Editor’s Note: The above image is not how the optional updated patch looks in the game.

The fan translation for Goemon 3 has now offered an alternative “slur free patch,” that removes a term that drew outcry from some individuals.

For those who missed our prior coverage, a fan translation of Ganbare Goemon 3: Shishijyūrokubei no Karakuri Manji Katame (roughly “Good Luck Goemon 3: Shishirokubei’s Mechanical Manji”) drew outcry.

One NPC in the game says “I’m actually a tranny… Should I tell my boyfriend the truth?” In Japanese the term “newhalf” (“ニューハーフ”) was used, slang for a transgender woman.

While indicative of the time and the tone of the scene, some users of Twitter and gaming forum ResetEra took extreme offense to it, and dogpilled the translator with abuse. After a public apology, the translator seemingly deleted his online presence, and indicated the incident “crushed [their] passion for translating.”

The project had up to that point allegedly taken “4 years of work,” and $400 USD “worth of research material for accurate translation.”

Now, DDS Translation has announced a new update for the ROM patch. As noted in the readme file on the website:

“Warning: This patch contains some controversial text.

The original Japanese script contained a word that is rather taboo, a word that does not translate directly into English.
The translator used an insensitive word in the translation, unaware that it was actually considered a slur.

If you would prefer to play the game without the slur, please apply the “slur free patch” instead.

The post-patch will remove the English slur and replace it with the original Japanese word, untranslated.
(Note that the scene in question is still rather offensive, even with the slur removed.)

Note that the translation does not reflect the personal views or beliefs of anyone who worked to make this game available in English.”

According to users on Twitter, the word in use now is “newhalf”, in English. It is unknown whether this patch was created with the original translator, or in their absence. This does mean that claims the project had been cancelled (as there was no other translator) had been exaggerated.

As of this time of writing, the original translator’s Twitter account is still gone.

Editor’s Note: Niche Gamer does not condone piracy or the use of ROMS when doing so would be deemed illegal.