You're looking for a review of the English patch for Medarot DS, a ROM hack!
What is Medarot DS? Medarot DS is a Japan-exclusive Nintendo DS game, part of the Medarot series, which is similar to the popular robot fighting games like MechWarrior. The game features customizable robots, known as "Medarots," and a variety of battle modes.
What is the English Patch? The English patch is a fan-made translation patch for Medarot DS, which allows players to enjoy the game in English. The patch translates all in-game text, including menus, tutorials, and story mode dialogue.
Full Review of the English Patch:
Pros:
Cons:
Overall Experience: The English patch for Medarot DS is a fantastic effort by fans to make this game accessible to a broader audience. The translation is thorough, and the game is now much more enjoyable for English-speaking players. While some minor bugs exist, they do not detract from the overall experience. medarot ds rom english patch
Recommendation: If you're interested in robot fighting games or are a fan of the Medarot series, Medarot DS with the English patch is definitely worth checking out. Just be aware that the game is still a Japan-exclusive title, and some cultural references might not translate directly.
Have you played Medarot DS with the English patch? What are your thoughts on the game and the patch?
The Medarot DS English Patch is a community-driven fan translation that makes the 2010 Nintendo DS title Medarot DS (Kabuto and Kuwagata versions) playable for English-speaking audiences. Since the game was never officially released outside of Japan, this patch is the only way to experience the story and mechanics in English. Project Overview
The translation project was a massive undertaking by the Medarot community (notably users from the Project Rising Beetle and Medarot 9 translation teams). It covers almost all aspects of the game, including: Dialogue: The entire main story and NPC interactions.
UI & Menus: Battle commands, assembly screens, and shop interfaces.
Items & Parts: All Medarot parts, Medals, and item names have been localized to match traditional Western naming conventions or direct translations where appropriate. Key Features of the Patch You're looking for a review of the English
Full Story Translation: Follow Azuma's journey from getting his first Medarot to the final Robattle.
Technical Stability: The patch is designed to run on original hardware (via flashcarts like the R4) and popular DS emulators like DeSmuME or MelonDS.
Cultural Context: The translators aimed to keep the humor and "soul" of the series intact while making the gameplay mechanics clear to newcomers. How to Apply the Patch
To use the English translation, you generally need the following:
A Clean ROM: You must have a legal backup of the Japanese Medarot DS (Kabuto or Kuwagata version) in .nds format.
The Patch File: Usually distributed as a .xdelta or .bps file from community hubs like ROMhacking.net or the Project Rising Beetle website. Overall Experience: The English patch for Medarot DS
Patching Tool: Use a tool like xdeltaUI (for Windows) or MultiPatch (for macOS) to apply the translation file to your Japanese ROM.
Hardware/Software: Once patched, the new file can be loaded into your emulator or onto a flashcart. Important Note on Versions
There are two versions of the game: Kabuto (Beetle) and Kuwagata (Stag). Ensure you download the patch specifically made for the version you own, as the data structures for parts and encounters differ between the two.
Medarot DS is the first Nintendo DS entry in the long-running Medabots (Medarot) franchise. Despite the series having a cult following in the West due to the anime and GBA/PS1 games, Medarot DS was never officially localized. The game features:
A fan translation project began in the early 2010s but faced multiple stalls due to technical challenges with DS text compression and image editing. The project was revived around 2020–2022 by a small team of dedicated translators and hackers.
For years, Medarot DS was considered "unpatchable." The DS version uses a compressed file structure that caused text insertion bugs. Early attempts by groups like Medabots Forever produced only title screen hacks and a handful of translated menu items.
There are two versions of the original game (Kabuto and Kuwagata), similar to the Pokémon series tradition (e.g., Red/Blue).