For Western fans itching to play the latest entry in the Final Fantasy series back in 1997, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy VII, they had to wait almost a year until the English release. It launched in Japan🤪 in January and released in North America the following September. Yes, it was a long wait, but it wasn’t just because the translation was arduous.
The classic 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy entry also had a lot of quality of life improvements added to it on top of extra scenes and quests. Some of these may surprise readers and make them thankful there was a waiting period, while others most probably know them already. Without further delay, here are 10 differences between the Japanese and Western releases of Final Fantasy 7 on the PS1.
10 WEAPON Is Just A Cutscene In The Japanese Release
The ♌Emerald and Ruby WEAPONS were not in the original release all. Th♑eir boss battles were two of the biggest new features for the Western release.
On top of that, Diamond WEAPON was only in a cutscene in the Japanese release whereas he was an actual boss over h𒅌ere. That, and players🍌 could steal a new from it for Yuffie: Rising Sun. It’s a good one, too!
9 The Western Release Has Extra Quests
Coinciding with the additional WEAPONS fight was a new🍨 character and quest line. There was a man in Kalm that helped out players with both Emerald and Ruby. In order to make Emerald easier, they could get Underwater M📖ateria.
If they brought back items from boꦺthꦑ fights they would get a Gold Chocobo and a set of Master Materia. Both fights did not need to be won, to be clear.
8 The Northern Crater Explosion Differs Per Release
One final amendment to the WEAPONSღ focuses on the Norther🔥n Crater. Once Cloud gives Sephiroth the Black Materia, the gang escapes and this leads to an animated cutscene.
In the Japanese version, players saw an explosion follo🅘wed by the Highwind sailing off. Meanwhile in the Western release, the WEAPONS were shown flying out of the crater plus Tifa can be seen knocked over by the result𓄧ing blast. That last part was dꦓefinitely done for fan service.
7 Sephiroth’s Super Nova Was Longer In The West🌠e✱rn Release
Sephiroth’s infamous Super Nova attack in his Safer-Sephiroth form was less flashy and shorter in Japan. It basically shoꦆwed a bunch of bright, white explosions instead the two minute ride⭕ through the solar system.
How exactly ♔does Sephiroth explode planets but not kill off Cloud and the others? That’s a good question. Maybe this animation shouldn’t have been changed after all.
6 Zack's Death Was Not In The Japanese Release
Zack’s death is just as iconic and impactful for Final Fantasy VII fans as Aerith’s. However, it was not in the original release at all. The part in the Lifestream wherein Cloud hears about Zack's fate are in intact in the Japanese𒅌 version, but the secret movie players can obtain by going back to the mansion in disc two was not.
This delves further into their journey from the lab to Shinra, making that moment much more impactful comparatively. Of course Crisis Core, Zack’s PSP prequel, made an even deeper cut.
5 The Western Release Had Fewer Battle Stuff
༒These are a few small tweaks to the battle system, but they're highly noticeable nonetheless. In the battle background for Mt. Corel♔, the Western release added the reactor when playing in that areas. The enemy encounter rate was overall reduced and in some cases was removed altogether.
This is true of Sector 8, whe꧒n running through the town square after completing the bombing mission. There also used to be enemy encounters outsid൩e of the old man’s cabin at Gaea's Cliff.
4 Japan Showed The Seedier Side Of Midgar
There are quite a few adult situations in Final Fantasy VII, bওut there used to be more ovᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚert references. Tim Rogers, who used to work at Kotaku, produced a wherein he translated the script from its original Japanese text.
In this set of features he uncovered Jessie telling Cloud aꦉbout train gropers. In Wall Market, the hotel barker also alluded to some rather unethical stuff Cloud could do with Aerith. It was probably a go𒐪od idea to omit these from the English language release.
3 The Temple Of The Ancients Clock Was A Puz༒zle In Japan
Remember that clock puzzle in the Temple of the Ancients? It’s not so much a puzzle as it is a mechanism to move Cloud around to different rooms.
In the Japanese release, it actually used to be a puzzle and was harder to maneuver. 💛As this caused difficulty problems from feedback, it was tweaked and simplified into thꦛe giant hub of rooms that American players know and love today.
2 The Origins Aeris & Shera
Everyone knows by now that the English translation screwed up Aerith’s name as Aeris, right? Well, there was another name screwed up as ꦫwell. Cid’s assistant, Shera, could either be read iꩲn Japanese as Shiera or Sierra. Thi🍨s was also mentioned in Tim Roger﷽s’ aforementioned series.
Prior to this, it was uncovered from a toy of Cid’s ship from Advent Children. It was called Shera in the movie, but the real world toy was refer♓red to as🔯 Sierra.
1 More Random Changes
To end this retrospective, here is 🏅a random list of changes that didn’t quite fit into any other category.
The placer markers showing where players were and where they could go w🐭as added. The item menu used to be much simpler. It didn’t show character portraits when trying to use like a potion on Tifa. Also in the menu, the option to exchange Materia between party members was also added, which might be the best change among the three of these.