If you grew up gaming in the West, there’s one phrase that likely still haunts you: Japan-exclusive. Nothing was more frustrating than seeing a game teased in Nintendo Power or mentioned in a gaming magazine, only to realise it would never be localised. Thankfully, the dedicated ROM-hacking community has been hard at work since the 1990s, translating some of the greatest Japanese-exclusive titles into English. Now, fans can finally experience these gems without needing to learn Japanese.
The Super Famicom in particular boasts one of the most legendary libraries of Japan-only titles. Today, we’re highlighting five essential fan translations that every retro gaming enthusiast should try.
1. Seiken Densetsu 3 (Secret of Mana 2)
One of the most famous fan translations of all time, Seiken Densetsu 3 was the highly anticipated sequel to Secret of Mana, but it never saw an official Western release until Trials of Mana in 2019. Back in 2000, the fan group LNF Translations stepped in, delivering a superb English patch despite the game’s complex branching storylines. This translation paved the way for the game’s cult following outside Japan. Interestingly, Square Enix developers later admitted they wanted their official release to surpass the fan translation—20 years after the fact!

2. ActRaiser (Japanese Restoration Patch)
Yes, ActRaiser received an official English release, but it was heavily censored. The original game was rich in religious themes, with the player controlling an actual deity battling Satan himself—elements that were toned down in the Western version. The ActRaiser Restoration Patch restores the original difficulty, dialogue, and religious references, making it a must-play for fans of the classic.

3. Radical Dreamers
Did you know Chrono Trigger had a sequel before Chrono Cross? Radical Dreamers was released in 1996 via the Satellaview, an obscure Japan-only add-on for the Super Famicom that allowed players to download games. A unique text-based RPG, it never saw a Western release—until 2005, when the fan group DemiForce delivered an English patch. Square Enix would eventually release an official version, but once again, fans beat them to the punch by nearly two decades!

4. Shockman Zero
Unlike the RPG-heavy entries on this list, Shockman Zero is a side-scrolling beat-’em-up with an outlandish and comedic world. While not the most story-driven game, its quirky humor and bizarre characters shine thanks to a fan translation. This obscure title proves that no game is too small for the ROM-hacking community’s efforts.

5. Final Fantasy V
The granddaddy of all fan translations, Final Fantasy V was the first RPG to receive an English fan patch, setting the stage for the entire fan translation movement. RPGOne’s 1998 translation allowed Western fans to finally experience its deep job system years before Square Enix’s official release, which was plagued by poor localization choices (Wyverns turned into “Wyburs”, and a character was given an exaggerated pirate accent). To this day, many purists still prefer the fan translation over the official one.

The Legacy of Fan Translations
Even in 2025, new Super Famicom translations continue to surface, proving that the passion for preserving gaming history is alive and well. The fan translation scene has allowed countless players to experience lost classics, and for that, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the dedicated ROM-hacking community.
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