Top 5 Video Game Translation Mistakes

Video games can be enjoyed by global audiences — if they’re translated and localized to fit the needs of each market. Recently, game developers are recognizing the value of game translation and localization of text, graphics, sounds and symbols.

But this wasn’t always the case. Many early games didn’t incorporate professional game translation into their international release — resulting in some major translation bloopers.

Can you figure out the meaning behind these game translation mistakes?

5) “The truck have started to move.”

The original game in its series, Metal Gear was released in Japan in 1987 and localized for American audiences when released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in June of 1988. But the game translation, featuring many basic grammatical errors, left a lot to be desired.

Although they’re easily decoded, the phrases in this classic stealth game translation leave you laughing for the wrong reasons. They also include “Contact missing our Grey Fox” and “I feel asleep!”

4) “Somebody set us up the bomb.”

Often cited as the most poorly translated video game, the Japanese Sega game Zero Wing, for the Sega 32X, is still infamous today for its awkward but memorable game translations.

Although the game, a side-scrolling arcade, was released in 1998, its translations are still recognizable 10 years later because of their laughable inaccuracy. This sentence, in a reliable game translation from the original Japanese, should read, “An unknown assailant has planted an explosive device.”

3) “You make me so flustered.”

This game translation from Fatal Fury Special, a 1993 fighting game translated from the Japanese original doesn’t seem to have any problems — it’s all grammatically correct and makes sense out of context.

But you have to take a closer look: The sentence is spoken by the challenger Big Bear after you’ve defeated him in a fight. Would an intimidating, seasoned fighter say something like “flustered”? We don’t think so.

This is where a true familiarity with language and its nuances is necessary for accurate game translation. Technically correct translation that doesn’t retain a game’s tone removes the player from the drama of the gaming world.

2) “Destroy the mother brain the mechanical life vein.”

At the beginning of the Metroid game, released in North America in 1987, players were greeted with this game translation of their mission: “Defeat the Metroid of the Planet Zebeth and destroy the mother brain the mechanical life vein.”

While the mission becomes clear, this game translation of the original Japanese text has troubles both grammatically and contextually. What is a mechanical life vein anyway?

1) “All your base are belong to us.”

Perhaps the most quotable bad game translation of all time, “all your base are belong to us” has become legendary among gamers and non-gamers alike.

Another game translation from Zero Wing, the sentence read in the original Japanese, “With the help of the Federation Government forces, we have taken all of your bases.” Without professional experts, the sentence got lost in translation.

Professional video game translation and localization enhances the action and improves the player’s experience. Make sure your game is remembered for great gameplay — not funny game translation bloopers!

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