Localization

This is a sub-page of Development:Pokémon Red and Blue.

Localization is one heck of a process, and the source code was kind enough to include a folder literally dedicated to in-progress translation files, found within the Document directory.

Sub-Pages#

Around 200 backups of the various text banks were archived, giving us the best look one could ever hope for, as to how Game Freak went about bringing Red and Blue to the West. Differences common to all early files include:

• The capitalization of a lot of "important text" is missing.
• We can see some early localization bits, such as early Pokémon names, or Team Rocket being known as "Rocket Team".
• Early dialogue tends to directly refer to the player as "son" or "boy". This was ultimately changed to more neutral terms, like "kid".
• A lot of the text differences from the games' manual can be seen here.
• The early script used to be way more exclamation mark-heavy, which was toned down, replacing most with regular periods.

In-Game Text 1Backups of i_msg2_0.dmg0. In-Game Text 2Backups of i_msg2_1.dmg0. In-Game Text 3Backups of i_msg2_2.dmg0. In-Game Text 4Backups of i_msg2_3.dmg0. In-Game Text 5Backups of i_msg2_4.dmg0. In-Game Text 6Backups of i_msg2_5.dmg0. In-Game Text 7Backups of i_msg2_6.dmg0. In-Game Text 8Backups of i_msg2_7.dmg0. In-Game Text 9Backups of i_msg2_8.dmg0. In-Game Text 10Backups of i_msg2_9.dmg0. In-Game Text 11Backups of i_msg2_a.dmg0. Pokédex TextBackups of pmfile.dat0.

Water Encounters#

Found in water_enc.txt is a file listing the various fishing rod encounter tables. Funnily enough, a handful of early Pokémon names, in English, are listed alongside their Japanese equivalents. These include Goldy (Goldeen), Neptune (Seaking), Jilly (Tentacool), Slowmo (Slowpoke), and Dragoon (Dratini). These names can be seen in early promo material.

Trademark Issues#

Found in POKEMO10.DOC is a document dated June 12th 1998, in which the process of trademarking localized Pokémon names is discussed at length. Back when this document was written, 132 names are said to have been localized and approved by legal representatives, with only 19 left to worry about. These 19 Pokémon are as follows:

Below that are several proposals for new Pokémon names, which are noted as "already approved by legal". We also get to a see a potential English name for Rapidash, which ultimately never got used, Game Freak instead going with a mix rapid, dash, and ash (giving the idea of a fast, fiery horse).

Trainer Names#

POKEMO10.DOC also shortly describes troubles relating to some trainer names. Blaine was originally going to be called "Coleman" (like a pun on "Coal Man"), which was definitely rejected due to there already being an American company of the same name.

As for "Jr.Trainers♂" and "Jr.Trainers♀", it appears that the original Japanese names were used, which was shut down fairly quickly due to "Scout Movement" holding the trademark. Even the Japanese names were later changed to "Camper" and "Picnicker" respectively during the development of Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Both "Coleman" and "scouts" can be seen in early script backups. The former apparently got scrapped around the time character names were capitalized. As for the latter, one of the two references to "scout" was replaced with "hikers" (uncapitalized), and the second with "cool guy".

Pokémon Nicknames#

POFINAL.XLS is a spreadsheet containing the names of all Pokémon, characters, moves, and the likes, both in Japanese and English. While labeled as "final", the sixth sheet does contain a difference, which may indicate a last-second change. Indeed, the nickname of the in-game trade Nidorina is listed as "BOB", instead of "TERRY". This was likely a mistake, confusing Nidorino and Nidorina.

Still on the topic of in-game trade Pokémon, this sheet also has localized names for the trades from Japanese Blue. These never wound up getting used, as Red and Blue uses the in-game trades from Red and Green (only with Nidoran♀ replaced with Nidoran♂, for some reason). Interestingly, MYMO, while not in all caps, would later be used as the nickname for the in-game Mr. Mime trade in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

System Text #1#

その他テキスト.txt (literally "ExtraText.txt") contains some amount of system text, which includes types, status effect, and various menu messages/prompts. These are listed with both the original Japanese, as well as with preliminary translations. Most of these changes are down to word-shortenings, with one of the most noteworthy differences being the player's name having ten characters, whereas in the final games this was changed to seven. This would have likely caused too many issues with dialogue boxes, as even here the Trainer Card info would spill out of the screen. The term "POKéDEX" also doesn’t seem to have been thought of when that document was written.

As for the early battle prompts, a later iteration of them can be seen in early TV adverts.

ＰＬＡＹＥＲ　＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
ＮＯ．　ＯＦ　ＢＡＤＧＥＳ　　　＊
ＣＡＰＴＵＲＥＤ　　　　　　＊＊＊
ＰＬＡＹ　ＴＩＭＥ　　　＊＊：＊＊

PLAYER　*******
BADGES        *
POKéDEX       *
TIME      **:**

ＮＡＭＥＳ
＞ＹＯＵＲ　ＮＡＭＥ

NAME
＞NEW NAME

＞ＤＥＰＯＳＩＴ
　ＣＡＮＣＥＬ

＞HEAL
　CANCEL

＞ＢＵＹ
　ＳＥＬＬ
　ＪＵＳＴ　ＬＯＯＫＩＮＧ

＞BUY
　SELL
　QUIT

＞ずかん
　ＰＯＫＥＭＯＮ
　ＩＴＥＭ
　ＳＡＶＥ
　ＯＰＴＩＯＮ
　ＥＸＩＴ

＞POKéDEX
　POKéMON
　ITEM
　SAVE
　OPTION
　EXIT

ＥＮＣＯＵＮＴＥＲＳ
ＣＡＰＴＵＲＥＤ

SEEN
OWN

＞ＤＡＴＡ
　ＣＲＹ
　ＴＥＲＩＴＯＲＹ
　ＣＡＮＣＥＬ

＞DATA
　CRY
　AREA
　QUIT

＞ＳＴＡＴＵＳ
　ＳＷＩＴＣＨ
　ＣＡＮＣＥＬ

＞STATS
　SWITCH
　CANCEL

ＮＡＭＥ／＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊　＃＃＃＃
ＭＯＮＥＹ／＄＊＊＊＊＊　　　　＃＃＃＃
ＰＬＡＹ　ＴＩＭＥ／＊＊：＊＊  ＃＃＃＃

NAME/*******　####
MONEY/₽*****　####
TIME/  **:**　####

＞ＦＧＨＴ　ＩＴＭ
　ＰＫＭＮ　ＲＵＮ

＞FIGHT　PKMN
　ITEM　 RUN

＞ＷＩＴＨＤＲＡＷ　ＰＯＫＥ
　ＤＥＰＯＳＩＴ　ＰＯＫＥ
　ＲＥＬＥＡＳＥ　ＰＯＫＥ
　ＳＥＥ　ＹＡ！

＞WITHDRAW PKMN
　DEPOSIT PKMN
　RELEASE PKMN
　SEE YA!

ＢＯＸ　ＮＯ．  ＊

BOX No.  *

ＴＲＡＮＳＭＩＴＴＩＮＧ！

Waiting…!

＞ＴＲＡＤＥ
　ＣＡＮＳＥＬ

＞TRADE
　CANCEL

System Text #2#

The POFINAL.XLS spreadsheet also contains some early bits of text in the twelfth sheet.

FGHT

FIGHT

DONE

CANCEL

ATTK
DFND
SPD
SPCL

ATTACK
DEFENSE
SPEED
SPECIAL

WAITING...

Waiting...!

TRADE COMPLETED!

Trade completed!

TRADE CANCELED

CANCEL

NIGHT SPOT

ROCKET GAME CORNER

UNKNOWN DUNGEON

CERULEAN CAVE

Interestingly, Cerulean Cave is referred to as Unknown Dungeon (its Japanese name) in the official game manuals, as well as several guidebooks. Additionally, this early name for Cerulean Cave was eventually reused as the name of the cave Mewtwo is found in in Pokémon X and Y.