The image differences between NTSC and PALgamesdon’t matter much these days, but they used to be a big deal in the late 20th/early 21st century. Since North America and Europe developed different electrical grids, the former outputs at 60hz while the latter outputs at 50hz. Naturally, PAL games running at 50hz end up introducing certain complications.
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The 60/50hz distinction means that PAL games run at a lower frame rate than their NTSC counterparts, turning classic titles into something borderline unplayable. In some dire cases, the PAL ports of games either change or remove content for the worse – as if to run salt into the wound.
10Super Metroid
Super Metroidis arguably theSNESgame that suffered the most in the conversion to PAL. Going from the silky smooth NTSC release to the PAL version can feel downright painful.Super Metroid’s PAL release is much slower than it should be, lending Samus a weight that errs on clunkiness. For a game whose level design is dependent on tight reflexes and precise platforming,Super Metroid’s PAL release is nothing short of a worst case scenario.
9Sonic The Hedgehog
It goes without saying, but a game likeSonic the Hedgehogjust isn’t going to thrive on a PAL console. The originalSonicfor Sega Genesis was built around the character’s speed and maintaining momentum, arguably more so than later entries due to the lack of the Spin Dash. Since the PAL release is slower, Sonic is harder to control and the level design doesn’t flow as naturally. Sonic runs at what feels like a light jog when he should be moving at the speed of sound.
8Fatal Fury Special
For whatever reason, whileFatal Fury Specialwas developed for a 32-meg cartridge for its NTSC and NTSC-J releases, the PAL version swapped over to a much smaller 24-meg cartridge. Naturally, losing all this space resulted in the European port ofFatal Fury Speciallosing a fair amount of content.
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Roughly five whole levels are cut out of the game including several characters. Not just that, losing space on the cartridge also meant the removal of a few character animations. Consequently, the lack of cartridge space also meansFatal Fury Special’s unlockable character is available right away in the PAL release.
7Tales Of Eternia
It’s worth keeping in mind thatTales of Eterniawas localized on different consoles between NTSC and PAL regions. NTSC regions got the game asTales of Destiny IIwhen it was first released for the PlayStation, whereas PAL regions gotTales of Eterniawhen it was later ported to the PSP. Unfortunately, the original PSP version features a game breaking bug that crashes the game and prevents progression from being made.
6Tekken 3
PAL ports of fighting games always come with some issues. This doesn’t tend to be a problem nowadays, but it briefly was one when the PlayStation Classic was being released. For whatever reason, Sony included the PAL versions of several titles – includingTekken 3. One of the best fighting games on the PlayStation,Tekken 3’s PAL release lacks the fluidity and stability needed to fully appreciate the fighting game. Which really puts into perspective just how mishandled the PlayStation Classic was.
5Devil May Cry
While bothDevil May Cry 2and3feature 60hz conversions for their PAL releases, the originalDevil May Crywasn’t so lucky. The first game’s PAL release was a disaster across the board, failing to convey the full scope ofDevil May Cryat virtually every turn. The screen is framed by thick black borders, the image is slightly stretched, and gameplay just doesn’t feel right.Devil May Cryis a game all about tight reflexes, which the PAL version doesn’t respect.
4Disgaea: Hour Of Darkness
The average video game dub is nothing to write home about, butDisgaea: Hour of Darkness’ English localization is top notch in every sense. The game’s English track has since been re-recorded, but the PlayStation original is still the definitive version (in large part thanks to Amanda Winn-Lee’s turn as Etna). Unfortunately, the PAL release ofDisgaeagutted the English dub in an effort to save on disk space – a move which deprived fans of a truly fantastic localization.
3Persona 3
Persona 3’s PAL port is so much worse than its NTSC release that it’s almost comical. In one of the worst PAL conversions ever, the European version ofPersona 3runs at roughly half the game’s intended speed. Keep in mind that this is an RPG that’s already naturally 60-80 hours long depending on how much side content you do.
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The fact the PAL release inherently slows downeverythingmakes for a grueling playthrough. Exploring Tartarus becomes a genuine nightmare and battles take an eternity to get through. Worse,Persona 3’s slowdown has the effect of interfering with character animations – leading to incredibly awkward and stilted gestures both in and out of battle.Persona 3’s PAL port is horrific.
2Breath Of Fire: Dragon Quarter
Rather than just slowing down the gameplay or introducing some technical hiccups,Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter’s PAL port makes fundamental design changes that actually ruins the whole experience.Dragon Quarteris built around the idea that you won’t be able to complete the game in one playthrough, Restarting from the beginning periodically while keeping any items, skills, or experience.
The PAL version ofDragon Quarterremoves the Restart mechanic altogether, forcing players to beat the game in a single playthrough. While this is technically possible,DQwas blatantly not designed with this in mind so the European release of the game is ultimately much harder to actually complete. It’s like a roguelike forbidding you from ever starting over.
1Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-
Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN’s PAL release is one of the few modern examples of a European port dropping the ball. Not only does-SIGN-region lock players – cutting off PAL players from the majority of the game’s player base – several DLC characters were left unusable since the PAL ports were never actually patched with future updates.Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-was ostensibly abandoned for a good chunk of players.
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