Marble Madness Missing Levels in Handheld Ports

[ColecoFan1981]

Does it seem like most of the handheld ports of Marble Madness are always missing a level or two or three?

The original Game Boy version (Mindscape, 1991) eliminates only the Ultimate Race, restarting from the Beginner Race.

The Game Boy Color version (Midway Games, 1999) also eliminated the Aerial and Silly Races.

Even the Game Boy Advance version (DSI Games, 2005) eliminates the Aerial, Silly and Ultimate Races - but that is to make room for Klax.

The handheld market, to me it seems, never has a full version of Marble Madness with all six levels. What do you think?

~Ben

[goldenband]

I think it's a damn shame and a travesty, myself! I have no idea what motivated all those cuts, but they ruin ports that were already compromised in other ways (or at least the Game Boy version, which has horrendous physics).

The Game Gear version is complete, though, isn't it? Too bad the SMS/GG version has terrible physics too.

[ColecoFan1981]

I think it's a damn shame and a travesty, myself! I have no idea what motivated all those cuts, but they ruin ports that were already compromised in other ways (or at least the Game Boy version, which has horrendous physics).

The Game Gear version is complete, though, isn't it? Too bad the SMS/GG version has terrible physics too.

Yes, it is.

I wonder why Tengen licensed the Genesis port to Electronic Arts (who was the publisher for the computer ports)?

~Ben

[goldenband]

I wonder why Tengen licensed the Genesis port to Electronic Arts (who was the publisher for the computer ports)?

Dunno, but Tengen's Mega Drive port -- released only in Japan -- is light-years better, and about as close to arcade-perfect as I can imagine. It's an exquisitely well-done port.

[Graham Mitchell]

I have the sharp x680000 version and it's 100% arcade perfect. You can use the mouse too, so short of having a cab in your house, it's the best port I've played.

I remember the Apple iic Version being really good too. Low frame rate, but it played well, and had cool music.

[davidbrit2]

I have the sharp x680000 version and it's 100% arcade perfect. You can use the mouse too, so short of having a cab in your house, it's the best port I've played.

I remember the Apple iic Version being really good too. Low frame rate, but it played well, and had cool music.

The PS1 version is pretty damn good with this thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Track-Ball/dp/B00001ZWWX

[Graham Mitchell]

The PS1 version is pretty damn good with this thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Track-Ball/dp/B00001ZWWX

Holy shit. I didn't even know that existed.

[goldenband]

The Game Boy Color version (Midway Games, 1999) also eliminated the Aerial and Silly Races.

Hmmm, I just fired up the GBC ROM on my EverDrive-GB, and it has all six races.

...unfortunately, it's also a horrendous port with horrific controls, slowdown, incorrect music, glitchy collision detection, and all kinds of inaccurate porting issues, including a completely screwed-up end to the Ultimate race. It's also ferociously and unfairly difficult: I got to the Silly race on my own, but to complete the game I needed an infinite time cheat code.

It's beyond redemption, as a port or as a game in its own right.

[Tanooki]

I can agree with that, made the accident of buying that one locally for a couple dollars over 6 months ago and it was jacked. I'm not great by any means at the game, but I can handle enough of the screens to know when I was getting short changed on the clock and having dodgy controls. I know it's a d-pad but you can correct for it some. You did forget to mention the one port which behaves nothing like the original really yet is oddly a decent game on its own, the Tiger handheld version with the unique thumb circle rocker button thing.

[Graham Mitchell]

I used to have that tiger LCD one. Looked amazing at the store. I liked it at the time but it probably hasn't aged well. Not unlike every tiger hand held game ever.

[Az]

Dunno, but Tengen's Mega Drive port -- released only in Japan -- is light-years better, and about as close to arcade-perfect as I can imagine. It's an exquisitely well-done port.

That one supports the Mega Mouse, doesn't it?

[goldenband]

That one supports the Mega Mouse, doesn't it?

I think so, but my impression (based on comments from people who have tried it) is that it's not worth it and gamepad control is preferable. I haven't tried it myself, though.

[Tanooki]

I used to have that tiger LCD one. Looked amazing at the store. I liked it at the time but it probably hasn't aged well. Not unlike every tiger hand held game ever.

Well it just follows its own rules, it's more of like that wooden box w/marble game of Labyrinth more than marble madness. You just kind of get a random screen and move the dot from start to end but lacks anything else. I got it at a game show this last March and got bored of it pretty fast and sold it thankfully breaking even.

A lot of those Tiger games the problem wasn't they didn't age well, they weren't that accurate or good in the first place as they were budget things. As it is though, those who were made uniquely on a franchise or something that stood out on its own with solid design is still fairly fun today. Sub War is one of the best blind sub hunting games I've played as you have to ping radar to find stuff, but it also allows them to shoot at you so it's fast and keeps you worried. Then you have some of those NES conversions which took some to total liberty like Castlevania, Karnov and Ninja Gaiden and they're actually pretty decent, even the Sega carry over of Afterburner is alright for point racking. Oddly one I used to have I wish hadn't died was Virtua Cop as it used little IR lights like a crude Wii and it was fun popping off bad guy sand reloading and it worked pretty decently.