Kid Ice
07-22-2004, 08:08 PM
I had nothing better to do today so I thought I would compare some games that came out on 3DO and Playstation. The results were somewhat surprising.
GAME 1: Gex
The games are almost exactly the same. The intro movie looks much better on the PSX. The in-game graphics aren't noticeably different. Sound is a little better on the PSX. The nonsense with getting the videotape to save is also in the PSX version, and they found a way to make it worse...when you get the tape it gives you a password. Ouch. The 3DO saves the game to the internal drive.
EDGE: 3DO
GAME 2: The Need for Speed
This one will depend on your taste. The games are vastly different. The 3DO game is a race against one other vehicle driven by the "X-Man", who occasionally pops up in a FMV to taunt you. The PSX version is a more conventional racing game. The PSX game is arcadey while the 3DO version is a sim. One of the key features of the 3DO is the incredible crashes...missing from the PSX version. I guess it depends on what you're looking for, but I find the 3DO version far superior. One of the rare instances where FMV actually helps.
EDGE: 3DO
GAME 3: Star Fighter
This game hasn't aged well. It looks really bad on both machines. I always liked the control style of this game, it seems more realistic compared to other flight sims. You can't turn or "yaw", you can only bank by rolling the plane and ascending at the same time. But I digress...it's exactly the same game on both systems, no improvement in graphics or sound on the PSX.
EDGE: tie
GAME 4: Return Fire
If you had told me when I woke up this morning that I would be spending a good part of the day playing Return Fire, I'd have thought you were nuts. I was never a big fan of the 3DO version, but in retrospect I never really gave it a chance...I was younger and much more attracted to straightforward "action". It's a pity it took me this long to discover this amazing game. And let's just say more games should use "real" music.
The PSX version has a couple minor features not found in the 3DO version. You can get rid of the status bar at the bottom of the screen to see more of the action, and you can pan out. Panning out, actually, is a major plus rather than a minor feature...the 3DO camera stays a little too tight on your vehicle, and it can be a big advantage to see what's coming. In the PSX version the different scenarios have titles...the 3DO version only shows you the different maps. Another very strange difference; the games have different videos to celebrate victory. In the 3DO version you see soldiers marching in a parade. On the PSX, you have Lou Gehrig's speech...don't ask me why, it's totally inappropriate. The sound and music is a little cleaner in the PSX version. I'm giving the edge to the PSX because the game is generally executed a little better, but keep these things in mind: (1) there is an expansion pack for the 3DO (Maps O' Death) and (2) the 3DO version can be had for about $5, while the PSX version is a sought after collectible...choose accordingly. Better still, choose both.
EDGE: PSX
GAME 5: Doom
If you've played the 3DO version of Doom, you already know it couldn't be worse. After an awesome port of Wolfenstein, I couldn't tell you what happened. The game really shouldn't even have been released...it's that bad. The PSX version, on the other hand, is very well done and my favorite console version. You just can't compare console vs. PC for this particular game though.
EDGE: PSX
Those were the only ones I could take out of my collection and directly compare, except for Psychic Detective, which I just didn't feel up to. I'd like to know why the PSX never got Captain Quazar, Star Control 2 (or how about Star Control 3), or Cannon Fodder. I will be doing this again as soon as I can get my hands on the PSX versions of Rebel Assault, Wing Commander 3, D, Novastorm, and Road Rash.
GAME 1: Gex
The games are almost exactly the same. The intro movie looks much better on the PSX. The in-game graphics aren't noticeably different. Sound is a little better on the PSX. The nonsense with getting the videotape to save is also in the PSX version, and they found a way to make it worse...when you get the tape it gives you a password. Ouch. The 3DO saves the game to the internal drive.
EDGE: 3DO
GAME 2: The Need for Speed
This one will depend on your taste. The games are vastly different. The 3DO game is a race against one other vehicle driven by the "X-Man", who occasionally pops up in a FMV to taunt you. The PSX version is a more conventional racing game. The PSX game is arcadey while the 3DO version is a sim. One of the key features of the 3DO is the incredible crashes...missing from the PSX version. I guess it depends on what you're looking for, but I find the 3DO version far superior. One of the rare instances where FMV actually helps.
EDGE: 3DO
GAME 3: Star Fighter
This game hasn't aged well. It looks really bad on both machines. I always liked the control style of this game, it seems more realistic compared to other flight sims. You can't turn or "yaw", you can only bank by rolling the plane and ascending at the same time. But I digress...it's exactly the same game on both systems, no improvement in graphics or sound on the PSX.
EDGE: tie
GAME 4: Return Fire
If you had told me when I woke up this morning that I would be spending a good part of the day playing Return Fire, I'd have thought you were nuts. I was never a big fan of the 3DO version, but in retrospect I never really gave it a chance...I was younger and much more attracted to straightforward "action". It's a pity it took me this long to discover this amazing game. And let's just say more games should use "real" music.
The PSX version has a couple minor features not found in the 3DO version. You can get rid of the status bar at the bottom of the screen to see more of the action, and you can pan out. Panning out, actually, is a major plus rather than a minor feature...the 3DO camera stays a little too tight on your vehicle, and it can be a big advantage to see what's coming. In the PSX version the different scenarios have titles...the 3DO version only shows you the different maps. Another very strange difference; the games have different videos to celebrate victory. In the 3DO version you see soldiers marching in a parade. On the PSX, you have Lou Gehrig's speech...don't ask me why, it's totally inappropriate. The sound and music is a little cleaner in the PSX version. I'm giving the edge to the PSX because the game is generally executed a little better, but keep these things in mind: (1) there is an expansion pack for the 3DO (Maps O' Death) and (2) the 3DO version can be had for about $5, while the PSX version is a sought after collectible...choose accordingly. Better still, choose both.
EDGE: PSX
GAME 5: Doom
If you've played the 3DO version of Doom, you already know it couldn't be worse. After an awesome port of Wolfenstein, I couldn't tell you what happened. The game really shouldn't even have been released...it's that bad. The PSX version, on the other hand, is very well done and my favorite console version. You just can't compare console vs. PC for this particular game though.
EDGE: PSX
Those were the only ones I could take out of my collection and directly compare, except for Psychic Detective, which I just didn't feel up to. I'd like to know why the PSX never got Captain Quazar, Star Control 2 (or how about Star Control 3), or Cannon Fodder. I will be doing this again as soon as I can get my hands on the PSX versions of Rebel Assault, Wing Commander 3, D, Novastorm, and Road Rash.