JRPGs Rescued by Fan Translations

Nowadays, most JRPGs receive simultaneous worldwide releases, but back in the day, that was not the case. Even worse, many games never left Japan, leaving us, the Western non-Japanese-speaking audience, high and dry.

Still, a couple of these JRPGs became more accessible because a few incredible and thoughtful fans took matters into their own hands and produced translations. There are even some games that might never have received an international version if it were not for these fans’ initiative.

This list pays tribute to some JRPGs that were rescued through fan translations, whether because they were never released outside Japan or because an official localization fell flat, until fans created their own interpretations that became the definitive versions.

10

Bahamut Lagoon

Old Bahamut One

Bahamut Lagoon was released in 1996 by Square for the SNES and was initially called Final Fantasy Tactics. The game never left Japan, though, and while there is no official information on the reason, I believe it was a mix of being one of the last titles released for the SNES and the ever-increasing price of cartridges.

However, fans worldwide were able to explore the world of Orelus and face the Granbelos Empire thanks to fan translations. The JRPG follows a tactical structure, with battles on grid-based battlefields. We control a squad of up to four characters accompanied by an AI-controlled dragon.

The biggest standout feature of Bahamut Lagoon was its dragon-raising system. We could feed our loyal companions various items, which would change both their appearance and their attributes and abilities. It is a great JRPG for the SNES and one I would gladly champion for an HD-2D remake.

9

Valkyria Chronicles III

Left Alone in the War

When I bought my PS3, I had to choose between Valkyria Chronicles and GTA IV. I picked GTA IV, and to this day, I regret it. I have not played much of the series because its release strategy always struck me as odd. The first Valkyria Chronicles launched on PS3, the second and the third went to PSP, but the latter was stuck in Japan. Meanwhile, the fourth game was released worldwide for eighth-generation consoles, which was a strange strategy. There’s also the spinoff, Valkyria Revolution.

The reason Valkyria Chronicles III was never localized was, as you may have guessed, the poor sales of its predecessor. But worry not, because no lack of profit or shareholders is going to stop fans from bringing a game overseas, and bring it they did. You can play the entire main story of Valkyria Chronicles III in English, though not the DLC or their missions, as those weren’t translated.

From what I have heard, this is a real shame because the third entry seems to improve everything that came before it and is considered to have the best gameplay in the franchise. The first game received a remastered version, so I would not mind if Media.Vision did the same for the PSP titles.

8

Namco X Capcom

Crossover of Kings

There was a time when companies loved making crossovers, chief among them Capcom. If you have ever wondered what a tactical JRPG featuring characters from Namco and Capcom would look like, wonder no more, because you can simply play Namco X Capcom. The game was developed for the PS2 by none other than Monolith Soft, the makers of Xenoblade Chronicles.

Namco X Capcom introduces two original characters, Reiji and Xiaomu, who work for the Shinra group (not that Shinra). As distortions begin to appear, bringing beloved characters from various series into the story, the story kicks off. The entire narrative revolves around these distortions and alternate reality characters, featuring numerous branching paths. A disclaimer in the fan translation even states that the English version may contain untested parts due to this complexity.

Gameplay follows the classic tactical formula. Every character moves on a grid according to their available Action Points. Each one has their own specialty, whether that means altering their movement style, basic attacks, or special abilities. The twist is that when characters engage in battle, the perspective shifts to 2D, and we can execute skills through different input commands.

7

Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade

Roy’s Second Appearance

Fire Emblem is a series spanning more than 15 mainline titles and numerous spinoffs. Initially, however, not all games received international releases. The first Fire Emblem, titled Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, received a commemorative international release on the Switch in 2020, but for some reason, it was only available digitally for a limited time and was removed in 2021.

Other older entries still don’t have an official international version or have only received fan translations, as is the case with Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade. It’s the sixth mainline entry in the series and the first to be released on a Nintendo handheld, the Game Boy Advance. The game’s protagonist is Roy, a character previously known from Super Smash Bros. Melee.

And you didn’t misread that. Roy was first introduced in Super Smash Bros. Melee and later starred in a Fire Emblem game, making him technically a Smash character first (ok, he was made for a canceled Nintendo 64 Fire Emblem, but the point stands). His popularity in Melee may very well have been what sparked fans to translate Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade for worldwide audiences, allowing them to learn more about the swordsman.

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6

Tales of Phantasia

The First Tales Of

Although there is an official international release of Tales of Phantasia for the GBA (and iOS, but come on), that version is widely regarded as the worst one and features a poor translation. Luckily and coincidentally, fans recently released a translation for Tales of Phantasia X, the PSP remake of the franchise’s first entry.

Produced by the heroes at Life Bottle Productions, who also translated Tales of Rebirth, they not only released an English patch but also added 60 FPS and sprite scaling for those who want a little extra flair. I played Tales of Phantasia on the GBA back when I could barely speak a word of English, so I would not mind revisiting it with this new translation.

If you are a fan of Tales of, its Linear Motion Battle System, and the Skits feature, and you want to see where it all began, you should give Tales of Phantasia a shot. Granted, the original SNES version didn’t have Skits, but they were added in the PS1 remake and consequently in the PSP version as well, which is now the most recommended way to play.

5

Digimon Adventure

Playing the Anime

After seeing the recent success of Digimon Story: Time Stranger, one might think it is finally time for Digimon to shine. The truth is, the series has been shining in the video game industry for quite some time, at least in Japan. I haven’t counted them, but I believe there are more Digimon games stuck in Japan than titles released worldwide.

Digimon World, released in 1999, was the first in the franchise to receive a global release, and it was where my JRPG journey through the world of Digital Monsters began. In 2006, we got Digimon Story, called Digimon World DS in the West, which introduced a more traditional turn-based system and other elements later seen in Time Stranger. But for anime fans, the real treat would be Digimon Adventure, a PSP title released in Japan in 2013.

It follows the same story as the first anime season and is a fairly streamlined JRPG compared to others in the series. Since the game features fixed characters and Digimon, you won’t feel overwhelmed by endless digivolutions or the need to scan every new one to bring them to the DigiFarm. The turn-based battles use a timeline to determine each combatant’s order, and once a Digimon’s turn comes up, they can attack, use special abilities, defend, or use an item. It’s simple but charming, and you can experience it through a neat fan translation.

4

Seiken Densetsu 3 (Trials of Mana)

Before the Remake

Nowadays, it is easy to play the remake of Seiken Densetsu 3, lovingly renamed Trials of Mana, on any modern platform. Moreover, those who want to play the original version can do so on the Switch through the Collection of Mana, released in 2019. However, for a long time, Seiken Densetsu 3 was locked away in Japan.

The reason is quite emblematic. Apparently, the game was so large and technically ambitious that it filled an entire SNES cartridge, leaving no space for localized text. That was truly a shame because Seiken Densetsu 3 is an amazing game that really pushed the SNES to its limits.

Today, the game is far more accessible, but who knows, maybe it was the fan translation that nudged Square into remaking the game and even bringing back the original in the collection. Either way, regardless of which version you choose to play, you will have a fantastic action JRPG waiting for you, featuring an uncomplicated yet elegant class system and multiple protagonists.

3

Breath of Fire II

The Best Version

This one is a bit of an odd case because you might be thinking, “Wait, Breath of Fire II has an official version,” and yes, you are right. However, did you ever feel confused while playing that version, unsure of what certain items did, or puzzled by a bunch of grammar errors? Much of that stemmed from character limitations at the time, which ultimately hurt the localization.

The translator Ryusui did us a solid and fixed most of the oddities involving items. Although the fan translation was originally released in 2009, the translator continued updating it until 2023. Granted, while many consider it the best translation of Breath of Fire II, there are still some complaints that the author took a few creative liberties, but those are minor quibbles in the grand scheme of things.

If you have never played Breath of Fire II and do not mind skipping the NSO version, I honestly recommend trying the JRPG with this translation to fully enjoy everything the game has to offer, without scratching your head over missing characters or poorly explained item descriptions.

2

Trails from Zero & Trails to Azure

From Fan to Official Translation

The Trails series has a complex history when it comes to localization. The Trails in the Sky trilogy reportedly gave some Xseed translators quite the headache back then, which may have delayed an official localization of the next saga, starting with Trails from Zero and followed by Trails to Azure. Luckily, fans stepped up to the plate.

Known as The Geofront, this group of like-minded individuals not only localized Trails from Zero and Azure, but their outstanding fan translations helped NISA officially publish the games worldwide. This means there is a real possibility that these titles were only re-released because The Geofront took the initiative to translate them in the first place.

Make no mistake, this was a monumental undertaking. The estimated script size for both games is around 1.4 million characters. Do you realize how massive that is? It’s enough to be a grueling task even for a dedicated company, so imagine tackling it as fans. Somehow, The Geofront pulled it off. Cheers.

1

Mother 3

Probably the Only Translation We Will Ever Get

Mother 3 is probably the most famous case of a fan translation and also one of the strangest cases of neglect in the JRPG world. Mother 2, famously known as EarthBound, is a cult phenomenon on the SNES, so it stood to reason that when its sequel, released for the GBA, came out, it would receive an international version.

However, years later, Reggie Fils-Aimé, the former president of Nintendo of America, explained that EarthBound did not sell particularly well. Hence, a localization for Mother 3 was never in the cards. Add to that the fact that Mother 3 was released in 2006, two years after the launch of the Nintendo DS, and it becomes easier to understand why it wasn’t a priority for Nintendo.

Anyway, fans once again came to the rescue and produced a translation for Mother 3. So if you want to experience Lucas’s story and its music-timed, turn-based combat system, now you know how. And if you are still waiting for an official translation, I don’t want to burst your bubble, but I wouldn’t recommend holding your breath.

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