SNES vs Megadrive (Genesis)

[SuperKonker]

Hey guys, i know this is my first post but i was wondering if you could help me out.

As im still in college, i've been set some course work where i have to compare peoples opinions between 2 consoles.

Everyone in my group is doing 360 vs PS3.

Im being different.

So this is the info I'm going to need:

Username:
Age:
Choice:
Reasoning:

I was told by the guys at Retrogamer.net:

If you want a balanced feedback you also need to ask this question on a US board (I suggest digitpress.com). Together you get a more realistic worldwide feedback as the UK is basically the only Sega dominated region in the western world.

So, does anyone want to help?

[tom]

To get a balanced view you surely have to include the Japanese too

[SuperKonker]

To get a balanced view you surely have to include the Japanese too

....god-damn it

[Icarus Moonsight]

Icarus Moonsight
30
Genesis

I put a lot of my time into shmups and fighters and the Genesis stomps the SNES in these genres overall. The SNES does have good shmups, but they're not as plentiful or as varied in style as on the Genny. The Gen 6 button controller makes fighting game control svelt and smooth. Just feels much better to me, even though you take a hit in the visuals.

Also, I prefer the FM Synthesis of the Genny over the stilted midi on the SNES. The only thing SNES can do much better, time after time, is orchestral pieces.

[staxx]

Wow I thought the Megadrive/Genesis vs Super Famicom/SNES died years ago.....I guess not.

[badinsults]

Evan_G
27
SNES


I must admit, I have a definite bias towards the SNES. So much so that I created a large website about the system. I never owned a Genesis, the closest being my purchase of the Genesis Collection on Xbox 360. When I was a kid, the choice was simple: the Super NES had Super Mario World and Final Fantasy II, I would never have given the Genesis a second thought.

[pato]

pato
30
SNES

This is a hard one (I really enjoy my Genesis too). As was said earlier, there are some genres done better on the Genesis (Sports titles and Shumps come to mind). The Genesis just had the quicker processor to pull those games off better. Although the SNES has some great ones too. IMO, the SNES overall has a more complete, robust (tons of unique games for the machine) library of games in comparison to the Genesis. Plus, naturally, I find myself gravitating towards picking up more SNES titles then Genesis ones. This was even true when games were still being commmercially released.

[chrisbid]

chrisbid
33
genesis

the number one reason i had ever liked home video games was that they offered a chance to play arcade games at home. sega persued this philosophy more than nintendo even in the 8-bit days.

reason number two was image. sega marketed toward older gamers. i was in high school at the time and was sega's key demographic. the snes was more for kids.

[MASTERWEEDO]

MASTERWEEDO
25
Genesis

I didnt have a SNES until a few years ago. Genesis seemed to have the best titles, and the NES was good enough for my nintendo fix. also, genesis had blood on the Mortal Kombat games.

[Zthun]

Zthun
26
SNES

It still has some of the greatest RPG games of all time.

[Nico87]

Nico87
22
Genesis

Well, I'm more into importing Japanese games. I do own the must-have RPG's and some other games in other genres for the US SNES, but I can't really say that I find the SNES/SFC very import-friendly. Average eBay prices for japanese are higher than the Genny's, and there's really not THAT much worth getting.

Like I mentioned above, I've found that Genesis/Mega Drive importing is cheaper, and easier, in terms of availability. I'm into shmups, and I believe the Genny outranks the SNES/Super Famicom pretty easily within this genre.

All in all, it's a pretty close call. The SNES had some of my favorite games ever (Final Fantasy series, Chrono Trigger, Zelda, etc), but as far as availability and quantity goes, I choose the Genny/Mega Drive.

The thing with the SNES/SFC, though, is that you only need about ten games for it to justify buying the console.

[badinsults]

I'm actually a bit surprised that the Mega Drive dominated in the UK, considering that some of the most hardcore SNES fans I have met are from the UK, and considering that there were several great SNES publications from the era from that region. I'll admit, where I grew up the Genesis was the most popular system because it had a superior version of NHL 94. During subsequent generation, the N64 was the system of choice due to the popularity of Goldeneye.

[PresidentLeever]

PresidentLeever
23 (M, Sweden)
I pick both

Many of Nintendos first party titles really felt like they belonged to the next generation, providing large immersive game worlds, cinematic scenes, explorative gameplay and always the ability to save your progress. Sega mimicked them somewhat in the 90s and their efforts weren't quite as good (Beyond Oasis and Sonic 3 for example) but at the same time I think they were more daring and produced some really unique and interesting games (Ecco 1-2, Toejam & Earl 1-2). The MD is the better choice (but not by a huge margin) for fast paced arcade style games as well, stuff that you could just pick up and play and be done with in an hour or so, which I've come to appreciate more now when my free time is limited.

Taking both consoles entire libraries into account (JP imports), I'd still have to give it to the SNES because it simply had more good games to offer in most of the genres that interest me (RPGs yes, but also action adventures, platformers, beat em ups and puzzlers).

Games aside I think the MD looks better, I like how it had backwards compatibility and CD games through its addons, and the game boxes (European) are of better quality. It's also cheaper to collect for, even more so now than back in the day.

Soundwise I tend to prefer the MD, SNES sounds more dated to me now and the music and effects usually lack a bit in the lower range. The best efforts for the MD still sound clean and crisp and I get more nostalgic when hearing those tunes. But it also depends on the genre, orchestral pieces were better suited for the SNES.

[j_factor]

j_factor
23
Genesis

I could go into a huge rant about technical differences, image, the policies of the two companies, and stuff like that. But while that stuff makes a difference, what it all boils down to is the games (the relative quality of which was influenced by those factors, but only to a degree). I feel that Genesis has a greater quantity of worthwhile games, and prefer it for that reason alone. The other stuff is just a backdrop. And having a lot of experience with both, having tried out literally hundreds of games for each system, I think I'm in a good position to make that judgment.

I'm actually a bit surprised that the Mega Drive dominated in the UK, considering that some of the most hardcore SNES fans I have met are from the UK, and considering that there were several great SNES publications from the era from that region.

The UK in general has had a larger number of gaming magazines, and better ones. There was no shortage of Sega-specific mags either: Mega, Sega Pro, Sega Power, Sega Zone, Mega Zone, Sega Force, Mean Machines Sega, Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, Mega Tech, etc. That's a lot... I think the US only had Sega Visions (which barely even qualifies as a magazine).

[thom_m]

thom_m
28
Genesis

I love them both, but my heart's with the Mega Drive. In part, of nostalgy: It was the system I had back in the 90's, and I really stood up for it during the "16-bit wars".

But even now, years later, and having owned a SNES too for quite a while, I continue to prefer the MD. It gives room for more creative, imaginative, "groundbreaking" games. There are no such things as Toejam & Earl, Alien Soldier, Chakan or Haunting Starring Polterguy on the SNES. And, for me, that's the true advantage of the Sega system.

P.S.: SNES vs Genny, once again. In before the lock?

[MASTERWEEDO]

Genesis does what Nintendon't.

[tofu]

Username: tofu
Age: 26
Choice: SNES
Reasoning: Earthbound:

[googlefest1]

33

genesis


felt it had better games and sound

although i wished there were more rpgs (the snes had more)

the arcade ports were much better on the genesis - i always felt there was something wrong with the feel of street fighter 2 and the mortal kombat games on the snes.

also like many mentioned before - the shooters were much better on the genesis - they felt more like the arcade shooters did

genesis also had the great SEGA arcade ports

[BetaWolf47]

Name: BetaWolf47
Age: 20
Choice: SNES

Reasoning: Well, I will confess bias here. I've owned my SNES five times longer than my Genesis. However, in fairness, the genres and qualities I like in gaming are more prevalent on SNES than Genesis. Dealing with platformers, adventure games, and others, Genesis has some great ones, but they don't compare with the likes of Mario, Metroid, and the other SNES exclusives.

The Genesis hardware line is also flawed. There's way too many revisions. There's three different models and a handheld version. In addition, the first two models have no less than four motherboard revisions (possibly twice that amount on the second model), and each and every one is different. If you don't want to be stuck with an inferior system, you really have to hunt for a good revision, and even then you may need to open up the system to see what components it has. Some revisions are total garbage, like the VA7 model 1.

With SNES, if there are even board revisions, no particular one seems to be inferior. I'd much rather have a "one size fits all" solution that's not flawed from the first place than have to hunt down a particular revision of the same system.

[betamax001]

Betamax001
17
SNES

Reason: The Genesis game library never really stands out for me. Theres less games that I want for Genesis as compared to SNES. Maybe its just that the games I've played for SNES are just better than the ones I've played for Genny. To me it pretty much comes down to Mario and Sonic, and I would choose Mario over Sonic. And to that, that the games i have on Genesis are games of genres that were done better by Nintendo. Example being Mario and Sonic and Tetris and Columns.