Big Game Matchup SEVEN

[runinruder]

It's time to get more imports involved in these, and I figure enough folks around here have played both these games to get a decent vote total.

I chose these two because they're two import HuCards that receive plenty of criticism from most people, but plenty of love from a few.  This might be a "lesser of two evils" sort of thing for a lot of players, but for me, it's a showdown between two greats.   

As much as I enjoy Batman, I'm going with AB.  Batman eventually does get repetitive, but AB keeps me on my toes for every second.

By the way, as far as AB goes, consider the entry either the HuCard or CD, whichever you've played or prefer. 

Previous Big Game Matchups:

Air Zonk 12, Aero Blasters 5
Dragon's Curse 9, Dynastic Hero 5
Rondo of Blood 17, Lords of Thunder 11
Ninja Spirit 19, Splatterhouse 9
Super Star Soldier 15, Dragon Spirit 3
Dungeon Explorer 18, The Legendary Axe 13

[Turbo D]

turbo D votes Altered Beast  This is one of my favorite games. Having such a great port on the pc engine is sweet. I don't really like that batman game too much. Whenever I hear the opening theme to batman, I get an instant image in my mind of Joe running to the bathroom to take a shit.

[nat]

Haha, look how Dragon Spirit got annihilated in that other poll. I don't remember the numbers being so extreme on that one. Ironically, I think runinruder was one of it's three supporters. 

I had to go with Altered Beast. This one is really tough for me since I love, yes that's right-- love, both these games so much.

Batman features one of my favorite-ever video game soundtracks, and the best cutscenes to be found on a cartridge. It's pure fun from start to finish and the variety between stages (ie, cutting floats loose vs. cleaning up the museum) keeps you interested. You can even save your game via a password if you can't take it all in one sitting. Also, there's an interesting final boss gauntlet at the end that switches things up a little bit. Good stuff through and through.

Altered Beast on the other hand is IMHO the best port of an arcade classic. I'm a huge fan of SEGA arcade games from this era, from Space Harrier to the venerable Golden Axe. This port is universally panned by SEGA fanboys because it doesn't have the parallax they tacked on to the Genesis version. To them I say: give me beautifully shaded sprites, and a sharp background plane over your grainy parallax and whiny audio any day. The PCE version (cartridge) also throws a unique challenge into the mix. I think runinruder said it best when he said, "Finally an Altered Beast game that requires you to think." Add to that he has done what I previously thought to be impossible-- completed the game on 1 credit. I should mention I'm no slouch when it comes to games, so this recent turn has inspired me to go back, do the same, and beat his score. 

[Sinistron]

Hey I'm the only one to vote for Batman?
I believe that Altered Beast is a great conversion-
but the reasons why I like Batman better-

1- This version is a PC-Engine original 
2- me loooves action puzzles 
3- for a hucard it has probably the best cutscenes   
4- it's forking BATMAN   
5- You get to fight the Joker at the end   

[Necromancer]

Here's the second vote for Batman.  Awesome cut scenes plus a kick ass soundtrack equals a win in my book, and the little chomping teeth are good for a bit of extra credit.  Altered Beast is alright on the PCE, but it's still Altered Beast, which I never could get excited about.

[Turbo D]

This port is universally panned by SEGA fanboys because it doesn't have the parallax they tacked on to the Genesis version. To them I say: give me beautifully shaded sprites, and a sharp background plane over your grainy parallax and whiny audio any day.

I always remind them that the arcade version didn't have parallax 

[GUTS]

Since Batman is just Pac-Man with better graphics, and Pac-Man is one of the most boring games ever created, I'd definitely go with Altered Beast.  Altered Beast has cool music too.

[rag-time4]

I voted Altered Beast.

I loved the game as a kid (I was born in 1980 and played it when it first came out)..

When I play it now I think it's a pretty lame game, to be honest. But it was great as a kid. The whole concept of morphing into a monster was just awesome back then.

Also, I always liked the theme of the first level, being Ancient European... Historical stuff always gets extra points with me. It seems like some Christian symbolism was also added in, particularly in the little cutscenes, so that was interesting too.

I don't have the HuCard, but I saw a clip on youtube and saw that the voices were removed! I have the CD, and it has the voices (Rise from your grave!!) Even with the 2 player option of the HuCard and the difficulty, I'm not planning on getting it since it's missing the classic voices...

As for Batman... despite the cutscenes, I don't really enjoy the game much at all. I just felt that there is very little plot as the game unfolds... just repeated puzzles with cheesy enemies.

And the walk/don't walk signs on the crosswalks are totally meaningless, which irritates the hell out of me. 

I really enjoyed the theme of the Doraemon puzzle game (cratermaze). The Doraemon game really feels like it fits with Doraemon's theme with all the weird gadgets you can find. Batman has a little of that with the batarangs and everything but the tasks that Batman has to accomplish really don't fit the theme, to me.

Really, this matchup, for me, is a matchup of 2 mediocre games that really don't much interest me, but Altered Beast wins due to nostalgia.

[Michael Helgeson]

Altered Beast,but really I like both games,its just that Altered beast is in the genre I like to play more.

[nat]

Really, this matchup, for me, is a matchup of 2 mediocre games

Please sit still while I slap some sense into you.

[rag-time4]

Really, this matchup, for me, is a matchup of 2 mediocre games

Please sit still while I slap some sense into you.

[Joe Redifer]

I like the Genesis Batman better than the PC Engine Altered Beast.  So I voted Batman.

[Necromancer]

I like the Genesis Batman better than the PC Engine Altered Beast.  So I voted Batman.

Alright, but what about Genesis Batman vs. Genesis Altered Beast, PC Engine Batman vs. Genesis Altered Beast, and baked vs. fried vs. mashed?  Inquiring minds want to know!

[Joe Redifer]

Genesis Batman beats all of those!

Comparing PCE Batman and PCE Altered Beast is kind of like that site called rate my poo or something.

[Black Tiger]

I don't like Batman PCE, but the PCE Altered Beasts are pretty cool.

AB also gets bonus points for being a classic Sega arcade game.