What's the story with renaming games before the come to the west?

[Vicviper]

Yeah. I've noticed 2 games lately that came to the west under totally crappy stupid ass names. These names are so bad that at first look you wouldn't even know what to think about the game. Obviously these 2, actually decent, games had there names changed here in the west by some rerarded suit wearing executive who doesn't know jack about videogames and it's obviouse he never will. The two games in question are:

1. Mobil Light Force 2(PS2). This is a decent vertical scrolling shooter game and goes under the name of Shikagami no Shiro in the East.
Now granted Shikagami no Shiro would be hard for someone in the west to pronounce but come on!
2. Road Trip(GC). This game goes by the name of Choro Q in the East. Graphically this game looks like a PS1 game. But it is still entertaining to play.

Both of these games retailed for $19.95 a piece.

I'm sure there are other games out there that have had this same treatment. Do you know of any?

[Alucard]

Theres ALOT of games that get changed titles, mainly on the PS2. Like Shadow of Memories <destiny> and This is Football <soccer>. Theres some others but I am sleepy.

[Escaflowne2001]

Indeed that Road Trip thingy was called Penny Racers in EU...(WTF?).

others like
Dark Chronicle (Japan/Europe) Dark Cloud 2 (America)
Rei Zero (Japan) Fatal Frame (America) Project Zero (EU)

It's seems the Japan and EU titles are usually more similar or the same compared to the American titles.

[Axe Wielding Nut]

because Castlevania is easier to market than Akumajo Dracula

[Nindalf]

Originally posted by Gorath the Destroyer
because Castlevania is easier to market than Akumajo Dracula

GIVE THIS LITTLE GIRL A COOKIE!!1! THAT'S 100% CORRECT!1!

[Vicviper]

Yeah but Castlevania is a cool name.

Road Trip is not a cool name. At first I thought this game was Hooters: Road Trip. But after being told by one of my buddies that it was Choro Q I had to ask him to repeat what he just said because I couldn't believe it.

The thing is it probably looks like the west is lazy to the Japanese because we don't want to expend the effort to learn Japanese words and pronunciation.
Another example is Kunoichi which as everyone in the west knows it as Nightshade.
If I had a choice between Castlevania and Akumajo Dracula I would pick the latter.

[Ogni]

What about Biohazard / Resident Evil?

Sometimes you just get used to the change of names, sometimes depends on what you heard first.

But it can also be copyright stuff, Starfox was called Lylat Wars in Europe because the name Starfox was already a trademark of another company!

[ATMA]

Nes/SNES had also tons of games that got a name change while being localized, also there was a game where they did change a character to appeal more to a western audience. I have to check it out and see what game it was.

[Vicviper]

I know Streets of Rage 3 had a charachter change. Some drag queen boss was replaced in the western version with somebody "less offensive"

[Joe Redifer]

And the change from "Thunder Force 4" to "Lightening Force" (yes, the title was actually MISSPELLED) for absolutely no reason whatsoever. I guess they just didn't want to sell a few more copies based on name recognition or something. That one really upset me quite a bit.

And let''s not forget all of the box covers they change for the US for NO REASON other than to make sure that it looks as ugly as possible. Strider for the Japanese Mega Drive had pretty sweet box art. But the US version looked like Captain Kirk or something. What the hell? And EVERY Turbografx game ever released in the US suffered from this. Actually I think once they got to the Turbo Duo era they just started using the Japanese art mostly. I guess US companies just like to pay uneeded cash to create new art.

Generally name changes are to make the game more marketableand approachable to western audiences. Like Minna no Golf > Hot Shots Golf.

Or Shikigami no Shiro - I mean, come on, you seriously cant expect a game with a title like that to sell in the west to an audience that is generally japanese illiterate.

To most of us on here, who are hardcore gamers, the title changes may offend, but its common sense, marketing wise, at least.

As for covers, that's jsut a mystery - US game covers are generally msotly about flash and wow - slap on some CG and some bigass fancy title with flames around it, and you got yourself a US cover. JApanese gamers tend to prefer a more minimalistic, aesthetic style - which chimes in with a lot of aspects of Japanese Culture.

Europe tends to be a mix between both ends of the spectrum.

[SpaceManSpiff]

I can understand changing a japanes name to an American name, that just makes sense. But Thunder force to Lightening force wtf is up with that. And Drag-on Dragoon to Drakengard.

[ATMA]

Recent excample:

Panic Maker will get a western name of Under the skin. Yeah it makes sense. :annoyed:

[Black Sugar]

It's all about maketing prospect. Rockman / Mega Man
Jet Set Radio sound way much better than Jet Grind Radio. But then again, the casual consummer won't know out to make it of of a name like "Jet Set" instead of Jet Grind !

[Vicviper]

So basically when you really look at it
give or take 90% of all games that come from the east into the west under go a change in one form or another through a name change(for the worse) or in game change through charachter or sound/music(usually for the worse also)