Neo Geo Korean version differences

wyo

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Is there a definitive list of Korean versions that have substantive differences (ie. unique ROM sets)?

Some Korean games are identical other than the labels and packaging materials. I think it would be useful to have a reference so people could know which games are changed or censored and which ones are functionally identical.

Known Korean label variants:
Breakers
Fight Fever
King of Fighters '96
King of Fighters '97
King of Fighters '98
Last Blade (Last Soldier)
Last Blade 2 (Last Soldier 2)
Ninja Masters
Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2
Samurai Shodown 2 (Saulabi Spirits)
Samurai Shodown 3 (Fighters Swords)
Samurai Shodown 4 (Legend of a Warrior)
Shock Troopers
Stakes Winner
Waku Waku 7

Possible/Unsure:
King of Fighters '99
King of Fighters 2001
King of Fighters 2002
Money Puzzle Exchanger
Stakes Winner 2

Confirmed games with unique Korean-only ROMs:
Samurai Shodown 2 (Saulabi Spirits) - no intro music/sound, white blood (can turn on red in Unibios), different title screen, etc
Spoiler:
DSC02654.JPG

Samurai Spirits 3 (Fighters Swords) - title screen
Samurai Shodown 4 (Legend of a Warrior) - title screen, white blood, no intro, missing voice samples, etc
Last Blade (Last Soldier) - title screen
Last Blade 2 (Last Soldier 2) - title screen, no blood, no start up demo, missing voice samples
Real Bout Fatal Fury Special - White blood, missing voice samples

Metal Slug 4 was manufactured in Korea but does not have a separate Korean version.

I have a Korean King of Fighters 2002 kit but it appears to be the standard US cart.

Please add or correct any games you own or know to exist.
 
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bubba966

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I've got a red VIC-A shelled Slug 3. But the label is a standard Slug 3 holo label unlike the shocked poopers I've got that's also got a red Korean label to go with the VIC-A red shell.
 

ack

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You are missing

Quiz Daisousa Sen
Quiz King of Fighters

Not that anyone would play those. I think about 1/3 of the korean games have different NGH numbers, usually 1xx numbers. Like Last Blade/Soldier is 134 instead of 234, Quiz Daisousa Sen is 123 instead of 023, etc.

To see a quick glance of korean label games I have come across you can go here

http://www.mvs-scans.com/index.php/Label_Summary

If you goto the individual pages for those korean games and there is only 1 scan for the boards it would imply the boards from the korean cart were the same as US/JP (ie: Breakers)

I no longer have any of them, but the carts that were different should all be in mame.

-ack
 

-SD-

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Any idea which of these games were released as AES versions? In fact, is there any info on what was released on Home Cart in Korea for the Vic-A?

I’d like to see pictures of a Last Soldier Home Cart if such a thing exists...
 

Doom

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Is KoF2001 known to be different or censored in the Korean version? It's the only game I have in Korean version. I don't play it enough to have noticed anything though but curious to know. I figured it would be fine since it was an Eolith game after all.
 

Geddon_jt

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Neat idea. The only Korean AES/home carts I am aware of are English-language KOF 96 and Samurai Showdown 4. They can be identified based upon the poorer-quality paper components and "Made in Korea" embossed on the rear plastic of the cartridge. I am not aware of any gameplay differences although there may be some.

I should add that Korea is the key to the whereabouts of the lost Eye of Typhoon prototype. This was the sequel to Fight Fever which for some reason was very popular in Korea, and Eye of Typhoon got a Korean-exclusive 3do release. Plus the Neo version was featured in Korean magazines at the time.
 
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evil wasabi

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Neat idea. The only Korean AES/home carts I am aware of are English-language KOF 96 and Samurai Showdown 4. They can be identified based upon the poorer-quality paper components and "Made in Korea" embossed on the rear plastic of the cartridge. I am not aware of any gameplay differences although there may be some.

I should add that Korea is the key to the whereabouts of the lost Eye of Typhoon prototype. This was the sequel to Fight Fever which for some reason was very popular in Korea, and Eye of Typhoon got a Korean-exclusive 3do release. Plus the Neo version was featured in Korean magazines at the time.

Some differences I remember from korean versions of SSIV were the removed voice track and white blood. In the Korean SSIII I think the name was changed to remove reference to samurai, basically a de-japanizing.
 

SuperGun

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Regarding the most Korean neogeo game of them all (Fight Fever) don’t forget that there were two different MVS rom revisions for the game. And it’s unclear which one was used in the 3 different cartridges. (Japanese, English, Korean)
 

oliverclaude

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Back in the days, I though that Lansquenet 2004 was a Korean version of Shock Troopers 2nd Squad, this thread cleared that. I still wondered about the name, though...

Lansquenet is a card game, named after the French spelling of the German word Landsknecht ('servant of the land or country'), which refers to 15th- and 16th-century German mercenary foot soldiers. It originated during the Thirty Years' War, which was fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648. One of the most destructive conflicts in human history,[14] it resulted in eight million fatalities not only from military engagements but also from violence, famine, and plague. It's played with an Italian pack of 40 cards.

...and 2004? Well, this particular year was designated the International Year of Rice by the United Nations and/or the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition by UNESCO, so, unfortunately, it's a dead end. Maybe 2004 refers to the year of the last official release on the Neo Geo, which was SSVS.
 

SuperGun

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8 million fatalities during that time period in history is quite a large percentage of the Earths population. That’s quite disturbing to hear really.

Any theories on why Bang Bead was re-labeled Bang Progress in some markets? I can’t make any sense out of that one either.
 

city41

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Some differences I remember from korean versions of SSIV were the removed voice track and white blood. In the Korean SSIII I think the name was changed to remove reference to samurai, basically a de-japanizing.

There are two Korean SSIVs, a censored one and an uncensored one. The uncensored one is identical to the US/JPN release as far as the roms are concerned.
 

oliverclaude

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Any theories on why Bang Bead was re-labeled Bang Progress in some markets? I can’t make any sense out of that one either.

I know only the most common, the one FTL told... according to his post, some (presumably) Italian arcade vendor wanted to grift visitors of the Enada, the most important exhibition in Southern Europe dedicated to gaming sector, by relabeling Bang Bead into Bang Progress. The (fake) serials seem to be the same on all carts and boxes: 000578.

The official labels were...
...ripped off [and replaced] with fake labels. [...] the minis [trashed] as well since you were able to read the correct name of the game from them.

...but as you can see in this auction, the original labels seem still to be underneath the fake ones, the minis are not absent. The NeoStore had also a copy once with no official labels underneath, minis not missing. Maybe not every copy has been faked the same way? Anyhow, a lot of questions are still left unanswered.
 

sayadin1315

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there also a Korean AES savage reign that is identical to the jpn/us counterpart.
 

Neo Alec

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I should add that Korea is the key to the whereabouts of the lost Eye of Typhoon prototype. This was the sequel to Fight Fever which for some reason was very popular in Korea, and Eye of Typhoon got a Korean-exclusive 3do release. Plus the Neo version was featured in Korean magazines at the time.
Kim Kaphwan, founder of Viccom, unfortunately passed away last year. R.I.P.

https://twitter.com/VGDensetsu/status/967385431104020480?s=19

Not sure who in Korea we can inquire with about the whereabouts of Eye of Typhoon.
 

NexusX

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SuperGun

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The Eye of Typhoon

Kim Kaphwan, founder of Viccom, unfortunately passed away last year. R.I.P.

https://twitter.com/VGDensetsu/status/967385431104020480?s=19

Not sure who in Korea we can inquire with about the whereabouts of Eye of Typhoon.

I was saving this for a rainy day. And it’s actually raining today. So, yeah.

Late last year, a local collector that I’ve known here for many years introduced me to a Korean friend of his. He visits the USA from time to time, stays for several months, and then returns home. His English is pretty good and we got to talking for a bit. The better part of the conversation was about Fight Fever. He became quite fascinated with it which eventually led to my discussion of The Eye of Typhoon.

His curiosity was definitely peaked that day because in a few weeks he got back to me and informed me that he had since that day been doing painstaking research on the game; including tracking down the whereabouts of it. He sent me a pic that he sourced which described the game (most definitely & specifically the NEOGEO game and NOT the PC or 3DO version btw) which I had never seen before myself. And here it is:
 

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kingcuckmelon1

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I was just about to bring up the topic of Eye of Typhoon but SuperGun got there before me. The dev cart of that game MUST be somewhere in Korea (assuming it hasn't been destroyed) I know we got a 3DO and PC version but I'd love to see how complete the Neo version was. Eye of Typhoon would be one of my most wanted of the proto's.
 

evil wasabi

The Jongmaster
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Posts
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I was saving this for a rainy day. And it’s actually raining today. So, yeah.

Late last year, a local collector that I’ve known here for many years introduced me to a Korean friend of his. He visits the USA from time to time, stays for several months, and then returns home. His English is pretty good and we got to talking for a bit. The better part of the conversation was about Fight Fever. He became quite fascinated with it which eventually led to my discussion of The Eye of Typhoon.

His curiosity was definitely peaked that day because in a few weeks he got back to me and informed me that he had since that day been doing painstaking research on the game; including tracking down the whereabouts of it. He sent me a pic that he sourced which described the game (most definitely & specifically the NEOGEO game and NOT the PC or 3DO version btw) which I had never seen before myself. And here it is:

Honestly, if ever a reason for you to buy a ticket and visit Korea, I think that's it. Thanks for sharing.
 
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