The Localization of Super Mario Kart: My Thoughts

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Like many children in 1992 I played Super Mario Kart. It was an amazing game, with great graphics and fun, addictive gameplay.  And while it’s been awhile since I played it or any of the sequels honestly think the original looks more enjoyable than many of them.  I wonder if my childhood would have been ruined by Japanese text and Peach drinking champagne?

There is an unwillingness among some to admit what the market is for console gaming. While many if not most children continue to play videogames, adult gamers, who play games from old style Mario to The Evil Within 2, have outnumbered them. This denial of reality is perhaps even more pronounced among regulators, who continue to hold a perspective towards video games from the 80’s and 90’s: that these are children’s games rather than works of art and that they should be treated, and regulated as such.

Adults, and even teenagers to some extent, are capable of understanding the difference between fiction and reality and understanding what it means to view a product of a different culture.  They do not require the constant handholding and protection of authority figures.

Looking back, the minor changes to things like the victory animations might seem tertiary and innocuous, but it is from such humble beginnings that we get arrive at the state of localization today, where cultural sensitivity and ratings are considered just as, if not more important than accurately translating the game. I doubt the industry will ever put artistic integrity over profit, but there can be shifts in which courses of action are perceived as profitable. If gamers demand properly translated games then developers will respond.

As for the various adjustments to art and improvements to the menu, I hold a different view. if game developers want to improve memory or adjust distorted art then that makes some sense, particularly early in a game’s life cycle. While some might object to art touch ups at all, games are an interactive experience and art upgrades can enhance this, provided they are in keeping with the creator’s intent.

Writing about the localization of these old games in interesting.  The changes are often very straightforward, and simple. It’s easy to see how the same principles that went into editing these games express themselves in bigger projects. And I enjoy getting the word out to people that these kinds of things are happening

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-Gedaemon