Games with big differences between regions.

[Deo]

So I recently got the Japanese MD version of Ecco the Dolphin and there are quite a few differences between it and the U.S. version.
Thought we should make a list of region differences in different games.

Ecco Japanese Mega Drive

* Sonar sound at the Sega Screen
* All text parts are in Japanese (duh)
* No level intro text
* U.S. NTSC passwords don't work
* Pausing the game pauses the music
* Some of the extra music in the debug option is played in game
* Glyphs act as checkpoints so if you die you have an option to start back there
* The Hardwater stage is much easier
* Vortex's are grey and try to avoid your sonar attacks
* There is a Glyph halfway through The Machine
* If the Vortex Queen eats Ecco you play through the level The Stomach instead of the Machine

[64k]

Sweet, did you google these or are they your own observations?

dude what happens if you put it in a European or Genesis ?

[salsays]

Hmm i would have to say nothing happens to the game unlike neo geo games where if you place a JP version of a game into a US system it switches automatically to US version

[Liquid Snake]

I don't know about big differences but "small" ones are:

- Rocket Knight adventure (intro and intermission)
- Strider (sound effect are 35 instead of 40 in JPN version)
- Deca Attack (graphics were redrawn)
- contra hardcorp (life bar)
- castlevania (graphical differences here and there)
- DJ Boy (removed controversial boss character)
- Bare Knuckles 2 (cigarette)
- Bare Knuckles 3 (a lot to talk about........)

[Deo]

Sweet, did you google these or are they your own observations?

dude what happens if you put it in a European or Genesis ?

I played to the Island Zone (roughly a 1/3 through) so far and did some jumping around with the debug code which is exactly the same as the PAL/NTSC code.

The game is in a unmodded NTSC Genesis so I guess theres no region lockout in the game.

[64k]

Hmm i would have to say nothing happens to the game unlike neo geo games where if you place a JP version of a game into a US system it switches automatically to US version

Sometimes the region switch will bring out differences like Sonic2 is the same regardless of region it just changes some bits depending on the region SEGA its in.

for some reason I have about 6 copies of Sonic 2 all from different regions

[Jesse813]

I don't know about big differences but "small" ones are:

- Deca Attack (graphics were redrawn)

Another Difference is in Magical Hat no Buttobi Tabo! Daibōken you get 1 Hit per life unless your carrying that ball you throw at enemies than you get 2, While in Decap Attack you can get up to 8 hits which reduces the difficulty a good bit.

[tomaitheous]

Shadow Dancer: If you take the US cart and plug it into a JP region machine, you get the Japanese title screen (with totally different graphics).

I think there are a few other games like this (SOR maybe?), ala changes with a same cart in different region machines.

[Phosis]

One thing I was curious about Ecco: is there 2 Open Ocean stages in the Jap version, like there was in the Sega CD version?

The Stomach is sure a mess of shit. I don't know for sure, but if I remember correctly, when you beat the level, does the Vortex Queen spit you back out? It's really too bad we didn't get some "deluxe" edition of the game that had all those little extras. The ability to have checkpoints would have reduced the ungodly difficulty of that game to a tolerable level.

Love the first two Ecco games, but I am hard pressed to enjoy the first one due to a great deal of little glitches here and there, plus the inability to continue, plus fear of that awful Vortex Queen herself. I once showed a friend what the Queen looked like, and even he was pretty shocked. "...There is something so primal and unwholesome about that thing, I don't want to look at it ever again."

If you look up the artist Melvyn Grant, it's pretty clear where the inspiration for that head came from, apart from H.R. Giger.

[Zebbe]

Shadow of the Beast: Completely different port with easier difficulty.
Dynamite Headdy: Easier difficulty, some enemies are changed.
Alien Soldier: Has some Engrish not present in PAL version.
Phantasy Star II: Higher samples of drums, different sound effects.
Phantasy Star IV: A ghost enemy with boobs is in this version.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Lots of parallax scrolling, wave effect at Labyrinth Zone, spike bug fixed in one revision, stage order fixed in level select screen.
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine: Complelely different graphics and setting with the name "Puyo Puyo".
Dragon's Fury: Called Devil Crash, lots of religious content removed.
Ristar: Some different graphics.

[Deo]

One thing I was curious about Ecco: is there 2 Open Ocean stages in the Jap version, like there was in the Sega CD version?

Yup the first one has one of the tracks that isn't used in the NTSC/PAL version.

[goldenband]

Marble Madness: Completely different port in Japan, released by Tengen (a few years after the EA port, I think). Near-perfect graphics and music, plus trackball support!

[QuickSciFi]

Top this one:

Last Battle.

It was originally a "Fist of the North Star" game.

Mega Drive


Genesis

[Deo]

Damn Fist of the North Star blows Last Battle away!