What's your real Japanese name?

Post by **big_smile** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:35 am

According to Sega, the Mega Collection strategy guide is the official handbook for Sonic fans. Having finally managed to obtain a copy, I can confirm that the claim is slightly exaggerated – there is no story line time line, continuity guide or any of the other explanations you would expect in a fan handbook. However, it does contain virtually every name of all the characters from the Mega Drive games.

Today we’ll be looking at the really cool stuff:

Robot names
This scan contains the names of the three robots we didn’t know: Hyu-doo (ghost) Otsukun (block-bot in Sandopolis) Iwamodoki (Lava Reef Rock-bot) (Those translations are probably inaccurate).

The other names don’t need scanning, as we already know them. Incidentally, the robots from Sonic 3D and Spinball aren’t given names. I guess this must mean they never had any, as even the enemies from Comix Zone have their names listed.

Super Tails
In Sonic 2, it’s possible to use debug to access a Chaos Emerald powered version of Tails. I always thought it was a bug, but Sonic Team have chosen to christen the character with the official name, ‘Super Tails’. I personally don’t like the name as the Super Emerald version of Tails has the same alias.

Character Profiles
Knuckles’ profile is intriguing as it mentions both the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald. In Sonic 3 it was explicitly stated that the gullible one was the guardian of a set of Chaos Emeralds. However, in later games this fact was ignored (presumably, because his set was destroyed at the start of Sonic 3), although some games did make reference to his connection with the Chaos Emeralds. It would be great if we could get a translation of this, to see if it mentions his former guardian status (the Mega Collection menu screens implicitly references it, but an explicit comment would be pleasing).

Hidden Palace
This map of Hidden Palace references the Super Emeralds, even though they don’t actually appear in the solo version of Sonic & Knuckles (which the map is a guide for).The Super Emeralds are mentioned both in the opening and in the caption where Eggman is stealing the Master Emerald. Again, a translation (or even just a gist) of these two elements would be fantastic, to see if we can learn any more about these mysterious gems and any connection they may have to the Master Emerald.

More Super Emeralds
There are more Super Emeralds references in these maps for the solo version of Sonic & Knuckles. Again, a translation (or even just a gist) of the paragraph on the top right page might help to remove some of the enigma surrounding the Super Emeralds.

Hyper Characters
This describes the Hyper Characters – could there be any story information contained in it?

Sonic & Knuckles Story
A brief summary of Sonic & Knuckles – A quick translation gist of this would be handy, if only to see if it explains any details about Knuckles’ story in the game.

Flicky
Flicky and Mean Bean Machine are the only games that don’t have level maps. Flicky only has a one page guide, which I posted because Crazy Penguin really likes the game (I think).

Sadly, Flicky’s animal brethren weren’t invited to the naming party, even though there was plenty of space in the guide for some animal friend profiles. A moment of silence is necessary as it seems that Sonic Team only have enough love for Eggman’s enemies in these post-Mega Drive days (no wonder Flicky defected in Sonic Advance 2). Hopefully, their Sonic X cameo is a sign that a revival is planned.

More coming soon (er, hopefully, the book is so big that it is very difficult to scan) together with ordering details.

^_^

hello.jpg · Post by **hello.jpg** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 9:09 am

Nice to hear that they've released something like this, especially as the old Sonic Jam game guide is now out of print, and quite hard to nab on eBay. Ordering details will be most appreciated.

Any other changes that we need to know about, such as <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... on</a>ning of any sort (I'm mainly thinking of the Mecha Sonic names here)?

chriscaffee · Post by **chriscaffee** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:20 am

The Sandopolis guy is "Rokkun." When the "tsu" is small it is romanized as a double constant by whatever follows it.

Awesome scans by the way. Seriously where do you get all this stuff?

Post by **Crazy Penguin** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:01 am

I can't believe the game covered the debug mode super form switcheroo.

Are there any boss names?

What are the names of the Sonic 3 enemies? Are all of the Sonic 3 enemies mentioned? The Sonic 3 manual only had only a handful of enemies and their names matched the US names, whereas the Sonic 3 strategy guide had all of the enemies with distinctly Japanese names.

Thanks for the Flicky page scan. The US/EU version of the Mega Drive game had altered names for every character apart from Flicky (Nyannyan became Tiger etc). I wasn't sure if Japan got the same version on the Mega Drive or if it had the original arcade game names. This scan confirms that Japan got the original arcade game names.

Post by **Esrever** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:27 pm

big_smile wrote:The other names donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t need scanning, as we already know them. Incidentally, the robots from Sonic 3D and Spinball arenÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t given names. I guess this must mean they never had any, as even the enemies from Comix Zone have their names listed.

But the enemies from Spinball are all named in the American manual. I mean, I know that they are English, but so were the folks who made the game. Any Japanese names would just be translations derived from the originals, just like the silly English names for the enemies from Sonic 1 through 3&K.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:09 pm

Wait, so there are level maps for all of the old Sonic games? Because if so, then this is gold, I've been looking for something like that for years. I also request ordering details.

As for Spinball, don't they give you the actual enemy names in the game? Whenever you bop one it says something cute at the top of the screen like "Buster busted" or "Ferron attack" or something. Except they seem to apply the name "Buster" to several different enemies...

Post by **G.Silver** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:29 am

All the text refers specifically how to play the game. If it's next to a picture of Super Knuckles, it tells you how to use him. If it's next to a chaos emerald, it tells you how to get them, etc etc. The "story" page is actually just an introduction to S&K, and it explains that Sonic and Knuckles both start in different areas of most stages.

However, in Knuckles' little character blurb, ambiguously states that he "guards the Master Emerald which powered up the Chaos Emeralds." I don't know if that's what you wanted to hear or not.

If there are maps of every stage, I'm pretty keen on knowing how you got it too, but mostly I just want to how they handled the map of Scrap Brain act 2.

Post by **Esrever** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:39 am

They definitely give SOME of the enemy names in game in Spinball... I can't remember if they do for all of them. But if there's anything that isn't covered in game it's in the manual's level descriptions.

I'd like to see the level maps, too!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:54 am

Why, if they gave all that info. on a Game Pro magazine the time the game was released???

How do I know??? Because I remember I owned that magazine.

Dark Dolphin · Post by **Dark Dolphin** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:36 pm

The "Super Tails" in Sonic 2 was pretty cool. I used to do it with my brother all the time when we used to play it. Kind of dumb how it just made Tails look like he had invincibility, but it was still nice to have Tails be just as invulnerable as Sonic and fast too.

Post by **big_smile** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:40 pm

Wait, so there are level maps for all of the old Sonic games? Because if so, then this is gold, I've been looking for something like that for years. I also request ordering details.

It contains level maps for all the platform-based games including Ristar, Comix Zone and The Ooze. (The puzzle games in the collection, Flicky, Mean Bean and Blue Spheres, don't have maps). The maps use an icon system making them very easy to understand for non-Japanese speakers. They even list all the power-ups in the stages and the total number of rings contained.

However, in Knuckles' little character blurb, ambiguously states that he "guards the Master Emerald which powered up the Chaos Emeralds." I don't know if that's what you wanted to hear or not.

It's not what I wanted, but it is still a very important finding. It proves that the design changes to the Chaos Emeralds in post-S3&K games were intentional, as is the pattern of the Emeralds growing when placed next to the Master Emerald in SA 1/2, but shrinking when removed away from it. (It's like the equivalent of finding out that humans were a deliberate creation weren't just the result of a random or accidental process).

Does the caption next to the image of Eggman stealing the Master Emerald on the Hidden Palace page have any story related information (it mentions the Super Emeralds) or does it merely tell you how to obtain the Emeralds?

If there are maps of every stage, I'm pretty keen on knowing how you got it too, but mostly I just want to how they handled the map of Scrap Brain act 2

It is difficult to scan as the spine of the book casts a shadow over the pages. Here is what I managed to do.

Are there any boss names?

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What are the names of the Sonic 3 enemies? Are all of the Sonic 3 enemies mentioned? The Sonic 3 manual only had only a handful of enemies and their names matched the US names, whereas the Sonic 3 strategy guide had all of the enemies with distinctly Japanese names.

The robot information is identical to the scans Bakari posted from the Sonic 3 strategy guide. They even use the same pictures!

Awesome scans by the way. Seriously where do you get all this stuff?

The Heroes and Adventure DX strategy guide ordering information was posted a while back, but I'll paste it here again:

Official Sega Sonic Heroes strategy guide
$18.82(USA)/Ã‚Â£10.36(UK)

Official Sonic Team Sonic Heroes strategy guide
$21.82(USA)/Ã‚Â£12.01(UK)

Official Sonic Team Sonic Adventure DX strategy guide
$19.09(USA)/Ã‚Â£10.51(UK)

I'll post the Mega Collection ordering information as soon as I receive it (they aren't selling the guide to everyone just yet. I got it first, because I suggested it to them!)

Nice to hear that they've released something like this, especially as the old Sonic Jam game guide is now out of print, and quite hard to nab on eBay. Ordering details will be most appreciated.

I did try very hard to get Yes Asia to stock the Sonic Jam guide, but sadly it is out of print. I really wanted that one :(

^_^

Post by **Segaholic2** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 3:53 pm

*GASP*

HE FROWNED <I>!!</I>

Post by **G.Silver** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:47 am

Does the caption next to the image of Eggman stealing the Master Emerald on the Hidden Palace page have any story related information (it mentions the Super Emeralds) or does it merely tell you how to obtain the Emeralds?

It does, but it only explains what is happening in the picture--"After defeating Knuckles, Eggman appears! Knuckles tries to protect the Master Emerald..."

Thanks for the scrap brain scan, but yeah, too bad it had to be split like that (quite small too). I was hoping they might have a comment on the section at the upper right, which is (as far as I know) only accessible by debug code. You can get to the 1up and stuff (shown in the details box) but the area above it, well, I tried but could never manage it. :/

j-man · Post by **j-man** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 6:36 am

chriscaffee wrote:The Sandopolis guy is "Rokkun."

...doesn't that mean, like, Mr. Rock or something cute like that?

Neo Yi · Post by **Neo Yi** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 7:05 am

Wait, so there are level maps for all of the old Sonic games? Because if so, then this is gold, I've been looking for something like that for years. I also request ordering details.

That takes me back to when I was still a kid and Sonic 3 was the newest Sonic game. I remember seeing a full, nice map of Ice Cap Zone...ahhh, memories.
~Neo

j-man · Post by **j-man** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 8:36 am

The maps in this SONCI III L33T GU1D3!!1 book I had once were fucked. They printed the same pages twice or even three times, and the seam in the middle sometimes mysteriously engulfed almost half the stage and cut right to the end. That pissed me off, but only in a completist "I want my books in pristine condition" way. The actual maps just confused me and I could complete the game blindfolded anyway. Even at age 8. Even with the Carnival Night barrel.

Psxphile · Post by **Psxphile** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:36 am

Even with the Carnival Night barrel.

LIES.

Neo Yi · Post by **Neo Yi** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:52 am

Even at age 8. Even with the Carnival Night barrel.

What is it about that barrel that gets people stuck on? I admit, I was a slow kid when I was that young, but I've never been stuck on that stage...irony?
~Neo

Post by **big_smile** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:07 pm

Thanks for the scrap brain scan, but yeah, too bad it had to be split like that (quite small too). I was hoping they might have a comment on the section at the upper right, which is (as far as I know) only accessible by debug code. You can get to the 1up and stuff (shown in the details box) but the area above it, well, I tried but could never manage it. :

Oops! I uploaded the wrong scan.
You can find a bigger scan here.

I also took a few pictures of the centre area with a digital camera, which makes it easier to see:
Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3

It does, but it only explains what is happening in the picture--"After defeating Knuckles, Eggman appears! Knuckles tries to protect the Master Emerald..."

Thanks for that ^_^. It seems odd that they mentioned the Super Emeralds in that caption as they only have an ornamental role in the scene. Does the caption say anything about the Super Emeralds activating, powering-up or releasing the Master Emerald and making it easier for Eggman to seal it?

The maps in this SONCI III L33T GU1D3!!1 book I had once were fucked. They printed the same pages twice or even three times, and the seam in the middle sometimes mysteriously engulfed almost half the stage and cut right to the end. That pissed me off, but only in a completist "I want my books in pristine condition" way.

Apparently every copy was printed with those mistakes. I think the Ice Cap maps were even incomplete.

^_^

Neo Yi · Post by **Neo Yi** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:33 pm

Apparently every copy was printed with those mistakes. I think the Ice Cap maps were even incomplete.

Interesting...well, I wouldn't have noticed. I was like 10 when I first saw the Ice Cap map in some random game magazine. I only actually started to gain some intelligence when I was about 13...
~Neo

j-man · Post by **j-man** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 5:24 pm

Psxphile wrote:LIES.

Post by **Delphine** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 7:25 pm

*stabs j-man*

Psxphile · Post by **Psxphile** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 8:16 pm

*holds him down*

Baba O'Reily · Post by **Baba O'Reily** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:02 pm

Damned internet signs. Next you'll be wanting a SIGNATURE.

Neo Yi · Post by **Neo Yi** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:45 pm

*looks around...kicks J-man and runs like hell*
~Neo

The GHZ Forum

What's your real Japanese name?

What's your real Japanese name?

Re: What's your real Japanese name?

Guuuh... HAL JORDAN!!!