Famicom World

Family Computer => Famicom / Disk System => Topic started by: featherplucknfilms on September 08, 2006, 02:22:00 am

Title: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: featherplucknfilms on September 08, 2006, 02:22:00 am
NES/Famicom Game Differences
Which Famicom games have differences from their NES counterparts?

Air Fortress --
FC:
NES: revised, less Engrish opening story.

Akumajou Densetsu (cart) --
FC: 1) the main characters name is "Ralph Belmondo", and not Trever Belmont. 2) The sprites for the Zombie's, Mad frogs, Mummy Men, and the boss named Leviathan all have different sprites. 3) Mud Men are slightly more animated. 4) Hunchbacks are reffered to as Gremlins (from Super Castlevania IV). 5) Grant uses throwing daggers as his main weapon instead of using a stabbing dagger, and can only collect the axe and stopwatch sub-weapons. 6) The music is far superior because of the Konami VRC6 that was installed in the cartridge. 7) Timing differences in some of the enemies' patterns and attacks. 8.) Different item placement for candleabras and breakable bricks. 9) There are alot of color differences for most stages and some enemies (like the green Phantom Bat). 10) Water dragons breathe flames downward, as well as upward, and hold the attack longer no matter the direction of the flames. 11) Boss mummies throw shards both high and low instead of in wavy patterns. 12) There are no Skull Heads, Armed Knights or Robed Zombies in this version. 13) If you are killed while fighting Dracula, you begin outside the keep stairway instead of near the pendulums. 14) Nude statues and religious themes are not censored. 15) The cross in the intro has rays that beam from it. 16) The text is a normal font rather than a gothic font used in the US version. 17) The second quest and the starting ally passwords do not work. 18) The sound made when switching allies is different. 19) The game is slightly easier.
NES: called Castlevania 3.

Akumajou Dracula (cart) --
FC: 1) you can select a "normal" or "easy" difficulty level. 2) An added  Konami logo before the title screen.
NES: called Castlevania.

Akumajou Dracula (disk) --
FC: 1) the name-entry option that allows you to save your game into the disks memory; 2) Simon can collect morning-star symbols much earlier than normal, where he usually has to attain five hearts beforehand. 3) The game is easier due to the save feature, and more frequent whip power ups.
NES: called Castlevania.

Argus no Senshi --
FC: different ending text; plus many other BG songs.
NES:

Batman --
FC: stages 1-1 + 1-2 and 2-1 through 2-3's music have been switched around from how it appears in the NES version.
NES:

Bubble Bobble (disk) --
FC: 1) EXTEND screens vary in background, including cookies; 2) the final boss is defeated after 60 shocks; has save option; 3) You don't get 1ups for points.
NES: 1) EXTEND screens have only the "E-X-T-E-N-D" bubbles background; 2) the final boss is defeated after 100 shocks; password option; 3) You get a 1up at 35000, 100000, 200000, 400000 etc. points.

Captain Tsubasa --
FC: 1) features original Captain Tsubasa characters and storyline; 2) before you enter in the Japan team, you play a little mini-game seeking Taro Misaki. The text is in Japanese.
NES: called Tecmo Cup: Soccer Game; 1) no Captain Tsubasa characters or storyline -- all are custom team names, characters and storyline made by Tecmo; 2) no mini-game before the special team (which is not called the Japan team).

Contra --
FC: 1) includes level intro screens. 2) animated maps screens. 3) short animations between stages 4) animated backgrounds (swaying palm trees, snow, moving alien liar, etc.); 4) slightly extended ending scene.
NES:

Dengeki Big Burn --
FC: yen symbol instead of dollar symbol.
NES: called Clash at Demonhead; dollar symbol instead of yen symbol.

Donald Duck --
FC: the characters are from Disney.
NES: called Snoopy's Silly Sports Spectacular; the characters are from Peanuts.

Double Dragon 3 --
FC: 1) has a level skipping cheat (press A + B + Select + Start); 2) gives you a little more health; 3) slightly more weapons; 4) Hiruko appears at the end of Mission 2.
NES: 1) no level skipping cheat; 2) less health; 3) fewer weapons; 4) Hiruko does not appear at the end of Mission 2.

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde --
FC:
NES:

Dracula 2: Noroi no Fuiin (disk) --
FC: 1) the name-entry option that allows you to save your game into the disks memory. 2) The loading times that are present when you enter into towns and mansions. 3) The music is more digital, faster and toned higher. 4) Camilla Cemetery is instead called "Carmilla Cemetery". 5) The game's enemy rate is slightly higher. 6) The glass-shattering noise when you use holy water is absent. 7) The sound that's made when Simon falls into water is different. 8) The sound that plays when you discover a secret only plays when you talk to hidden souls and not after. 9) There are beefed up sounds for the Ferryman's actions and the Deborah Cliff tornado ride. 10) You can keep purchasing garlic and laurels even after your stock is full. 11) The mansion music also plays when you're outside of the mansion entrances. 12) The game is slightly harder.
NES:

Final Mission --
FC:
NES: called S.C.A.T.

Fudou Myouou Den --
FC: an almost different game from its U.S. counterpart: One hit kills you, lots of new power-ups, levels, enemies, and bosses; has a vertical-scrolling Kanji text opening and ending.
NES: called Demon Sword.

Green Beret (disk) --
FC: 1) More weapon wielding Green enemies, each one only gives you 1 round (rocket, grenade, etc.) for the weapon instead of three, as in RNA. There is no max number of rounds you can acquire. 2) When you die you begin where you left off instead of starting back earlier in the level, thus making it much easier of a game. 3) There are underground passages that you can get to by finding ladders underneath the landmines after they blow up.
NES: called Rush 'N Attack.

Hikari Shinwa: Palutena no Kagami (disk) --
FC: 1) use the controller II microphone to lower prices in the shop.
NES: called Kid Icarus. 1) Use A+B on the second controller to lower prices in the shop.

Hitler no Fukkatsu --
FC: 1) includes Nazi imagery. 2) calls the final boss "Hitler."
NES: called Bionic Commando; 1) all Nazi imagery removed. 2) final boss is not called "Hitler."

Final Command: Red Fortress --
FC:  a lack of bankswitching abilities.
NES: called Jackal; has longer levels and more enemies.

Link no Bouken --
FC: 1) tunnel-like corridors inside the starting palace. 2) animated water. 3) different enemies sprites on the map. 4) dramatic sound when running into enemy. 5) alternate battle music. 6) absence of Link's voice when attacked. 7) loading screen when entering and exiting towns and temples. 8) funny sounds when text appears. 9) cheaper death music. 10) cheaper fairy music. 11) RETURN OF GANNON THE END (no Gannon laughing).
NES: called Legend of Zelda.

Mad City --
FC:
NES: called Adventures of Bayou Billy.

Magic John --
FC:
NES: called Totally Rad.

Maniac Mansion --
FC:
NES:

Nekketsu! Dodgeball bu Soccer hen --
FC: 1) has an storyline (since its part of the Kunio-kun series) and features ficticious high school soccer teams (like Captain Tsubasa); 2) you always play as Nekketsu team; 3) features Kunio characters.
NES: called NES World Cup; 1) lacks storyline and features World Cup-themed teams; 2) allows you to choose your team in tournament mode; 3) doesn't features the Kunio characters (but Kunio and friends make a little cameo as the Japan team in world cup mode.

Ninja Ryukenden --
FC: 1) includes storyline screens.
NES: called Ninja Gaiden; 1) no storyline screens.

Ninja Ryukenden 3 --
FC: 1) has a password feature; 2) has unlimited continues; 3) player takes 2x less damage when hit.
NES: called Ninja Gaiden 3; 1) no password feature; 2) no unlimited continues; 3) player takes double the damage when hit.

Operation Wolf --
FC: 1) stages are selectable, except for the last two stages. 2) There's a bikini girl in the game.
NES: 1) no stage selection; 2) no bikini girl.

Raf World --
FC: main character sprite slightly different from NES version.
NES: called Journey to Silius.

Rampart --
FC: keeps the same basic NES gameplay elements (build castle, shoot cannons at things, rebuild/expand castle, repeat), but added stories and special objectives (survive n rounds, destroy n monsters, surround this target, etc).
NES: an arcade port (more or less).

Roger Rabbit --
FC:
NES: called Bugs Bunny's Crazy Castle.

Rygar --
FC: alternate Daybreak music.
NES:

Salamander --
FC: Different ending graphics, depending on how many continues you used.
NES: Called Life Force. Always ends the same.

Softball Tengoku --
FC: has ghoul and goblin characters
NES: called Dusty Diamond's All-Star Softball

Star Force --
FC:
NES: released by Tecmo 1988.

Super Mario Bros. (disk) --
FC: has a very different minus world:  Level -1 is a weird swimming level, with lots of floating bad guys, including Bowser;  also, random sprites of the Princess. Level -2 is a normal bridge level with flying fish, and Level -3 is a castle level, with no Bowser at the end and no one in the room after reaching the ax. The game then restarts as if you had beaten it, with Busy Beetles replacing Goombas.
NES:

Super Mario Bros. 3 --
FC: Getting hit while in costume shrinks all the way to small Mario;  When you lose a costume, you kind of poop it out. There are level differences, like Level 5-1 loses a wall at the end of the level.
NES: Getting hit while in costume shrinks to big Mario.

Superman --
FC:
NES:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Manhattan Project --
FC: 1) has an option menu on the title screen, with a sound test, number of lives and difficulty settings.
NES: called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: The Manhattan Project; 1) no options menu.

Tokkou Shirei Solbrain --
FC:
NES: called Shatterhand.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on September 08, 2006, 04:07:57 am
Actually, I was thinking about doing something like that, especially with games like Green Beret, Donald Duck, and such. :)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on September 08, 2006, 08:56:27 am
That's a damn good idea. Potentially tough. But a good one. I'll mull over how it'd be constructed and get back to you. If anyone has a suggestion about what it should look like, let me know. It could be a separate games list, but that might be tough. Oh. Another possibility might be to tack a note onto each game on the games lists that says: Gameplay Variation. and then you click it to go to a page explaining each of the gameplay variations we discover. Hmm...
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on September 08, 2006, 11:02:53 am
Maybe even a mini pop-up?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on September 08, 2006, 11:17:26 am
Ooooo. Interesting. I'll have to teach myself how to do that. I knew how at one point.

We'll see.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on September 08, 2006, 11:29:48 am
I used to know how, aswell. I'll ask my friend soon.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on September 10, 2006, 08:40:14 pm
Maybe we should get a list going -- Famicom/FDS games that are have significant differences from their NES counterparts.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Juggalo/Hulkamaniac on September 11, 2006, 05:50:29 am
Don't mention that horrible game ever again!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M_4Yqk65f8
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on September 12, 2006, 05:28:20 pm
I can mention that  game as many times as I want.  And CastleVania 2 was bad?

By the way, he died because he was at the beginning of the level.

When Mr. Hyde reaches the point to where Dr. Jekyll is, he gets struck by lightning -  a little incentive to get further in the game with Jekyll.

Heh, I also saw him playing Roger Rabbit - he sucks at driving. ::)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Juggalo/Hulkamaniac on September 14, 2006, 06:58:21 am
Those reviews were pretty funny. Gotta laugh at the bottle of Rolling Rock! ;D
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Toneman on October 11, 2006, 06:07:35 am
I did quite a few of those videos on YouTube distinguishing differences of Famicom/NES games.

Adventures of Bayou Billy / Mad City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vENXnbybWjI

Superman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du-qbloLWRc

S.C.A.T. / Final Mission
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoGKzKhK_8Q

Star Force (Hudson 1985) / Star Force (Tecmo 1988)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dEhAUbWs-A

Totally Rad / Magic John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aDfiRghbeM

Journey to Silius / Raf World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Usk2CcXCE

Shatterhand / Solbrain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9OvyVoj7I0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI3X9rcnPno

Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on October 11, 2006, 02:03:59 pm
Awesome! Great videos. :)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Juggalo/Hulkamaniac on October 11, 2006, 05:27:14 pm
Thank-you. Awesome videos!
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on November 08, 2006, 12:48:53 pm
Wow - I was surprised to see the story in English:

SEVERAL YEARS AFTER GANNON
WAS DESTROYED, LINK LEARNS
FROM IMPA ABOUT THE ANOTH-
ER SLEEPING PRINCESS ZELDA.
HE IS TOLD SHE CAN ONLY
AWAKEN WITH THE N0.3 TRY-
FORCE SEALED IN THE GREAT
SANCTUARY AT DISVALLEY. TO
REMOVE THE SEAL, CRYSTALS
MUST BE EMBEDDED INTO A
STONE STATUE STANDING IN
6 SANCTUARIS.
LINK SETS OUT ON AN
ADVENTUROUS QUEST.

I thought idea of entirely different Links was bad; apparently this was a different Zelda.  Maybe we should have a section on this. :)

So far I found several differences:

1.) tunnel-like corridors inside the starting palace
2.) animated water
3.) different enemies sprites on the map
4.) dramatic sound when running into enemy
5.) alternate battle music; I like the NES version better
6.) absence of Link's voice when attacked
7.) loading screen when entering & exiting towns & temples >:(
8.) funny sounds when text appears
9.) cheaper death music
10.) cheaper fairy music :(
11.) RETURN OF GANNON THE END (no Gannon laughing)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on November 08, 2006, 12:55:02 pm
Perfect! Perfect! We've been wanting to do this for some time. Featherpluck recommended we have a section highlighting the differences between games that gamers might think are the same but aren't. I'll work on setting something up. Perhaps you all can continue to list games and their differences here or in the suggestions thread about game differences!
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on November 13, 2006, 02:38:30 pm
Merged Jedi's topic on Zelda. Also...here's the list so far:

Donald Duck/Snoopy's Silly Sports Spectacular
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Contra
Green Beret
Hitler no Fukkatsu/Bionic Commando
Link no Bouken/Adventure of Link
Mad City/Adventures of Bayou Billy
Magic John/Totally Rad
Raf World/Journey to Silius
Roger Rabbit/Bugs Bunny's Crazy Castle
Superman
Tokkou Shirei Solbrain/Shatterhand
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on November 13, 2006, 02:52:01 pm
Good catch. :) I guess that's some evidence to show I've never played a Zelda game. :-[
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on November 13, 2006, 07:39:00 pm
Quote from: JC on November 13, 2006, 02:52:01 pm
Good catch. :) I guess that's some evidence to show I've never played a Zelda game. :-[


...?!
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on November 15, 2006, 12:45:17 pm
Maniac Mansion.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on November 15, 2006, 02:15:53 pm
That's already on the list. ;)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nes_pwnerer on November 15, 2006, 05:02:26 pm
Dusty Diamond's All-Star Softball (has a different name and characters in Japan), Kung Fu (called "Spartran X" in Japan), Super Mario Bros. 2 (this is really obvious, but it wasn't on the list so...), the Mega Man games (all of them (except the first I believe) had subtitles as well as the Mega Buster being called the Rock Buster to match out hero's name. Another thing: they all had box art that actually depicted what Mega Man looked like, while over hear he looked a lot like Superman with a gun, a gnome, and just a really muscular Mega Man), and...that's all I can think of right now. Hope this helps!

EDIT: It's "Spartan X", not  "Spartran X". My bad!  ::)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on November 15, 2006, 05:10:39 pm
That does help. I'd argue that SMB2j and SMB don't count, because really all that changed was the name. We got SMB2 before Japan got SMUSA.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on November 15, 2006, 06:21:17 pm
Quote from: nes_pwnerer on November 15, 2006, 05:02:26 pm
Dusty Diamond's All-Star Softball (has a different name and characters in Japan),


I believe they were animals? Correct me if I'm wrong.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: featherplucknfilms on November 15, 2006, 09:56:38 pm
Green Beret vs Rush 'N Attack

- More weapon wielding Green enemies, each one only gives you 1 round (rocket, grenade, etc) for the weapon instead of 3 as in RNA.  There is no max number of rounds you can acquire. 

- When you die you begin where you left off instead of starting back earlier in the level, thus making it much easier of a game. 

- There are underground passages that you can get to by finding ladders underneath the landmines after they blow up. 
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on November 16, 2006, 06:41:24 am
Are you kidding?  Is our Rush 'N Attack inferior to their Green Beret?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: featherplucknfilms on November 16, 2006, 06:53:07 am
Inferior?!?  no!!  Different??  yes!!  and more difficult...
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on November 16, 2006, 11:23:10 am
Quote from: featherplucknfilms on November 15, 2006, 09:56:38 pm

- There are underground passages that you can get to by finding ladders underneath the landmines after they blow up. 


That is awesome! I'm glad I bought the game. :)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nes_pwnerer on November 16, 2006, 05:07:59 pm
QuoteI believe they were animals? Correct me if I'm wrong.


They weren't just animals...they were pretty much everything.  There's an article about it on NESPlayer under "10 Famicom Games You Should or Should Not Be Playing", but I can't get at it right now (DSL, how I loath thee).
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on November 27, 2006, 06:22:24 am
Add Argus No Senshi to the list! :)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: featherplucknfilms on November 27, 2006, 06:32:00 am
It's cool to have the names of the games in Japan that were released in US also but I believe they are already all listed in the carts section of the webpage.  When I started this thread my intentions were to have people state what those differences actually are, like I did for Rush 'N Attack vs. Green Beret.  I hope to do more of this more myself but actually I don't have an NES in Japan so I have to base everything off of what I remember (or start playing ROMS).  But so, it'd be really cool if you guys could list the differences too, not just the names of games in Japan and US since that's already been done.  Thanks guys!
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on November 27, 2006, 11:51:14 am
Yeah, we're working on it. :)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on November 28, 2006, 01:21:57 pm
Okay, from what I know without actually playing the rom:

Rygar:

-alternate Daybreak music

(what the hell is wrong with Firefox's spell check?  It's telling me to change 'Okay' to 'Tokay' ???)

Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: DevIancE on January 27, 2007, 10:59:39 pm
Return of the Living Thread!!

Figured I'd post some differences between the Castlevania and Akumajou Dracula games...
First off, "Belmont" is "Belmondo" on all Akumajou Dracula games
   

Akumajou Dracula (FDS)
- The name-entry option that allows you to save your game into the disks memory.
- Simon can collect morning-star symbols much earlier than normal, where he usually has to attain five hearts beforehand.
- The game is easier due to the save feature, and more frequent whip power ups.
   
Akumajou Dracula (Fami)
- You can select a "normal" or "easy" difficulty level
- An added  Konami logo before the title screen.

Dracula 2: Noroi no Fuiin (FDS)
- The name-entry option that allows you to save your game into the disks memory.
- The loading times that are present when you enter into towns and mansions.
- The music is more digital, faster and toned higher.
- Camilla Cemetery is instead called "Carmilla Cemetery".
- The game's enemy rate is slightly higher.
- The glass-shattering noise when you use holy water is absent.
- The sound that's made when Simon falls into water is different.
- The sound that plays when you discover a secret only plays when you talk to hidden souls and not after.
- There are beefed up sounds for the Ferryman's actions and the Deborah Cliff tornado ride.
- You can keep purchasing garlic and laurels even after your stock is full.
- The mansion music also plays when you're outside of the mansion entrances.
- The game is slightly harder.

Akumajou Densetsu  (Fami)
- The main characters name is "Ralph Belmondo", and not Trever Belmont.
- The sprites for the Zombie's, Mad frogs, Mummy Men, and the boss named Leviathan all have different sprites.
- Mud Men are slightly more animated.
- Hunchbacks are reffered to as Gremlins (from Super Castlevania IV)
- Grant uses throwing daggers as his main weapon instead of using a stabbing dagger, and can only collect the axe and stopwatch
sub-weapons.
- The music is far superior because of the Konami VRC6 that was installed in the cartridge.
- Timing differences in some of the enemies' patterns and attacks.
- Different item placement for candleabras and breakable bricks.
- There are alot of color differences for most stages and some enemies (like the green Phantom Bat).
- Water dragons breathe flames downward, as well as upward, and hold the attack longer no matter the direction of the flames.
- Boss mummies throw shards both high and low instead of in wavy patterns.
- There are no Skull Heads, Armed Knights or Robed Zombies in this version.
- If you are killed while fighting Dracula, you begin outside the keep stairway instead of near the pendulums.
- Nude statues and religious themes are not censored.
- The cross in the intro has rays that beam from it.
- The text is a normal font rather than a gothic font used in the US version.
- The second quest and the starting ally passwords do not work.
- The sound made when switching allies is different.
- The game is slightly easier.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: DevIancE on January 27, 2007, 11:01:23 pm
Also Bionic Commando / Hitler no Fukkatsu: Top Secret definetly have alot of differences.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on January 28, 2007, 10:14:20 am
WOW! Thanks so much for all of that! :)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: kite200 on February 12, 2007, 08:58:44 pm
you cannot use A+B on controller 2 to lower the prices in the shop in kid icarus for fds
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: vealchop on February 12, 2007, 09:54:31 pm
you have to yell into the microphone on controller 2 to get the guy to lower his prices on the famicom version of kid icarus.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: kite200 on February 12, 2007, 11:03:47 pm
figured that out thanks to kris, thanks
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on April 03, 2007, 10:23:44 pm
Am I right to believe that Bubble Bobble NES and FDS have at least one difference? You know when you spell EXTEND, you're taken to that celebratory screen. That screens' backgrounds are different, right? I forget what that difference is. I played the FDS version a few weeks ago. :P
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: MarioMania on April 05, 2007, 10:46:08 pm
What's the differences between Star Force on the Famicom & the NES
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on April 06, 2007, 12:10:07 am
Operation Wolf (from what I've seen): stages are selectable (cool! :o) except for the last two stages; there's also this bikini girl in the game:

http://www.planetnintendo.com/thewarpzone/owolf_famicom.html

It says the last two stages aren't in there at all; that's kind of hard to believe.  Maybe they appear after finishing the others.  I wonder if the person tried playing all the way through?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: The Ancient on May 13, 2007, 01:28:23 am
I made the youtube movies for Link no Bouken. If anyone wanna know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shtPb6D-NFs
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: djdac on May 13, 2007, 02:07:27 am
^^ very nice vid! i saw the first one you made last year. good stuff!
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on May 13, 2007, 07:19:23 am
Quote from: The Ancient on May 13, 2007, 01:28:23 am
I made the youtube movies for Link no Bouken. If anyone wanna know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shtPb6D-NFs


That was you! Awesome! I sent you a message way back when complimenting that fantastic video, but youtube deleted my account before I ever got a reply. Thanks for that awesome video, man. I recommend everyone who is a Zelda II fan, to check it out.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Toneman on May 13, 2007, 07:43:31 am
Quote from: MarioMania on April 05, 2007, 10:46:08 pm
What's the differences between Star Force on the Famicom & the NES


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dEhAUbWs-A
I covered that last year
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on May 13, 2007, 04:46:24 pm
A Toneman sighting!! :o
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: MattyD on July 11, 2008, 09:18:32 am
Add to the Contra entry: animated maps screens and short animations between stages, animated backgrounds (swaying palm trees, snow, moving alien liar etc).
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on July 11, 2008, 11:38:20 pm
Lots of updates to this...thanks for the info so far!
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Thrillo on September 21, 2008, 12:32:45 am
Jackal on the NES has bigger levels and more enemies than the FDS version (Final Command: Red Fortress) due to the FDS's lack of bankswitching abilities.
Salamander on the Famicom has different ending graphics depending on how many continues you used. The NES version (Life Force) always ends the same.
http://www.vgmuseum.com/end/nes/a/sala.htm
http://www.vgmuseum.com/end/nes/a/life.htm
I wonder why they cut them out, especially the very classy conclusion that you see when you don't use continues. It's on par with Metroid's good ending, and it would have been a cool piece of gaming history if they left it in.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: michaelthegreat on September 21, 2008, 02:53:31 am
Have we ever talked about smb3 differences? It's been a while since I compared but there are quite a few!

Getting hit while in costume shrinks all the way to small on the fc, but just leaves you big in the nes version. When you lose a costume in the fc version, you poop it out. There are other level differences that I don't remember, but level 5-1 loses a wall at the end of the level.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Ghegs on September 21, 2008, 11:09:53 pm
Contra FC also has a slightly extended ending

Bionic Commando/Hitler no Fukkatsu have plenty of gameplay differences which are listed at http://www.elitecoder.com/bionic/famiver.html

Raf World's main character sprite is a bit different from the one in Journey to Silius

Tokkou Shirei Solbrain/Shatterhand have plenty of differences, they're listed at the game's Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatterhand).
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: absolutsyd on September 22, 2008, 05:04:43 am
Hey, just found this site after hooking up my FC/FDS for the first time.  Seems to me that Rampart for the FC is practically a whole different game, unless I am really misremembering the NES one.  Sadly mine is toast, pins rusted beyond repair.  It looks like on the FC you make a castle with some kind of elves, and fight off wolves and tornadoes or something.  Unless I am totally crazy, didn't you fight against cannons and ships in the NES one?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: UglyJoe on September 22, 2008, 06:29:26 am
Yeah, they're completely different.  The NES version is an arcade port (more or less), and the FC version is something else altogether.  They kept the same basic gameplay elements (build castle, shoot cannons at things, rebuild/expand castle, repeat), but added stories and special objectives (survive n rounds, destroy n monsters, surround this target, etc).
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: absolutsyd on September 26, 2008, 06:50:48 am
Also, another difference in Bubble Bobble is that in the NES version, you get a 1up at 35000, 100000, 200000, 400000 etc. points.  In the FDS version you don't seem to get 1ups for points.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: corisco on October 03, 2008, 06:29:43 am
Guerrilla War (NES) and Guevara (Famicom) have some differences too. The intro screen says about  Guevara and the Batista's regime in Cuba. I don't know about the US version of the game but I think due to the anti-communist feelings in the North America/Europe, they changed the name of the game and characters. Someone knows another differences in this game?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: absolutsyd on October 03, 2008, 06:33:11 am
Super Mario Brothers on FDS has a very different minus world.  Level -1 is a weird swimming level, with lots of floating bad guys, including Bowser.  Also random sprites of the Princess.  -2 is a normal bridge level with flying fish, and -3 is a castle level, with no Bowser at the end and no one in the room after getting the axe.  Game then restarts as if you had beat it, with busy beetles replacing gombas.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Vikingo70s on October 29, 2008, 09:59:55 am
Rockman 2 is much harder than Megaman 2.

And there are several differences beetween NES world cup and Nekketsu! dodgeball bu soccer hen:

1- NES world cup lacks of and storyline and features world cup-themed teams. Nekketsu has an storyline (since its part of the kunio kun series) and features ficticious high school soccer teams (like captain Tsubasa).
2- NES version alows you to choose your team in tournament mode, FAMI version does'nt. You play always as Nekketsu team.
3- NES version doesn't features the Kunio characters (but Kunio and friends make a little cameo as the Japan team in world cup mode)

And... NES verion is in English and japanese is in... :-\ japanese? mmm...oh, thats it...  ;)
I guess someone translated this game... i'm a kunio kun series fan 
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: DDCecil on November 25, 2008, 11:18:54 am
Air Fortress - Revised, less Engrish opening story for U.S.

Argus no Senshi also has new ending text. Plus many other new BG songs.

Batman - Stage 1-1 + 1-2 and 2-1 through 2-3's music have been switched around

Clash at Demonhead/Dengeki Big Burn - Yen symbol instead of Dollar symbol

Demon Sword/Fudou Myouou Den - An almost different game from its U.S. counterpart: One hit kills you, lots of new power-ups, levels, enemies, and bosses. Also has a vertical scrolling Kanji text opening and ending.

EDIT:

Here's Argos no Senshi's Ending (Rygar's is second to compare):
http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/5104/picture205jx7.jpg
http://www.terrisus.com/pictures/endings/Rygar.jpg
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on November 25, 2008, 11:47:46 am
Thanks. I've added the last three posts to the list. We'll integrate these into FW's game reviews/info when the new site design is up.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Vikingo70s on November 29, 2008, 10:38:55 am
*captain tsubasa:

-FAMICOM VERSION: features original captain tsubasa title, characters and storyline. Before you
enter in the japan team you play a little minigame seeking for Taro Misaki. And text
is in japanese.
-NES VERSION: Game title is changed to "Tecmo cup soccer game"
No captain tsubasa characters nor tsubasa storyline. All of them are custom characters and storyline made by Tecmo
and has no minigame before the special team (its not called japan team). Also team names are different
'cos doesn't feature any captain tsubasa at all.

*Teenage mutant ninja turtles 3:

-FAMICOM VERSION: there's an option menu in the title screen, with a sound test, number of lives
an difficulty settings
-NES VERSION: no option menu

*Ninja gaiden 3

-FAMICOM VERSION: its called ninja ryukenden 3, and features a password system
-NES VERSION: no password

*Double dragon 3

-FAMICOM VERSION: level skipping cheat (press a + b + select+ start)
-NES: no level skipping cheat
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Ghegs on November 29, 2008, 03:40:52 pm
Quote from: Vikingo70s on November 29, 2008, 10:38:55 am
*Ninja gaiden 3

-FAMICOM VERSION: its called ninja ryukenden 3, and features a password system
-NES VERSION: no password



Famicom version also has unlimited continues and is easier. The player takes double the damage from anything in the NES version.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on November 30, 2008, 01:32:09 pm
Quote from: Vikingo70s on November 29, 2008, 10:38:55 am
*Double dragon 3

-FAMICOM VERSION: level skipping cheat (press a + b + select+ start)
-NES: no level skipping cheat


Double Dragon 3 also gives you a little more health, slightly more weapons, & Hiruko appears at the end of Mission 2 - which I always wanted to know, what does she say? ???
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Romeo on December 02, 2008, 12:28:35 pm
Famicom Punch-Out (Gold) without Tyson:
1. Has different Title Bout music
2. "Dance like a fly, bite like a mosquito!" instead of "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!"
(although I haven't played the US version in awhile, maybe the first quote is on both)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on December 02, 2008, 04:18:24 pm
There are more differences: http://www.famicomworld.com/Shrines/Holy_Grails_Punch_Out_Special.htm
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: vgthing on December 02, 2008, 07:04:13 pm
In the European version of Over Horizon, the title lacks the "HOT-B" logo, and the music has a slightly lower pitch. It's really minor, but I just noticed it today when I was playing.
(Over Horizon wasn't released in the US, only Japan and Europe)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on December 20, 2008, 09:22:43 pm
Quote from: featherpluckinfilms on September 10, 2006, 09:02:58 pm
Super Mario Bros. 3 --  FC: When you lose a costume, you kind of poop it out.

How so ???   


Also... lol
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on December 26, 2008, 06:52:57 pm
QuoteDonald Duck --
FC: the characters are from Warner Bros.
NES: called Snoopy's Silly Sports Spectacular; the characters are from Peanuts.


Donald Duck is a Disney character...
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on December 26, 2008, 11:12:42 pm
Good point. I wonder why we put Warner Bros. instead of Disney.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on January 02, 2009, 09:38:54 pm
And, officially anyway, SMB is on a cart, not a disk.  But there is still a different minus world on the cart.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on January 02, 2009, 09:57:56 pm
I think you've got that wrong. There's an official SMB on disk and it's got a different minus world.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on January 02, 2009, 10:12:37 pm
I didn't know about the disk SMB I guess.  But I know for a fact that the cart also has the alternate Minus World
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: 133MHz on January 02, 2009, 10:18:31 pm
Quote from: nintendodork on January 02, 2009, 10:12:37 pm
But I know for a fact that the cart also has the alternate Minus World


Really? How come?
I've always thought that the reason why the FDS version of SMB has an alternate minus world is because of the different memory address space of the FDS RAM adapter vs a simple NROM cartridge.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on January 02, 2009, 10:22:49 pm
I've played a japanese SMB ROM
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ericj on January 02, 2009, 10:27:34 pm
Sorry, nintendodork, but I think you're mistaken.  ::)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on January 02, 2009, 10:57:34 pm
This has peeked my interest....

I'm pretty sure I'm wrong now...but now I want my SMB cart to come faster so I can get to the bottom of this...

Even though I'm wrong....
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: FAMICOMfag on January 03, 2009, 05:02:58 am
I've just been through the entire thread without seeing a mention of this game :

Kage
- called Blue Shadow in Europe and Shadow Of The Ninja in the US
- each version has a different title screen.
- In Kage you can press start right away to begin the game while in the others you have to wait for the intro to appear.
-  Some enemies in Kage have more health (thus making it more difficult, which is rare, usually jap versions of famicom games are EASIER than their US counterparts) and some enemy placement were changed in BS and SotN.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: FAMICOMfag on January 16, 2009, 04:56:01 am
also, the game Rockin' Kats on NES has some differences from the original famicom version called NY Nyankies, like the name of the soda on the ads as well as some other graphical changes.

Also I suggest you add the differences between Shatterhand and Solbrain in the first post, someone gave a link in this thread.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: featherplucknfilms on January 16, 2009, 01:40:10 pm
Super Mario Bros. for Famicom and NES are exactly the same.
Super Mario Bros. for Famicom Disk System has the alternate minus world.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on January 16, 2009, 01:45:00 pm
Quote from: featherplucknfilms on January 16, 2009, 01:40:10 pm
Super Mario Bros. for Famicom Disk System has the alternate minus world.


It is a VERY interesting minus world, which I described in the article below:
http://www.famicomworld.com/Oddities/The_Minus_World.htm

It was very interesting when I first discovered it three years ago. By then no one else had really said anything about it in the Nintendo scene, and I was very glad when someone put up a video of it on Youtube -- I thought I had a bad disk!
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ericj on January 16, 2009, 02:16:41 pm
Quote from: featherplucknfilms on January 16, 2009, 01:40:10 pm
Super Mario Bros. for Famicom and NES are exactly the same.
Super Mario Bros. for Famicom Disk System has the alternate minus world.


I have pirate versions of SMB on cart that have the FDS alternate minus world.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: 133MHz on January 16, 2009, 05:06:14 pm
That's begging for a ROM dump!!! :o :o :o
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ericj on January 16, 2009, 05:57:11 pm
Quote from: 133MHz on January 16, 2009, 05:06:14 pm
That's begging for a ROM dump!!! :o :o :o


lol wish I knew how...
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Doc on January 16, 2009, 06:55:21 pm
Quote from: 133MHz on January 16, 2009, 05:06:14 pm
That's begging for a ROM dump!!! :o :o :o


If you're wondering about getting a ROM dump because of the minus world, I am pretty sure a ROM dump of the FDS game exists somewhere. ;)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: 133MHz on January 16, 2009, 07:09:28 pm
I know, I have it, but ericj is speaking about a pirate cart.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nensondubois on January 18, 2009, 11:21:09 am
The reason the minus world is different is because certain memory addressees were changed when converting to FDS. I wounder if All Night Nippon has the alternate minus world.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on January 18, 2009, 07:02:41 pm
I'm sure it does..

Didn't Nintendo just take SMB and mix it in with SMB2's graphics and a few levels? (Including A-D)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on February 22, 2009, 06:58:16 pm
Hmm....
lol System of a Down reference
I was playing a few games recently...Gradius, Parodius Da!, and Salamander...
Are there any major differences between these games?  They have the same power-up system, you get the same little emblem when you shoot so many enemies..I just don't see any major differences...

And yes, I know PD is a parody of Gradius
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Rogles on February 22, 2009, 07:05:47 pm
level design... And that's about it. I don't really mind it though; Konami found a good formula and stuck with it.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: son_ov_hades on February 22, 2009, 07:11:17 pm
They're all sort of in the same series so it stands to reason they'd be similar.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on February 22, 2009, 07:30:49 pm
I didn't know Salamander was related to the other two except for them being apart of the same company..
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: son_ov_hades on February 22, 2009, 07:33:57 pm
Yeah Salamander is like Gradius 1.5.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: shoggoth80 on February 22, 2009, 08:00:46 pm
Which means I should find it quite enjoyable when it arrives.
I still play Gradius III on the SNES often enough.... which was my introduction to Konami's space shooters. They do them pretty well...
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on February 22, 2009, 08:05:07 pm
Out of the 3, I would reccomend Salamander the most.  Half of the reason is just because the cart is so damn cool :P
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: vgthing on February 22, 2009, 08:15:01 pm
If you want any info on Gradius/Salamander games, check this site out:
http://www.gamestone.co.uk/gradius/ (http://www.gamestone.co.uk/gradius/)

The blue ship's name in the Gradius series and Salamander is the Vic Viper, and the red one is Lord British. There are other ships, but only appear in a couple games like Gradius Gaiden for the playstation.

And yes, Gradius and Salamander take place in the same universe. There is a Japanese anime based on Salamander that clears up a lot in the story. You should watch it if you are interested.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on July 18, 2009, 07:26:09 pm
Did U.S. Championship V'Ball have an exercise mode?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on July 25, 2009, 10:03:00 pm
Are there significant differences between Ufouria and Hebereke? I have Hebereke and used to have Ufouria...can't compare but I recall Ufouria being different.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on August 04, 2009, 12:14:14 am
Besides the characters looking different?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: X on August 04, 2009, 05:40:34 pm
some titles?

ex. rockman / megaman  :o
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Rob64 on August 04, 2009, 08:23:35 pm
I don't think it has been listed but I have a difference from a couple of friends of mine who are quite the zelda experts. Both mastered the american version of the first game, and one mastered the second game. I showed them the fds version of those games and this is basically what they said:

Wow, I never thought I would play a japanese version of a game that was easier than the american version. I beat Zelda 1 faster even with the load times by about a half an hour. It seems essential items like rupees and bombs appear more frequently compared to the NES which is how it went faster for me. I don't want to go through Zelda 2 all over again but that seems easier as well because I level up much faster and I can choose what to level up.

He also talked about the differences that everyone else would already know about (different sound quality due to the chip, enemy icons, etc.)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Tootai on August 13, 2009, 04:44:21 am
Quote from: JC on July 25, 2009, 10:03:00 pm
Are there significant differences between Ufouria and Hebereke? I have Hebereke and used to have Ufouria...can't compare but I recall Ufouria being different.


One I can think of is that the birds poop in the FC version and drop weights in the European version.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nensondubois on October 31, 2009, 08:00:09 pm
Many games like Metroid, Zelda 1 and 2, Kid Icarus and wrecking Crew all have save features implemented on the Famicom Disk versions and the extra wavetable channel as opposed to their cart counterparts with the exception of the Zelda games.

Mickey Mouse (Mickey's Mousecapade in US) have different enemies aside from the obvious name differences.

Super Mario USA has a two byte difference in one of the DPCM samples compared to the western Super Mario Bros. 2.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Nightstar699 on October 31, 2009, 08:20:53 pm
On kabuki quantum fighter, the US version features more cartoony cutscenes, as aposed to the realistic japanese ones.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: 133MHz on October 31, 2009, 08:27:12 pm
Wanpaku Kokkun no Gourmet World's main character is a young, anime-like chef which uses his hat as a weapon. In Panic Restaurant, it's an old man and his default weapon is a frying pan. Also the name of the evil villain is different (Hors D'Oeuvre vs. OhDove).
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Nightstar699 on October 31, 2009, 08:31:33 pm
Yup in panic restaurant the character is supposed to look like chef boyardee.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on October 31, 2009, 09:18:56 pm
Thanks for merging my thread whoever did it.  Also, in the OP, why are some games just left blank?
Quote from: featherplucknfilms on September 08, 2006, 02:22:00 am
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde --
FC:
NES:
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on October 31, 2009, 09:50:47 pm


NES
Gun-Nac: The intro and ending were severely cut short for the USA version.

Chou Jinrou Senki - Warwolf: Japanese version of Werewolf: The Last Warrior. Story was changed in the USA version and the ending was "americanized".

Juuryoku Soukou Metal Storm: Japanese MetalStorm. The USA version had the cool intro cut out and the last boss says some stuff while you fight him which was also cut out. The ending is still in English, but the credits were cut short in the USA version too.

Moero Twinbee: Japanese Stinger. The USA version cut out all traces of the 3 pilots intro and ending text.

Mad City: Japanese Bayou Billy. Most of the story in the USA game is faithful to the Japanese version (as far as I could tell), but the USA version completely cut out the bad ending found in the Japanese version.

Mickey Mouse 3 - Yume Fuusen: Japanese Kid Klown. This one is pretty well known. Due to licensing issues, the USA version changed all the story and characters to some stupid clown.

FDS
Hao Kun no Fushigina Tabi: Released on the NES as Mystery Quest, but it removed all the story and even a bunch of levels.

Gyruss: The Japanese version has a cool intro and ending that was cut out from the USA version.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on October 31, 2009, 09:52:49 pm
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*





The Japanese version of Bayou Billy, titled Mad City, allows you to make one of the best decisions ever: to run the hell away from that psycho girl you just rescued. This was removed in the USA version.

In the Japanese version, after you beat the last boss, you have the option of moving around while your girl (which is wearing a dress, instead of some Daisy Dukes) comes out of a door. If you avoid her by running in circles, she starts to cry and you get a bad ending. Billy is a insensitive bastard.

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/MadCityJ-2.png) (http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/MadCityJ-3.gif)

*Not the full ending.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on October 31, 2009, 10:01:37 pm
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*




The Japanese Kid Icarus for the Famicom Disk System, titled Hikari Shinwa Parutena no Kagami, had an extra ending not found in the USA version.
To our defense, the NES version also had an ending not found on the FDS version.

The Japanese version's worst ending was removed for the USA version, but the USA version added a best ending not found in the original.


These screenies are the same on both versions. Minus the text, which the English version only says "Thank you Pit", but the Japanese version says much more. If anyone cares to translate it, I won't mind.

Ranked from 1 (best) - 5 (worst) according to the game:


1 (Jpn), 2 (USA)
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/kid-1.png)


2 (Jpn), 3 (USA)
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/kid-2.png)


3 (Jpn), 4 (USA)
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/kid-3.png)


4 (Jpn), 5 (USA)
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/kid-4.png)


Best Ending USA version:
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/kidicar-11.gif)


Worst Ending Japanese version:
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/kid-5.png)


Not too many people have seen that ending with that... weird creature before.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on October 31, 2009, 10:02:15 pm
Cherry Naked.

We've all heard (and some have seen) the famous NES Golgo 13 Top Secret Episode scene where Golgo gets it on with a girl (named Cherry). Well, in the Japanese version of Golgo 13, the girl actually takes her clothes off!

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/golgo13.gif)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on October 31, 2009, 10:02:58 pm
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*



Some Japanese Maniac Mansion endings.

We all know (don't we?) the Japanese Maniac Mansion looks completely different (it also came out much earlier) compared to the USA version. Now here's a look at some of the slightly different Japanese endings.


(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/1-2.gif)

-------

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/2-1.gif)

-------

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/3-1.gif)

Taken from this page:
http://www25.atwiki.jp/famicomall (http://www25.atwiki.jp/famicomall)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on October 31, 2009, 10:03:49 pm
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*
*ENDING SPOILERS!!!!!!!*


Some differences between Blaster Master and Meta Fight.
USA on the left, Japanese on the Right



(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/blastermast-3.png)

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/blastermast-6.png)

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/blastermast-9.png)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: JC on October 31, 2009, 10:14:15 pm
They didn't correct the "Very Thanks" for the US version. :P
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on October 31, 2009, 10:49:57 pm
Air Fortress

Japanese Air Fortress has a different ending for both quests.

There's another thing in place of the escape ship in the 2nd quest.


Final Mission / SCAT:

Japanese version has only 1 ending, the USA version has 2.
Japanese version has a slideshow of all the bosses in the ending, the USA version does not.

Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nensondubois on November 01, 2009, 07:10:53 am
heh, ReyVGM is here. ;D

Battletoads in Japan has a different company logo on the intro screen. The option to play 1 or 2 players is on the Famicom version unlike in the US where it was a hidden feature. There is no pause music in the Japanese version.

Argos No Senshi is Rygar in Japan and both versions have different music without completely different soundtracks.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: b1aCkDeA7h on November 01, 2009, 08:58:44 am
Quote from: nensondubois on November 01, 2009, 07:10:53 am
Battletoads in Japan has a different company logo on the intro screen. The option to play 1 or 2 players is on the Famicom version unlike in the US where it was a hidden feature. There is no pause music in the Japanese version.


Not sure, I'd say it's hidden, I would say its more arcade like.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nintendodork on November 01, 2009, 09:13:52 am
It's also considerably easier.  Player two works all the way through the game, too.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nensondubois on November 01, 2009, 09:36:50 am
I think they also fixed the glitches in the wall Clinger level.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on November 01, 2009, 05:44:30 pm
Wow, VGM! :o Lot's of stuff, but could you please warn us if you're going to post ending screenshots, please!

Some of us don't like seeing those until we've legitimately (or non-legitimately) beat the game.

Anyway, Cherry Grace - does she survive? I don't remember.  I remember Maria Lovette only in the beginning, & Tiffany is shot in Greece. Then there's Eve Christy, man so many girls! :o

I just read on Wikipedia that Nazi references were removed from this game as well, & there's even a swastika on the letter Duke picks up! :o It's been a while since I've played this game.  Is this true?

Also,

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ReyVGM/forums/kidicar-11.gif)

I don't ever remember this ending! (http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/confused0074.gif)

What do I have to do to get that? I already beat it, like 4 times.

(This gives me a reason to get this game again.)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on November 01, 2009, 09:49:02 pm
About the swastikas, I wouldn't really know. I used a level select code to go directly into the Cherry scene :P

To get that Kid icarus ending you need to have everything maxed out (lives, hearts, arrow power) and have all the enchanted weapons.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on November 04, 2009, 05:13:03 pm
Mad City has yet a 3rd ending. You need to beat the training mode before beating the game.

There are rumors of a fourth ending, but so far no one has found it.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Forever Zero on January 14, 2010, 02:10:38 pm
Here are a few I found and haven't seen listed here:

Castle Excellent
Known as Castle Quest on the NES

In the NES version you begin with 50 lives. In the Famicom Version you begin with just 3 lives.

Bomber King
Known as Robo Warrior on the NES.

In the NES version, with full health, it takes about 3 bombs to destroy yourself. In the famicom version, if you acidently bomb yourself with just one bomb, that's pretty much it for you regardless of health.

The famicom versions of both of these games are more difficult than the NES.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: tankexmortis on April 29, 2010, 07:31:39 pm
I know of one:

Zombie Nation/Abarenbou Tengu
In Zombie Nation you play as a disembodied samurai head, which is pretty cool. In Abarenbou Tengu, you play as the disembodied head of a tengu, which is actually sort of cooler. Also, the title screen is radically different, the Japanese one is so awesome:
(http://retrothing.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/09/24/abarenbou_tengu_title.jpg)
Other differences: in Zombie Nation you start with autofire, not so in Abarenbou Tengu. In Zombie Nation the first boss is a green Statue of Liberty with snake hair, in Abarenbou Tengu she's red and has her normal crown. Also it may just be the ROMs I played, but I think Zombie Nation may have slightly tighter controls, I'll have to get a hard copy of both games to confirm this. There may be other differences, but I've only played the first level of each game.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: ReyVGM on June 26, 2010, 01:41:18 pm
I just found out the Japanese version of Rampart was developed by Konami and it's really awesome. Much much better than the USA version.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Xious on July 22, 2010, 04:49:52 pm
Xious' additions to the list:

Castle Excellent (Castlequest): Has a save/load feature that saves to tape, requiring the HVC-007 BASIC Keyboard (and a tape recorder, such as the HVC-008 Family Data Recorder) to save or load.

Wrecking Crew: Level edit mode that saves to tape, requiring the HVC-007 BASIC Keyboard (and a tape recorder, such as the HVC-008 Family Data Recorder) to save or load.

Vs. Excitebike (FDS):
  Level editor saves to disk.

Pyramid (Hacker) :Has nude anime-girls in Egyptian clothing cut-scenes; Pauses between levels.

Tetris: This release by Bullet Proof Software (BPS) is completely different, and is much more like the Game Boy version; Blocks rotate only right (by pressing UP on the D-pad); There is no speed drop by pressing down, but only instant-drop (all the way down instantly) by pressing B, making it tedious to slip blocks into place sideways; You have three lives, so you can fill up the screen three times before you get 'Game Over'; scoring does not scale with level.

Ghostbusters: There is a bug that allows you to sell items for much more than you paid for them, which allows you to build a huge bankroll rapidly. This was removed in the US release, which sucks, as it 3liminates some of the BS of getting into the 'Zuul Building'; Ghosts on the stairs are easier to avoid.

Ice Climber (FDS): Level and enemy differences; Port of the arcade version.

Metroid: Has some enemy differences (IIRC), plus enhanced music, different sound effects, and three save slots (like Zelda no Densetsu); There may be slight level differences.

Zelda no Densetsu FDS (Legend of Zelda): Lots of differences here: The font used in the game is different. The 'Magic Book' is called a Bible', the opening score is different due to enhanced sound, as are the following effects: Sword beam sounds more like electricity/fighting; Bombs sound like farting/exploding; link makes a more 'ouch' like sound when hurt; enemies make a different sound when killed; loading time for dungeons (when entering or exiting); Pols Voice is killed by shouting into the mic on Controller II, not by arrows; I think that the whistle and secrets make different sounds too.
1994 Cartridge Release: Same as USA release, except for game language. Pols Voice is killed by arrows in this version, as it was made for the New Famicom (A/V) which has no microphone.


Link no Boken (Zelda II)
: Message text, when speaking to people makes a unique, burbling sound, rather than beeping.

Hikari Shinwa: Parutena no Kagami (Kid Icarus): Musical differences and some enemy differences; Three save slots instead of password system.

Also...although these nest items aren't technically game differences, they fit in with the vein of this thread:

Ghostbusters II: Well, although there are no differences here, there there is actually a different game, titled 'New Ghostbusters II' for the FC that is everything you'd want in a GB video game. It follows the movie and all you do is go through areas and trap ghosts. Unlike Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II (both by Activision), New Ghostbusters II is an awesome game that everybody should try!

You choose two characters: Egon, Winston, Ray, Peter or Lewis: One is the zapper and the other the trapper, and you go through stages such as Dana's apartment, the courthouse, and the subway/railway underground using the two characters to catch ghosts until you reach the boss of each level, who you must trap as well.

The graphics are top-notch and the gameplay is great, with only a few control problems (when trapping). There is also an options menu that allows you to set up your beam length, game difficulty, and number of lives. It also has cool, upbeat music and excellent sound effects!

HAL Labs coded this masterpiece, which was released for the Famicom and for the PAL NES market. The only problems IMO is that it is too short, and that there is no Statue of Liberty scene. At least you aren't running around popping things with slime or shooting at dancing birds over the harbour... Here is a link to a great review of it: http://www.vgmuseum.com/reviews/nes/nghostbstrs2  ...  Check it out!

Tetris 2 + Bombliss: Not the same Tetris 2 as released in the US. (Our Tetris 2 was released as  Tetris Flash on the Famicom), this is a 2-Player version of Tetris, with much more fluid controls, cool and clean graphics and nice music. It also features a second logic-solving game Bombliss, (a game similar to Tetris Blast) that requires you to use specific pieces to clear levels by causing chain reactions.

Definitely a must-have for puzzle-game lovers, it was also released for the SFC in two versions (normal and Special Edition), although I refer the 8-bit release myself. There was a follow-up, Tetris 3 that includes a new spin on Bombliss and a game called Magicliss as well as a four-player mode. (There is even a special multitap for Tetris 3's four-player mode, but any SFC multitap works.)

I also suggest DeBlock, which is like Tetris in Space.


I can probably remember some more presently...

-Xious
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: UglyJoe on July 22, 2010, 04:55:57 pm
Quote from: Xious on July 22, 2010, 04:49:52 pm
Wrecking Crew: Level edit mode that saves to tape, requiring the HVC-007 BASIC Keyboard (and a tape recorder, such as the HVC-008 Family Data Recorder) to save or load.


The save/load features still exist in the NES version of Wrecking Crew, there's just no hardware to hook it up to.

Quote from: Xious on July 22, 2010, 04:49:52 pm

Vs. Excitebike (FDS):
  Level editor saves to disk.


There was no version of Vs. Excitebike for the NES.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Xious on July 22, 2010, 05:20:56 pm
I didn't recall a save feature on the US 'Wrecking Crew' cart, but I never use that version, as I prefer to play the disk releases of most games.

'Excitebike' for the NES has an option to design levels, but not save them. You can save them on the FDS version, which also has a two-player mode. It's still a game difference to the NES 'Excitebike' cartridge version, even if it is a Vs. release. Most people tend to either drop or ignore the Vs. designation, so adding it to the list isn't a bad idea.

-Xious
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: UglyJoe on July 22, 2010, 05:27:23 pm
I would say Vs Excitebike is more like a sequel to Excitebike.  They're not the same game.

Also, Excitebike for the NES had the save/load features, they just didn't do anything without the hardware.  Those old games are the exact same ROMs regardless of region.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: lkermel on July 26, 2010, 09:23:49 am
This is an awesome threat !!!!

I'm surprised no one has mentionned Power Blazer (aka Power Blade) which was entirely redesigned for the American/European markets - I have some information on my site (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?pbl)

Also, the ending of the Japanese Salamander shows you that the pilot is in reality a girl - more info there (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?sal)

Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Xious on July 27, 2010, 03:47:59 am
Rainbow Islands: The FC version has simpler music, and less complex graphics, as well as differing gameplay in many aspects, whereas the NES version is more of a true port of the arcade release.

Also, to NeW Ghostbusters II, there are differences between the PAL and Famicom releases as follow: Music on PAL version is livelier, game is easier and fewer ghosts attack you in normal play.

-Xious
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: BrianC on December 15, 2010, 03:02:23 am
Quote from: Xious on July 27, 2010, 03:47:59 am
Rainbow Islands: The FC version has simpler music, and less complex graphics, as well as differing gameplay in many aspects, whereas the NES version is more of a true port of the arcade release.


There's more than one NES version. The US version is also different from the EU version.  It's very similar to the JP version, but with altered music.

Quote from: lkermel on July 26, 2010, 09:23:49 am
Also, the ending of the Japanese Salamander shows you that the pilot is in reality a girl - more info there (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?sal)


The JP Salamander also has three options/multiples max instead of two like the US NES version.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: tappybot on January 11, 2011, 05:54:08 am
Been looking for a thread like this!   :o

I'm in Japan until the end of March, and I want to make sure to pick up all the Famicom games that are different from their US counterparts, as well as the best Famicom games we never got in North America.

Right now I have probably about 380 unique Famicom titles, but there are still a great number of good games I don't have!   I NEED THEM!  Haha..  It's been lonely here, and retro game shopping has become my number one hobby.   Man, I can't wait till pay day.


So keep adding my friends.  Keep it up!      :)


Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: topshelfgamer on July 15, 2012, 08:39:36 pm
Only read first page, is it being actively updated/an interactive project or considered canonoical?  The blank spaces mean differences known just not listed yet?  I didn't check the other 9 pages to see if anyone else mentioned.

http://blog.hardcoregaming101.net/2009/08/maniac-mansion-famicom-version.html lists some of the differences
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: demonolith on December 30, 2012, 05:32:09 am
I don't believe anyone mentioned Air Wolf yet. The Japanese version is an entirely different game than the American version. In the JP version the game is a sidescrolling shmup that only switches to first person view for boss fights.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nerdynebraskan on May 09, 2013, 05:14:58 pm
This thread should be stickied. There's a lot of cool information here, which is very helpful to collectors like me that are trying to figure out which games are worth buying... again.

I've got a couple of suggestions for additions to the main post:

1) Adventures of Bayou Billy/Mad City: Japanese version has easier level design and enemies take fewer hits to defeat, at least in beat 'em up stages. I've not played my copy of Mad City very much, but others could probably corroborate.

2) Double Dragon II: Japanese version has CONTINUES! And continuing takes you back to the main menu to decide if you want to change difficulty and/or 1P/2P options. US version: No continues, except for cheat codes.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Nightstar699 on May 09, 2013, 05:28:05 pm
I agree, this is worthy of a sticky.

Kaiketsu Yanchamaru/Kid Niki: Radical Ninja

The sprite for Yanchamaru has a different hairdo depending on the region. A chonmage in the original, and a rat-tail in the U.S. version.
Other than the obvious logo change, the sky in the title screen is black in the U.S. version, while it's blue in the original.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: UglyJoe on May 09, 2013, 06:29:54 pm
Quote from: nerdynebraskan on May 09, 2013, 05:14:58 pm
This thread should be stickied.


Quote from: Nightstar699 on May 09, 2013, 05:28:05 pm
I agree, this is worthy of a sticky.


We have a lot of good list threads, but the first page would be very cluttered if we stickied them all.  We made a "List of lists" thread and sticked that instead.  This thread and many others can be found there:

http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=2350.0 (http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=2350.0)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nerdynebraskan on May 09, 2013, 07:33:02 pm
Oops. Maybe that list of lists could use a different name that better encompasses all of the info stored within.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: P on May 10, 2013, 07:31:28 am
Quote from: nerdynebraskan on May 09, 2013, 05:14:58 pm
Adventures of Bayou Billy/Mad City: Japanese version has easier level design and enemies take fewer hits to defeat, at least in beat 'em up stages. I've not played my copy of Mad City very much, but others could probably corroborate.

I can corroborate this. They really beefed up the enemies in the NES version so every enemy takes tons of hits to defeat. The alligators can just be ignored in Mad City but in the NES version some of them needs to be defeated (something that's quite tedious) to proceed.

The car stages are also very different. In Bayou Billy the palm trees and lamp posts on the sides of the road was changed to simple wooden poles, and you throw handgranades instead of dynamites. The car stages are much harder with more corners and the gameplay seems to have changed a bit somehow (for the worse IMO). In Mad City you have the same life meter in the car stages as in the rest of the game but in Bayou Billy you die in one hit to your car.

Mad City has three different endings as was said earlier in this thread. Bayou Billy only has one as far as I know. I've never actually beaten the final boss in the NES version. lol

There's also lots of smaller changes like a different title screen, a few voice samplings (NES) and the girl has skimpier clothes (NES) instead of the one-piece dress she wears in Mad City.

In short, the Japanese version is quite easy while NES version is pretty hard.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: UglyJoe on May 10, 2013, 08:08:59 am
I don't think that Mad City supports the light gun for the shooting sections, either.

Quote from: P on May 10, 2013, 07:31:28 am
In short, the Japanese version is quite easy enjoyable while NES version is pretty hard impossible to enjoy without a Game Genie.


Fixed that for you :D
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: P on May 10, 2013, 12:14:16 pm
Hahaha! I actually think Mad City is a bit TOO easy and the NES version is a bit more of an enjoyable challenge. But some parts of it like the alligators and the car stages are just plain annoying.

I have Mad City and I can confirm that it actually does support the light gun. But it doesn't have the screens in between stages that makes it clear that "This stage is played with the controller/zapper" and I couldn't find anything about the light gun it in the manual either.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nerdynebraskan on May 10, 2013, 02:38:35 pm
Just played a little bit of Bayou Billy and Mad City back to back. The level layout is different, with the FC version being easier. (Especially the islands that get between you and the gators.) And the enemies take fewer hits to bring down. I burned right through the first stage on the FC version, maybe dying once. I couldn't even beat the US version's first stage with three continues.

And the FC version does support light gun play. It's just the second game option, while gun-support is the first game option in the US version. Unfortunately, my Zapper doesn't work on my AV Famicom.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Nightstar699 on May 17, 2013, 10:34:30 am
Saiyuki World 2 (Whomp 'Em in the U.S.) Many of the graphics were changed for the U.S. version.

In SW2, the main character was Son Goku, while in Whomp 'Em they changed him to a Native American warrior named Soaring Eagle.
In SW2, the Sacred Woods features a panda as an enemy. They recolored him to resemble a grizzly bear in the U.S. version.
In SW2, the hero is collecting items for a giant Buddha Statue, this statue was changed to a totem pole in the U.S. version.
The items look completely different between the versions, but these are only cosmetic differences, they both act the same.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Nightstar699 on May 27, 2013, 06:20:48 pm
Alright, well I looked through this thread and was unable to find anyone reporting on the vast differences between Kamen No Ninja Hanamaru and its U.S. counterpart, Yo! Noid, so here you go.

Nearly all the graphics are entirely different between the two games, from the character sprites, backgrounds, cutscenes, there are very few similarities between the games when it comes to graphics. Since Kamen No Ninja Hanamaru involves your hero going through various amusement park attractions, while in Yo! Noid, you're going through a giant city... the level themes differ greatly for the most part.

Similarly, most the music is entirely different between the two games, aside from a select few tracks which are the same in each version. The soundtrack in Kamen No Ninja Hanamaru is much more traditional Japanese sounding.

As you'd expect, the boss battles (which are played out in the form of mini-games) are slightly different between the two versions, but share the same gameplay style. While Noid battles differently colored clones of himself, Hanamaru battles various rivals in Ninja Duels. In Yo! Noid, the goal of the battles is to fill up your pizza meter, in Hanamaru, the goal is to drain your opponent's health. But they both play out basically the same.

There are a couple slight level design changes. First off, in stage 13. This level contains a segment where the screen automatically scrolls upward, leaving the hero to jump along logs (in Hanamaru) or platforms (in Yo! Noid) to reach the top. I noticed the platform placement was different between the versions, with Yo! Noid's jumping segment being much easier, because many of the platformers were moved closer together. Hanamaru's version of the same jumping segment had a couple last-second jumps.

And the other level design change is in the final stage. In Yo! Noid, the final stage equips you with more (and better) items to use against the final boss, so generally the final battle in Hanamaru will end up being more difficult than that in Yo! Noid.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: cmv2 on May 31, 2013, 01:13:27 pm
ghost and goblins famicom no continues
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nerdynebraskan on June 02, 2013, 10:59:57 am
Kickle Cubicle (NES) vs. Meikyuu Shima (FC): These observations are limited to full playthroughs of the first "land" (world), first boss fight, and first stage of the second land.

Kickle Cubicle

1) The US version is linear. The stages within the "lands" are played in a simple, counter-clockwise order. You're shown the map screen between stages, but only as a way of showing you how much progress you've made.

2) The enemies are fairly limited, both in variety and numbers. The round, blue cannon fodder enemies that you turn into platforms seem to be limited to one on-screen at a time per dispenser in the stage. (E.G.: Two dispensers, two blue guys)

3) I believe the first boss went down with three hits.

Meikyuu Shima

1) The Japanese version is not so linear. All stages within the "land" must be cleared to face the boss, but they can be played in any order. The map screen is available at any time during stage selection by pressing the "A" button. You navigate the land during the stage select phase with the D-pad. Once you find a stage, you actually get to see most of its layout. You can choose to keep moving with the D-pad, or start the stage by pressing "B" to drop from your balloon.

2) The enemies in the stages are greater in both sheer numbers and variety. I saw at least one enemy type in the first land that wasn't even present in the US version (at least not this early in the game). There was also greater use of the dangerous running bomb enemies. And the enemies did tend to appear in greater numbers. The blue cannon fodder guys frequently get on screen two or perhaps even three per dispenser. I was routinely dodging swarms of them.

3) I think I had to hit the first boss five times to put him away.

4) The level design itself is different from the US version, with stages being more complex and complicated in the Japanese version. While a few stages looked exactly the same, most were slightly different. A few were even completely different.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Nightstar699 on June 02, 2013, 11:23:54 am
Good finds, Nerdy. A question for you. I've never played Kickle Cubicle, but one of the things I've heard about that game is that there is a cameo appearance by Yanchamaru in it. From Wikipedia:

"Kid Niki makes a cameo appearance in Irem's NES game, Kickle Cubicle. To see Kid Niki, hold down the A button on Controller 2, and then turn on the game. Continue holding A until the title screen appears, and Kid Niki will appear. This trick also works on the Famicom version of Kickle Cubicle."

One thing I wonder is if Yanchamaru's sprite in the cameo looks different between the U.S. and Japanese versions of Kickle Cubicle, since the sprite in his original game looks different depending on which region it is. I wonder if this change carries over to Kickle Cubicle, can you test this?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nerdynebraskan on June 02, 2013, 11:37:18 am
Man, I always wonder how people find some of this stuff.

Yes, he does appear in both versions by holding the "A" button. But his appearance is exactly the same, in green clothes and a ponytail with a green hair-tie. I've not played the Japanese Yanchamaru, but I'm guessing this is his Japanese sprite. Because I have played Kid Niki, and I remember him in his hot-pink jumper in the NES version.

Anyway, it's a very solid game either way, and you should pick up one or both versions of it. I suspect I'll try to beat the US version before getting serious with the Famicom copy (as the differences would likely make the FC version significantly more difficult as the game goes on).
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: nerdynebraskan on May 09, 2014, 09:36:46 pm
Desert Commander (NES) vs. Sensha Senryaku: Sabaku no Kitsune (FC)

Desert Commander (NES)

A solid military strategy game set during World War II, and a childhood favorite of mine. The armies commanded by Player 1 and Player 2/CPU are generic. The headquarters unit's icon is a general's hat for both armies.

Sensha Senryaku: Sabaku no Kitsune (FC)

In this version, Player 1 plays as Nazi Germany while Player 2/CPU plays as Britain. Yes, the protagonists in the game are the Nazis! Player 1's headquarters unit's icon is a swastika, while the second army has a miniature British flag for its headquarters unit's icon. The Nazi German and British flags also respectively appear on the battle screens, below the animation showing how things are going. And after a scenario ends, and you're treated to the ending cutscene, Hitler's face (!) appears on the mission statistics telegram.

Gameplay wise, they seem pretty much the same. The troop strengths and computer's strategy seemed identical; the only possible exception I noted was that the computer seemed more aggressive on the final scenario ("North African Front" in the NES version). On the NES, the computer often (always?) only throws about 15 of its 40 units at you aggressively and will make you come to the bulk of its forces to have any shot at its headquarters. On the FC version I played last night, it threw pretty much its entire army at me in the same aggressive style that it played in the first four scenarios.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: DDCecil on May 10, 2014, 09:35:01 pm
Rollerball:

NES: Donkey and Elephant during Match Play, HAL 1988 text copyright screen
FC: Giraffe and Elephant during Match Play, no HAL text copyright screen

Wizards and Warriors/Densetsu no Kishi Elrond:

NES:
FC: No enemies in the first forest, some chests are changed around, new display for your lifebar, and some bosses have new attacks.

Mickey Mousecapade/Mickey Mouse: Fushigi no Kuni no Daibouken:

NES: Generic enemies
FC: Disney enemies from random movies

Also Argos no Senshi and Rygar should be combined ;)
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Issun on June 13, 2014, 02:21:13 am
Metroid on the Famicom Disk System:

Some enemies behave more randomly, increasing the difficulty slightly.
You always start in Brinstar regardless where you've saved your game.
The ending prerequisites, i.e. the times that you need to beat are different.
The game writes data to disk when you change area. So if you pick something up and move to a different area, the item will be collected (you have it in your inventory) and gone if you reload your game, even if you haven't properly saved your game. This can of course never happen in the NES version, as it has got password saving.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: P on July 02, 2014, 05:21:50 pm
Hikari Shinwa: Paluthena no Kagami VS Kid Icarus
Some of these have been mentioned before (several times) in this thread, but this should also clear some misunderstandings.

-Hikari Shinwa uses three save slots while Kid Icarus uses passwords for saving.

-Hikari Shinwa has a High Score board. This is actually wrongly mentioned in the English manual even though it doesn't exist in the NES version.

-After beating Hikari Shinwa the game goes back to the file select screen and the high score board is updated. You can start a new game from the same file but you will start again from scratch.
After beating Kid Icarus you start over from the first level while keeping all your strengths and items. Since the Zeus valuation score is also not reset when this happens you can get a strength upgrade in the very first chamber in the game (revealing that it's actually a sacred chamber that's normally unusable). This also makes it possible to go past Arrow Strength 5 in Kid Icarus on the second run.

-In Hikari Shinwa you can haggle in shops by shouting into the microphone while pressing B. In Kid Icarus you press A+B on Controller II to haggle.

-Some sound is different (due to Hikari Shinwa using the FDS extra sound channel), notably the cry of the grim reaper is very different in Kid Icarus.

-The final stage in Hikari Shinwa doesn't have auto scrolling and it needs you to hold jump to fly (which makes Medusa a bit more difficult). Kid Icarus plays more like an auto scrolling shmup in the last stage and the terrain is just background, while you actually collide with it in Hikari Shinwa. Also some enemy patterns on this stage is different according to this source (http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/587380-kid-icarus/faqs/17485).

-Contrary to what was said before, the text in the ending is pretty much the same in both versions (although translated to English in Kid Icarus). In Hikari Shinwa the text is displayed directly above Pit and Parthena in the ending while in Kid Icarus the text is displayed on a separate black screen, after the screen with Pit and Palthena and before the staff roll starts. This is probably because English takes up more space so a separate screen was needed in order for everything to fit on screen.

-Hikari Shinwa has no staff roll at all (due to time constraints during the development). It was added to Kid Icarus though.

-The worst ending was removed in Kid Icarus and a new best ending was added. The requirements for the endings are also different:

In Hikari Shinwa add your Stamina level with your Arrow Strength together, and multiply them by 10. Then subtract 1 for each time you used CONTINUE (you can avoid using continues by choosing SAVE after dying and then reloading your file), then you get the ending according to this list (I made up the names):
<60 Specknose ending
60-79 Farmer ending
80-84 Soldier ending
85-99 Captain ending
100 Hero ending

In Kid Icarus the ending is based on how many of the following 4 things you maxed out:
999 hearts
Strength 5
Stamina 5
All three weapons (not the sacred treasures)

Then you get the ending according to this list:
0 Farmer ending
1 Soldier ending
2 Captain ending
3 Hero ending
4 Ultimate ending
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Bob-Bob on July 02, 2014, 06:36:15 pm
That reminds me of a question I've had floating about for a while:

When you use the microphone to haggle, does it actually matter what you say or how loud you say it? Or could you just make any noise you want? How does the game determine if the prices get lowered or not?
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Ghegs on July 02, 2014, 11:42:04 pm
Quote from: Bob-Bob on July 02, 2014, 06:36:15 pm
That reminds me of a question I've had floating about for a while:

When you use the microphone to haggle, does it actually matter what you say or how loud you say it? Or could you just make any noise you want? How does the game determine if the prices get lowered or not?


The microphone is just a simple binary on/off thing. It either detects sound or it doesn't, that's it. So I'm guessing as long as you make a noise at the right moment, the game will qualify that as haggling.

Likewise, the karaoke part in Takeshi no Chousenjou can be beaten by  just humming at the right moments, you don't need to actually sing the lyrics.
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: Bob-Bob on July 03, 2014, 09:38:29 am
Has anybody figured out the exact timing for those? It would be nice to know.  ;D
Title: Re: List of Famicom/NES game differences
Post by: P on February 02, 2019, 04:33:35 am
Dragon Quest 1 and Dragon Warrior 1 differences
Everything that applies to Famicom version of DQ might also apply to the MSX version of DQ as it is seemingly identical mechanics-wise. Even the passwords are cross-compatible between Famicom and MSX versions. Many things do not apply to remakes however, as some characters have been removed or been given different roles.



Saving
DQ uses long passwords (known as the "fukkatsu juumon" which means resurrection spell) retrieved from the king, while DW uses Nintendo's MMC1 mapper that allows battery backup RAM for saving, similar to DQ III which was already released when DW was made.
In DW it's also done by talking to the king but this time it is recorded in the "imperial scrolls of honor".
DW seems to save more data than DQ does. DQ has 5 flags:
  -dragon scale equipped flag (used since there are no accessory equipment slots)
  -warrior's ring equipped flag (used since there are no accessory equipment slots)
  -marsh cave dragon boss defeated flag (prevents dragon to reappear if already defeated)
  -golem boss defeated flag (prevents golem to reappear if already defeated)
  -death necklace obtained flag (prevents getting more than one of this item)
DW on the other hand has a total of 12 flags in the save file. Among the new flags are the rainbow bridge flag and the hidden stairs flag. In DQ you have to make these reappear each time you resurrect a game from password (which really is trivial).



Character creation
Both DQ and DW uses an extremely simple character creation where the only thing you do is enter the hero's name. The name will however affect initial stats and decide one of 4 different stat growth types. DQ only allows 4 character names, but as the Latin alphabet needs more space DW has upgraded to 8 characters. However it will be shortened to 4 characters in the menu and still only the first 4 characters plays a role in the stat generating. The characters are different as DQ uses hiragana only while DW uses lower and upper case Latin alphabet and some special characters. But the total characters are almost the same, and they are used in the same way for the stat generating.
Both games generates the stats by a simple algorithm that involves looking up values in tables in the ROM. The table values for initial stats have been tweaked a little in DW, and the 4 stat growth types has also shifted a step.



Map Tiles
DW has added shorelines to the water tiles.



Sprites
In DQ, each character only has one facing direction in their sprite animation (similar to the Ultima games DQ was inspired from), so when using the talk command one has to specify the direction (north, south, east or west) one wants to talk in.
DW received updated character sprites for everyone with four facing directions like in later DQ games, and talk works automatically in the current facing direction.



Some name differences (DQ - DW):
Roto/Loto - Erdrick
King Lars - King Lorik
King Lars XVI - King Lorik XVI
Princess Lora/Laura - Princess Gwaelin
Dragonking (Ryuu-ou) - Dragonlord
Mutsuheta - Mahetta*
Miyaou - ?? (doesn't say his name in DW)**
Yuutei - ?? (doesn't say his name in DW)**
Lord Kim - Nester**
Chun - Orwick**
Yoshiriin - Howard**
Yukinofu - Wynn**
Radatoomu/Ladutorm - Tantegel (castle) and Brecconary (town)
Dragonking's castle (no specific name) - Charlock Castle (Charlock Island is also a term made up by the localizers)
Garai - Garinham (town) and Garin (person)
Maira - Kol
Rimuldaar - Rimuldar (only town name that wasn't changed)
Domudoora - Hauksness
Merukido/Melkid - Cantlin
chimera wings (kimera no tsubasa) - wyvern wings (the chimera enemy is also wyvern)
holy water (seisui) - fairy water (or sometimes magic water in the manual)
iron axe (tetsu no ono) - hand axe
steel sword (hagane no tsurugi) - broad sword
iron armour (tetsu no yoroi) - half plate
steel armour (hagane no yoroi) - full plate
leather shield (kawa no tate) - small shield
iron shield (tetsu no tate) - large shield
mikagami shield (mikagami no tate) - silver shield***
death necklace (shi no kubikazari) - cursed necklace

*Mutsuheta/Mahetta is the prophet that predicts the appearance of Loto's descendant and is, as far as I know, only mentioned in the manual in both DQ and DW (his name doesn't exist in the ROM), but it is possible that he is one of the unnamed wise old men in the game. Perhaps the priest in the castle or the one that restores your MP, or maybe the seer in Rimuldar.
Apparently he finally makes a real in-game appearance for the first time, name and all, in Dragon Quest Builders which takes place after the bad ending of DQ1. This time the English localization changed him to Myrlund (sounds like a Swedish surname to me).

**Miyaou (ミヤ王), the red warrior in Garai/Garinham that is looking for Lord Kim/Nester is really the developer Hiroshi Miyaoka (宮岡寛) that made an in-game appearance.
Yuutei (ゆう帝), a warrior in Maira/Kol is also looking for Lord Kim/Nester. He is really Yuji Horii (堀井雄二) himself. The father of the Dragon Quest series.
Lord Kim (キム皇 (キムこう)), the lost boy, is in Melkid and is really Kimura Hajime (木村初) who, while not listed in the credits, showed up on meetings during development of DQ 1 and is credited for naming the wind mantle in DQ II. All three people were members of Jump's game corner "Famicom shinken" and their nicknames make other appearances as well. For example as hero names in screenshots in the DQ II manual and also in a famous DQ II password.
Nester is a mascot character in NOA's Nintendo Power.
Chun/Orwick is the guy who messed up his date in Rimuldar. Chun is the name of the mascot of Chunsoft (the company that developed DQ together with Enix) and the hero in Door Door. It also seems to be a nickname of Kooichi Nakamura (中村光一, Chunsoft's president and creator of Door Door). I have no idea if Orwick refers to someone.
Yoshiriin/Howard is the old man in Rimuldar that previously had the flute. His name also sounds like he is someone involved in the development, but there are no official statement who it is. It's likely to be programmer Yoshida "YOSHILIM" Kouji (吉田幸司) though. Howard was the name of Nester's partner in NOA's Nintendo Power comics. He is in turn based on Howard Phillips, a spokesman of Nintendo of America.
Yukinofu/Wynn is the shopowner that is said to be the latest owner of Loto's armour. He is thought to be the game's producer Yukinobu Chida (千田幸信).

***Supposedly the mikagami shield is made of mithiril that has been polished to a mirror sheen and is able to "deflect attacks like water". Figures mithril are often translated to silver in old RPGs. Mikagami (水鏡) means reflecting water surface. In fact most item translations are not really lying in DW. For example the small shield's description in the manual accurately describes it as being made from cow and sheep hide just like the Japanese version, so in that context it's clear that it's supposed to be a leather shield after all, even though the game just calls it a small shield.


Spell name differences:
Hoimi - Heal
Gira - Hurt*
Lalihoo - Sleep
Remiira - Radiant
Mahotoon - Stop Spell
Riremito - Outside
Ruura - Return
Toherosu - Repel
Behoimi - Healmore
Begirama - Hurtmore*

*Gira/Hurt is described as a fire spell shot from the fingertips in both Japanese and English manuals, but is localized as Hurt since it's the only spell that causes damage in this game. In later games it is localized as "Firebal" though since there are many types of damaging spells. It's "Sizz" in modern localizations. Although Begirama/Hurtmore is of the same spell family, it is described as a spell that shoots out lightning from the fingertip like a blade, so a thunder spell. In later games it's localized as Firebane (Sizzle in modern localizations) which suggests a firespell, but the manual description is still that of a thunder blade. In DQ3 the whole Gira family is a thunder spell family including Gira, because the Mera (Blaze in DW3 and Frizz in modern localizations) family takes over the role as the basic fire spell family. In later games (including all remakes), the whole Gira family is retconned into a pure fire spell family that mainly differs from Mera in that it hits a whole group of enemies and that it produces a flash of light. The exception is the DQ Monster series where it's a light elemental spell family.


Monsters:
Slime (suraimu) - Slime
Slime-beth (suraimubesu) - Red Slime*
Metal Slime (metarusuraimu) - Metal Slime
Drakee (dorakii) - Drakee
Mage Drakee (meijidorakii) - Magidrakee
Magician (mahoutsukai) - Magician
Wizard (madoushi) - Warlock
Archmage (daimadou) - Wizard
Great Scorpion (oosasori) - Scorpion
Iron Scorpion (tetsu no sasori) - Metal Scorpion
Death Scorpion (shi no sasori) - Rogue Scorpion
Meda (meeda) - Druin
Medalord (meedaroodo) - Druinlord
Drol (dororu) - Droll
Drol Mage (dororumeiji) - Drollmagi
Ghost (goosuto) - Ghost
Metro Ghost (metorogoosuto) - Poltergeist
Hell Ghost (herugoosuto) - Specter
Chimera (kimera) - Wyvern
Mage Chimera (meijikimera) - Magiwyvern
Star Chimera (sutaakimera) - Starwyvern
Skeleton (gaikotsu) - Skeleton
Lycant (rikanto) - Wolf
Lycant-mamul (rikantomamuru) - Wolflord**
Killer Lycant (kiraarikanto) - Werewolf
Armor Knight (yoroi no kishi) - Knight
Demon Knight (akuma no kishi) - Axe Knight
Deathgod Knight (shinigami no kishi) - Armored Knight
Skeleton (gaikotsu) - Skeleton
Wraith (shiryou) - Wraith
Wraith Knight (shiryou no kishi) - Wraith Knight
Shadow Knight (kage no kishi) - Demon Knight
Goldman (goorudoman) - Goldman
Golem (gooremu) - Golem
Stoneman (sutoonman) - Stoneman
Dragon (doragon) - Dragon
Keith Dragon (kiisudoragon) - Blue Dragon***
Dearth Dragon (daasudoragon) - Red Dragon ****

*The "besu" suffix is unclear what it means. One theory is that it's "beth" (AKA "bet") the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet (related to the Greek beta). This letter also has the meaning of "two" so it could mean something like "Slime 2" in the sense of a slightly stronger slime than the original one. In later games Slime-besu are localized as She-Slime instead of Red Slime, hinting that it's simply a female Slime. Slalin (Rocket in English), the main character in the Morimori Slime series of games, has a little sister Slami (Bo in English) who is a Slime-besu. Possibly originating from this take of it.
**Lycant is short for lycanthrope which is another word for werewolf. The "mamuru" suffix is a bit unclear but it's believed to come from the English word "mammal" (possibly a mistake).
***It's unclear what the "kiisu" prefix is supposed to be. If it's "keith", it's of Celtic origin and means forest. It's also a given name in English-speaking countries.
****The prefix "daasu" is unclear but one interpretation is "dearth" which is another word for shortage or famine, and makes sense because it refers the evil dragon's endless hunger, or possibly to the destruction it may cause. It could also simply be "darth" stolen from "Darth Vader" which means "Dark Lord" in Star Wars language.




Manual
The backstory of the manual is very similar between the two, but there are some small changes:
In DQ it says that Loto got the the ball of light from the gods, while in the DW manual, Erdrick got it from a "friend". No further explanation who this friend is.

The rest of the manual is almost identical except for the item and spell name changes, and Toriyama's illustrations that was replaced by a more western fantasy style in the DW manual (this was before the worldwide Dragon Ball boom I guess).

Manual scans of the Japanese and English manuals including a fan-translated version of the Japanese one are available at Dragon's Den.
https://www.woodus.com/den/games/dw1nes/



NPC dialogue
Most dialogue is quite accurately translated, except that in DW everyone are speaking old English. Royalty (the king, princess and Dragonking) and old men do speak in an archaic way in DQ as well though, so it's not that inaccurate after all.

However there are some notable changes:

Puff-puff girl / tomato lady
A girl in Rimuldar offers the hero puff-puff for 50 gold (it's just a line of dialogue though, you can't actually get any in DQ1). This is the first instance of the long running puff-puff gag in DQ games which also appears in Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga and anime.
In DW she instead says that she doesn't have any tomatoes today. NOA naturally censored it due to the mildly erotic nature of this gag (look it up, it could be mildy NSFW though). In most games it is censored as fortune-telling, massage or "pufpuf therapy". But apparently tomato is jargon for a prostitute in English, so it might be a attempt to maintain the adult nature of it while still censoring it, I don't know.
BTW puff-puff isn't Japanese onomatopoeia like what some sources claims, it is English/Germanic onomatopoeia. It's the sound of air gushing out when for example softly squeezing something large and soft together (so not only when smoking). I'm baffled by this ignorance. In Japanese it became pafupafu (ぱふぱふ or パフパフ) because it's borrowed from the English word and therefore has an approximation of the the English pronunciation.

Warrior's/Fighter's Ring
The only apparent effect this ring have is the dialogue of a certain NPC in Melkid. Quite odd as it actually wastes one of the 5 flags in the password to save the ring's equip state. As there are no accessory equip slot in DQ1/DW1 it is equipped the same way as the dragon scale, by "using" it, and the only way to unequip it is to sell it (it can be gotten back from the same chest again though).
In DQ before equipping the ring, the man in Rimuldar says that this is a ring that suits a warrior. Then when equipping it he comments on how an embarrassing guy you are wearing a ring like that. What a hypocrite!
In DW before equipping it the same man says that every fighter should have a ring. And when equipping it he thinks you are married. Dull joke.

Upset girl
In the locked building in Garai/Garinham there is an upset girl that says that she hates men in DQ, while in DW she says "I hate people! Go! leave me!".

Rich merchant
In the same building there is a merchant surrounded by treasure chests. In DQ he says something like "Eei take this! Thief!" like he is trying to fight you off from stealing his treasures. In DW he instead says "I suggest making a map if thy path leads into the darkness." and doesn't seem to mind you stealing at all. I guess they wanted to add this hint to the player somewhere.

Game trading girl
In DQ, a girl near the temple in Melkid/Cantlin wants to trade her Portopia for the hero's Dragon Quest game.
In DW she simply says "I know nothing". Boring!
BTW Portopia is an older adventure game made by Yuji Horii before he got permission to make an RPG.

House wife
A woman in a house in Melkid/Cantlin thinks aloud what side dish to make to go with the dinner in DQ, while in DW she just wonders what to make for dinner in general. Just a very small difference.

Old monk
In DQ, the old man in the temple garden in Melkid/Cantlin says that you should talk to the elder that lives in the temple. In DW however he just says that you should see a man in this very town, not mentioning that he is in the very same temple you are standing in.

Elder
The elder in the Melkid temple and the priest in the Ladutorm church both uses the word "pray" in DQ, while in DW the term "wish" is preferred. They both say: "Let us wish the warrior well! May the light be thy strength" in DW. Looks like classic NOA religion censoring at work. Otherwise the dialogue is very similar.


Dragonking/Dragonlord
If accepting his offer he will say the same thing in both versions except for one detail. In DQ he offers a resurrection spell (password) like King Lars does (all DQ kings and priests seems to be able to offer game saving services, including the bad ones).
In DW however there are no passwords, and he says "and... If thou dies I can bring thee back for another attempt without loss of thy deeds to date", but he never actually revives you.



Bad ending
In DQ, if the bad ending is reached you will get the mentioned password and then the screen will turn red and then the game locks up. Resurrecting from the password will start a new game with the same character on level 1 and without any items or gold. Since it is not possible to see the prologue when restoring the game from a password, the chests with the king's fundings in Ladutorm throne room are already gone, forcing you to fight naked until you can afford any weapons or armor. And since you don't even have gold to stay at the inn you might have no choice but to die and get revived until you have enough. Talk about cruel resurrection spell. The password is not hardcoded though, it's just a normal password generated using your name and with zero items, gold, exp and cleared flags, kind of like a "New Game Minus".
In DW you will loose all gold and experience points and the screen turns red and locks up, there is no "New Game-" like in DQ.



I found a delocalization patch for DW which can be used to see most of these things in English. It retranslates DQ into English without the censoring and even degrades things like NPC sprites. Since it's DW-based you get the good stuff like battery backup memory as well.
http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4275/
There's one for DW II as well.

Update!
DQ1 has finally been fan translated here! (http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=30170.msg390603#msg390603)