11 replies to this topic

[SoulBlazer]

So today I was talking to a co-worker during lunch about old school space shooters, and the Gradius series came up. Gradius 3 is still my fav in this series, and I played the game all the time on the SNES. One one of the hardest, but most fun (and some of the best music!) was the fire stage:



Ah, my co-worker said, you never played the hell that was the original arcade port! He proceeded to find it for me on YouTube:



All I can say after watching that is: Oh my *beep*ing God!

As the comments indicate of the guy who was playing this:

"All right people, hell has begun. There will be no mercy.

Fire Stage is VERY difficult. Unlike on the SNES version, the smallest fireballs cannot be destroyed. This makes it insanely hard just to survive. If you die, you're out. If I made it seem easy, practice goes a LOOONG way."

Easy? I think I could probaly play that version 300 times and not make it through the fire stage!

So, that got me thinking -- which console vs arcade versions do you have experience with, and which do you prefer? Which version is harder or easier and what do you like better? Do you hate the fact the console port often got 'toned down' in difficulty, or prefer the console port be more 'ramped up' in kicking your ass?

[Austin]

The SNES Gradius III is a cakewalk compared to some of the other shmups on the system (like Super R-Type). But yes, the arcade version of Gradius III is ridiculously difficult. And you get no continues, to boot.

As far as some of my own picks:

Twin Cobra -- The arcade is more manageable than the Genesis port (perhaps the PC Engine one as well). When you die, your next ship immediately appears, whereas in the Genesis one, you get set back via the start-back mode like in a R-Type game. The bullets also seem to come out faster in the Genny one, even on stock settings.

Ghosts 'n Goblins -- I feel the arcade game is more manageable than the NES version. This is due to far smoother gameplay. To put it into perspective, I have never finished the NES version without a cheat, but I can finish the arcade game (both loops).

[mbd30]

Austin, on Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:03 PM, said:

Ghosts 'n Goblins -- I feel the arcade game is more manageable than the NES version. This is due to far smoother gameplay. To put it into perspective, I have never finished the NES version without a cheat, but I can finish the arcade game (both loops).

Can you complete the arcade game on a single credit?

I know the NES version is practically impossible no matter how many times you continue.

Edited by mbd30, Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:29 PM.

[Austin]

mbd30, on Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:08 PM, said:

Can you complete the arcade game on a single credit?

I know the NES version is practically impossible now matter how many times you continue.

I think I did it once several years ago when I was playing the Capcom Classics Collection religiously on my PSP. If not, then I was pretty close. Memory's a little foggy since it was back in 2007 or so.

[Cynicaster]

I almost always prefer the challenge of arcade games to the home ports. I find I play the arcade version of a game like Centipede and, while I rather suck at the game, I thoroughly enjoy it and get stoked every time I inch past my personal best score. Then, I pick up a home port of the game and I plow through it much easier and it's just not the same.

[Arkhan]

Depends.

Sometimes the games are easier because of turbo controllers....


GnG for NES is a trainwreck. The Super Grafx one is probably the best. and the Genesis one. Both will still make you hate your life though.

[Sonic R]

Austin, on Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:03 PM, said:

Twin Cobra -- The arcade is more manageable than the Genesis port (perhaps the PC Engine one as well). When you die, your next ship immediately appears, whereas in the Genesis one, you get set back via the start-back mode like in a R-Type game. The bullets also seem to come out faster in the Genny one, even on stock settings.

I believe some of the issues in Twin Cobra are due to the fact that the arcade was displayed in a TATE set-up... the Genesis port stretched out the game to fit on a horizontal screen and thus changed some of the speed and angles the bullets and enemies would attack...

Cynicaster, on Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:29 AM, said:

I almost always prefer the challenge of arcade games to the home ports. I find I play the arcade version of a game like Centipede and, while I rather suck at the game, I thoroughly enjoy it and get stoked every time I inch past my personal best score. Then, I pick up a home port of the game and I plow through it much easier and it's just not the same.

must not have played the 5200 version

[NightSprinter]

Yeah, the spider in Centipede on the 5200 is flat out EVIL. On Hard, he gets hyped up like on speed+crack just on the second wave.

[in the dark]

I understand that an arcade game is designed to suck the quarters out of your pocket. It is there to get you addicted. Whether you have a dollar or five of them, the goal is to cause you to put all of it into playing the game by dangling the carrot in front of you, "I know I can do better next time." And give you a good time while doing it. The dilemma is, the person sitting at home with their console has constant access to the game 24/7 and their cost involved is only the price of the game cart, etc. They attempt to port the game with that in mind, making changes which a lot of times can ruin the arcade experience. I am not sure just how much the consoles' power, verses the arcade machine, effects that decision. Sometimes the home version can cost you graphics, animation, and even some of the best gameplay.

I love a game like Gradius III on my SNES, because I feel confident enough that I can sit and make my way through it and not be beaten to a pulp. I find that more fun than to die a thousand deaths against the alien horde. But a game like centipede, I'd rather have the arcade version. A game like tempest, I really like the Jaguar version, though the original does have its charm. When it comes to Stun Runner, I love the Lynx version, love playing it, and when I think of the arcade version, there is the experience of sitting on the prop cycle while playing the game. Hard to compare the Lynx version to that. So to me it really depends on each individual game. Some games are just meant to be played with the original arcade controller. And that alone can cause the disappointment. I am thankful for my Neo Geo CD where I can experience the arcade at home in those games.

[Ransom]

As long as the console port is well done and it includes difficulty levels, then I usually prefer that. It's nice to get to choose how hard the game is. Coleco's concept was the most straightforward: levels 1-2 are easier than the arcade, 3 is as hard as the arcade, and 4 is even harder than the arcade. Of course it wasn't always implemented perfectly, but the concept was good. I also like the way VCS games were often handled (especially the early ones): the game matrix plus left/right difficulty made for a nice set of choices.

[7800Lover]

How about the NES Burgertime? Compared to its arcade counterpart, that game is SOOOOO hard! You're lucky to even reach the third stage on that version!

Or what about Toki? I was able to beat the NES port...in contrast to the aforementioned example, the arcade version was very difficult.

[mbd30]

7800Lover, on Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:50 PM, said:

How about the NES Burgertime? Compared to its arcade counterpart, that game is SOOOOO hard! You're lucky to even reach the third stage on that version! Or what about Toki? I was able to beat the NES port...in contrast to the aforementioned example, the arcade version was very difficult.

I'm lucky to reach the third stage of Burgertime on the arcade version (on MAME). The original arcade game is extremely challenging.