Video game name changes

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Joe Redifer
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Video game name changes - Aug 03, 2004 00:54
I am assuming this will mostly involve older games, as I don' t know how often the names of games are changed these days.

Have you ever seen a game in Japan that came to the US or UK and the name changed as a result? What are some of them that strike you as the most odd? Here are the ones that stand out to me:

Thunder Force IV
Name changed to " Lightening Force" in the US.
Why? The new name sounds horrible, it' s misspelled, and might be overlooked by people who would recognize the good-standing " Thunder Force" name. Oy!

Salamander
Name was changed to " Life Force" in the US.
I actually much MUCH prefer the name Life Force. Good call, Konami!

Capcom vs SNK 2: Millionaire Fighting
I think this was changed to " Capcom vs SNK 2: Match of the Millenium" .
" Millionaire Fighting" sounds really odd. Where did Japan come up with that title? I can see why it was changed.

I' m drawing a blank right now. Any more?
< Message edited by Joe Redifer -- 8/3/2004 12:54:36 AM >

Terry Bogard
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RE: Video game name changes - Aug 03, 2004 01:46
BARI-ARM for the Mega CD was changed into Android Assault for the U.S. Sega CD... I actually like both titles..

I never understood the reasoning behind the original arcade Street Fighter getting changed to ' Fighting Street' when it was released on the PCEngine/Turbo CD.

Dynamite Deka (Japan) = Die Hard Arcade (U.S.) ----- Like the Japanese title.

Dynamite Deka II (Japan) = Dynamite Cop (U.S.) ------ Like the Japanese title.

Hokuto No Ken (Japan) = Black Belt (U.S.) --------- This is only regarding the Sega Master System and Sega Mark III versions of the game. I preferred the U.S. title here and amazingly enough the U.S. version turned out much better gameplay and music-wise.

Zero: Crimson Butterfly (Japan) = Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly (U.S.) ---- I like the U.S. name better because it fits perfectly with the whole camera system.

Galactic Attack (U.S.) = Layer Section (Japan) ----- Like the Japanese title better.

Shin Shinobi Den (Japan) = Shinobi Legions (U.S.) = Shinobi X (U.K.) ------ I like ummm I guess the European title followed by the Japanese title. Or is it the other way around?

Virtua Quest (U.S.) = Virtua Fighter Cyber Generation: Judgment Six no Yabou (Japan) ---- I like the Japanese title better.

Blood Will Tell = Dororo ------ Like the Japanese title better.


Joe Redifer
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RE: Video game name changes - Aug 03, 2004 15:43
I often wonder why they change some of the Castlevania titles. For instance:

Dracula X: Nocturne in the Moonlight (Japan) = Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (US) It' s debatable which is better, but if they keep changing the names, they' ll run out of musical terms that much sooner!

And of course let' s not forget
Sonic No Deka No Yabu Hokuto Neo Hatsumatsu Panel No Kawasaki San Shi Yu Katage Wantanabe Den (Japan) = Sonic (US)
< Message edited by Joe Redifer -- 8/3/2004 3:45:36 PM >

Terry Bogard
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RE: Video game name changes - Aug 03, 2004 17:19

Dracula X: Nocturne in the Moonlight (Japan) = Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (US) It' s debatable which is better, but if they keep changing the names, they' ll run out of musical terms that much sooner!


I' ve always preferred Dracula X: Nocturne in the Moonlight :)