversion was the way the ending worked with beating it with all four characters.

A number of Castlevania games qualify, I think. Only one where the opposite holds true would be Dracula's Curse due to the mapper limitations.

Star Fox 64, for obvious reasons.

[Kitsune Sniper]

double dragon 2

Uh. What? The game is fine for me, what the hell did they mess up, in your opinion?

[Baloo]

Doki Doki Panic/SMB2 is improved essentially every which way. The only thing of particular interest that got lost in the conversion was the way the ending worked with beating it with all four characters.

This. I prefer it very much to SMB: Lost Levels as a sequel to the original Super Mario Bros. for NES. A very fun and underrated game that we wouldn't have otherwise seen released here in the States.

Also, Burning Rangers. Had that game never gotten a localization, it would be unplayable for anyone outside of Japan, and it is a fantastic game!

[kupomogli]

I'm one who doesn't care about an "exact translation." Oooo wow. There is somewhat different text, it's supposed to be called Makoro, this, that, etc. As long as the storyline in the game is entertaining and it's not plagued with bad grammar, etc, then it's fine with me. Legend of Heroes Sword of Vermillion had it's localization done through Google translate it seems and I made my way through it.

I guess that's one good thing about Japan getting games first most of the time. A lot of the problems that plague some games get fixed on their way over to the west. It's usually Squaresoft games though, and then later on the Japanese get the new and improved western release with even more content that we never get.

Most Square RPGs that had an "International" re-release had mixture of US only and new content.

Japan always gets the better version . Even if it has to be a rerelease.

Dirge of Cerberus Final Fantasy 7. There are a ton of gameplay adjustments that were done to this game, clearly making the western release a better game. On top of that, Easy mode was removed and an Extra Hard mode was added.

There are other Square games, like Kingdom Hearts, most games from Square, that are always better for the US release and then get a much better Japanese release later on.

Tactics Ogre PSP has all the DLC in Japan included on the UMD.

There are others, but yeah. I can't think of anything that isn't Squaresoft. Maybe I'm trying to think too hard. If it was the other way around though I could make a long list. Better Japanese releases that have a worse US release.

A number of Castlevania games qualify, I think. Only one where the opposite holds true would be Dracula's Curse due to the mapper limitations.

What CV games were better in the US? CV3 had better sound and Grant threw daggers while had axe as the subweapon. On the US version Grant could have the dagger and axe as the sub weapon but had a weak melee dagger attack. Along with all the removal of certain graphics/sounds, etc. Like crosses, blood, the whip sound on SCV4, etc.

*edit*

Blaster Master. I forgot about that one. Good luck beating the game on the ridiculously hard Japanese version.

[fahlim003]

Star Fox 64, for obvious reasons.

What exactly is improved in the North American release over the Japanese original?

[Blitzwing256]

Uh. What? The game is fine for me, what the hell did they mess up, in your opinion?

dd2 was one of the less-awfull ones compared to ninja gaiden 3 and bayou billy, but in the japanese version you could beat the game on all 3 dificulty levels and you could continue (the continue feature could be unlocked with complicated tap in codes on the us version)

[Guy Bramsworth]

Final Fantasy 7 is WORSE with a localization. If you knew how bad the translation was you'd never have included it in the list.

Really? I've seen some of the Japanese script compared to English and it seems they did as good a job as you can hope for really. What about it was so bad?

[skaar]

Really? I've seen some of the Japanese script compared to English and it seems they did as good a job as you can hope for really. What about it was so bad?

No be careful! Don't wake the Square fanboi rage!

[TonyTheTiger]

What exactly is improved in the North American release over the Japanese original?

Only the fact that the English dialogue turns it from a merely very good game into a very good game that is also the most quotable video game of all time.

[Haoie]

I'm going with Persona 4. Especially in regards to Teddie.

Most Atlus titles get better too.

[kedawa]

Decap-Attack

[Boltorano]

Only the fact that the English dialogue turns it from a merely very good game into a very good game that is also the most quotable video game of all time.

"Do a barrel roll!"
"Can't let you do that, Star Fox!"

etc.

[j_factor]

Every game ever published by Working Designs.

*ducks*

[Flashback2012]

Every game ever published by Working Designs.

*ducks*

/throws rotting fruit

The brand of toilet humor they added to Albert Odyssey made the game damn near unplayable for me. I've played games with really bad text (Castle of Shikigami 2) and really bad dubbing (Chaos Wars) but none that irritated me to the point that Albert Odyssey did.

As for the topic, I can't think of anything from personal experience. I've heard of some of the games mentioned already that have had tweaks or fixes added when the games got a NA release but I'm failing to think of any that haven't already been mentioned so far.