Region-Locked Playable Characters In Fighting Games

Summary

Region-locking restricts playable characters in games like Darkstalkers and Cyberbots to specific regions.
Characters like Dee and Pepsiman were only accessible in Japanese versions of their games due to unique designs.
International releases sometimes replaced region-locked characters with others due to rights issues or poor market reception.

Region-locking is prevalent across various types of media, including video games. Often, these games are restricted to use in specific geographic areas due to factors like regional licenses or cost control measures that prevent consumers from buying products at lower prices in other regions.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve come across this issue where region-locking in video games can restrict certain playable characters for global audiences. This is particularly prevalent in Japanese fighting games, and it was more pronounced before the advent of updates and DLC. The lack of such systems often resulted in different versions of the same game being sold to consumers, with each promising new content. Unfortunately, some characters were region-locked and thus unavailable in international editions of their respective games.

5. Dee

Vampire: Darkstalkers Collection

Dee originates from Capcom’s Darkstalkers series, where he is called “Vampire” in Japan. This series is renowned for its incorporation of monster characters inspired by gothic literature and folklore across the globe. One such character is Donovan Baine, a dhampir grappling with a sinister nature. Accompanying him on his journeys is Anita, a young girl who possesses immense power but finds it challenging to express her feelings. Donovan relates to Anita and has assumed the role of helping her rediscover her emotions, eliminating darkstalkers in the process.

In Donovan’s conclusion from Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge, he manages to rekindle Anita’s feelings, yet unintentionally delves deeper into his own shadows. Dee is an alternate version of Donovan who yielded to his inner darkness, similar to Evil Ryu in the Street Fighter series. His appearance mirrors that of Demitri Maximoff, the ominous vampire hero from Darkstalkers. Dee’s ending suggests he was put down by Anita in a compassionate act to end his suffering.

Darkstalkers’ Revenge, and Vampire Savior 2. These unique versions were available exclusively on a Japan-only Playstation 2 collection called Vampire Darkstalkers: Collection. Interestingly, Dee is an unusual case among region-locked characters, as there doesn’t appear to be any significant reason why his character was restricted to Japanese players, except for the compilation itself being regional.

4. Hakushon Daimao

Tatsunoko vs Capcom

Platforms: Wii, Arcade video game
Initial release date: December 11, 2008
Developers: Eighting, Capcom
Genres: Fighting game, Action game

Hakushon Daimao is a genie character from the 1969 comedy anime series “The Genie Family,” produced by Tatsunoko Production. This genie has the ability to grant wishes, but due to his clumsiness, often ends up messing them up instead. In the Japan-exclusive Wii crossover fighting game, “Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes,” Hakushon Daimao was one of the original characters representing Tatsunoko Productions.

Instead, the global version titled “Ultimate All Stars” omitted Daimao. In his absence, Capcom characters such as Frank West and Zero, as well as three from Tatsunoko (Joe the Condor, Tekkaman Blade, and Yatterman-2), were introduced. It seems plausible that an additional character from Tatsunoko was included to fill the empty spot in the roster left by Daimao’s absence.

Daimao’s departure was reportedly due to disagreements with international copyright holders. Previously, the anime had been distributed as “Mago Panciones Etcí” in Italian and “Bob in a Bottle” in English. The absence of Japanese availability for the character might also relate to the online multiplayer aspect, which is often crucial in fighting games. This consideration could be one reason why region-locked characters are less prevalent nowadays.

3. Pepsiman

Fighting Vipers

The game titled “Fighting Vipers” is a distinctive 3D arena fighting game where each playable character possesses armor that can be broken, enabling opponents to inflict greater damage. Notably, characters like Bahn (who teamed up with numerous popular figures from Sega, Namco, and Capcom in Project X Zone) and Candy (whose Sonic universe counterpart shares her original Japanese name, Honey) are well-known globally. However, there’s one more character from the Japanese Sega Saturn version that has gained some international recognition as well.

In simple terms, Pepsiman serves as the Japanese emblem for the soft drink Pepsi. He’s featured in various Japanese advertisements, playing the role of a superhero who provides thirsty individuals with a refreshing Pepsi. His video game, titled Pepsiman, is similar to popular endless runner games like Temple Run and Subway Surfers that emerged on iOS platforms. Over time, it gained a devoted fanbase, earning the status of a cult classic.

Previously, the character first appeared in the Sega Saturn edition of “Fighting Vipers”. He was one of only two characters introduced in the console version of the game, alongside Kumachan. In arcade mode, he could be unlocked by letting the opponent win; this would prompt him to challenge the player before they were knocked out. If the player emerged victorious, the character would become available. The reason for his exclusivity to Japan remains unclear, possibly due to Sega not holding the rights to the character and his status as a Japanese mascot with limited international appeal at the time.

2. Norimaro

Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter

In a less formal context, Norimaro is an unusual character, often confusing without proper background information. He seems to be a cartoonish depiction of a studious high school student, despite his physical appearance hinting at a much more mature age. This eccentric character was partly developed by the Japanese comedian, Noritake Kinashi, who also lent his voice to him in the game. His fighting style mirrors Phoenix Wright’s from Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, relying heavily on non-violent moves with exaggerated slapstick elements.

It’s uncertain what prevented Norimaro from being part of global game releases. Katsuya Akimoto, a former graphic artist associated with Capcom, once suggested on a now-deleted tweet that Marvel might be the reason for his absence abroad, alleging that region-locking was a concession. However, it’s important to mention that Norimaro is co-owned by Nippon TV and Arrival. Regardless of the circumstances, the region-locking seems logical given that Norimaro isn’t widely recognized among gamers outside Japan.

In brief, global fans of the series were given a chance to portray the quirky character from the show through the game “Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics.” Notably, this character can only be played in versions of the game with Japanese language settings, which are included in international releases. Interestingly, it appears that Norimaro’s resources have already been translated for an international release, possibly indicating that the decision to exclude him was made towards the end of development.

1. Console Exclusives

Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness

Cyberbots originated as a spin-off from Capcom’s beat-’em-up, Armored Warriors. Essentially, it is a game centered around mech combat, but each mech has a human operator. One of the main characters is Jin Saotome, who was playable in both Marvel vs. Capcom and Tech Romancer, two additional mecha fighting games from Capcom.

Despite initially being released internationally in arcades, the console versions of “Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness” were primarily distributed within Japan, possibly due to limited appeal among international audiences. These console releases introduced three new playable characters – Princess Devilotte de Deathsatan IX, Chiyomaru Kagura, and Tessan Hagure (who operate as a single character, having been former members of the Earth Forces). Additionally, there were some extra mechas added to these versions. Notably, Princess Devilotte has gained popularity, making appearances in various Capcom crossovers. The console-exclusive playable pilot is SHADE, a cyborg now serving as a pawn for the Earth Forces.

It appears that, similar to Dee, these exclusive games seem to be unrelated to the global market for this particular game. Devilotte has gained enough recognition to make appearances in internationally released titles like Project X Zone and Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo. However, it was only with collections such as Capcom Arcade Stadium and Capcom Fighting Collection that Cyberbots became playable on international consoles. Interestingly, the arcade version of Cyberbots had an initial international release, meaning console-exclusive characters remained unavailable to international players once more.

2025-07-25 16:05