Splatterhouse 3: US vs JP versions

[BIL]

I recently tried out the JP version of SH3, having read the game's "crowd control" moves were both simpler to execute, and somewhat different in effect. I'm amazed at the difference, hence this thread (apparently there's no European SH3 to compare).

As much as I've always liked the US version, the spinning kick kind of concluded its gameplay for me. Looks silly, yet does obscene damage on any of its multiple hits, costs no meter and is completely invincible for its three second-plus duration. Basically every time you fire it off, any monster within striking distance can either block or get clobbered by Rick's bizarre heel-spinning antics (and 90% cannot block and are thus SOL). Even on "Game Master" difficulty it just mows down whatever the game throws at you with plenty of time for wife and kid saving.

The JP equivalent is easier to execute (B+C, rather than Away, Towards, B). But it's basically a split-second invincible dodge, that can save your ass with a guaranteed 360 crowd knockdown, but does almost no damage. You can do some cool risky stuff (like stuffing normally unstoppable attacks), but that just adds to the game. Otherwise you simply don't have that advantage, and the game plays far more interestingly on "Game Master" as a result. I've been playing it quite a lot recently, having thought I was done with the game years ago. Obviously you can just not use the US crowd control, but it's not quite the same.

Are there any Genesis / MD (hell, any platform, actually) games you guys know of, with similar regional changes? Non-cosmetic stuff that changes the gameplay, once you get into it. About the only two I know of are Contra Hard Corps and Castlevania Bloodines, both of whose US versions are far and slightly harder, respectively.

[Ganelon]

Dynamite Headdy and Streets of Rage 3 are also well known.

[BIL]

Oh yeah, I've been meaning to try out SOR3 / BK3. I'll probably do just that now that you mention it, actually. Do you think there's a better version of the two? From what I've read the JP one is easier but a better-balanced game (besides having the old character palettes). Generally I prefer tougher versions of console games, but there is the odd situation where the harder version of a game is just annoyingly designed.

[Ed Oscuro]

Interesting stuff...and just another reminder that cosmetic differences, while usually the first to be remarked upon, are in the end of less interest to the real gamer.

[kemical]

ranger-x has more difficulty settings than the japanese version, one of which changes the background color pallet a bit, and I feel like the japanese version is balanced differently and feels better (plays more like an arcade game maybe) but it might just be my imagination.. i think the japanese version is better (again, imagination)

I tend to always side with the Japan versions of games as they are the ones made in the way the original Japanese developers intended.

[Ed Oscuro]

I tend to always side with the Japan versions of games as they are the ones made in the way the original Japanese developers intended.

Often...but sometimes having the B-side is nice too.

I recently picked up Ex-Ranza from Shou, so I'll go take a look at the differences (in emulation of course )

[BIL]

I've always gone on a case-by-case basis, with regional differences. Castlevania III US and Ninja Gaiden III US are the only ones I'll play, for instance. Similar for CV Bloodlines; if it's just a case of same system but more enemy damage / enemy numbers, usually I'll give the tougher one a go. I really enjoy tough (and well-designed) console games that challenge without the pretext of killing for credits.

Splatterhouse 3 I found very interesting, as the JP version basically demands you strategise and use the full potential of its moveset to play at the hardest setting, where the US one basically lets you just ignore all that (and in a game where the enemies' backstabbing actually makes me shake my head in disgust at times, well, you tend to fight dirty!).

But there are some games I wonder about... Contra Hard Corps, for example. I'm sure anyone who's more familiar with the one-hit death US version (like me) knows it as a very clockwork game. Stand in the wrong place or don't jump at the right time = death. What, you've never seen this section before? Uh oh. But I wonder how I'd view it if mistakes weren't often instantly fatal.

...actually, Hard Corps is a bad example, considering you can't really improvise anyway. The JP version's extra hits are just a buffer for your continues, really. But still, I wonder if the JP designers were avoiding the "don't know pattern = will probably get annihilated" feeling there, and the US version just chucked in the traditional Contra insta-death for tradition's sake.

Thanks to both you guys for the Ranger X / Ex Ranza info, by the way!

[Ganelon]

Do you think there's a better version of the two?

Ignoring the visual, voice, story, and censorship changes, I still favor the JP BKIII. Reasons? The bosses in the US version have way too much life; it's a huge grind just to beat them and BK has never been about grinding. Getting the bosses to the right setup is more hassle than fun. The extra enemy damage also seems unnecessary when they just encourage people to use standing specials more by reducing the penalty when not charged.

On the other hand, I think Bloodlines is right on the mark. The US version is already easy enough (esp. with Eric on any difficulty) that the additional enemies are welcome.

[it290]

Bare Knuckle III is definitely far superior to SoRIII. The difficulty is ever-so-slightly higher than that of SoR2, and the game is eminently playable, unlike the US version. I honestly don't know what SoA was thinking with that one.

As for Castlevania III, I don't see how anyone can prefer it to Akumajou Densetsu. Aside from the differences in the music, which are major, the gameplay in AD is just far more balanced. The better powerups appear more often, which makes Sypha much more useful, and in hard mode the game is still very enjoyable (except for that stupid falling blocks stage), again unlike the US version, which just gets annoying in a lot of places after the first loop.

[Stormwatch]

There are some subtle differences in Strider for the Mega Drive:

- JP version, you need a cheat to use continues; in USA version, you don't.
- JP version, there is a voice sample every time Hiryu attacks; USA, no voice.
- JP version, before the final boss there's a voice sample; I think it says: "Sons of old gods, die." It was cut in the USA version.

Also, the ending is different from the arcade's; and the whole game seems a little faster, with better collision detection on the Mega Drive version.

[BIL]

Ignoring the visual, voice, story, and censorship changes, I still favor the JP BKIII. Reasons? The bosses in the US version have way too much life; it's a huge grind just to beat them and BK has never been about grinding. Getting the bosses to the right setup is more hassle than fun. The extra enemy damage also seems unnecessary when they just encourage people to use standing specials more by reducing the penalty when not charged.

Awesome, many thanks for the detailed info. Sounds like BKIII is what I'd prefer, particularly with the US enemy damage vs special penalty. I always prefer a beat 'em up to downplay its "bomb" in favour of actually using the moveset, as with JP Splatterhouse 3.

On the other hand, I think Bloodlines is right on the mark. The US version is already easy enough (esp. with Eric on any difficulty) that the additional enemies are welcome.

I agree, the US "Expert" setting eliminates a lot of empty space and dead time. US Bloodlines is already a friendlier oldschool CV as is, with the relative lack of pits and instant death hazads. The JP one just feels watered down with the additional lack of enemies.

Bare Knuckle III is definitely far superior to SoRIII. The difficulty is ever-so-slightly higher than that of SoR2, and the game is eminently playable, unlike the US version. I honestly don't know what SoA was thinking with that one.

As for Castlevania III, I don't see how anyone can prefer it to Akumajou Densetsu. Aside from the differences in the music, which are major, the gameplay in AD is just far more balanced. The better powerups appear more often, which makes Sypha much more useful, and in hard mode the game is still very enjoyable (except for that stupid falling blocks stage), again unlike the US version, which just gets annoying in a lot of places after the first loop.

I have to admit, CVIII / AD's Sypha and Alucard have always been somewhat lost on me. I love it for the Trevor gameplay, with Grant adding a huge degree of evasive ability; those two characters are maneuverable and powerful enough to deal with anything, even past the first loop. I think of it as a bigger, tougher CV1 expansion; grueling, especially with the US damage, but never player-crippling. X68000 Akumajo Dracula / Castlevania Chronicles Original Mode is the kind of CV difficulty I dislike, where the player feels fragile and slow, rather than capable and besieged.

The falling blocks section is just a pain in the ass, I agree (and it's a shame, as the level is a great endurance test otherwise). Luckily, I far prefer the level designs of the direct route to the castle, so I just avoid the cave set unless I feel like a trial.

VRC7 music is indeed a huge bonus for AD, but I've pretty much resigned myself to thinking of Akumajo Dracula Best I's CVIII music as the "arranged soundtrack," heh.

- JP version, you need a cheat to use continues; in USA version, you don't.
- JP version, there is a voice sample every time Hiryu attacks; USA, no voice.
- JP version, before the final boss there's a voice sample; I think it says: "Sons of old gods, die." It was cut in the USA version.

Also, the ending is different from the arcade's; and the whole game seems a little faster, with better collision detection on the Mega Drive version.

Thanks, I'll definitely check out the MD version. The US game's hit detection did always feel slightly "boxy" to me, regarding Hiryu's sprites. And I had no idea the attacking voice sample was in the JP version. I wonder if someone just considered it annoying, or if it was cut for space reasons. Always liked the effect of sailing silently through the air before going crazy on something with barrage of slashes and yells.

[Stormwatch]

No, I meant the collision detection in the console version is better than the arcade, not US vs. JP.

Unless MAME's emulation is flawed, I noticed it's a bit tricky to climb on those spinning platforms with items in stage 2 (just before the mountain slope). That was improved on the console version.

Also, I think the sound effect of Hiryu's attack is louder in the console version.

[Twiddle]

On the other hand, all enemies in BKIII including bosses are paper on the highest difficulty.

SOR3 far beats it because not only are you encouraged to use your special, the dash attacks are made useful by increasing their effective hit range, and the sidestep is actually useful as well (actually does something.) The enemies have exaggerated health to match and a less retarded enemy->player damage scale, and rightfully so.

[BIL]

No, I meant the collision detection in the console version is better than the arcade, not US vs. JP.

Unless MAME's emulation is flawed, I noticed it's a bit tricky to climb on those spinning platforms with items in stage 2 (just before the mountain slope). That was improved on the console version.

Also, I think the sound effect of Hiryu's attack is louder in the console version.

Oops, completely misread that last part. I've never tried arcade Strider in MAME, but I do have the PS1 port (I think it was a port...) that was packed in with Strider 2. The only thing I really remember about it was the different Hiryu sprite, and preferring the tougher-looking Genesis one. That's one arcade game I really should give a proper look, having been a fan of the Genesis port for so long. I gave the Genesis Strider a go, and remember now why the hit detection always seemed stiffer than Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden etc to me. It's the way Hiryu rolls or drops very abruptly when hit, no real sense of recoil.