Article / Podcast · Retro Encounter

Retro Encounter 391 – Essential Fan Translations

Retro Encounter 391 Essential Fan Translations

Back in the 90s and early 2000s, the localization of JRPGs was never a given. We RPG fans would often wait with bated breath, a copy of GamePlayers or Electronic Gaming Monthly in hand, hoping Squaresoft and other Japanese publishers would announce they were bringing their incredible games to the West. And more often than not, we would be disappointed.

While many of these untranslated games have slowly made their way to our shores over the years in the form of remakes and collections, there are still tons of classic JRPGs that are out of reach. That is, they would be if not for fan translations! Starting with Final Fantasy V in 1998, fan translations allowed us to experience the games Japanese developers decided weren’t worth the resources to localize. And this week, our panel will discuss some of our favorite fan translations and why they deserve to be available to Western audiences!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Audra Bowling, Ben Love, Pete Leavitt, Steph Sybydlo; Edited by Jono Logan.

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri.

Listen and subscribe where you please, and leave a rating if you can! Email us your feedback: retro@rpgfan.com

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Audra Bowling

Audra Bowling

Audra Bowling is a reviewer for RPGFan. She is a lover of RPGs, Visual Novels, and Fighting Games. Once she gets onto a subject she truly feels strongly about, like her favorite games, she can ramble on and on endlessly. Coffee helps keep her world going round.

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