Regional Differences

This is a sub-page of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Arcade).

To do: There are some more text changes to be documented, including but not limited to challenge mode text, character win quotes, and possibly story mode text as well.

Regional Differences#

Depending on which region the game is set to, there are some differences, mostly in removing/replacing Japanese text. All text changes are universal throughout all the non-Japanese regions, as are audio changes for the most part excepting the Asian and Korean regions, detailed below.

Text Changes#

KO Screen#

The KO screen provided more of an explanation concerning the losing character's defeat. The kanji used "再起不能" (saikifunou) typically means "out of commission", or "beyond recovery". The furigana (small text above) provided, however, is "リタイヤ" (ritaiya, as in retired) in katakana.

Japanese	International

Silver Chariot Requiem#

Polnareff's "Silver Chariot Requiem" super puts the opponent to sleep. The effect bubble emitted from the opponent while sleeping was translated from "スースー" (Su- Su-; snoring onomatopoeia) to "ZzZ ZzZ".

Japanese	International

New Challenger Screen#

The text for the "Here Comes A New Challenger!!" screen is different in the international regions. Not only is the text different, there's also multiple variations of the text in the Japanese version whereas international versions alter in favor of a single, universal text.

In the Japanese version, if you're playing one of the crusaders, the text is "新手のスタンド使いか！" (A new stand user!?)

If playing a male villain character, the text is "何者だ！？" (Who are you!?) if playing a female villain, the text is slightly altered to "何者！？" Same meaning, but the particle だ is omitted to give the phrase a more feminine edge.

In international versions, the text reads "Here comes a new challenger!!" regardless of character choice.

Japanese	International

Audio Changes#

To do: Document voicelines only heard in the Asian/Korean regions of the game. Black Polnareff and Avdol have one each, and possibly other characters do as well.

• Daniel J. D'Arby's line on the continue screen was also changed between versions. In other versions of the game, he asks"Gēmu o tsuzukeru kana?" ("Shall we continue the game?") while in the English versions, he asks "Continue?" The text at the top is also replaced to reflect the changes.
• In the Asian versions, most Japanese voicelines are removed or replaced with grunts or English voicelines, though a couple Japanese phrases slip through the cracks (Avdol and Rubber Soul saying "hora!", for instance). This is the result of a South Korean censorship law active at the time, and is present in other games of the era like Street Fighter III's Asian/Korean regions.

Default Service Settings#

• In the international versions, Regulation is turned on by default.
• The Asia and Korea regions have the default difficulty setting set to 8, while every other region has it set to 2.

Regulation Changes#

When regulation is turned on, there are some censorship changes. Also just some random changes.

Blood Palette Change#

With regulation on, all blood effects in the game are changed from red to white. Mortal Kombat sweat, anyone? Despite being a censorship measure, the sprays of white can lead to even more unfortunate implications that will not be spoken of here. Not a good decision.

Dio's Death Animation#

To do: Possibly get gifs to better show the animations.

When Dio is killed at the end of the crusaders' story modes, he has a special animation of him splitting open and exploding violently... in the uncensored version, that is. With regulation turned on, he will simply fly offscreen when hit by the crusader.

Regular	Censored

Chaka's Sword Color#

One rather bizarre (no pun intended) change when regulation is active is that Chaka's sword color changes, making it look like a piece of cardboard. Not a change that makes much sense in and of itself, and even moreso when you consider that Khan and Black Polnareff (who canonically utilize the same sword) have it as the standard color. This may be an oversight resulting from them being added after Venture, as Chaka's cardboard sword is present in that version as well.

Regular	Censored

Khan the Radioactive Cow#

This one is almost certainly just an oversight. In the regulated version, Khan's "child mode" as a cow ends up being totally green. This happens regardless of what palette Khan is normally.

Regular	Censored

N'Doul Stage#

When playing the N'Doul stage in story mode, several prone bodies litter the background. Among them is a dead Speedwagon Foundation helicopter pilot. This character was removed from the censored version of the game. This is because not long after you start the stage, N'Doul's stand, Geb, attacks the pilot's beeping wristwatch and cuts his hand off.

To do: This one is also likely due a gif, if possible.

N'Doul stage start in US/Censored version	N'Doul stage in JP/Uncensored version with dead pilot

Geb attacks...	And cuts the pilot's hand off like in the manga

Airplane Stage#

To do: And a couple more images for this one. Capturing the full stage for the censored version may be tricky, since the BG Check in the development menu only seems to display the uncensored version.

The airplane (Tower of Gray) stage is much gorier in the uncensored version, with the passengers' tongues ripped out, and blood writing on the left wall. The censored version drastically changes the stage's appearance, with the passengers simply sitting and/or sleeping and no blood present.