After thinking about it deeply for three years, I have decided to get the PAL UK version.

My reasoning is as follows:

・ If I plan on playing the game (and I have in the past and I will in the future), it will be done on an emulator, with a "Secret of Evermore (Europe)" ROM, a computer, and a big HDTV. Therefore, the black border that plagues PAL games is a non-issue and my physical copy is just for collection purposes. The PAL bug fixes (if any) while nice, is also mostly irrelevant. I also deem the PAL Hz speed downgrade as insignificant.
・ American (NTSC-U/C) style Super Nintendo carts are fucking ugly. I don't consider myself a "style over substance" person (not that there is anything inherently wrong with style), but I find USA carts so fucking ugly to the point that I have to precede the word ugly with an expletive.

Side-note: I play my cart-based games as ROMs on emulators because:
・ My save files can be backed up. I can make multiple copies of save files on multiple PS1/PS2 memory cards but I can't do the same with save files on battery-backed carts. Maybe, technically, I can but it's a lot of trouble.
・ As a "perfect game" (or as close to perfect as it can get, taking into account time, effort and sanity constraints) gamer, my save files (and the hours I invest in them) are worth more than the physical games themselves. This point also links with the above point.

SoE-wise, my priorities are as follows:

1) NTSC-Japan Secret of Evermore. If this existed, it would make things a lot easier for me (i.e. I would have bought it by now and this thread wouldn't exist). I, for one, think this game would be worth releasing in Japan. I imagine it would be called 「エヴァーモアの秘密」 or 「エヴァーモア秘密」. If I was crazy/ingenious, I might even use a subtitle. The full title name would become 「エヴァーモアの秘密: 聖剣伝説外伝」. Like Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden (for the Nintendo Game Boy), "Evermore no Himitsu: Seiken Densetsu Gaiden" might even become its own spin-off series. A spin-off of a spin-off. I would market it as "America's answer to Seiken Densetsu 2!" while pointing out the positive gameplay changes/differences (alchemy magic system, time travel ala Chrono Trigger, etc...). They can use this game in Japanese English-as-a-second-language classes to help make language-learning fun while at the same time learning American culture and hopefully not outdated pop culture. And prehistoric, Ancient Greece, medieval and future culture for that matter. Like Seiken Densetsu 2, the main character's names would be listed in the manual but blank as default in the game. In the manual, the main character's name would become 「ヒーロー」and the dog's name would be 「ポチ」. Hmm, looks like I went of on a tangent there. Back to the thread topic:
2)
Quote Originally Posted by Daria View Post
Or if you really want to be silly buy both an NTSC and PAL copy. Then switch the cases and boards. So you have an NTSC copy in a cartridge that will match the rest of your collection. (:
Unfortunately, I do not have the tools, skills or expertise to do such a thing. I also do not wish to buy multiple copies of the game. Lastly, though I would probably be too lazy to do it, I might consider it if I did have the tools and skills.
3) PAL-UK (United Kingdom) Secret of Evermore.
4) PAL-Australia Secret of Evermore.
5) NTSC-U/C (United States/Canada) Secret of Evermore.

Anything anyone else want to add before I commit to my SoE purchase?

Quote Originally Posted by Aussie2B View Post
I'd go with the USA version just on the basis that it's far easier to play it on a NTSC Super Famicom. Plus the possible speed and border downgrades aren't worth it, especially when we're just talking cosmetic differences and possible differences in bugs that weren't bad in the first place. From what I remember about the bugs, you really have to go out of your way to progress in the game the wrong way.
How does one go about playing a USA cart on a Super Famicom?

And if anyone knows, how does one go about playing a PAL cart on an SFC?