In several situations I enjoy the port more than the arcade. TMNT IV on the SNES is one example and UN Squadron is another. What others can you think of?
In several situations I enjoy the port more than the arcade. TMNT IV on the SNES is one example and UN Squadron is another. What others can you think of?
Most shmups. If the arcade release is a cheap quarter-muncher, then I'd rather play a more balanced home version. To name a couple, I much prefer the PC Engine version of Detana TwinBee over the arcade original, and even though it's the weakest graphically, I like Dragon Spirit best on NES, more than the original or the TG-16 port, which is more faithful to the arcade.
Contra us way better on NES, as is Super C to my mind. Horizontal orientation, tighter control, and faster speed make it a superior game.
Project Justice on Japanese Dreamcast added a weird board game mode that I like, and is otherwise arcade perfect. I think a lot of fighters added some great extras like that, plus offer more controller options at home.
I don't know that I'd consider them ports, but the NES versions of most Tecmo games like Tecmo Bowl, Rygar, and Ninja Gaiden are all wildly different and superior games from the originals, but with the same titles.
TMNT: Turtles in Time on SNES downgraded to two players, but tweaked and added levels and bosses for a richer game, as well as tightening up the throw mechanics to allow you to intentionally do different throws. They also tweaked the dash control options, added new color palette options, and a throwaway but fun in its day vs mode.
I'm sure more will hit me, but I'm pretty sleepy.
These games.
Contra (Famicom)
Monster Lair (Turbo Grafx 16)
Fatal Fury 2 (Genesis)
Solomon's Key (NES)
Gyruss (FDS)
Rush'n'Attack (NES)
Street Fighter Zero 3 (Saturn)
Yes, Area 88 aka UN Squadron is a better game on the SNES imo compared to the arcade.
Also see Buggy Boy and Wizard of Wor on the C64.
Ninja Gaiden. Technically a different game, but superior on the NES.
Soul Calibur - Better graphics, that adventure mode with the map and hidden fights.
Crazy Taxi - Additional content, the ability to just drive around for 10 CRAZY MINUTES!!!
Dance Dance Revolution - My feet seem kinda too big for the arcade dance pad, with its restrictive metal ridges between arrows. Could be that I just kinda suck at it too. Plastic home dance mats are more comfortable, if anything.
Street Fighter Alpha 3 - World Tour mode where you could level up your dude..
and uh, Space Harrier - The arcade had your character always gravitating back toward the center of the screen, whereas the 32X for example, your guy sticks where you leave him. I just prefer that.
Oh, and pretty much all the M2 3DS 'Sega 3D Classics' if they count. I think they are more re-creations than ports, but the 3D effect really adds to most of them (except Power Drift which is just confusing to look at, even at the lowest 3D setting). Standouts for the 3D effect include: Thunder Blade, Outrun, and Galaxy Force II.
Last edited by SpaceHarrier; 03-20-2017 at 09:09 PM.
Contra (NES) I think the arcade game goes by too fast, the NES port was more... engaging? I don't know the word for it but I prefer the NES game by a great margin.
Life Force/Salamander (NES) - Maybe it's because I played the NES game so much before playing the arcade game. The arcade game just felt strange, and I prefer the Gradius powerup system in the NES game.
Double Dragon (NES) - The NES ports of all 3 double dragon games were all really solid. I like the platform elements and to me they were more fun and less repetitive than the arcade games.
Bionic Commando (NES) - Another game that isn't a straight port, and I think it was a vast improvement over the arcade game.
So far nobody mentioned Punch-Out!!, is the arcade version better? I've only played the NES versions so I can't compare them.
The NES version is an adaptation more than a port. Most characters from the arcade game are in Super Punch-Out!! tho. I'd say the NES version is better than the arcade just because it introduces Little Mac.
I don't know how many people here like fighting games, but Tekken games were far better on the PS1/2 than they were in the arcades, because Namco decided to include a lot more content, notably intro and ending videos for each character.
Tekken 3 went as far as adding radically different playmodes like Tekken Force (side scrolling questy beat 'em up) and Tekken Ball. This then became par for the course for home Tekken games.
I feel the Sega CD port of Final Fight to be superior, for the Time Attack mode alone!
Before Final Fight One for the GBA, it was the only home way to play as all three fighters.
On the subject of Capcom beat-'em-up ports, I also appreciate Sega Genesis' Saturday Night Slam Masters more than the arcade version!
Much of that enjoyment stems from being able to play as the bosses, as well as the World Heroes-like Death Match mode.
This is also true for the Genesis port of Street Fighter II, which also has playable bosses/time attacks/!
As far as the differences between the '84 Punch-Out{which I own a dedicated cab of} and MTPO, Kid Quick only appears in the original{although Disco Kid from the Wii version is supposedly him}.
Also, the three arcade PO's have much voice sampling...which was not surpassed until the '94 SNES one!
People mentioned liking the SNES version of Turtles in Time better, and I agree/feel likewise about the NES port of its predecessor!
I much prefer Tora the Snow Beast/his wintery level, the white tiger enemies/their dojo level, and the ability to fight Baxter Stockman's fly form .
I'm sure there are others, but these stand out best at the moment!
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUL CALIBUR. Amazing on DC
Las calles no son basurero, POR FAVOR TIREN LA BASURA EN SU LUGAR !!!!
Why? Why?
Why?
And why?
Interesting thread topic. But it doesn't mean much if nothing is said of what substantiates a preference.
I prefer the SNES port of World Heroes 2 over the Neo original most of the time. The 2 bosses are playable, additional speed settings, and most importantly it allows you to play the deathmatch levels with normal life bars (or conversely, normal levels with seesaw life bars).
I prefer US Genesis port of Fatal Fury 2 over the arcade. It plays differently enough to be it's own thing, dipswitch mode makes flat out crazy combos, and the 4 bosses are playable but different than they are in Fatal Fury Special.
The Xbox port of Samurai Shodown V beats the Neo original due to including an English translated 1P mode. If you don't own a modded AES or MVS Unibios the Xbox version of SNK VS Capcom is slightly better since you can pick the dozen or so bosses without a stupid code.
The PS2 ports of a few of the King of Fighters games are better than the Neo and Atomiswave originals, especially when you install them to a HDD. Both Neowave and KoF XI have some additional characters while 2000 and 2001 have extra strikers and backgrounds.
Yes, I'm an SNK fan
One minor one--Galaga '88 (aka Galaga '90) for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx seems somehow more fun to me than its Arcade original. Memory is vague here but I seem to recall in the arcade version you moved slower which made it artificially harder, and the graphics were duller than the more vibrant TG16 port.
I prefer the Genesis ports of Golden Axe, Shadow Dancer, and ESWAT over the arcade versions. The visuals are better, the gameplay seems more refined, and the games seem more fleshed out. That's likely because a console version had to offer more than the arcade one did, but the games are better because of it. Golden Axe has more stages and that cool duel mode, and SD and ESWAT look a ton better.
Castlevania > Haunted Castle
Contra
Double Dragon series(I instantly thought of this series, but was already posted.)
Strider. I know there are people who will disagree with this, but I prefer the NES Strider over the arcade/Genesis reprodruction.
Many fighting games that have additional content not found on the arcade cabinets. Ehrgeiz, Street Fighter Alpha 3, etc.