NintendoWiki:Release management

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In order to help mange the different versions of a single game, we hae complied here a list of possible release relations, along with some examples.

Predecessor, Successor and Partners

When specifying if a game has come before or after in a series or sub-series, you can use one of the following terms.

Predecessor

a game published or released before another in the same series or sub-series

Successor

a game published or released after another in the same series or sub-series

Partner

a game published or released at the same time as another in the same series or sub-series

Examples
Kirby's Adventure	is a successor game to	Kirby's Dream Land
Pikmin	is a predecessor game to	Pikmin 2
Pokémon Gold	is a partner game with	Pokémon Silver
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages	is a partner game with	The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

Sequels, Prequels, Interquels, etc.

When specifying if a game has been put in the series or sub-series story, you can use one of the following terms.

Sequel

a game follows the story of another one

Prequel

a game before the story of another one, even if it is released after

Interquel / Midquel

a game comes between the story of two others.

Examples
Super Mario Bros. 2	is a squeal to	Super Mario Bros.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past	is a prequel to	Zelda II:Link's Adventure and Legend of Zelda
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days	are interquel games between	Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge	is a midquel between	Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie
Metroid Prime	is a interquel between	Metroid and Metroid II:Return of Samus

Remakes, ports and Re-imaginings

Remake

A game is redone, with improved graphics, minor changes in the story. However, is the first game was designed to fulfill a specific role, than the remake will probably continue this.

Port

A game is brought into a an emulated service, but is not changed in-terms of graphics, story or anything.

Re-imagining

a game has been remade, with changes not only in story and graphics, but with purpose and other things that are or were specific to that game.

Updated Release

A game is released a year or two later, with some addition or changed details. Not a full remake.

Examples
Super Mario Bros.	is remade as	Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver	are remakes of	Pokémon Gold and Silver
Super Mario 64	was ported on	Virtual Console
Star Fox 64	is a re-imagining of	Star Fox
Super Mario Bros.	is ported for	Virtual Consle Game & Watch
Super Mario Bros. 2	is a remake of	Doki Doki Panic
Pokémon Yellow	is an updated release of	Pokémon Red and Green, Pokémon Blue and Pokémon Red and Blue

Notes

• Each remake and Re-imagine mat a page, however ports do not. This is because, there is not much change in the game when it is being ported versus when it is being remade.
• In addition, porting a game doesn't qualify it for additional year-related categories. Only the year(s) that it was released originally

Interactions

When indicting if a game can interact with another game.

import

data is transfered from one game to another, temporarily or permanently.

exchange

data is continually transfered from one to the other, and often back to the first.

Examples
Pokemon Stadium	imports information from	Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Black and White	imports information from	Pokémon Platinum, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver and Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
Pokémon Platinum	exchanges information with	Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Compilation of

There are sometimes, that a release of a game is made up of one or more other games that have been previously released.

Examples
Super Mario All-Stars	is a compilation of	Super Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros.:The Lost Levels Super Mario Bros. 2 Super Mario Bros. 3
Game & Watch Gallery	is a compilation of	Ball Cement Factory Flagman Manhole Vermin

placement inside another game

For the times when a game has been placed

Examples
Kirby's Dream Land	is a mini-game in	Kirby's Adventure
Helmet	is a microgame in	WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
Star Fox	is a microgame in	WarioWare D.I.Y.

Other Situations

There are times when different releases of a game vary based on what region it is being released in.

Sometimes, this is simply a difference in languge, with minor differences in art, story, etc. Other times, there are drastic differences between the two region-releases.

How big the difference is, is what helps determine whether or not a separate page is required for each release.

Examples
Star Fox 64	is renamed in the PAL Regions as	Lylat Wars
Pokémon Red and Blue	is the internation release of	Pokémon Red and Green
	with the graphical improvements of	Pokémon Blue

Notes

When a relase happens in multiple regions, and at least one of those regions has a release during a different year than the first one, then the page receives multiple year-related categories.