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What is it with European game titles being literal translations of the Japanese

K

Kobun Heat

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Everybody's Golf?
Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training?

And perhaps the weirdest of all:



Seriously, Europe. Explain yourselves. Is it, like, illegal to have a game title that's not a Babelfished translation of the Japanese? It wouldn't surprise me.
 
A

Azure Dream

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Their logos could use some work, but I'd rather straight (or close) translations to the random renamings that have come back into vogue lately.
 
M

medrew

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MrHicks said:
they shouldn't be literal translations?
Click to expand...

No. Literal translation means it is a word for word translation and not a title or phrase translation. So every single word is translated without consideration given to its surrounding words and the end result it creates. A literal translation is more often than not pretty unintelligible, see babelfish translations.

TTP said:
I dont get what's wrong with these
Click to expand...

Aesthetically unpleasing.
 
T

Troidal

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Well, they kept the name Echochrome though...or else it would have been something like The Infinite Corridor ("Mugen Kairou" is the Japanese title).
 
A

alistairw

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I AM JOHN! said:
I only managed to get through two pages before that whiny fucking weeaboo saying that literal translations are so much better because "THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLACK WIND AND SCYTHE!!!" made me want to throw my laptop out the window.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was bashing my head on the keyboard while taking part in that one. I really must try and line up an interview with the guys who did that, just so I can yell at the fuckers and tell them that they're cunty idiots.

Localization happens for a reason. It's really that simple. I don't know if it makes much difference for game titles - I actually think it's sorta quaint and amusing - but it's just a given when it comes to in game text that you localize it, not simply translate it.
 
I

itsinmyveins

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Hm, I don't know if I've got a problem with any of the ones posted so far.
 
D

Danj

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Kobun Heat said:
Everybody's Golf?
Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training?

And perhaps the weirdest of all:

Yoshi's Universal Gravitation

Seriously, Europe. Explain yourselves.
Click to expand...

I don't really see what's wrong with these titles. In the case of the first two, they are descriptive of the game. I concede the third one seems a bit odd but looking at the cover I do get the feeling that gravity has some role in the game, so it might not be that strange.
 
P

Pachael

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Goldrusher said:
So what would be the correct translation of "Everybody's Golf" ?
Hot Shots Golf ? :lol
Click to expand...

That's the thing. Some like the Japanese title, untranslated, like 'Minna no Golf'. Some like the literal translation 'Everybody's Golf'. Others like, or are used to 'Hot Shots Golf'.

Does it really matter?
 
A

Android18a

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I prefer literal translation. I hate it when games are renamed to try and be cool.

Jet "Grind" Radio? WTF, America? Hot Shots Golf? You guys are getting screwed over.

Hell, over here Feel The Magic XX XY or whatever it was called in America actually had the Japanese pre-release title "Project Rub", even after the Japanese release was renamed. I can't remember what it was called over there now, though. Something like I Want Your Babies...
 
I

itsinmyveins

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MidiSurf said:
Don't see any problems with those translations.



What's wrong with that ?
Click to expand...

I'm assuming he's refering to "Kawashima", and that it should say something like "Hawkings" instead. I kinda get what he's going at there -- who the fuck is Kawashima? -- but at the same time I'm just not really bothered about it.

No Means Nomad said:
And how can people at least not see a problem with Everybody's Golf?
Click to expand...

Well, what's the problem then? I think it sounds nice, better than Hot Shots Golf anyways.
 
D

Danj

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No Means Nomad said:
And how can people at least not see a problem with Everybody's Golf?
Click to expand...

I don't see a problem with it, what's wrong with it? It's golf, and it's intended for everybody to be able to play. Everybody's Golf. What's the matter with that? Makes perfect sense. And yes I am serious and not joking or being sarcastic.
 
A

Azure Dream

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alistairw said:
Yeah, I was bashing my head on the keyboard while taking part in that one. I really must try and line up an interview with the guys who did that, just so I can yell at the fuckers and tell them that they're cunty idiots.

Localization happens for a reason. It's really that simple. I don't know if it makes much difference for game titles - I actually think it's sorta quaint and amusing - but it's just a given when it comes to in game text that you localize it, not simply translate it.
Click to expand...

The problem isn't sensible localization, or reworking concepts that don't translate over accurately. The problem is when the translators fancy themselves better writers and storytellers than the original creators, and liberally rewrite sequences, changing dialogue and other elements needlessly. This happens less with games and more with things like anime or movies, but it still comes up every time someone quotes an old US Genesis Sonic manual as story information for the series, as I saw recently, or people discuss Mega Man's words to Wily at the end of MM7 (which says something completely different to the original script). And how many games have had gags written out because they spoiled the "serious business" angle the US was trying to market a game on?

There's a sensical side to localization, and there's a ridiculous side to it. It's not whiny or weeaboo to want something closer to the original product in your language, not a version with Doug the Translator's genius additions and aspirations at creative writing.
 
M

MidiSurf

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ItsInMyVeins said:
I'm assuming he's refering to "Kawashima", and that it should say something like "Hawkings" instead. I kinda get what he's going at there -- who the fuck is Kawashima? -- but at the same time I'm just not really bothered about it.
Click to expand...

Well I get that but you really can't change the Kawashima part. Only thing you could do is remove that part and just call it Brain Training... But then people would wonder who the hell is this guy -->



Now they know he is Dr. Kawashima from Japan.
 
I

itsinmyveins

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MidiSurf said:
Well I get that but you really can't change the Kawashima part. Only thing you could do is remove that part and just call it Brain Training... But then I would wonder who the hell is this guy -->

Click to expand...

Then he'd be a random professor. I don't think people would think about that too much.
 
A

Augemitbutter

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ItsInMyVeins said:
I'm assuming he's refering to "Kawashima", and that it should say something like "Hawkings" instead. I kinda get what he's going at there -- who the fuck is Kawashima? -- but at the same time I'm just not really bothered about it.
Click to expand...


theres a bigger interview in german newspaper with mr. kawashima. why shouldnt he take
credit? now hes famous.

Everybody's Golf is a good title for a game. it sounds like fun.
hot shots golf? they tried to be cool i guess. reminds me of kirby.
 
I

itsinmyveins

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Augemitbutter said:
theres a bigger interview in german newspaper with mr. kawashima. why shouldnt he take
credit? now hes famous.
Click to expand...

No, he's not famous by any means in Yuroland -- not even if he did get a big interview in a german newspaper -- other than by having his name on that game.

I'm not saying that he shouldn't take credit, I'm saying that it I wouldn't have been surprised if they used some other scientists name which more people are aware of here. Then there wouldn't be a need for interviews either, since names lika Newton, Einstein and etc are names most people are aware of.
 
J

JoshuaJSlone

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No Means Nomad said:
And how can people at least not see a problem with Everybody's Golf?
Click to expand...
*shrugs* Sounds a bit more generic, but not particularly more alien than "Everybody Loves Raymond".
ItsInMyVeins said:
I'm assuming he's refering to "Kawashima", and that it should say something like "Hawkings" instead. I kinda get what he's going at there -- who the fuck is Kawashima?
Click to expand...
But... it is Kawashima. I hope dubbed versions of Young Einstein didn't turn the title character into other scientists.
 
C

C4Lukins

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People are making fun of Everybody's Golf because of the overly literal nature of the title. It is like they took the marketing line for why people would enjoy the game and made it the title. It would be the equivalent in other genres of Hardcore First Person Space Marine Action Game, and Jumping Mustached Plumber Fights A Dragon In A Spikey Shell A Platforming Sidescroller. Of course I am over emphasizing the point, but it is a strange thing to call something. I guess something like Epic Movie, Date Movie, and Scary Movie would be more the creative equivalent as far as naming something.
 
J

JoshuaJSlone

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C4Lukins said:
People are making fun of Everybody's Golf because of the overly literal nature of the title. It is like they took the marketing line for why people would enjoy the game and made it the title. It would be the equivalent in other genres of Hardcore First Person Space Marine Action Game, and Jumping Mustached Plumber Fights A Dragon In A Spikey Shell A Platforming Sidescroller. Of course I am over emphasizing the point, but it is a strange thing to call something. I guess something like Epic Movie, Date Movie, and Scary Movie would be more the creative equivalent as far as naming something.
Click to expand...
That's more a complaint about the original title concept than about its localization, though.
 
I

itsinmyveins

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JoshuaJSlone said:
But... it is Kawashima. I hope dubbed versions of Young Einstein didn't turn the title character into other scientists.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know, but does it matter to you? How many recognized the name "Kawashima" before the game got famous?

I'm not saying they should have changed it, I'm saying I'm a bit surprised they didn't because it seems like the typical thing a company would do.
 
I

itsinmyveins

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C4Lukins said:
People are making fun of Everybody's Golf because of the overly literal nature of the title. It is like they took the marketing line for why people would enjoy the game and made it the title. It would be the equivalent in other genres of Hardcore First Person Space Marine Action Game, and Jumping Mustached Plumber Fights A Dragon In A Spikey Shell A Platforming Sidescroller. Of course I am over emphasizing the point, but it is a strange thing to call something. I guess something like Epic Movie, Date Movie, and Scary Movie would be more the creative equivalent as far as naming something.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but Hot Shots Golf sounds like Everybody's Golf disguised as something "cool" but ends up sounding really flat :p

Is it strange to call a golf game "Golf", though? PGA TOUR? Tiger Woods PGA Tour? I don't see how that's different, really.

I like Everybody's Golf because the name is pretty straight forward and simple, and I'd buy Hardcore First Person Space Marine Action Game instantely if a game with such a name was ever released.
 
C

C4Lukins

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ItsInMyVeins said:
Yeah, but Hot Shots Golf sounds like Everybody's Golf disguised as something "cool" but ends up sounding really flat :p

Is it strange to call a golf game "Golf", though? PGA TOUR? Tiger Woods PGA Tour? I don't see how that's different, really.

I like Everybody's Golf because the name is pretty straight forward and simple, and I'd buy Hardcore First Person Space Marine Action Game fucking instantely if a game with such a name was ever released.
Click to expand...

Hot Shots Golf is definitely not going to win any awards for creativity in game naming either. Everybody's Golf is fine, it just seems funny to me if I over think it. I am a huge fan of "Ice Hockey," "Pro Wrestling," and "Super Monkey Ball" so who am I to complain about overly literal titles. And yes Hardcore First Person Space Marine Action Game is an instant purchase if anyone ever releases it despite its potential quality.
 
O

Ogni-XR21

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ItsInMyVeins said:
Yes, I know, but does it matter to you? How many recognized the name "Kawashima" before the game got famous?

I'm not saying they should have changed it, I'm saying I'm a bit surprised they didn't because it seems like the typical thing a company would do.
Click to expand...

I think it makes perfect sense to have Kawashima in the title since the 'game' is based on his books and research iirc.

And by the way, in Germany Brain Training is called "Dr. Kawashimas Gehirn Jogging" (brain jogging), which is actually a very good translation.
 
Z

Zeppu

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Let me rephrase this:

What is with American game titles not being literal translations of the Japanese? What? They think their audience is too dumb to understand complex titles or be able to match the name with the content of the game? Japanese made the game and they deserve to name it however they want.

Europe gets better names and better boxarts. We just get it 6 months too late.
 
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