Sequels with completely different titles
Nov 15, 2018 15:38:20 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Nov 15, 2018 15:38:20 GMT -5
Instead of this just being a list thread, maybe it would be include to add some thoughts as to why some of these were changed? Some of these aren't really "sequel" either. For example:
Tower of Druaga > Return of Ishtar > Quest of Ki
Though these titles are all related, they play completely differently. Labeling them Druaga 2 and 3 (or even adding subtitles) would create different expectations.
Xevious > Solvalou
Completely different game. At least the Xevious 3D game kinda plays like Xevious.
Afterburner > G-LOC: Air Battle
These games play completely differently despite sharing many similarities. There's also little point in naming a sequel when this, at least in its arcade incarnation, was more of an amusement ride.
Rocket Knight Adventures > Sparkster (SNES)
Most of these mascot games had the character's name in the title and it was kind of unusual that Rocket Knight Adventures didn't, so it seems like they tried to standardize this for the sequels. Plus, the first game was Genesis only and the sequel was multi-platform.
Tail Concerto > Solatorobo
Isn't this more like a spiritual successor from a different company?
Joe & Mac > Congo's Caper (Tatakae Genshijin 2 in Japan)
A curious problem in the localization of the original title - since Joe & Mac aren't in this game, they couldn't use the name.
Commando > Mercs (though in Japan it's Senjo No Okami II)
I surmised that Capcom may have run into trouble since Commando the game came out around the same time as the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie and someone somewhere felt there could've been some confusion, just not enough to have any legal action filed. So I think they changed the name to avoid that for the sequel.
Gradius > Salamander
These are completely different games that share some commonalities (that became closer with each revision).
Parasite Eve > The 3rd Birthday
Square-Enix lost the license to the book/movie the original game was based on but still used the character Aya, since it was their original creation.
Fortified Zone > Operation Logic Bomb
The original game was Game Boy only so I think they wanted to avoid putting out a sequel to game on a portable platform.
Koudelka > Shadow Hearts
These are separate franchises that play completely differently, and are only connected by loose storyline reasons. Koudelka itself was not particularly popular or well-regarded.
Another World > Heart of the Alien
"Out of This World Parts I & II" are listed on the packaging. There are a few cases where what would otherwise be a subtitle is made the main title for the sake of marketing (you can see this with Day of the Tentacle too).
Gargoyle's Quest > Demon's Crest
I think marketing just realized that "Demon's Crest" just sounded cooler. It's a little closer to the original Japanese title too.
Shinobi (PS2) > Nightshade
This has been one of the most baffling. Even the original Japanese title was different but some loose association can be made, but "kunoichi" is not a widely understood word in English, even though they probably could've used it. Nightshade is incredibly generic.
No One Lives Forever > Contract JACK
Spinoff starring a different character, totally different vibe.
Contra > Super C
Konami rode the headlines by associating with the Iran-Contra scandal for the first game but somehow got cold feet with the NES version of the sequel? No one is really clear.
Tower of Druaga > Return of Ishtar > Quest of Ki
Though these titles are all related, they play completely differently. Labeling them Druaga 2 and 3 (or even adding subtitles) would create different expectations.
Xevious > Solvalou
Completely different game. At least the Xevious 3D game kinda plays like Xevious.
Afterburner > G-LOC: Air Battle
These games play completely differently despite sharing many similarities. There's also little point in naming a sequel when this, at least in its arcade incarnation, was more of an amusement ride.
Rocket Knight Adventures > Sparkster (SNES)
Most of these mascot games had the character's name in the title and it was kind of unusual that Rocket Knight Adventures didn't, so it seems like they tried to standardize this for the sequels. Plus, the first game was Genesis only and the sequel was multi-platform.
Tail Concerto > Solatorobo
Isn't this more like a spiritual successor from a different company?
Joe & Mac > Congo's Caper (Tatakae Genshijin 2 in Japan)
A curious problem in the localization of the original title - since Joe & Mac aren't in this game, they couldn't use the name.
Commando > Mercs (though in Japan it's Senjo No Okami II)
I surmised that Capcom may have run into trouble since Commando the game came out around the same time as the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie and someone somewhere felt there could've been some confusion, just not enough to have any legal action filed. So I think they changed the name to avoid that for the sequel.
Gradius > Salamander
These are completely different games that share some commonalities (that became closer with each revision).
Parasite Eve > The 3rd Birthday
Square-Enix lost the license to the book/movie the original game was based on but still used the character Aya, since it was their original creation.
Fortified Zone > Operation Logic Bomb
The original game was Game Boy only so I think they wanted to avoid putting out a sequel to game on a portable platform.
Koudelka > Shadow Hearts
These are separate franchises that play completely differently, and are only connected by loose storyline reasons. Koudelka itself was not particularly popular or well-regarded.
Another World > Heart of the Alien
"Out of This World Parts I & II" are listed on the packaging. There are a few cases where what would otherwise be a subtitle is made the main title for the sake of marketing (you can see this with Day of the Tentacle too).
Gargoyle's Quest > Demon's Crest
I think marketing just realized that "Demon's Crest" just sounded cooler. It's a little closer to the original Japanese title too.
Shinobi (PS2) > Nightshade
This has been one of the most baffling. Even the original Japanese title was different but some loose association can be made, but "kunoichi" is not a widely understood word in English, even though they probably could've used it. Nightshade is incredibly generic.
No One Lives Forever > Contract JACK
Spinoff starring a different character, totally different vibe.
Contra > Super C
Konami rode the headlines by associating with the Iran-Contra scandal for the first game but somehow got cold feet with the NES version of the sequel? No one is really clear.