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Some people didn't like being called "unskilled" (programming.dev)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/retrogaming@lemmy.world
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Context: Working Designs was a studio that localized several Japanese games for western markets in the 1990s. Besides translation, they would often increase the difficulty of the games they translated

In the 1980s, Nintendo didn't release the original Super Mario Bros. 2 outside Japan because "the game was too difficult for western audiences" - to which Working Designs states "...and I took that personally"
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[–] 30 points 3 months ago (3 children)

They definitely made games more difficult as well

In Lunar, for example, the EXP payout was reduced by 15% compared to the japanese original, the silver output was reduced by 11% and the infamous feature that boss enemies leveled with the main character was also made harder.

https://www.rpg-o-mania.com/coverage_companies_workingdesigns.php#5

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  • [–] 11 points 3 months ago (1 child)

    And lets not forget adding a game over trigger during the finale that just wasn't there originally. Because screw you, the player, I guess.

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  • [–] 12 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

    How about this gem from their localization of Vay:

    In the US version, Sirufa's dialogue has been rewritten. Now, her wind powers are due to a bet she lost with an unexplained "Thaldar", as a result of which she "received the curse of eternal seimic flatulence." This is then used to create a mechanic whereby, if Sirufa's teleportation is used without having all party members equipped with "Filtration Masks", the unequipped members will be "overcome by the noxious fumes" and remove the rest of the party's masks before dying, causing an instant game over.

    Text from TCRF.

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