Analyzing Street Fighter 2: CE on why it is so great.

[malducci]

The arcade used a Yamaha FM chip, so that's why the music in the Genesis version is dead on..

Not quite. Genesis version doesn't sound the same as the arcade to me. Different YM FM synths generate and have different sounds/effects/instruments, so they sound different from each other if not of the same family of ICs.

[SNKNostalgia]

Each disc can go up to 1.5 gigs. So put two discs together and you got 3 gigs. It is funny how the GC uses exactly the same physical technology as DVD-Rom. The only difference is a key bar code protection and the 8cm made it load considerably faster than full sized DVDs. It avoid licensing fees with DVD and helped the system cost less also. This way they could put most of the money into the specs and quality of the system. It was a perfect move on Nintendo's part except for the kiddy games and then the MA-17 great games came out almost too late.

[SignOfZeta]

And yeah Tales Of Phantasia RULES. I didn't know GC games were 3GB though, I thought GC discs were 1GB.

I think they are about 1.5. This is a 2 disc game though.

[Black Tiger]

The arcade used a Yamaha FM chip, so that's why the music in the Genesis version is dead on..

Not quite. Genesis version doesn't sound the same as the arcade to me. Different YM FM synths generate and have different sounds/effects/instruments, so they sound different from each other if not of the same family of ICs.

Yeah, the Genesis version is quite a bit different if you actually listen to the two versions at the same time. The title screen music in particular, is way off in the Genesis version. Its not just the types of sounds used for instruments, some of 'performances' are different.

But its not like something is by default the best just because it came first. All three ports have nice soundtracks within unique strengths.

[2X4]

I have always thought that the genesis sound in general usually reminds me of a wet fart.  I don't think anyone can really tout sound as one of the genny's strong suits, in my opinion.

[Tatsujin]

in generally, i like the harm brass trumpet touched sound of the MD. especially in games like hell fire (remember the dock-off sound) or Thunder force III.

[Joe Redifer]

I don't think anyone can really tout sound as one of the genny's strong suits, in my opin

Actually lots of people can, and do!  It's all subjective.  I prefer the sound capabilities of the MD and PC Engine far more over the SNES.  Yes, the SNES has a great sound chip and does voices really well.  But I like that the Genesis/MD and PC Engine still sound like, well, videogames!  Oh, and the reverb on most SNES games is a huge turn-off.

There are lots of Genesis tunes that seem to feature the kazoo, though.  Contra Hard Corpse is one of many such games (listen to level one, the lead instrument is a kazoo).

[Tatsujin]

Contra the HC is just a great example concerned rockin' MD BGMs.

[Black Tiger]

I don't think anyone can really tout sound as one of the genny's strong suits, in my opin

Actually lots of people can, and do!  It's all subjective.  I prefer the sound capabilities of the MD and PC Engine far more over the SNES.  Yes, the SNES has a great sound chip and does voices really well.  But I like that the Genesis/MD and PC Engine still sound like, well, videogames!  Oh, and the reverb on most SNES games is a huge turn-off.

Thats exactly how I think of it. MD & PCE generated music sounds like video game music. The SNES, while still nice in its own way, is stuck somewhere inbetween video game music and 'real music', but isn't close enough to either for my tastes.

I can't think of any console that generates its own music whose sound I don't appreciate. Whats cool about the Genesis sound, like most early consoles, is that its unique. Playing games on different 'retro' systems wouldn't be as much fun if they all looked and sounded the same.

[malducci]

I don't think anyone can really tout sound as one of the genny's strong suits, in my opin

Actually lots of people can, and do!  It's all subjective.  I prefer the sound capabilities of the MD and PC Engine far more over the SNES.  Yes, the SNES has a great sound chip and does voices really well.  But I like that the Genesis/MD and PC Engine still sound like, well, videogames!  Oh, and the reverb on most SNES games is a huge turn-off.

There are lots of Genesis tunes that seem to feature the kazoo, though.  Contra Hard Corpse is one of many such games (listen to level one, the lead instrument is a kazoo).

 Yeah, the reverb go so annoying real quick. When playing a SNES game, there's always that nagging in the back of your brain saying , "why the f*ck didn't the include an option to turn off reverb!". In some games it was OK, but since it was so over used it still sucked in those games.

 I like the Yamaha chip the Genesis used. Some games try to push it beyond its limits and you get harsh/scratchy sounding music. Most of the game music I like are from the early-to-mid generation genesis games that had clear sounding instruments. Also, Genesis had the best sounding bass guitar.

[Tatsujin]

. Whats cool about the Genesis sound, like most early consoles, is that its unique. Playing games on different 'retro' systems wouldn't be as much fun if they all looked and sounded the same.

ohh, how true is that!!?

C64, MSX, MD, PCE, SMS, SMS-FM, FC, GB...all of those "analog" generated chip-tunez on all those different systems rul0rez in its own way.

[spenoza]

Hah hah hah! Joe! You're right. Only Contra HC sounds like an electric kazoo, which is clearly a superior kazoo specially designed for rock concerts.

My Genesis just sounds, in general, like ass. I think I have one of the cheapest Gen models ever made.

In Japan, with the different PCE variations, were there minor sound quality or video encoding quality differences like were so prevalent across Genesis models?