Clash at Demonhead

Clash at Demonhead
Also known as: Dengeki: Big Bang! (JP) Developer: Vic Tokai Publisher: Vic Tokai Platform: NES Released in JP: January 27, 1989 Released in US: January 1990 This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences. This game has a prototype article

To do: More regional differences (ex. graphical changes and text changes).

A well respected cult-classic, Clash at Demonhead is an extended platformer more commonly known as a "metroidvania" these days.

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Prototype Info

Test Password

TENS AIWA WASU RETA
KOTO WOOM OIDA SUYO

The following password maxes out everything that can be maxed out in the Japanese version. Items, health, money, absolutely everything! Likely used by the programmers to test things out. In Japanese it would be written ("Tensai wa wasureta kotowo omoidasu yo"「天才は忘れたことを思い出すよ」) and means "(I) remember the things the genius forgot".

The US version has all passwords be two characters shorter, and since this secret password is the same here, it only lacks the last two symbols ("TENSA IWAWA SURET AKOTO WOOMO IDASU"), but can be used as well.

(Source: CaH4e3)

Regional Differences

Title Screen

The US title screen got a complete redesign and it's also missing the UFO that flies by when you start the game.

Japan	US

Intro

...But what does it mean? This game has text or audio that needs to be translated. If you are fluent with this language, please read our translation guidelines and then submit a translation!

The Japanese version has a scene with Commander Hasslewine (Commander Winestuff in the US version) informing Bang about the mission. This was removed in the US version.

Names

• In the Japanese version, there are two sister Fairies named Faysha and Leticia. The US version turned them both into one character: Faysha.
• In the US version, the last boss is merely called "Boss", but in the Japanese version he's called MadGazer.

Japan	US
Dead-End Bomb	Doomsday Bomb
Lawbreakers	Governors
King Medals	Royal Medallions
Commander Hasslewine	Commander Winestuff
Jesus	Tom Guycot
The Elder	The Hermit
Leticia	Faysha
Pii-Tan	Michael
MadGazer	The Boss

Shopkeeper

Japan	US

The shopkeeper's face was completely redrawn, becoming a lot less goofy and trading his slight stubble for a full blown moustache, gaining a nose in the process. His daughter Sally's face was also edited, removing the odd smirk and half-closed eyes in favor of a wide smile.

Route 4

In the Japanese version, Route 4 shows a small conversation between the last boss and Professor Plum. This conversation doesn't happen in the US version.

-Meanwhile, at the enemy's Headquarters...
Professor Plum! Did you wake up? Make the 'Dead-End' already.

What the heck is that? I don't know what's it.

Gahahaha! Too late! You've been hypnotized now!

Ooooh crap, no way! 

(Japanese translation: Gors)

Good Ending

The good ending is mostly the same in both regions, except for a little message that pops up after the ending and before the credits in the Japanese version.

P.S. All three of them forgot about Joe... Oh well!

Bad Ending

In the Japanese version, when you trigger the bad ending, you get a text screen followed by the "The End" screen. In the US version, the text screen has been removed and the "The End" screen is missing the mountain and the little UFO.

Japan	US

Scientific progress has been a double-edged sword for humanity. The road to ruin stands back-to-back with advanced civilization... Nothing, from the destruction of natural life on Earth, to the spreading of radioactivity, to abnormal weather events, to the development of murder weapons has stopped mankind from killing one another. The voices of the righteous are constantly drowned out, and those who lose themselves in this false peace, and continue to commit irreversible crimes, view it as little more than somebody else's problem... And so the super-photon bomb Dead End's flash has engulfed the Earth. July 199X -- At last, humanity's own culture has retaliated against it...

Staff Roll

To do: Is the data still in the US version or not?

The Japanese version contains a staff roll of the game designers that was cut from the US version.

Game Design 
Outsider Hal 

Graphic 
Outsider Hal
Gastank Yamaguchi 
Lindalinda Kinoshita 

Programming 
Zushudanji Hisamatsu 
Katsurachiyan XJ Watanabe 
Sugurahime Naruchan 
Kazeshitamatsu Sanoyan 

Sound 
Uncle Hasuya

Outsider Hal is Haruhiko Kawamura, Rindarinda Kinoshita is Kazuaki Kinoshita, Zushuudanji Hisamatsu is Norihiro Hisamatsu, Sugurahime Naruchan is Tomiko Narusawa, Kazeshitemasu Sanoyan is Mayumi Sano, and Ojisan Hasuya is Michiharu Hasuya. Most of the staff also worked on Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode and Kid Kool.

(Source: VGMPF [1])

(Translation: Mobygames [2])

ROM Header

The internal ROM header in the Japanese version, Dengeki Big Bang!, identifies the game as "BIG VAN". The US version has the name as "DEMON HEAD", and also includes the original Japanese version header at the end of the second-to-last bank.

(Source: Original TCRF research)