Devil's Crush MD vs TG16

[akamichi]

While browsing the various links about the Rev playing Genesis and TG16 games, I found this link:
http://www.sega-16.com/Side%20By%20Side-%20Devils%20Crush.htm
Devil's Crush was recently featured on PCEngine City and I thought the music was pretty damn good.

Anyway, I thought the music comparison was unfair to put it nicely.  We've seen other links to this site before (Dynastic Hero I believe), so I thought I'd post it here to hear other people's opinion.  Personally I've never played the MD version but I vaguely remember EGM or some other mag saying it wasn't as good as the TG version... mainly because it was a two year old pinball conversion.

And don't get me started on the graphics comparison...  At least the author states that the gameplay is pretty much the same.

[sunteam_paul]

I was disappointed in the MD version, particularly as it came from Technosoft that know the machine so well. One thing that annoyed me particularly was the way the music cut out when the samples played. That's pretty bad.

The main board graphics on the Engine version are much nicer, although the MD has some great images int he bonus levels

[pixeljunkie]

I agree, I think the bonus levels in the Genesis version "pop" a little more...but the game still feels a little empty in comparison...like an imitation.

PCE version is by far my fave.

[Keranu]

I'll take the TG16 version over the Genesis/MD version anyday, though I'm not saying it's light years better or anything.

Graphics - For the most part, the TG16 is the clear winner here, with a nice full screen, way more colors, much brighter, and even more detailed sprites. However some of the bonus screen, as a couple people here already mentioned, do look nicer in the Mega Drive version. However one of the bonus stages in the TG16 one was based off Dragon Spirit, so it sort of had to blend in with that game more, and the Mega Drive version kind of tore the style apart to make it look better, so I felt sorry for Dragon Spirit because of this. Overall, TG16 definitely.

Sound - I highly prefer the sound of the TG16 version. Everything sounds so much clearer and since I was never a fan of Techno Soft or Genesis' sound, the Genesis version suffered from that crunchy, rough sound I can't stand for the most part. The skull's evil laugh even sounds quite a bit better in the TG16 original.

Gameplay - Some may not even be able to notice, but there is a slightly different feel in the physics, and they tend to be a little worse in the Genesis verison. There's just something about how you are easily able to control your shots in the TG16 one, but the Genesis version suffers a bit and you just can't get that feel down. I'm not the only person who thinks this, so hopefully someone else can clean this up. However some of the new bonus stages in the Genesis one were really cool, like the one with that devil thing spitting fire. But once again, TG16 takes the cake.

So yeah, I prefer the TG16 original any day - it simply wins in all categories.

[rolins]

Hands down the music was better on the tg16 than the genesis. Not so scratchy and without the music cuts as the genesis port. Not many people know this but Devil's Crush (including Alien Crush) was produced by COMPILE, which came to me as a surprise because pinball was completely out of their element.

Too bad the genesis port was done by another group. I'm sure if was done by COMPILE they would've spent extra attention to the music like they did with Musha Aleste.

[Keranu]

Whoa, I had no idea Compile had anything to do with Alien's Crush and Devil's Crush? Do you know if they had anything to do with Jaki Crush on SNES? Jaki Crush looks cool, but the way the board is laid out is so annoying because it takes a long time to reach the upper parts.

[rolins]

Whoa, I had no idea Compile had anything to do with Alien's Crush and Devil's Crush? Do you know if they had anything to do with Jaki Crush on SNES? Jaki Crush looks cool, but the way the board is laid out is so annoying because it takes a long time to reach the upper parts.

Yup, COMPILE also produced Jaki Crush. I remember playing it a long time ago, but felt that it wasn't up to par with Devil's Crush (pce). The tunes are good, but it doesn't retain the speed of Devil's Crush.

[esteban]

ha! Yeah, I read that Devil's Crush comparison at sega-16 a while ago. I had mentioned that sega-16 was pro-sega when we were discussing another turbo vs. sega article they had (IIRC, they thought Dynastic Hero was lame... and they thought that Dungeon Explorer SegaCD was better than the TurboChip).

I love sega-16 (the fellow who runs is constantly writing new articles... and pretty nice ones, at that) ... but the chiptunes from DE (TG16) are waaaaaaaaaaaaay more memorable and rockin' than the *generic* SegaCD soundtrack. Am I blinded by fanboyism? I don't think so, but maybe I'm deluding myself...

anyway, it was good to hear that you folks had problems with the Devil's Crash comparison as well.

NOTE: IIRC, the reviewer did state that the megadrive version appeared 2 years later... thus allowing extra time to add things (like the bonus games, which are indeed kool -- I wish we had more bonus rooms for the TG-16 version!). Sega-16 reviews usually put things in context and try to be fair -- at least that's the impression I get. The problem is that they still tend to favor the sega versions, regardless.

[Digi.k]

I managed to download the ROM of Dragons Fury for Genesis and after playing this for about 15 mins.. I don't agree with that Sega-16 review at all, it reminds me too much of the yesteryears when even a lot of multi formats magazines (that were supposedly supporting all machines) were so.. biased..

I have to admit though the Genesis version has fantastic bonus screens and its in higher resolution and the ball moves around the table faster.. but overall the graphics of the table looks squashed.. and the digitized laughter is.. laughable.. and the music which is one of the important bits of the game lacks the punch that drives you to play on .... sorry but the PC engine has much better sound and better colours... and its FULL SCREEN!

[Black Tiger]

Whoa, check out the Final Fight comparison.

Talk about biased. How do they expect anyone but the worst kind of Genesis fanboys("I hate everything! ...but Genesis") to take their articles seriously.

Its one thing if you can tell the bias toward a particluar console in a review, but to slag the other system in every comment just makes the author sound like they don't know whayt they're talking about.

He even stops to explain how and why the SNES is technically incapable of processing decent games.

Just before the end, he even even took a shot at FF GBA(could it be because its on a Nintendo system?).

By their own standards in their Final Fght comparison, the PC Engine version of Strider must totally crush the no-thrills Genesis Strider(and any Game Gear ports).

[Black Tiger]

I just found the "side by side" review where the 32X Virtua Fighter trounces the Saturn game.

So I guess this means he's not comparing versions to each other, just how good of a port it is.

Which would mean that the Sega Master System Monter World III/WBIV utterly destroys both the Genesis version and Dynastic Hero.

Of course, this would contradict his whole, SNES is as weak as a Gameboy angle in the Final Fight review, since getting a port that nice onto a peice of crap like SNES would make it by far the most successful port of all.


EDIT:

I just made it to the WBIV/Dynastic Hero & Dungeon Explorer comparisons. It looks like the WBIV/DH review was done by a different guy who was actually not very biased at all.

But this Ken Horowitz guy, who does the others, is insane(mad with Genesis fury).

I won't make any specific comments about the DE comparison, just that its more of the same.

But this quote sums it all up-

"Where the Sega CD blows the Turbo out of the water here is via its support of s-video. If you're lucky enough to have a Genesis modded for such output, there is simply no comparison. The quality of the visuals is so much better than through the Turbo's RF or composite cable that it's an easy choice."

[esteban]

I just found the "side by side" review where the 32X Virtua Fighter trounces the Saturn game.

So I guess this means he's not comparing versions to each other, just how good of a port it is.

Which would mean that the Sega Master System Monter World III/WBIV utterly destroys both the Genesis version and Dynastic Hero.

Of course, this would contradict his whole, SNES is as weak as a Gameboy angle in the Final Fight review, since getting a port that nice onto a peice of crap like SNES would make it by far the most successful port of all.

Ha! I enjoyed reading your observations in this (and the prior) post . I'll have to go back and re-read the articles in question now. I'm not sure if they are all authored by the same person... which could explain why some articles seem more amatuer-ish than others.

Also, I have yet to read it, but I am pretty sure there is an article on Genny's downloadable game service -- but the title makes some silly claim that it was the first service of its kind. My apologies if I am mistaken.

Anyway, Atari VCS / 2600 had a downloadable game service waaaaaaaaay back in the day (unless my friends are pulling my leg). I gotta find out more info on this service for Atari 2600 -- it's just too kool if they really had that back in the early 80's.

I missed out on the whole phenomenon -- I never saw ads for them; I never met anyone who actually subscribed to these services;  etc. It was only in the last few years that I even learned about them.

[Black Tiger]

I wonder why there isn't a Lords Of Thunder side by side comparison?

[Black Tiger]

I just found the "side by side" review where the 32X Virtua Fighter trounces the Saturn game.

So I guess this means he's not comparing versions to each other, just how good of a port it is.

Which would mean that the Sega Master System Monter World III/WBIV utterly destroys both the Genesis version and Dynastic Hero.

Of course, this would contradict his whole, SNES is as weak as a Gameboy angle in the Final Fight review, since getting a port that nice onto a peice of crap like SNES would make it by far the most successful port of all.

Ha! I enjoyed reading your observations in this (and the prior) post . I'll have to go back and re-read the articles in question now. I'm not sure if they are all authored by the same person... which could explain why some articles seem more amatuer-ish than others.

Also, I have yet to read it, but I am pretty sure there is an article on Genny's downloadable game service -- but the title makes some silly claim that it was the first service of its kind. My apologies if I am mistaken.

Anyway, Atari VCS / 2600 had a downloadable game service waaaaaaaaay back in the day (unless my friends are pulling my leg). I gotta find out more info on this service for Atari 2600 -- it's just too kool if they really had that back in the early 80's.

I missed out on the whole phenomenon -- I never saw ads for them; I never met anyone who actually subscribed to these services;  etc. It was only in the last few years that I even learned about them.

Hell, lots of mags and sites talk about the Dreamcast or Xbox being the first online system when not only did the Megadrive have a modem, but so did the Mark III.

[Black Tiger]

Did this happen to anyone else?

"I remember when the SNES version of Final Fight hit the streets. It sold like hot cakes and though it had been eagerly anticipated, many were returned the same day. No Guy? No two player mode? Levels missing and names changed? Flicker and slowdown all over the place? Many of my friends swore a Sicilian curse at Capcom that day and were bitter over it for a long time."