Arcade -> Home. Why mess with the game?

[icbrkr]

I went and picked up Bump n Jump for the NES yesterday. When I got home, I expected to put the cart in and play a graphically better Bump N Jump than the Intellivision version I play all the time.

I was pretty surprised to find out though this game features a car, has some other cars to bump, and yes, you can jump, it was not Bump n Jump. What is this lame music? Powerups? Why is there power ups? What track is this? I don't recognize it.

I've noticed that other conversion games suffer similarly. Rygar for the NES as well features the same hero as the arcade machine but that's pretty much it. The gameplay is pretty far out there from the original arcade machine.

What possesses a developer to totally screw with the game? What other games do this?

Brian

[kainemaxwell]

Many times there's hardware and software limitations, or the programmers wan tto do something slightly different thent he Arcade versions to appeal to more of an audience.

[Captain Wrong]

I strongly doubt the NES would have had any trouble doing an arcade perfect Bump n Jump, kaine.

Several of the NES ports of older arcade games are like this (see also Gyruss and Tengen Ms. Pac Man). I'm sure it was done because the source games were starting to show their age and to appeal to a newer audience they thought they'd add a few things. It can be a good thing, if you are given the option to play the game as it was. Ms Pac Man is a good example and I think the enhancements add to the cart.

Bump n Jump is still fun (IMHO) but it's a slightly different game. Could have called it Bump n Jump 2 and I would have accepted that better.

[Sega Hitman]

Sometimes those changes companies made worked out for the better though. Think of what it would been like if the NES version of Ninja Gaiden was just like the arcade game. yuck!

-Hitman-

[BenT]

Heh, NES is infamous for its... creative... arcade translations. To tell you the truth, I generally think the changes are for the better. Ninja Gaiden is a great example, as is Commando. I think Strider was a better game on NES too. (I feel the arcade game is very overrated.)

[NE146]

I must've been the only one who was sadly dissapointed when NES Ninja Gaiden turned out to NOT be the same as the arcade game I was addicted to at the time. But oh well.. it turned out to be pretty darn good in itself. :)

[Arcade Antics]

I must've been the only one who was sadly dissapointed when NES Ninja Gaiden turned out to NOT be the same as the arcade game I was addicted to at the time. But oh well.. it turned out to be pretty darn good in itself. :)

Nope, I was disappointed as well. I still wish someone would make an arcade to home port of the real NG arcade game. They could even inclued Tecmo Knight as an extra added bonus. :-D

The ones that really burn me are Renegade and Double Dragon on the NES. I know there are a lot of fans of Double Dragon on NES, but to me, since it's too far removed from the original arcade game (for no good reason) I just can't buy into it. Blech. 8-)

[Anonymous]

Bionic Commando is probably the best example of messing with a good thing. The NES game screams to be updated and placed into a 3D world. Where are the impassioned developers clawing at a chance to remake this game?

[BenT]

Oh, how could I forget Bionic Commando? The best Arcade -> NES rejiggering EVAR. :) It's so much better than the original.

AA: A port of the arcade Ninja Gaiden is available for the Mega Drive in Japan and (I think) Europe. I bet ClassicGaming's Ninja Gaiden hosted site could confirm it for you.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm thinking Contra is the only Home conversion that I liked more than the original (2 processor!) arcade board. Actually, it'd have to be pretty close.

I guess taking out that big scary purple alien helped things... :P

[Ed Oscuro]

Oh, how could I forget Bionic Commando? The best Arcade -> NES rejiggering EVAR. :) It's so much better than the original.

AA: A port of the arcade Ninja Gaiden is available for the Mega Drive in Japan and (I think) Europe. I bet ClassicGaming's Ninja Gaiden hosted site could confirm it for you.

I've seen the Genesis version, and of course that is almost always an indication there's a MD version...

[BenT]

Genesis Ninja Gaiden? That would imply an American release, and there was none... I'm not even sure about the Euro version.

[HaggarCodyGuy123]

One of the most faithful ports of arcade Ninja Gaiden could be found on the Atari Lynx.

[Captain Wrong]

I think Strider was a better game on NES too. (I feel the arcade game is very overrated.)

*faints*

Hehe, Strider isn't for everyone's tastes, but I still like it.