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In video games, an international version is a relocalized version of a previously released title in its native territory that has gained additional features and contents in foreign releases. While the concept of "international versions" in North American, European, and Australian games is virtually non-existent, it is quite popular in Japanese games, where games are often given additional features by the developers when they are exported to other markets.
A few, if not most, developers are content with simply adapting the foreign version domestically (even if the only difference is relatively superficial, such as translating text and voice dialogue into a local language).
History
The earliest known "International Version" of a game in Japan was the arcade title Mikie: High School Graffiti (released in 1984), which was a relocalized version of a game released in the Mikie, which in turn was an Americanized version of a previously released Konami game titled Shinnyūshain Tōru-kun (新入社員とおるくん, lit. "Freshman Employee Tōru").
Konami conducted a similar practice in 1987 with the rerelease of the arcade title Salamander in Japan under the title of Life Force.
Examples
- Animal Crossing, re-released in Japan as "Dōbutsu no Mori e-Plus"
- Biohazard 2: Dual Shock Ver., contained "USA Version mode" as a new difficulty setting.
- De La Jet Set Radio
- Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII International
- Dissidia: Final Fantasy Universal Tuning
- Final Fantasy VII International
- Final Fantasy X International
- Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission
- Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System
- Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix
- Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+
- Life Force, arcade rerelease of Salamander using North American title.
- Metal Gear Solid: Integral
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
- Mikie: High School Graffiti, arcade rerelease of Shinyûshain Tôru-kun based on American version.
- Shadow Hearts 2: Director's Cut
- US Shenmue
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES
- Sonic Adventure International
- Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time Directors Cut
- Star Ocean: The Last Hope International, PlayStation 3-exclusive re-release with new content. It will also be released in NA and Europe.
- Super Mario USA
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