Arcade Games That Were Significantly Changed on Home Consoles?

[Tempest]

Sorry if the title is a bit confusing, but what I'm trying to figure out is what home versions of arcade games were SIGNIFICANTLY changed for their console release. I'm not talking about levels that were left out or watered down graphics, I mean major gameplay changes.

Take UN Squadron for example, not only were the levels altered, but they added a whole plane and pilot selection section (which makes it better than the arcade version IMHO). Did any other arcade games get 'enhanced' like this? I'm mostly interested in SNES and Genesis games.

Tempest

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Ninja Gaiden was originally a Tecmo brawler similar to Double Dragon.

While the LYNX version is very authentic, the NES version, not at all. Still wound up being a great game, but nothing like its namesake.

This also rings true for Bionic Commando and Strider on the NES.

Both had arcade versions that had similar game-play concepts/styles but beyond that were very different animals when compared 1:1 to the arcade versions.

[Clownzilla]

Rygar & Bionic Commando for the NES. I like the arcade games but I LOVE the NES games. The NES games have more of an adventure feel to them.

[fahlim003]

Ninja Gaiden was originally a Tecmo brawler similar to Double Dragon.The arcade and Famicom games were developed at the same time by different teams so one doesn't originate from the other nor vice versa. Agreed that they are very different but there's a reason for this, I read of this instance in a recent issue of retroGAMER magazine.

My ante is Sega Rally 2. The change isn't so significant but the arcade game feels slow in comparison to the Dreamcast version, which is strange since the Dreamcast version doesn't run at a great framerate at all yet feels faster. PC is the same except solid 60fps.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

The arcade and Famicom games were developed at the same time by different teams so one doesn't originate from the other nor vice versa. Agreed that they are very different but there's a reason for this, I read of this instance in a recent issue of retroGAMER magazine.

My ante is Sega Rally 2. The change isn't so significant but the arcade game feels slow in comparison to the Dreamcast version, which is strange since the Dreamcast version doesn't run at a great framerate at all yet feels faster. PC is the same except solid 60fps.

Interesting, but from the perspective of a gamer who witnessed the release of both - the arcade version was released first in the US, so historically one predates the other.

Regardless of their intent or explanation, one came before the other and both share a name and a main character.

ALSO, see this box art?

http://images.wikia.com/ninjagaiden/images/d/d2/421px-Ninja_Gaiden_(NES).PNG

"Arcade Hit"

If that's not setting up expectations I don't know what is.

[Edmond Dantes]

Off of the top of my head (and I'm going to reiterate some that were mentioned already so please excuse repetition):

1943: The Battle of Midway - Still a shooter, but the NES adds some "RPG Elements" that weren't in the arcade version--you can now add stats to your ship (upgraded by finding hidden things in stages) that change how much damage you give and take, how long your special weapons last and even what special weapons you can get. Also, it's hard to tell but it seems like the stage layouts are pretty different.

Bionic Commando - While keeping the same basic idea as the arcade game (guy with arm breaks into base, kills things) the NES version is more of a side-scrolling adventure game, with RPG elements (picking up enough of those little capsule things extends your life bar) and having to find certain weapons etc before you can access other areas, making it sorta Metroid-ish. Also, you can play top-view levels which are sorta similar to the original Commando. Also its got a completely different plot where you're a dude whose flying all around to different bases during World War II to rescue a POW, whereas in the arcade version you're just trying to get into one base.

Gradius III - In the SNES version, whole levels were removed while new ones were added in, and the Afterburner-esque bonus stage was removed entirely. The difficulty was supposedly also toned down.

Rygar - They did the same to this game that they did to Bionic Commando. The Arcade version was a straightforward side-scroller that seemingly went on forever, the NES version was a Metroid/Zelda thing.

Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi - Actually I'm not sure this counts, as the Sega Genesis version is basically a completely new game that, outside of the title and the same kind of controls and features, basically has nothing to do with the arcade version.

Shinobi - I don't think there has ever been a true-to-the-arcade port. All the console versions I've played have added a life bar to replace the situational one-hit kills of the arcade. The NES version also only lets you use Ninjutsu after you've killed a couple of enemies--meaning you can't use it on bosses at all.

Strider - The NES version got the same workover that Rygar and Bionic Commando did. Actually, I've heard this might've been a "two projects developed at the same time" deal similar to what an above poster described Ninja Gaiden as.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game - The NES version adds two levels and takes away the four-player mode (because it was undoable on the hardware).

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time - The SNES version adds a couple of levels and bosses, and again takes away the four-player mode.

That's all the ones I can say for sure. Anything beyond that would be just a guess on my part. Unless I think of something.

[skaar]

Marketing people live in their own little world. That aspect of the industry has never changed.

Rygar and Bionic Commando were already mentioned.... How about Contra?

[Graham Mitchell]

Shinobi - I don't think there has ever been a true-to-the-arcade port. All the console versions I've played have added a life bar to replace the situational one-hit kills of the arcade. The NES version also only lets you use Ninjutsu after you've killed a couple of enemies--meaning you can't use it on bosses at

The pc engine version is pretty accurate. It's the only one that really plays like the arcade game.

Iirc, nintendo also had a requirement in the NES days that 3rd party developers had to alter the gameplay from the arcade version to encourage people to buy the home port instead of just going to the arcade and paying a quarter. This is why Capcom and Konamis nes (and snes) ports may deviate a lot from the source material.

Gun.smoke and section z are other examples of radical redesigns for the home consoles. In japan these were both released on the disk system, so capcom may have just been trying to take advantage of the save feature.

[treismac]

ALSO, see this box art?

http://images.wikia.com/ninjagaiden/images/d/d2/421px-Ninja_Gaiden_(NES).PNG

"Arcade Hit"

If that's not setting up expectations I don't know what is.

Damn!! You're right! That was kinda crappy of Tecmo. I loved the NES version but I do remember being bummed that it was so far removed from the arcade version. I wanted to swing from signs and kick people with Jason masks in the face, dammit!

[Leo_A]

Super Hang-On for the Sega Genesis adds a new career mode with upgradeable parts.

[Lord Contaminous]

Super Contra (NES), more stages and music than its arcade counterpart.

[Mingy Jongo]

Gyruss for the NES. It added new powerups, weapons, enemies, and bosses. Should have been called "Gyruss II" instead IMO.

[Gameguy]

It's not a home console but Elevator Action for Gameboy is very different from the arcade version.

[Kiddo]

I'm surprised Atari 2600 Pac-Man hasn't been mentioned yet. That's an example of "significantly changed from Arcade version" which is a really huge deal historically, for obvious reasons.

Another set of good examples would be -any- game named after a Laserdisc-based game in the pre-CD era such as NES/SNES Dragon's Lair and Space Ace or NES Cobra Command.

[Tron 2.0]

Contra "the famicom version" added cut scenes and animation put into for each stage.Not to mention,a map shows where you are afther you complete a stage.Then of coruse it having a ending for wich the arcade version lacked.

[Emperor Megas]

I wanted to swing from signs and kick people with Jason masks in the face, dammit!It's funny how much of an impact those movies had on popular culture. They're 'hockey' masks, but I call them "Jason masks" as well. :)

[homerhomer]

Man, I was so excited to play the NES games and .... I was let down and first and then I like it, But it still left me wanting the arcade game.

[savageone]

Total Carnage on the GB - I'm pretty sure the only thing the game has in common is it is supposed to be Total Carnage. Then again I never made it past the 10 minute hump.

ESWAT on the Genesis - I'm not sure if it is just loosely based on the arcade or if it's actually a sequel. A lot is the same, a lot is different.

[ubersaurus]

Solar Fox for 2600 comes to mind, where they removed the ability to shoot entirely from the console version. I actually think it adds to the game to have no offensive capability.

[Edmond Dantes]

Oh yeah, I finally thought of more that I'm surprised weren't mentioned yet:

Double Dragon - For the Atari 2600. Need I say more?

Double Dragon - For the NES. Removed co-op (added a fighting game mode, making it pretty ahead of its time), the levels are almost totally different, and now there's a "levelling up" feature. Oh, and the plot is slightly changed: now Jimmy Lee is a de-facto bad guy.

I'm not sure how Double Dragon 2 fared (never played the arcade) but...

Double Dragon III - NES version adds permadeath, and again I'm pretty sure the levels are all new. One notable feature from the arcade version was that you could buy powerups with credits, but of course the NES version removed this entirely. I can't remember if the "beating certain bosses turns them into playable characters" thing was present in the arcade version or not.

Did I miss anything?

[tom]

Pac-Man on VCS
even the names of the items changed.
Still like it though, good game (I never knew the arcade version to compare back then)

[Edmond Dantes]

In all honesty I've never gotten the hate for Atari Pac-Man. Yeah the Atari 2600 port was... different, but its not like the game was unplayable.

[Emperor Megas]

In all honesty I've never gotten the hate for Atari Pac-Man. Yeah the Atari 2600 port was... different, but its not like the game was unplayable.It was abysmal...just terrible. Look at the 2600 version of Mrs. Pac-Man to get an idea of just how inexcusably terrible Pac-Man really was. Or hell, just look at Pac-Man.

Heck, this is a homebrew version on the Fairchild Channel F that's better, which is inexcusable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjFSjEp1tQU

[Tempest]

Great! Keep them coming, I'm learning quite a bit here. The NES Capcom translations I knew about, but a lot of this is news to me.

Tempest

[Robocop2]

Golden Axe for the Genesis is changed somewhat from the arcade game. extra levels and a duel mode (think survival mode). Think they changed a few other minor things that escape me right now.

Alien Storm also got a few changes including extra levels and some different animations for the player character specials.

And for the record; I think Lynx Ninja Gaiden is much more enjoyable than NES NG. Maybe because I actually made it to the last boss one time but died. I can't hardly do anything in the NES game without meeting bloody death.

[Crocket]

I'd bring up the PSX versions of the Marvel vs. games, but the TC was hoping for systems before that era so nix that.

-Mercs for the Genesis had an original mode that included redone levels and places to buy items.

-Yie Air Kung fu for the Famicom is different from its arcade counterpart.

[Tempest]

I'd bring up the PSX versions of the Marvel vs. games, but the TC was hoping for systems before that era so nix that.

Aww what the heck, go for it! :)

Tempest

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

-Yie Air Kung fu for the Famicom is different from its arcade counterpart.

Oh, dear lord don't get me started on that crap. What a horrible version of of Yie Ar Kung Fu. I always get excited when I see the title of the software on a multicart and then remember how bad the Famicom version is.

While we're talking Konami, the NES version of Rush N' Attack has a brief opening sequence and and ending sequence that differs from the arcade as well as secret areas within levels that are not present in the arcade version.

[sidnotcrazy]

Cadash - The home versions were different, and I believe one or the other wouldn't show how much you leveled up?

Renegade - The arcade original was just a single screen beat-em-up but the nes version was a full fledged game in the same context as Double Dragon.

Robocop - A vastly changed game that said it was based on the #1 arcade hit.

That is all I can think of right now. Hope I didn't mention any that someone else has. Great topic!

[Neil Koch]

The NES version of Renegade isn't a side scrolling beat em up. It's on a single screen like the arcade. Maybe you were thinking of Target: Renegade?

[dnehthend]

Cruis'n USA was a pretty big let down.

[Rob2600]

In all honesty I've never gotten the hate for Atari Pac-Man. Yeah the Atari 2600 port was... different, but its not like the game was unplayable.

It was abysmal...just terrible.

I agree with Edmond Dantes. If Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 were released under a different name, it'd be considered a fun classic.

As it is, it's a totally playable, fun game. But because it doesn't look like arcade Pac-Man, it gets made fun of.

I guess back then, when people bought 2600 Pac-Man, they wanted Pac-Man, not a Pac-Man clone. What I don't understand is, people saw the screenshot on the back of the box and bought it anyway, so I don't know why they were disappointed when they played it. Did people think the game would magically look different than the screenshot when they brought it home?

[Robocop2]

Strangely 2600 Pac Man was probably one of if not my first game to play. Its not the best ever but I have fond memories of it and I still love the sound effects for the 2600 version.

[Crocket]

Aww what the heck, go for it! :)

Tempest

Thanks dude.

Going back to Golden Axe there's these two ports.

-The Master System version has no co-op and you can only select Ax Battler(Tarik in this port). To kind of make up for that, you can select if you want Ax Battler to posses the magic of Gillius or Tyris.

-There's a PC Engine CD port that includes some FMV sequences, but from what I've seen the port looks pretty bad. It also doesn't have a co-op mode.

[retroman]

No one has said anything about E-SWAT for the Sega Genesis, way different than the arcade

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

No one has said anything about E-SWAT for the Sega Genesis, way different than the arcade

Savageone did.


Total Carnage on the GB - I'm pretty sure the only thing the game has in common is it is supposed to be Total Carnage. Then again I never made it past the 10 minute hump.

ESWAT on the Genesis - I'm not sure if it is just loosely based on the arcade or if it's actually a sequel. A lot is the same, a lot is different.

Also, Ghouls & Ghosts on Sega Master System had some really interesting differences from any other version including more armor types and "stores" that you could enter to buy items.

[Compute]

The arcade version of Pitall II is a completely different game.

I'd also say that the arcade versions of Pinbot and High Speed were VERY different from their NES counterparts. The arcade versions aren't even a video game!

[Rob2600]

Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight for the NES is nothing like Street Fighter or Final Fight.

[BlastProcessing402]

Strangely 2600 Pac Man was probably one of if not my first game to play. Its not the best ever but I have fond memories of it and I still love the sound effects for the 2600 version.

Yeah, I never had a 2600 but I knew a lot of kids who did, and we were just glad to be able to play Pac Man, never mind how shoddy the port was.

Then a kid got Ms. Pac Man and we were like "WOW, this is so much better!"

2600 was hardly the worst version I ever played anyway. I had an LCD game watch version of Pac Man, now that was pretty terrible. I still had a lot of fun with it though. Pac Man Fever, it wasn't just a song, lol


ANYWAY back to games with significant changes in home release... Mortal Kombat on the SNES, typical blood changed to sweat nonsense, but also all the fatalities were changed to less graphic finishing moves. Genesis version was also toned down but could be restored with the famous ABACABB code or by using the DULLARD code and changing it in the debug menu.

[Gameguy]

The home versions of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker are much different compared to the arcade version.

[Greg2600]

Anyone mention Donkey Kong, how levels were missing from most ports? Other than the late 80's arcade to 2600 ports, which were going to look like trash no matter what, not too many from back then that stick out to me.

[Smashed Brother]

The Combatribes - Only ported to the SNES/SFC. Missing the 3-player mode, which is no big loss, but it's missing not only chunks of levels (the tower in the second level; the upstairs at the roller rink, etc), but also a whole level completely (the wharf with the boss rush, which has now been condensed into the previous level). On the flip side, there are between level cinemas, as well as a vs mode where you can use the enemy characters.

Double Dragon 2 - NES/PC Engine versions are vastly different than the arcade version, both featuring a plethora of new levels, new moves, cinematics and multiple endings. The PC Engine version is kinda like a EX version of the NES game, with even more differences, but graphically there's almost no resemblance to the characters that you know and love. Personally, I believe that the PCE version plays the best, but the arcade/NES versions bring back more memories for me.

Ms Pac-Man - The NES/Genesis versions feature the arcade game, as well as a new mode with completely different (and sometimes wacky) levels. There's also a 2-player simultaneous mode, as a well as a 'speed boost' button.

[RJ]

Well it was likely due to the VCS limitations, & no one seems to notice/care but I call it out every time, but Atari 2600 Mario Bros gameplay is significantly different.

1. Only 1 single creature per level at a time, so they cant bump into/affect each other (& no multiple creature bonus)
2. You cant stand on the POW switch (allows temporary safety from creatures).
3. Upper/orange fireball doesnt move around.
4. 2 player physics/interaction is nonexistent. This basically ruins the 2 player game.
5. Floors are all 1 pattern & dont "hump" when punched from below. Coins are "wafers" as its easier to draw squares than circles.

So (like other VCS arcade titles) if you're used to arcade MB, & slum it on the 2600, it's a real turnoff when scores & gameplay are so different.

[RJ]

double post

[Ze_ro]

Mighty Bomb Jack is nothing like the original arcade game.

I can't remember how the release dates pan out, but the Japanese game Salamander was altered into Life Force and released on NES... it WAS released in North American arcades with that name and theme, but the NES version seems to be better known.

Toki on Genesis is significantly different from the arcade version... at first glance, it seems like they just changed the levels, but trust me. Try playing both and you'll see how much they ruined it.

Not sure if this would count, but Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is a Genesis version of Puyo Puyo. The gameplay is identical, but the change in presentation makes the game feel somewhat different from the cheery original.

Getting to somewhat newer games, Killer Instinct Gold for the N64 received quite a few alterations from the original Killer Instinct 2 arcade game... Midway did something similar with Mortal Kombat Gold.

Someone already mentioned Capcom's vs. games... but Capcom actually has a pretty good history of altering their fighting games for home systems. Street Fighter Alpha 3 on Dreamcast got a bunch of extra characters and a lot of extra modes that really beefed the game up. To make things even weirder, this version eventually got re-ported to the arcade as Street Fighter Zero 3 Upper!

If you don't mind going the other direction, there are actually some really strange arcade games based on console and PC games... like Half-Life 2: Survivor (http://system16.com/hardware.php?id=678&gid=1719#1719).

--Zero

[Edmond Dantes]

If you're going to mention Mean Bean Machine you have to also mention Kirby's Avalanche.

There's also the weird case of Thunder Force III, which was a Sega Megadrive/Genesis game, got turned into an arcade game (Thunder Force AC) and then the arcade game got ported to the SNES as Thunder Spirits... and each port changed aspects of the gameplay and added and removed levels.

[Crocket]

Someone already mentioned Capcom's vs. games... but Capcom actually has a pretty good history of altering their fighting games for home systems. Street Fighter Alpha 3 on Dreamcast got a bunch of extra characters and a lot of extra modes that really beefed the game up. To make things even weirder, this version eventually got re-ported to the arcade as Street Fighter Zero 3 Upper!


--Zero

Oh snap you're right. That one slipped my mind. Speaking of that subject

-The PSX version of Street Fighter EX added Dhalsim,Sakura,and the two Cycloid characters.

-Rival Schools for the PSX added a ton of extra content like FMV sequences,mini games,and a character creation mode(though only in Japan for the last one).

-Most SNK ports add new characters to the home releases. For example, every home port of KOF2002 added more new characters then the last one(DC got King and Shingo, the PS2 got those guys plus Geese,Goenitz,and Wild Iori).

[Rob2600]

Final Fight for the SNES. It was a very impressive launch title, but was missing a few key features found in the arcade version: Guy, the two-player mode, and at least one level.

[Blitzwing256]

Mighty Bomb Jack is nothing like the original arcade game.


--Zero


well thats because its a sequel not a port,
the original game is just "bomb jack" and the sequel is mighty
and it is just like the original, every end of level room is the same as the original arcade.

[Emperor Megas]

I agree with Edmond Dantes. If Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 were released under a different name, it'd be considered a fun classic.

As it is, it's a totally playable, fun game. It's completely subjective, of course. I think it's garbage, always did. It could have been called anything else I'd still hate it...and I liked a lot of maze type Pac-Man clones.


But because it doesn't look like arcade Pac-Man, it gets made fun of....or sound, or play, or entertain like arcade Pac-Man.


What I don't understand is, people saw the screenshot on the back of the box and bought it anyway, so I don't know why they were disappointed when they played it. Did people think the game would magically look different than the screenshot when they brought it home?I don't know what other people saw, but I didn't see the back of any Atari games when I was a kid until they were in my possession. They were almost all behind a glass case in the store, and my dad never bought them when I was with him anyway. They were usually presents for Christmas, birthdays, or good report cards. My dad bought the games he did based mainly on my requests, what he saw on television commercials, and the games (front) cover art. Regardless, stills simply can't convey how truly terrible 2600 Pac-Man really was. Just awful.

[Greg2600]

Cruis'n USA was a pretty big let down.
Really? It was nearly exactly the same game, the car models/textures were almost the same. The only difference was they had to scale down the level of the backgrounds, and the draw distances for the N64 somewhat.


It's completely subjective, of course. I think it's garbage, always did. It could have been called anything else I'd still hate it...and I liked a lot of maze type Pac-Man clones.

...or sound, or play, or entertain like arcade Pac-Man.
The gameplay of 2600 Pac-Man was fine, I always had no qualms with it. It wasn't as fun as the "real" Pac-Man ports later on, without question. The biggest problems were the maze designs, sounds, and of course graphics. The graphics were atrocious. That said, it's definitely one of the worst ports, because ever since I discovered several of the hacked Ms. into Mr. Pac-Man roms, I only play those.

[Emperor Megas]

The gameplay of 2600 Pac-Man was fine, I always had no qualms with it.I did. The ghosts' AI isn't like the arcade at all, IIRC. You also can't tell how any of the ghosts will behave like in the arcade version since they're essentially the same colour. Also, unless I'm mistaken, you could 'escape' through the tunnels. The ghosts can't get you if you pass them in the exit at the top and bottom of the screen like in the real game. I think you can even 'dodge' in the tunnel by bobbing up and down until the Ghosts are a safe distance away. Eating dots (I mean "space waffers"), Power pills ("energizers") and bonus items (er..."vitamins") don't make Pac-Man move any showers, either like in the arcade version.

Unless I'm recalling all of these things incorrectly (it has been a long time since I've played the 2600 version of Pac-Man), I think that's enough to say that the 2600 version plays significantly different from the arcade version. That's not to say it makes it a bad game -- but I think it's a bad game, and I think a pretty large cross section of gamers agreed. I didn't expect anything close to arcade perfection back then, but who ever programmed the 2600 version of Pac-Man really phoned it in. I mean it was basically a bad tech demo.

[XYXZYZ]

I made a thread like this a few years ago, so don't forget to check it out too- http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62712

[CelticJobber]

The Playstation port of San Francisco Rush was altered quite a bit from the arcade version.

[sidnotcrazy]

The NES version of Renegade isn't a side scrolling beat em up. It's on a single screen like the arcade. Maybe you were thinking of Target: Renegade?

Youtube:
[ur]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4t99jhcNDY[/url]

You can even ride a motorcycle in the game. I guess saying it was side scrooler was wrong, but instead of just simply cutting to the next level, the nes version has the player go in doors, and such.

[chrisbid]

for the vcs pac man haters, name a faithful arcade port on the 2600 produced in 1981 or earlier...

it cant be done, because it wasnt done. space invaders was different, asteroids was different, tank and pong and other atari arcade games were given new variations for their VCS ports. atari had this weird attraction to strange colors on the vcs. the machine could produce color, so programmers went out of their way to produce the most gaudy color combinations possible... because they could, they werent limited to black and white. had vcs pac man used black as the background, it wouldve looked much more authentic, but the goals of the day were not to reproduce the arcade experience to a t, just reproduce the gameplay.

one thing tod frye pointed out at the portland retro gaming expo a couple of weeks ago was he sacrificed quite a lot of his 4k allotment to allow vcs pac man to have 2 players. Ms Pac man and Jr Pac man are single player only titles. something to chew on....