Um Jammer Lammy censored for U.S. release

[07.22.99] » Lammy's trip to hell diverted to a happy, love-filled "island."

   On her mission to arrive at a concert in time, Lammy journeys to a fast-food restaurant, a hospital, a burning building, and even hell -- or at least she used to. The last destination has been excised from her intinerary by Sony of America, in order to tone down the game's content and make it more kid-friendly.

   In the original version of the game, Lammy slips on a banana peel at the beginning of the sixth level, falls down, and dies. After a fake "Game Over" sequence, Lammy is told she has to impress a singer with her guitar-play skills in order to be resurrected. All references to death or hell are gone from the English version, however -- instead of falling down and dying, Lammy is catapulted onto a remote island and must play the guitar in order to be transported back home. While the song itself remains intact, the stage sports a brighter and happier feel, and references to hell in another song (the first one) have also been modified to refer to the island.

   For gamers desiring the original level, all hope is not lost. The Japanese version of Um Jammer Lammy features dialogue in full English, plus an option to change the Japanese subtitles into English, making the game virtually identical to the English version, except for the uncensored sixth level. (The Game Shark codes necessary to bypass the import lock-out system can be found here.)