An old game is getting a fresh coat of paint and some new trimmings. Back in 2006, a Phantasy Star translation patch translating the game was released by SMS Power!, keeping in some original Japanese content, and adjusting menu and window displays was released. Now, an updated version of that fan translation has been released by the group. This new release adds a newly translated script from Video Game History Foundation Founder and Curator and former Digital Eclipse Head of Restoration Frank Cifaldi, cheats, and quality of life adjustments.
Here is the announcement, which was made by Cifaldi himself. He noted the updates and shared screenshots showing some of the changes.
Phantasy Star re-translation 2.0 just dropped today, 14 years after the original! We got the band back together and improved everything:
– Completely re-written script by me
– FM audio support
– Sound test
– Quality of life options
– HAIR COLOR TOGGLEhttps://t.co/rNJArGiXnL pic.twitter.com/9ZUlM7U1Qf
— Frank Cifaldi ate all your snacks (@frankcifaldi) May 26, 2020
While the newly translated script is a big draw, some of the other changes are just as notable. People now have a sound test option in the main menu that lets them hear different tracks and sound chips. There are different font options that can be selected in the options. The menus have been expanded, so selections and item names can appear in full.
There have also been some “cheats” added that can be enabled in options. In addition to being able to change the hair color of Alis, called Alisa here, and determine your font, you can also adjust different gameplay elements. You can speed up the walking speed, determine how much experience and meseta you earn after fights, and choose how often battles appear.
Here are some screenshots from the new Phantasy Star translation patch.
Phantasy Star originally appeared on the Sega Master System worldwide. It also eventually appeared on systems like the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, and Sega Saturn in various regions, thanks to rereleases and compilations. Most recently, it received a Sega Ages update, which brought it to the Nintendo Switch worldwide with features like a built-in map.
