The Wind Waker Japanese Version

On stranger tides...

A quote from Zelda Wiki:

Having a three-month difference between the game's Japanese release in December 14, 2002, as opposed to North America's in March 24, 2003, not too many changes were made from one version to another, aside from characters' and places' names. However, one of the few changes is noticeable: The fifth Triforce Chart is found after unveiling consecutively various Treasure Charts from the sea, one pinpointing another (these charts, in the NSTC and PAL versions, are found in the dungeons, pinpointing Silver Rupees). Also, some Pieces of Heart have their locations changed, so anyone expecting one of them at the end of, for example, the Savage Labyrinth will only find a yellow Rupee in the chest.

From GameFAQs:

[About the sunken warships at Needle Rock Island] The next complaint is that you didn't get a Triforce Map. Well, in a sense, yes, you're not going to get one. Instead, you'll be able to get Treasure Map 16. However, if you look at that map, you'll realise that the wordings are in RED in contrast to the other Treasure Maps.

So it's a simple case of following the directions given in the Treasure Map to get the Triforce Map...or so you think.

Treasure Map #16 will lead to a chest containing Treasure Map #28.
Treasure Map #28 will lead to a chest containing Treasure Map #3.
Treasure Map #3 will lead to a chest containing Treasure Map #40.
Treasure Map #40 will lead to a chest containing Triforce Map #5!


I didn't know this until recently. And this is quite interesting, I like the idea of one treasure map pointing to the next. While the treasure layout of the Western version might be better, I think they should have at least kept this for the 2nd Quest to add some more variety to it. (This and mirroring the whole game for the sake of confusing everyone.)

Update:

I was looking a little bit more into this and this is what I found out (source):

- The Piece of Heart from the Savage Labyrinth is now located in the chest under Grandma's house instead of 100 Rupees.
- You get a Piece of Heart on the grassy island outside of Forest Haven instead of Treasure Map #3.
- You only get a Deku Baba Seed on the Platforms near Seven-Star Isles instead of Treasure Map #16.
- You get a Piece of Heart on Horseshoe Island instead of Treasure Map #28.
- You only get a Golden Feather on the Platform near the Southern Fairy Island instead of Treasure Map #40.
- You get 100 Rupees from the guy at the bench for decorating Windfall instead of one Piece of Heart. (You need to spend at least 140 Rupees for the decoration...)
- You get Rupees from the chest that appears after lighting the Lighthouse at Windfall instead of a Piece of Heart.
- The Tingle Pot at Outset Island gives you 20 Rupees instead of 100.
- In other places Rupees are missing, mostly the pots near Triforce Chart locations.
- There's no IN-Credible Chart (it was added because the Triforce Quest was too hard without it).

The Treasure Maps #3, #16, #28 and #40 all lead to 200 Rupees each in the US/EU versions. So, that's 800 Rupees less to have in the Japanese version. And overall the Japanese version is really trolling you in many occasions.