NES arcade variations - higher difficulty?

[jperryss]

Hi all.
I've been trying to figure out which variation of the NES arcade titles had the difficulty upped? I specifically remember playing a harder version of SMB1 in the arcade. From what I remember, the levels were very similar to the originals but had some stuff tweaked a bit (for example, platforms missing or pits where there would normally be floor). I thought for sure it was the PlayChoice10 version, but that one seems to be nearly identical to the original console version.

Am I dreaming here?

Thanks!
JP

[Nesmaster]

That's Vs. Super Mario Bros. I was just playing that on my NES Powerpak and the extra pit in 4-1 threw me off and killed me. LOL

[SparTonberry]

Yes, they were made to be harder so they could take your quarters faster.

The others I know of:
Gradius (as ridiculous as its seems for Konami to port the arcade game to the NES, and then port the NES version back to the arcade :P ): slower rapid fire. It's much more necessary to tap the button yourself for "rapid fire".
Castlevania: you take double damage, respawning enemies respawn faster, meat only recovers half health, shorter time limits (though it seems to reset to the default if you start at a checkpoint, whereas the timer is only partially recovered on the console when you start at a checkpoint), less stage-clear bonus (hearts and timer are only worth 40% the points each).

[jperryss]

Thanks guys.

I just watched 1-1 and 1-2 from this vid right here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKk2TkKRAC0) and they looked identical to the console version. I could've sworn the version I played in the arcade many years ago was noticeably difficult from the start, but this one doesn't seem to be.

Guess my memory is playin' tricks. :D

[treismac]

That's Vs. Super Mario Bros. I was just playing that on my NES Powerpak and the extra pit in 4-1 threw me off and killed me. LOL

A rom of Vs. SMB exists????

O_O

Time to crack out some Google Fu...

YES!!! It does exist!! Why couldn't I find this sooner?? Thanks Nesmaster!!! Now, it's time to play some Vs. SMB on NEStopia. :D

[SparTonberry]

Thanks guys.

I just watched 1-1 and 1-2 from this vid right here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKk2TkKRAC0) and they looked identical to the console version. I could've sworn the version I played in the arcade many years ago was noticeably difficult from the start, but this one doesn't seem to be.

Guess my memory is playin' tricks. :D

The changes in 1-1 and 1-2 are minor.
The only one I can recall in 1-1 is that the first fire flower ? block has been moved from the lower to the upper row of bricks.
In 1-2, the flower in the "t" formation after the star, has been changed to a normal brick. The 1-Up has been changed to a flower. The two bricks above the exit pipe have been removed in an effort to prevent the Minus World glitch from being performed.
I think the first multi-coin block in the level was originally guarded by a Goomba, and was changed to a Koopa.
The platform below the last flower has been narrowed, making the mushroom more risky to get.

[wiggyx]

A rom of Vs. SMB exists????

O_O

Time to crack out some Google Fu...

YES!!! It does exist!! Why couldn't I find this sooner?? Thanks Nesmaster!!! Now, it's time to play some Vs. SMB on NEStopia. :D

Hell, there are even repros of it at this point LOL