Playing JRPGs that weren't localized

[TheGameFan]

How do you play JRPGs that weren't localized?
Obviously learning Japanese is the best way, but aside from that, which method do you use to play?
I just picked up a bunch of SFC games and I tried using an old Android phone with Google Translate. It worked for the most part, but the translation was usually incomplete and it was time consuming.
There are fan translated "scripts" you can download, correct? If so, how does this work on a non-linear game?
The best way is probably to use a fan translation on an Everdrive, correct?

[BoneSnapDeez]

You know about translation patches? Right?

If you own a Retron 5 you can put the patches on an SD card and then play the actual Super Famicom carts in English.

[TheGameFan]

I was wondering how those worked.
Not a particular fan of the Retron 5 though. I like the accuracy and compatibility of the original hardware.

[Nemoide]

I'd say fan translation on an Everdrive is probably your best bet, when they exist.

I know I got part of the way through Sakura Wars on Saturn using a "translation guide" I printed off (there are no translation patches) and it was a pretty annoying chore to go between my papers and the game, so I gave up. Still, I sometimes think I should give it another go...

[Exhuminator]

I was wondering how those worked.

There are tons of English fan translations of Japanese games available for myriad platforms and genres.

Here are two links to get you started:

http://fantasyanime.com/patching
http://www.romhacking.net/?page=transla ... ssearch=Go

Being a fan of actual hardware makes enjoying said translations a little trickier / more expensive though.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Not a particular fan of the Retron 5 though. I like the accuracy and compatibility of the original hardware.

I hear ya. But the fact of the matter is that there is currently no way to load a fan translation on a Super Famicom or SNES with a legit Super Famicom cart. You'll need repro carts, an Everdrive, or Retron 5. No matter how you slice it at least one aspect won't be "original."

The Retron 5 is damn near 100% compatibility and accuracy and has inputs for SNES controllers and of course is region-free. It's my preferred choice because it's the only way that allows one to play legit Super Fami (or whatever) carts in English.

I guess it's a question of how much owning the original game cartridges means to you.

[Sarge]

I use the SD2SNES for my translated game stuff. Otherwise, it's emulation, and sometimes I emulate SNES still as well, just to get some access to ease-of-use save states and such.

I'm still mulling over snagging a Retron 5. I just haven't been able to really prioritize it, I suppose. I'm sure if I did get one, I'd be tracking down quite a few Japanese RPG carts.

[Exhuminator]

Thanks to ubiquitous HDMI port support in PCs these days, it's a trivial thing to hook one up to an HDTV. Then it's a trivial thing to buy a Buffalo SNES controller off of Amazon. Another trivial thing is to run SNES9X on said PC with said controller and play the night away. And it's trivial to patch a Japanese ROM to play in SNES9X. It's trivial to match your PCs resolution's output to your HDTV's own native resolution and then have SNES9X scale the window to a nice big size with proper aspect ratio. Did I mention these things are trivial? Because it's trivial yo.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Any reason for me to get a Buffalo SNES controller if I already have a Super SmartJoy?

[TSTR]

Any reason for me to get a Buffalo SNES controller if I already have a Super SmartJoy?

Less cabley.