Any Sega CD games actually better on the cartridge?

[Anthony1]

Usually, you would think that a Sega CD version of the same exact game on cartridge would be superior. For example, ECCO for the Sega CD features a great musical score, NHL 94 features ambient arena sounds, stuff like that.

But does anybody know a situation in which the cartridge was actually superior to the Sega CD version?

The reason I ask, is because I recently got a Sega CD, and I was interested in gettign games like Earthworm Jim on Sega Cd, and games like that, but I was wondering if on any of them I should actually stick to the cartridge version instead.

[kai123]

Mortal Kombat sucks on the sega cd. The cart has no load times.

[ClubNinja]

It's my opinion that Sol-Feace (Sega CD) and Sol-Deace (Genesis) are essentially without any major differences. I'm not sure that one is better than the other, so I guess it's a draw. Whichever's easiest for you to find.

By the way, EWJ is excellent on the Sega CD... bonus level goodness and all that jazz!

[XpOsUrE]

Final Fight was for sure the best version back then other then the arcade version. Also sonic cd even though a original and not really a remake of any other game, it was at the time not really possible ( or seemed to at least ) to be possible on any other system back then.

[NexWave]

Earthworm Jim for the sega cd I found way better then the cart one the music sounded better and i think (im not 100% sure) that there is extra areas in the sega cd one, and Eternal Champions was alot better on the Sega cd as well , those are the only 2 i can really think of
Kain76

[atomicthumbs]

Flashback. Definately Flashback...

[digitalpress]

Any Joe Montana game on the Genesis is better than the crap Sega CD version. It's almost a wash but Samurai Shodown on the Genesis edges out the Sega CD IMHO (again, load times make a difference). Ditto for NBA Jam. I also enjoyed all of the Road Rash games on the Genesis infinitely better than the Sega CD version, which seems to be a port of the 3DO version, which was GREAT on the 3DO but suddenly all choppy and "dirty looking" on Sega CD.

I like the run 'n gun style of Demolition Man on the Genesis better than the revamped "multimedia" game on the Sega CD. Again, I think something happened when the 3DO came out and developers thought the Sega CD was up to the same tasks.

As mentioned before, Mortal Kombat is infinitely better on cartridge. Something went very wrong on the CD version.

There are other games that gain only a slight benefit (if any) on Sega CD simply via the music, but some people prefer the charm of digitally generated themes over redbook audio. Chuck Rock, 3 Ninjas and NHL '94 are good examples of that.

Sonic CD and Earthworm Jim Special Edition are perfect examples of how Sega CD could ENHANCE a game. Not just redbook quality music and a few little video sequences that add nothing to the game, but rather more new complete levels than the cartridge version.

[Jorpho]

Well, aside from the FMV, redbook audio, and Mode 7 bonus rounds, is there really anything in Sonic CD that couldn't be done on the Genesis? (I imagine you could even port the whole thing to the SNES - aside from the FMV and redbook audio - if you really wanted to.)

The intro movie for Eternal Champions CD is pretty nifty. I really ought to take another look at that one sometime.
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[Stringfellow]

Everyone hates Mortal Kombat Sega CD, but I personally enjoyed it more than the Genesis version. I guess I'm just patient. The only time when load time annoys me is when fighting Shang Tsung. Other than that I think the Sega CD version is great.

[Stringfellow]

Oh yeah I also loved Terminator on Sega CD, not that the Genesis version sucked but I just enjoyed it more on Sega CD. Now if I could only get it to work on my CDX.

[ubersaurus]

Just a mite off topic...

My brother apparently killed my copy of Sol Feace, in that he knocked it on the floor, never picked it up, and the data side got scuffed up. I can't get it to load, but then, my cdx is a bit flaky for anything less then perfect, so I don't know if it's just a simple task of cleaning it up, or if its really dead.

Feace was better on CD, due to the cooler music ;p

[E Nice]

I'm not quite sure what makes Earthworm Jim Special so much greater than the cart counterparts. Didn't it only have one extra level? Big Bruty or soemthing? It was neat to go through, liked the bees but was that level really something extra special?

[XpOsUrE]

Earthworm Jim for the sega cd I found way better then the cart one the music sounded better and i think (im not 100% sure) that there is extra areas in the sega cd one, and Eternal Champions was alot better on the Sega cd as well , those are the only 2 i can really think of
Kain76

Your not I am almost positive that it had the extra level you speak of.

[Cafeman]

Late to the party! I thought of MK CD as well, the load times killed it on the Sega CD, with apparently no other real benefits from the CD technology. I can't recall any other CD games I played that were worse than their cart versions. Oh yeah, Joe Montana was pretty bad. I used to throw 80 yeard Oilers completions routinely.

Mostly the games were somewhat to greatly improved going from cart to CD.

For example of a so-so improvement, consider Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure. I recall the CD one was was cheaper, and the sound FX & music were crystal clear and used surround sound. There were one or two places (right before bosses I think) where the game would pause for a 1 or 2 seconds to load, a minor annoyance. But overall the CD version was just a wee bit 'better'.

Sol Feace had more explosive sounds, that's all. (Sol Deace was the Genny version, right?). Stupid name!

E.Jim was an example of a great CD conversion, I recommend you buy it if you can! Ithad the Big Bruty level (Nick Bruty was their art director I beleive) and some of the other levels were expanded, and there was more voice and better quality sounds by a wee bit. But the cart version seemed to have more "standing animations" by far than the CD version did, probably due to the different streaming/memory cababilities of CD vs Cart.

Ecco also had 4 extra levels, as well as a nifty FMV you could find in the Library, and excellent sound which made the game turn into a real experience. But Eternal Champions CD was the biggest improvement, it made the game go from a pretty but mediocre game to an awesome experience. That game's demise is one of the sadder Sega tales IMHO, I always wanted to see a Saturn version. And finally, Batman Returns CD added a whole new (excellent!) driving game which really rocked my world back then.

*Cafeman wishes his Sega CD still worked...*

[Jorpho]

Hmm... I think Pitfall did not survive well the reduction in colors necessary for the Sega CD/Genesis.
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