Do the Japanese/European Versions of Games Have Different Content?

I'm just wondering if some regional versions of the same games ever have cut or extra content, or if any US games have content not available in its overseas versions.

Does anyone know?

 

I wouldn't think so, as America is theirmajor console market (Japan is still stuck in the Arcade Era) so it would be like giving ***P to your major base and then giving the best stuff to people who won't buy it.

 

I heard that Kingdom Hearts 2 has different music cues in Japan than the American version of the game. Does anyone know why this is and if there are any other such examples?

Also, isn't Japan a huge console market?

 

Seeing as North America (Canada and the U.S.) and Western Europe have much larger populations than Japan, I'd assume that they're probably larger markets.

I know that Europe sometimes gets extra content because they usually wait longer for game releases. Nothing all that substantial, though.

 

What kind of extra content do they usually get? Like "making of" documentaries or something?


Regarding the Japanese market, I think Japan generates the second highest sales in the console market, just under the US. IIRC, the UK is merely the third largest console market.

 

Well, in regards to KH, the opening song was different. "Hikari" in the Japanese version and "Simple and Clean" for America/Europe. KH2 had "Passion" for Japan" and "Sanctuary" for the English version.

The only thing I know is that Japan always gets the International versions or stuff released. I never really heard of and American/Europe release of these games. The same went for KH: Final Mix. There is another K2: Final Plus (forgot the real name), coming out in Japan next Spring, but as far as I know, there is no release for outside Japan.

Perhaps the reason they keep things only in Japan, is that they think that it is only the Japanese consumers who will buy multiple versions of a game only to play/see new stuff. Also, perhaps voice acting is a problem. Maybe it is easier to get the Japanese voice actors back to do new parts than it is for its Western counterpart, IMO.



EDIT: Actually in regards to "Making of Videos", I believe that Final Fantasy X: International had a seperate disc dedicated to the upcoming sequal to X (X-2), Kingdom Hearts preview, and some other stuff.

 

Your post has made me wonder why some of those Final Fantasy games were never released in the US. Why do you suppose that was?

 

Well, I really have no clue. The International versions of the games just added in the English voices, and you had a choice between playing the game in English or Japanese (at least that is what I had with my FFX: International Version). The only things different were a couple of new monsters, weapons and like I said in my last post, previews of upcoming games.

I have no idea why they won't release these "special edition" games outside of Japan. I am sure there are enough people who would love to fight some Uber new Omega Ulitima Weapon boss, see new cut scenes and so on. I know I did, so I bought it. I think that maybe they thing that non-Japanese audiences are not as fanatic as Japanese ones and won't buy the same copy of a game, even if a little stuff was added.

But they do have some really cool stuff that goes with the games when they are released here, like cards, box art sets, keychains, bumperstickers, dolls, books, cellphone straps and so on. I really hope one day that they will do the same outside of Japan.

 

Huh. Kinda strange.

But I guess I could see the reasoning behind that.

I mean, I got the LoZ: Ocarina of Time Master Quest when it came with the GC Zelda collectibles, but if they had just released Master Quest on its own, I probably wouldn't have gotten it.

 

Yeah. Probably right. You would think the game companies would realize that they could make a profit if they would expand their product range! Perhaps if an econ major came in, they could enlighten me more?

 

Something a friend told me, I have no idea whether it's true or not, is that in Japan and Korea World of Warcraft uses larger numbers. Basically, people are expecting to do certain amounts of damage with their uber swords of power and whatnot. The scale is exactly the same, but the actual numbers are different. So, instead of being able to do 500 damage, you do 5000, but the mob has ten times the hp too. And I repeat: this is something that someone told me, not something I have any first hand knowledge of. He could have been full of it.

 

I haven't heard that one, but what would be the point if every thing's still balanced out?

 

I think he's just making fun of Japanese and Korean gamers.

 

European games sometimes (and I do mean sometimes) have different content compared to the US/Japan version. The only example I can think of is the voice over in Metroid Prime and the slightly different logs.

Besides that and language options there are no differences between the US/EU region (of course there is also the high amount of waiting) I hope that helps a bit

 

Europe is the second largest gaming market I believe. It sold more PS2s than Japan did anyway. This is why there's so much anger over the PS3 being delayed here.

 

Yes, but the US still trumps both of them, so it seems foolish to include too much extra stuff for there versions.

 

It comes down to what a publisher/developer thinks is marketable. Sometimes Eastern developers will cut or alter things that they think might turn Western gamers off buying their game. And for those Western developers who are marketing a game in the East they might alter appearances of character models to appeal to Eastern tastes.

For example Everquest II actualy had aisian avatars to appeal to the Eastern market and Asian players who played on the Western servers. Xenogears got edited Stateside. In fact Square didn't even think they would release it in the States due to religious themes.

City Of Heroes actualy went on to make a new trailer to appeal to the Korean market.

Korean City Of Heroes

Western City Of Heroes

 

Okay, Final Fantasy games get edited all over the place, but more so back when IV and VI came out for SNES than now. But I do know for a fact that there are Materia in FFVII that work completely different in the US. Mostly some of them were nerfed (made less powerful).

Xenosaga I, II, and III if presented in their original Japanese form would be rated M. But because of some strange editing decisions, they are rated T in the US. One scene in Episode III for example has a characters mother dying. The mothers blood is pouring out onto the ground and her daughter is scooping up the blood and pouring back into her mothers wound thinking that it'll keep her alive. Now imagine this scene... without the blood. It just looks like the little girl is staring into her cupped hands and going crazy. It ruins the scene...

I'm trying to think of more strange editing... but they're not coming to mind.

 

When you boot up SW Lego II (UK/Euro version) for the PS2 it gives you a list of languages to choose from with English at the top. I don't know if the US vesion does the same.

 

we UK'ers bought so many PS2's because the country is full of Chavs.

Seriously though, that's kinda mad, considering that boat going down in the Suez before Christmas last year, or maybe the one before that...

I can't remember now, but yeah, i have one anyway, but i'm not a chav

I can only put the PS2's success down to the success of the original, and the 'unknown' of the xbox. Producing a console with 2 controller ports, wt[H]?!

As for anything relevant to this discussion... I don't think I have anything at all.

Except the Japanese had the added bonus of being able to understand the lyrics to the dragonball z budokai 3 title music

Don't do that.

 

The PAL version of FFX had the Dark Aeons. They're also in the so-called 'International' version that was released later in Japan. They're an almost impossibly difficult set of optional bosses...you really have to max all your characters' stats if you want any chance against the later ones. You'll also need all the ultimate weapons, the best armour in the game, the best overdrives and a healthy dose of luck. Alternatively you could just hoard Gil and summon Yojimbo.

EDIT: Metal Gear Solids 2 & 3 also have added content for the PAL version, namely a ludicrously tough 'European Extreme' difficulty (and I believe the cutscene theatre in Sons of Liberty was another extra).

 

My KOTOR >>> Valyn's KOTOR

 

I think you'll find that the Japanese get more games than the rest of the world, and faster.