Version Differences

Differences Between NTSC-J (JP) and NTSC-U&PAL

Intro

As there are some sections during the Intro when text is displayed character by character, Japanese is faster by roughly 36 seconds compared to English.

Gem Text

After picking up big gems (100, 200, 300, 1000, [2000], [3000]) for the first time in a level, you will receive a text box describing that certain gem.

On the JP version you only receive said text if Green is the one picking up the gem. On all other versions, you will receive the text with any Link.
On all versions you will get the text if you obtain the gem through a chest.

Switching During Busy Animations

On the JP version, when Links who are not selected are in a "busy" state (falling, jumping, etc.), you can still switch to them while they are performing their action.
This makes tricks such as Gap Skips and Jump Storage much easier on the JP version.
This is also the reason why it is impossible to switch to a Zombie on non-JP, whereas you can potentially softlock that way on JP.

Fire Barrier Skips in 8-1

Similar to the Pegasus Boots Skip in the same level, you can skip to several screens using the same method on JP.

Stair Zombie Storage

On non-JP versions, getting Zombie Storage from stairs is not possible.

Text Boxes

The old man in the beginning of 2-2 gives you a Moon Orb when you talk to him after you "feel the strange sensation" on the screen above.
However, on JP you are only required to talk to him once, while on other versions, you are required to be in at least two different conversations before you obtain the moon orb.

The Slingshot has one extra text box in the JP version.

Invisible Pots

On some screens in the game (in particular the screen before the Shadow Links in 3-3 as well as in 6-1) JP has pots that are invisible.
You can still hit them with your sword and hear a sound, but they do not have any collision.