Sony - Playstation - Issues noticed with incorrect/missing clones, renames, etc.

retroNUC commented 2 years ago

Reporting any issues I noticed as go through my PSX collection with latest redump dat:

Dat

Sony - PlayStation (2021-09-29 02-04-02)

Issues

New Clones

[x] Beat Mania 3rd Mix Mini (Japan) is a clone of Beat Mania Append 3rdMix (Japan) _(preview release with limited selection of songs - https://remywiki.com/CS_bm_3rd)_
[x] Blaster Master (Japan) is a clone of Blaster Master - Blasting Again (USA) _(same game - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaster_Master:_Blasting_Again)_
[x] Block Kuzushi - Kowashite Help! (Japan) is a clone of Block Kuzushi (Japan) (Major Wave release takes priority - http://redump.org/disc/33940/)
[x] Bottom of the 9th - Major League Heroes (Japan) is a clone of Bottom of the 9th (USA) (same game)
[x] Bugi (Japan) is a clone of Kensei - Sacred Fist (USA) _(same game - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensei:_Sacred_Fist)_
[x] Bust A Move (Japan) (Disc 1) (Genteiban) is a clone of Bust A Move (Japan) (special edition)
[x] Chou Kousoku Gran Doll (Japan) is a clone of Chou Kousoku Gran Doll (Japan) (Disc 1) (Premium Edition) (old redump names)
[x] Chou-Kousoku Gran Doll (Japan) is a clone of of Chou-Kousoku Gran Doll (Japan) (Disc 1) (Premium Edition) (new redump names)
[x] Criticom - The Critical Combat (Japan) is a clone of Criticom (USA)
[x] DigimonWorld - Digital Card Arena (Japan) is a clone of Digimon - Digital Card Battle (USA) (potential recent redump rename)
[x] Disney's Mulan - Story Studio (Europe) is a clone of Disney's Story Studio - Mulan (USA) (potential recent redump rename)
[x] DonPachi (Japan) is a clone of DonPachi (Japan) (Cyclone's Best) ("reprint" should take priority?)
[x] Doukyuusei 2 (Japan) is a clone of Doukyuusei 2 (Japan) (Extra Box) (special edition, but same content)
[x] Dungeon Creator (Japan) is a clone of Dungeon Creator (Japan) (Disc 1) (from 2-disc limited edition)
[x] Exciting Bass (Japan) is a clone of Fisherman's Bait - A Bass Challenge (USA)
[x] Exciting Bass 2 (Japan) is a clone of Fisherman's Bait 2 - Big Ol' Bass (USA)
[x] Exciting Bass 3 (Japan) is a clone of Big Ol' Bass 2 (USA)
[x] Formation Soccer '98 - Ganbare Nippon in France (Japan) is a clone of Formation Soccer '98 (Japan) (latter is a Major Wave reprint, takes priority)
[x] Gundam the Battle Master 2 (Japan) is a clone of Gundam Battle Assault (USA)
[x] Hana to Ryuu (Japan) is a clone of Hana to Ryuu - Hanafuda, Mahjong (Japan) (Major Wave) (Major Wave release takes priority)
[x] International Moto-X (Japan) is a clone of International Moto X (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It,Nl) (same game)
[x] Jackie Chan Stuntmaster (Europe) (Recalled) is a clone of Jackie Chan Stuntmaster (USA) _(or potentially excluded altogether, as it's a non-working retail release that was reissued by Sony - https://www.reddit.com/r/psx/comments/cya404/redump_standing_at_the_edge_of_the_end_in_sony/)_
[x] Kileak, The Blood 2 - Reason in Madness (Japan) is a clone of Epidemic (USA) (same game)
[x] Kiwame Daidougi - Tsumuya Tsumazaruya (Japan) is a clone of Kiwame Daidougi (Japan) (Major Wave) (reprint takes priority)
[x] Lagnacure (Japan, Asia) is a clone of Lagnacure (Japan) (Artdink Best Choice) (reprint takes priority)
[x] Little Princess - Marl Oukoku no Ningyou-hime 2 (Japan) is a clone of Little Princess - Marl Oukoku no Ningyou-hime 2 (Japan) (Disc 1) (+1 Tasu Ichi) (same content, 2-disc special edition takes priority)
[x] Lode Runner - The Legend Returns (Japan) and Lode Runner Extra (Japan) are both clones of Lode Runner (USA) _(US release is a 2-in-1 compilation - https://www.mobygames.com/game/playstation/lode-runner___/cover-art/gameCoverId,103205/)_

New Clones (Simple 1500 Series)

[x] Simple 1500 Series Vol. 67 - The Soccer - Dynamite Soccer 1500 (Japan) is a clone of Dynamite Soccer 98 (Japan)

New Clones (SuperLite 1500 Series)

[x] SuperLite 1500 Series - A Ressha de Ikou Z - Mezase! Tairiku Oudan (Japan) is a clone of A Ressha de Ikou Z - Mezase! Tairiku Oudan (Japan)
[x] SuperLite 1500 Series - A5 - A Ressha de Ikou 5 (Japan) is a clone of A5 - A Ressha de Ikou 5 (Japan)
[x] SuperLite 1500 Series - Asuka 120% Final - Burning Fest. Final (Japan) is a clone of Asuka 120% Final - Burning Fest. Final (Japan)
[x] SuperLite 1500 Series - Fantastic Night Dreams - Cotton Original (Japan) is a clone of Fantastic Night Dreams - Cotton Original (Japan)
[x] SuperLite 1500 Series - Lode Runner - The Legend Returns (Japan) is a clone of Lode Runner - The Legend Returns (Japan)
[x] SuperLite 1500 Series - Pao Leeming Kanshuu - Fuusui Nyuumon (Japan) is a clone of Pao Leeming Kanshuu - Fuusui Nyuumon (Japan)
[x] SuperLite 3in1 Series - Crossword-shuu (Japan) is a clone/compilation of following titles:
SuperLite 1500 Series - Crossword (Japan)
SuperLite 1500 Series - Crossword 2 (Japan)
SuperLite 1500 Series - Crossword 3 (Japan)

Incorrect Clones

[x] America Oudan Ultra Quiz (Japan) (Fukkokuban) should be clone of America Oudan Ultra Quiz (Japan) ("reprint" should take priority?)
[x] Armored Core (USA) should be clone of Armored Core (USA) (Reprint) ("reprint" should take priority?)
[x] Ayrton Senna Kart Duel Special (Japan) should not be a clone of Ayrton Senna Kart Duel (Europe) _(unique game, released in 1999 after Kart Duel 1 & 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsoHM220E4E / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woKIW-025kU / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD_WfqjuSuM)_
[x] Victory Boxing Contender (Europe) should be a clone of Contender 2 (USA) (judging by player select / gameplay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLZQiqq68C0 / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v49gjN1dgsA)
[x] Victory Boxing Challenger (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es) should be a clone of Victory Boxing (Japan)
[x] Dance Dance Revolution (Japan) should not be a clone of Dance Dance Revolution (USA) _(two different games, released years apart - https://remywiki.com/CS_DDR_1st_JP / https://remywiki.com/CS_DDR_NA)_
[x] Hot Shot (Europe) should not be a clone of Wanted (Europe) _(complete reskin, but some gameplay differences i.e. tank enemies - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH_smNDGZRM / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ogcQ2vEcYk)_
[x] Space Invaders (Japan) should not be a clone of Space Invaders (USA) (different game, Japanese version of US title is 'Space Invaders X')
[x] SuperLite 1500 Series - Strikers 1945 II (Japan) should be a clone of Strikers 1945 (USA) (second game in the series)

Victory Boxing entries above are confusing and lots of sources seem to be wrong, so here's my own investigation of pairings:

- Contender (USA) / Dynamite Boxing (Japan) / Victory Boxing 2 (Europe)
- Contender 2 (USA) / Victory Boxing Contender (Europe) / NO NTSC-J RELEASE(?)
- NO NTSC-U RELEASE / Victory Boxing Challenger (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es) / Victory Boxing (Japan)
- NO NTSC-U RELEASE / Victory Boxing Champion Edition (Europe) / Kensei - The King of Boxing (Japan)

Renames

[x] Parent game of P/C rule Board Game - Top Shop (USA) has been renamed to Top Shop (USA) in latest redump dat

Misclassification

[x] Fushigi na Data Disc (Japan, Asia) (Disc 2) and Fushigi na Data Disc 2 (Japan, Asia) should be classed as Demo, not Bonus Disc (old/new redump names)
[x] Kowloon's Gate (Japan) (Special Disc) should be classed as Demo, not Special Disc (appears to be part of the game's first disc - https://muuseo.com/veru/items/407)

unexpectedpanda commented 2 years ago

Thanks for the hard work here -- I'll work through these for the next release.

retroNUC commented 2 years ago

Cheers. I'll keep adding new points to the original post as I find them.

unexpectedpanda commented 2 years ago

Okay, finally gone through them all :) Some notes:

A lot of changes, and for the better! Probably the biggest kick the clone list has had in a while. Thanks :)
Oh yeah, Victory Boxing was a pain in the butt to work with. Really appreciate the extra clarity.
Looks like Digimonworld - DIgital Card Battle (Japan) is its own thing, and Arena is the correct clone as you noted, so I've fixed that relationship.
There's some oddness going on in the publisher tags, in that for some reason Retool is demoting the (Cyclone's Best). I'm going to need to look into that separately.
Hot Shot and Wanted are a case of close enough to be considered clones I think. Retool considers reskins/slight changes to be effectively the same thing (or there's an endless pit of slight differences that leads down the path of collecting everything again). There's quite a few titles in GBA like this as well, where the licensed characters have changed, but it's functionally a sprite swap and the same game.
Reprints are a tough one. There are situations that make it hard to determine what version the reprint is. I've seen things in dats like:
- (v1.0)
- (v1.1)
- (v2.0)
- (Reprint)
In theory the reprint should be of the latest version (or at least a duplicate of an existing version, perhaps with a new copyright message/logo on the title screen or something), but there's not enough information to determine that, and I've seen weirder things happen in the games industry. So by default, Retool demotes anything with a (Reprint) tag. It's not optimal, but the best I think we've got :\

All the updates will go out in the next release. I'll close this out for now, but if you find more issues, feel free to re-open and create a new post.

unexpectedpanda commented 2 years ago

It turns out DonPachi (Japan) (Cyclone's Best) isn't selected because Redump lists Japanese as its language, whereas the original lists English. So this is Retool operating as intended when an English speaking region is high priority. If there's an error here, it needs to be fixed on the Redump side.

retroNUC commented 2 years ago

Thanks for updates!

unexpectedpanda / retool