Friday, April 15, 2011

Terranigma is an Enigma

Terranigma is an RPG published by Enix and developed by the same people who made Illusion of Gaia, ActRaiser, and Soul Blazer. It was published in Japan in 1995 and Europe and Australia (PAL) in 1996, but it was never published for North America (NTSC).

Lately there have been quite a few NTSC versions showing up on ebay though. And the NTSC Terranigma sells for more than the PAL or Japanese Terranigma, about $160 vs $60 respectively. Where did these NTSC games come from?

Which Terranigma Is Which?

First, which version is NTSC and which is PAL? It is pretty easy to tell with Super Nintendo games because PAL format games won't fit inside a North American console, they are shaped differently. Below is a picture of the NTSC version and the PAL version:


Where Did NTSC Terranigma Come From

The game was never published in the United States or any other NTSC regions. But there is a company that makes reproductions of the game for NTSC consoles. Every NTSC version of this game is simply a reproduction.

Buyers on eBay are paying up to $160 for the game but they can buy it brand new for $60!

Editorial Sidenote: It bothers me that this company makes reproductions that look like the originals. I consider them "fakes" rather than reproductions because they confuse consumers. Reproductions should look obviously different like this SNES game. The bright colored cartridge makes it clear this is not an original. Otherwise the are more like counterfeits than reproductions.

What Kind of Game Is Terranigma?

Terranigma is an action role-playing-game. Battles are action based and take place in real-time. Like most RPG's, the story revolves around a hero saving the world. Many reviews and forums posts say they think the game is on par with Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy for the SNES. And some have even said it is their favorite game ever.



I have never played it myself, but would love to hear if any of our readers have played it and what they thought. Is it that good?

5 comments :

Jack said...

I wonder what this game's value is. I had bought a brand new French version which is still in a plastic sealed long package with strategy guide and the sealed box w/game inside. Bought it over 10 years ago and I realized it's very hard to find a sealed version of the game itself.

Anonymous said...

terranigma is a FANTASTIC game, definitely better than chrono trigger, second only to secret of mana and seiken densetsu 3, another game that never made it stateside. someday, I'll have cartridges of those two to sit pleasantly on a shelf next to secret of mana and illusion of gaia. :P

Anonymous said...

You wont find a brand new Pal one for $60 i can guarantee you that. Cart only will work but you`ll have to check for the code to see if the text is in english. ( no NOE version iow )

DJ Omnimaga said...

I bought a reproduction cart for $59.99 recently and the Official Nintendo seal on the box and cartridge says "Unnoficial Nintendo Reproduction". Apparently it's to distinguish it from counterfeit copies of the game, while still making the game look good in your collection. If you ever see a repro cart for more than $70 or so, dont buy it.

Anonymous said...

Bought terranigma in 1996 and still play it every now and then. It's a great game

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