Background
“Skyblazer”, an action platformer released for the SNES in 1994, now benefits from a fan translation patch. Developed by Ukiyotei, this game originally featured religious names and story elements referencing Hindu mythology and Buddhist cosmology that were removed in its Western release.
Key Changes
Names like Karura (divine bird-like creatures), Brahma, Vishnu, and shrine locations named after the Eight Legions are reintroduced through this patch by Krokodyl.
Availability
Players can now download this patch from Krokodyl’s GitHub to experience the SNES game with its full cultural context.
With such a patch available, it raises an interesting question: should fan translations and cultural restoration be encouraged for classic video games? How do you feel about restoring original content, possibly dealing with sensitive issues, that was removed in Western releases of SNES games?
Should fan translations and cultural restoration be encouraged for classic video games?
Yes, especially when official translations are shoddy and/or remove/censor stuff from the original
How do you feel about restoring original content, possibly dealing with sensitive issues, that was removed in Western releases of SNES games?
For most games, it’s only “sensitive” because a loud bunch of idiots screams too loudly without even understanding where/how/why things are being used. It’s also important to remember that the 80s had a full blown satanic panic in the main western market (USA), which only started to wane in the 90s
