Super Nintendo vs. Genesis ports

[Scissorman]

Recently I have been coming across more and more classic games around my area and building up my collection. Sometimes, if I find a duplicate on another system, I will buy it just to see what kind of differences it really has. In the early and mid nineties, there was always the huge debate over Genesis and Super Nintendo. Me, being as young as I was, always neglected my Genesis and went for the more impressive and clear SNES. But now that I am getting more games for the Genesis, I am starting to see more innovation in that little sucker than I ever saw before. Games developed on the Genesis seemed to have more time put into them to make the games smoother and sharper, while developes who handled the SNES ports usually seemed to slack off and not take their time. Here are some examples.

Out of this World
I first played this on Super Nintendo when it was released and thought it was great. Very detailed and impressive, although unforgivingly hard. I recently got a hold of the Sega Genesis version from an EB Games store. The game seems to run alot smoother on the genesis and the characters don't seem as rigid. I noticed this mostly in the games cutscenes. The SNES version had strange "loading screens" when the Genesis version went straight to the action. The Genesis version also seemed harder. One of the only things I saw the SNES version doing better was sound quality which was closer to the original PC version. The Genesis version was still impressive in the sound department though. The SNES versions controls seemed to have delayed reactions. You had to wait about a second before anything you did happened. Also, strangly enough, the SNES version had a "shrunken" screen. Overall, I find the Genesis version better now.

Captain America and the Avengers
Everyone remembers the arcade version of this game and how fun it was. I found the SNES and Genesis versions of this game and decided to compare the two. The Genesis version still had everything that the original arcade game did, even the voices! Although the quality was significantly lowered, everything was still there. After playing that one, I couldnt wait to get to the SNES version. How dissapointed I was. For a system that has more power over its predecessor, the developers didnt lift a finger to make any improvements. For one, all the voices were gone. No voice samples were anywhere to be found. Other than Twisters laugh and the "THE AVENGERS" voice clips, nothing else. The game was also impossibly hard and the controls were very stiff. After being so impressed by the effort of the Genesis version, I was very dissapointed in the shoddy job the developers did on the SNES version.

Other games I found better on the Genesis include Earthworm Jim, Flashback:The Quest for Identity, Lion King, and Pitfall:The Mayan Adventure. I still like my SNES and it is still my favorite console of all time, but I was very dissapointed in some of the port jobs I came across recently. I have been looking around for other ports to put up for comparision. If I find anything, I'll put it here.

[fishsandwich]

Smash TV for the SNES is an awesome game... the only thing that seems to be missing is the gore.

The Genesis version of Smash TV isn't nearly as good. I imagine the 3-button joystick has something to do with it.

Street Racer looks & sounds way better on the SNES, but plays better on the Genny. Go figure.

Rock 'N Roll Racing sounds better on the SNES... don't remember how well it plays.

I'm a lot of help, no?

:/

[GarrettCRW]

Bill Walsh College Football is as slow as molasses on the Super NES when compared to the Genny.

[Ronfar]

I liked Maximum Carnage for the SNES more than I did for the Genesis. The graphics were just a bit better.

[emumuumuucowgomoo]

The Madden and NHL games on the SNES are solidly pathetic, with few exceptions.

Madden '94 was good, though the inability of receivers to jump is a little funny. Still, this is on both versions. NHLPA 93 and NHL Hockey 94 are okay - NHLPA 93 has a fwe scoring glitches - go behind the net, wrap around, aim for far side, works 80% of the time - and they took out the fights in 94... but it still plays relatively solid.

NHL 95 on the SNES, however, is one of the worst games of all time. I remember when my brother and I played it, scores were reguarly in the 30s - on five minute periods! This was once we found out that the goalies were born and bred to be deaked - they love crisscrossing all over the net, and wide open nets are easy to come by. The Genesis version, on the other hand, plays much more solidly, and without the game freezing, screen glitching bugs and crashes that plagued the SNES version.

NHL 96 on the SNES is my vote for the worst hockey game EVER - yes, this includes Wayne Gretzky Hockey for the NES and Brett Hull Hockey for the SNES. Hang out on the bottom of the screen when you're shooting up. Skate up and fire a low slap shot. These go in so often it's incredible. I think my brother had a game that ended up being ninety goals to nothing, before the thing froze on him. Evidently the goalie has a problem using his glove, too - if you deke and shoot to whichever side he's on, he'll usually miss what SHOULD be an easy save. From what my brother's said, NHL 96 on the Genny has none of these problems.

I remember Madden 96 and 97 as blowing animals on the SNES, whereas the Genesis versions were at least playable.



Street Fighter II, on the other hand - well, goes without saying. The SNES controller was subconsciously DESIGNED for this game!!! Whereas, of course, the Genesis controller was designed by Haitians, who as you all know must be destroyed on sight (thanks, Vice City, for informing me of this! And thanks to the protesters who reminded me where I could find it - without that pointer I never would have remembered, now I can make it my life's duty to KILL ALL THE HAITIANS!!), and therefore sucks for fighting games.

Mortal Kombat 2 is the same way. Even with a 6 button, you're still dealing with washed out graphics and distorted, bass-heavy sound.

NBA JAM... the SNES version is amazingly fluid, though I detect a hint of load time on startup. Same with T.E. - worse, even. The Genesis version is uglier and one team - I think it's the New Jersey Nets or Miami Heat - has their stats twiddled with. Of course, the SNES version of JAM 1 had a crappy password system, whereas the Genesis cart sported a bitchin' battery.


Disney's Aladdin was two different games, and I happen to enjoy them both.

Lion King on SNES was a neat game growing up, the stage select (or was it invinsibility? Too lazy to look it up) code spelled my name! The Genesis had no Y button, so obviously it's an inferior port.

I played the Genesis Earthworm Jim and must digress - the second stage is completely ruined in the Genesis version. The SNES version has a vivid, bright, surreal rendition of hell, with a groovy cat shilouette rockin' it to a positively bitching rendition of a classical piece I forgot. The Genesis version has a weak, cheesily animated background, no cat shadow that I remember, and the music was changed. Bogus!!


Those are the only cross-ports that come to mind at the moment.

[emumuumuucowgomoo]

..forgive the double post... the message board has been flaking out on me all day long... must be the fault of Haitians.

[Haoie]

The games called Shadowrun were completely different [both in genre and execution], so much that I'm not even sure they're ports at all.

[Xexyz]

Samurai Showodown - The SNES version has a Scrolled out screen, but the gameplay is in tact. The Genesis version has the up close screen. This is the superior version if you have a 6 button pad.

Street Fighter II - This game excelles in every technicl aspect compared to the Genny version, but I digress. The SNES pad is not made for 6 button fighting games, seriously. I'll take the Genny version and a 6 button pad with the correct button layout to the four face button, two trigger button SNES pad. The pad makes all the difference with this one.

[retroman]

Pitfighter for the Genny was so much better than the Snes

[Push Upstairs]

The Genesis version of "The Jungle Book" has better looking levels (color and design wise) than the SNES version.

Characters stand out a bit more on the Genesis instead of being lost in the "realistic" jungle of the SNES version. Also the Genesis version has a better hit point system and more weapons.

[Daria]

The games called Shadowrun were completely different [both in genre and execution], so much that I'm not even sure they're ports at all.

They're not. Just two games based on the same pen and paper RPG by the same name.

[chrisbid]

Street Fighter II, on the other hand - well, goes without saying. The SNES controller was subconsciously DESIGNED for this game!!! Whereas, of course, the Genesis controller was designed by Haitians

what?!

the SNES controller sucks for SFII. the left trigger in particular is a pain in the ass to use, not only that, but the SNES pad in general is stiff in most games. this may be a function of the system though.

whereas sega designed and released a brand new controller to bring the arcade home

[googlefest1]

i know most people seem to think the snes version of the street fighter series is better - but i disagree - ive played them both side by side and feel that the genesis version is better

i think the characters move more like the arcade - especialy when jumping and the sound even though sounding more muffeled on the genesis it was the exact sounds from the arcade and the snes sounds were redone and i didnt like that


in general compareing the same games on both systems ive always felt that the movement of the characters were diferent kind of like you get cut short on the snes - kind of as if you couldnt jump as far on a platformer (if thats what you were playing.

certainly i felt some games looked better and sounded better on the snes but i felt they played better on the genesis AND i thought that the arcade ports were closer to the arcade on the genesis - just becasue of the sound (muffled or noisy as it was) - that was important to me

if a game came out on both systems i usualy rented them first and then usualy picked the genesis one

[Slimedog]

When I was playing more 16 bit, I used to generalize that the SNES version of a game would have better graphics/sound, but the GEN version would run faster/smoother. Generally, this tends to hold true but there are always exceptions to every rule. I also think the best games for either system played to the strengths of the hardware, like Sonic or Super Mario World.

[chrisbid]

When I was playing more 16 bit, I used to generalize that the SNES version of a game would have better graphics/sound, but the GEN version would run faster/smoother. Generally, this tends to hold true but there are always exceptions to every rule. I also think the best games for either system played to the strengths of the hardware, like Sonic or Super Mario World.

i agree.... circle gets the square!

[Captain Wrong]

When I was playing more 16 bit, I used to generalize that the SNES version of a game would have better graphics/sound, but the GEN version would run faster/smoother. Generally, this tends to hold true but there are always exceptions to every rule. I also think the best games for either system played to the strengths of the hardware, like Sonic or Super Mario World.

i agree.... circle gets the square!

That is pretty much the perfect summary. And I agree 100% with whoever said get the six button Genny controller for SFII. I've never tried a side-by-side but I think the SNES is better looking, though I'd rather play the Genny version with the six button.

[Xexyz]

Actually, now that I think about it. I've never seen an SNES Super Advantage joystick, but I assume that the L and R buttons are conformed to a standard 6-button arcade style layout along with the A, B, X, and Y buttons. If so, then thats where it's at! I know theres a 6-button joystick for the Genesis too, but with basically the same pads, the SNES version would win out in this case solely due to the crisper sounds and visuals.

I really need an SNES Super Advantage >.<

[chrisbid]

Actually, now that I think about it. I've never seen an SNES Super Advantage joystick, but I assume that the L and R buttons are conformed to a standard 6-button arcade style layout along with the A, B, X, and Y buttons. If so, then thats where it's at! I know theres a 6-button joystick for the Genesis too, but with basically the same pads, the SNES version would win out in this case solely due to the crisper sounds and visuals.

I really need an SNES Super Advantage >.<

its not just the controller, its the controls themselve, SNES games in general are a tad sluggish when it comes to controls. whether this is a function of the console or the controllers is up to a techie to figure out

yes there was a Super Advantage, but Nintendo did not produce it, the button layout is 2 buttons on top, 4 on the bottom

[Ed Oscuro]

The Genesis port of Sunset Riders is good on the Genesis; missing lots of graphics the SNES version has, but the sound is better (I think).

King of the Monsters, original and sequel, are awesome on the SNES/SFC (I like the look of KotM, the original, more on the SNES than I do the Neo Geo). They're horrible on the Genesis; the Genny port of KotM 2 in particular turns the game into a simple round-based fighter like the original game, except not really that good.

[hydr0x]

The Genesis port of Sunset Riders is good on the Genesis; missing lots of graphics the SNES version has, but the sound is better (I think).

the SOUND is better? now, i can't test that, but i doubt it. The pure technical capacities of the SNES and MD are quite equal when it comes to Sound, but the sound CPU is definately better in the SNES. If they didn't reduce sound quality on purpose i can't see how it could be better on Genesis.