Sega Dreamcast’s Japan-only Macross M3 finally gets an English fan translation

The Sega Dreamcast has received another English fan-translation of a Japanese-exclusive game that the West never really got to play. The Japan–exclusive game based on the Macross anime series, Macross M3, is now fully localized in English.

Macross was initially released in Japan on the Dreamcast in 2001. At the same time, it wasn’t dubbed a masterpiece and is often considered an average 3D Shooter in the Macross franchise. The 3D shooting doesn’t herald any innovations and is mostly straightforward.

However, what makes it special is that it’s connected to the Macross universe and features characters like Milia Fallyna Jenius, Maximilian Jenius, and Moaramia Jifon as part of the elite Dancing Skull Team. The game is set after the events of Space War 1 and explores a decent storyline with mecha battles and over-the-top cutscenes.

Back in 2001, importing a copy of Macross M3 meant paying a pretty penny, and western gamers who did get to try out the game could only take in the visuals and gameplay loop, without understanding the story, which was locked behind a language barrier.

Thanks to the English fan translation, it’s accessible to a whole audience of English-speaking retro gamers. This fan-made English patch was made courtesy of  NetsuiAya, who handled translation, while Senryoku did the coding.

NetsuiAya talked about Macross M3 and said, “The main appeal of Macross M3 has always been the story, leaving it largely unplayable to Western fans who don’t speak Japanese.”

The English translation covers all the critical story sections, and in-game dialogue is all fully translated, along with image-based text and menu screens. Unfortunately, briefing texts remain in Japanese due to technical limitations. NetsuiAya recommends that players use their color accuracy patch to experience Macross M3 with vibrant visual pop.

Macross M3’s English patch is already available on ROMhacking.net and is easy to install. This isn’t the first Japanese-exclusive Sega Dreamcast game that’s been localized for Western gamers, but it’s still a big win for fans of the Macross series.

For anyone who wanted to try out the Valkyrie fighter while understanding the whole narrative, now is the best time to dive into a once-average game that is now an essential part of Macross history.

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