Regional Box Art and Title Changes

[ReddKasette]

Jet Grind Radio and Jet Set Radio. Basically the same game, except one has more stages/different songs.

 

[Juiceala]

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Jet Grind Radio and Jet Set Radio. Basically the same game, except one has more stages/different songs.

As someone who grew up with Jet Set Radio (not Jet Grind Radio) I'd like to chime in and explain that contrary to common belief these two games have a lot more differences than most people think and I honestly am not a big fan of the international version, I can go into details but I rather not as it is a big, long list and it has a bit of controversy here and there.

In fact, my request to @Spike a few years ago is how we finally got the original Japanese game here in the repo, btw I never got to properly thank you @Spike for going far and beyond to even get the CDI version too, I got to relive my childhood and I don't imagine ever playing the international version again thanks to this.

Post automatically merged: Oct 27, 2025

I dunno if this one counts, I'm bending the rules here a bit, it is technically the same name only in the wrong order.

 

[Anoobis]

 

[Deleted member 58254]

i just realized you said something different but im still gonna take this opportunity to say

holy fuck scott the woz

 

[Juiceala]

i just realized you said something different but im still gonna take this opportunity to say

holy fuck scott the woz

I saw this episode, I also remember Game Sack did this prior, the concept of "same name, different game" is more common by now, several youtubers already talked about it, and initially I was going to make one too but decided "it's been done multiple times by now" so instead I went with the opposite, "same game, different name".

I feel "same game, different name" is a lot more obscure especially in instances where games received a completely different title when ported to other consoles despite being the very same game, or when a game is tied to a license and each region used a different IP instead, I already made several examples here, so hopefully I was able to inform some of you about games you might have not known otherwise that they are indeed the very same game.

 

[Turbo Kid]

Well, I'm gonna take a slight twist on this and say that we all know that the Bloodstained series is basically Castlevania and Blazing Chrome and Iron Meat might as well be called Contra: Blazing Chrome and Contra: Iron Meat. When Konami won't give us what we want, someone else does.

 

[Juiceala]

Well, I'm gonna take a slight twist on this and say that we all know that the Bloodstained series is basically Castlevania and Blazing Chrome and Iron Meat might as well be called Contra: Blazing Chrome and Contra: Iron Meat. When Konami won't give us what we want, someone else does.

I mean, this is more so comparing an entire genre/game style to a series, which is a different topic, it could be interesting to discuss in its own threat, but it doesn't really fall under "same game, different name".

 

[SpcDaicon SpcDaicon]

When you start to look, there was a ton of games that changed names

Dewprism (JP) x Threads of Fate (US)

END OF ETERNITY (JP) x RESONANCE OF FATE (US)

Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne (JP and US) x Lucifer's Call (EU)

And the most baffling one...

Gunbird (JP) x Mobile Light Force (US and EU)

Why they turned Gunbird, a lighthearted shmup, into some Charlie's Angels knockoff is something I will never understad

 

[Juiceala]

Tetris Attack vs Panel de pon


Four in one:
Kirby's Avalanche vs Kirby's Ghost Trap vs Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine vs Puyo Puyo

 

[TheCartoonFan9890]

I find it really weird that game publishers sometimes felt the need to change the game cover by having its main character look kinda pissed-off. For some reason, this usually happened on the North American versions of those games; and I have seen those changes more frequently on Kirby games. Have you ever noticed that before? Which other games have these differences? I find this really interesting.

 

[Zerohour2k12]

Was gonna post the Infamous Megaman Box Art. We all know he took on a life of his own.

Not weird per se, but I love how Future Cop L.A.P.D. went Full-Anime in JP.

 

[Mordovah]

This is so common that TVtropes has a page literally titled, "American Kirby is Hardcore"

 

[TheCartoonFan9890]

This is so common that TVtropes has a page literally titled, "American Kirby is Hardcore"

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Huh... That's quite interesting.

Post automatically merged: Dec 27, 2025

I am just noticing that it typically happened to cute characters like Kirby and Klonoa. That kinda makes sense, I guess...

 

[Mordovah]

And now to post examples I know about.



I find it odd how Chrono Trigger is the reverse of the other two where the Japanese just has the characters posing and the American version added action.

 

[Scotty Scotty]

I find it really weird that game publishers sometimes felt the need to change the game cover by having its main character look kinda pissed-off. For some reason, this usually happened on the North American versions of those games; and I have seen those changes more frequently on Kirby games. Have you ever noticed that before? Which other games have these differences? I find this really interesting.

View attachment 139601

Not gonna lie, the American Mario 64 DS cover looks way better. You got the characters all marching toward you and there's an actual BACKGROUND.

The bird's eye view for the JP cover was an... interesting choice.

Post automatically merged: Dec 27, 2025

And now to post examples I know about.
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I find it odd how Chrono Trigger is the reverse of the other two where the Japanese just has the characters posing and the American version added action.

JP Chrono Trigger and JP Super Mario RPG both have the characters off to the side and the logo in the corner. I'm guessing it was some sort of stylistic choice that Square loved.

 

[RETRO-VETRO RETRO-VETRO]

A strong example of that would be...

North American ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤJapanese

 

[FlyingToaster]

One of my favorite examples:

Americans must have really hated anime back then

 

[Heidegger of Shinra]

View attachment 139618

More like "Would Smash Tennis".

 

[Merkabruh]

Still remains one of the most baffling ones

 

[madmadworld2]

My favorite was River City Ransom. I personally like the 50's greaser aesthetic more then the high school delinquents.

​

 

[Skull_King]

ICO remains one of the most egregious examples that come to mind:

 

[Blueskunky Blueskunky]

Look at the Japanese box art.
It's looks cute, doesn't it?
Looks something I'd want to play.
Meanwhile America

It's hideous.
I need to kill it with a flamethrower. And quickly to save us from the horrors of....... this thing that's pretending to be Tempo.

 

[ArchienineZXAdventArchienineZXAdvent's icon]

Tempo looks like more punky than funky in the US

 

[X y b e r - S k u ll]

He looks like a bootleg battletoad in the American one lol.

 

[Tonberry]

At least US Tempo has a gnarly alien and cool spider.
Nothing will EVER top whatever the fuck yanks did to Ico