PCE, SNES and Genesis, screen comparison.

[Retro-Nerd]

Ermh. The games were written for JOYSTICKS with "up" for jumping and worked very good for that time. Later Amiga games had Joypad support. Games like BC KID, Apidya or Turrican 3 works fine with it.

Pfft. The Amiga wasn't even powerful enough to handle proper game controls. Silly Amiga.

Sarcasm? If not it's a pretty stupid comment. As i've said, console biased.

[Tatsujin]

the amiga was a great machine. unfortunately not used by the greatest peeps always. in western fields for sure the best HC ever made.

[Black Tiger]

I prefer the more "muddy" Amiga look over the bonbon PCE colors.

The Amiga colors aren't muddy at all, they're just dim. They look exactly like a normal colored game that's had the picture darkened, not recolored with enhanced contrast or a dark style or anything. It's the same with the PC Engine ports of Gradius and Salamander. There's nothing "bonbon" about the colors of the PCE version, that must just be a desperate swipe at the version you assume everyone is prefering because you assume everyone here is as biased as you are. I named the Genesis, MD and PCE versions as having better color and various improvements.

One of the things I forgot to mention was that the composition/proportioning isn't as nice in the Amiga version, due to the fact that reducing the sizes of anything in the cropped play area would reduce their detail. I can see how having such a small space before an enemy comes flying at you would degrade the gameplay.

http://genesisreviews.tripod.com/reviews/beast.html

He criticses that the game was on Amiga Disk only? On a COMPUTER? The Amiga version was released in 1989 and harddrives were very expensive, especially the SCSI ones. Only a few people could afford these useful hardware at that time.

That was just a side note, listed down below the actual review. The review itself sounded bang on (but it wasn't positive). Yet you only posted that comment and not only dismissed him as a "console freak", but even presume that he's an NES lover... before saying that he lacks an open mind (for criticizing those with different opinions perhaps?).

Typical console freak reviews, probably the NES generation. Without an open mind for other machines than consoles. I love all the old computer and console games, but i wouldn't write such shitty reviews. Honestly.

Sounds like a typical "console only" user, even if you said that you own an Amiga. I hate these broad-brush comments.

Sarcasm? If not it's a pretty stupid comment. As i've said, console biased.

You may not be able to perceive your own attitude, like Cartman or Kanye West, but you're the one spouting "broad-brush" rabid fanboy comments. All but the first of your handful of comments on this forum over two and a half years have been computer game based. You contribution to PCE discussion consists mainly of this line tacked on to the end of a random console-fan-hating post: "And YES, i'm a huge PC-Engine fan too. No doubt!!!".

No doubt.


The Genesis and Mega Drive versions are basically pixel for pixel the same as the Amiga version, only without half the screen cropped, better colors, better shading, improved tiles and more details. Take my word for it, if you can't tell that the image on the left looks better overall, you're a hopeless fanboy-

[Retro-Nerd]

I've expect an answer like that. I know that i'm on a US dominated board. At least Tatsujin is a bit more objective if it comes to any other than consoles. Sad but true. Fanboy? Who created this ugly word? I would really want to know it. Sounds more like kindergarden talk.

I've played computer and consolegames since the early 80s and i'm mainly objective. You will find hardcore fans of a specific gaming platform on any boards.

btw: Comparing games by watching screenshots or youtube videos is pretty fluffy. I've played the Genesis Beast version and Amiga version on real hardware. There's no clear winner, i.e. the parallax scrolling looks much better on the computer. On the other side: The PC-Engine Beast has a better/smoother running animation. 

You may not be able to perceive your own attitude, like Cartman or Kanye West, but you're the one spouting "broad-brush" rabid fanboy comments. All but the first of your handful of comments on this forum over two and a half years have been computer game based. You contribution to PCE discussion consists mainly of this line tacked on to the end of a random console-fan-hating post: "And YES, i'm a huge PC-Engine fan too. No doubt!!!".

   

What fanboy comments i've made? I said that there are of course enough Amiga action games with decent controls.  I'm mainly reading here, that's ok. But these broad-brush rant comments about "shitty" computer game controls are pretty stupid. And i cleary said that i like the well balanced PCE-CD difficulty level and re-arranged CD soundtrack.

About the colors: A lot of people worldwide like the Psygnosis graphic style from the late 80s. I said it's a matter of taste and that i prefer it over the too much colored PCE, Genesis ports. That's all. It's OK if you like the brighter console graphic style, but there are other opinions too. Tolerate it or not.   

That was just a side note, listed down below the actual review. The review itself sounded bang on (but it wasn't positive). Yet you only posted that comment and not only dismissed him as a "console freak", but even presume that he's an NES lover... before saying that he lacks an open mind (for criticizing those with different opinions perhaps?).

This wasn't just a side note. He wanted to rant about a disk based gaming platform. Pretty obvious. There's no place in reviews for this, if he claim the objectivity for himself.

The review itself wasn't that bad, at least i share his summary. This game is boring, with all the dull ememy formations.

Yes, i know that you US guys grown up with consoles and joypads. A bit more objectivity, THAT's what i've meant. I have no problem with joysticks or joypads. Peace? 

[Tom]

Ermh. The games were written for JOYSTICKS with "up" for jumping and worked very good for that time. Later Amiga games had Joypad support. Games like BC KID, Apidya or Turrican 3 works fine with it.

Pfft. The Amiga wasn't even powerful enough to handle proper game controls. Silly Amiga.

Sarcasm? If not it's a pretty stupid comment. As i've said, console biased.

 I just felt the need to amusingly 'broad-brush' the Amiga in keeping with the spirit and celebration of things in the moment (that and your 'broad-brushing' assumption of Arkhan being a console only user - when you have NO idea of his background in all of this, to show how ridiculous that was.)

 Also, painting with a 'broad-brush' is such a lame metaphor. Quick, someone pick some other one.

[termis]

Also, painting with a 'broad-brush' is such a lame metaphor. Quick, someone pick some other one.

Let me have a go -- BT isn't from the U.S.

[awack]

I played the US version of SOTB for the Genesis and the Turbo Duo SOTB last night on hardware and will try to compare the two, visually at least.

Starting with the Bg gfx you obviously can tell that the genesis is closer to the Amiga, in the under ground section the turbo duo used a simple texture with some added detail such as large eyes that open and close, skulls, torches and creatures that pop in and out of holes, the foreground has been improved in the duo port, but lacks parallax scrolling.

The top section in the genesis port has wonderfully done tree trunks, clouds and details like the blimps, the duo version is a bit more lush look with more sprites on screen at once (with trees) with more color of course..47 vs 75.

I think most people would agree that the castle area in duo port is better much more detail and better coloring, but again lacks parallax scrolling.

The sprites in the duo port are larger and the player sprite is larger and has more frames of animation in his run...6 frames for genesis which is typical for 16 bit games and 11 frames for the duo game, which is similar to the Aladdin games.

[Retro-Nerd]

This is how it possibly looks on a real CRT TV with RGB. The Genesis version has more colors, but i wouldn't say that it looks better than the Amiga version. The prefer the Turbo Duo graphics over the Genesis port.

Amiga



Genesis (JP)




Amiga



Genesis (JP)




Amiga



Genesis (JP)

[Joe Redifer]

The JP Mega Drive version is significantly dimmer than the US Genesis version.  I mostly prefer the Genesis version with the exception being the player sprite and maybe the clouds.  However I think the sound may have been better on the JP version, but I can't recall.

This is how it possibly looks on a real CRT TV with RGB.

Not even close.  Emulators never get the scanline filters right.  The picture would never be that dim on a real RGB monitor or TV.  The emulators don't take into account for video bloom which would decrease the effect of the scanlines (but they would still be noticeable) and the picture wouldn't be as dim as a result.

[Retro-Nerd]

Sure, you can't produce the real TV RGB scanlines with emulator filters. But not even close isn't 100% true. The Amiga has pretty strong scanlines. Well, the Genesis/Turbo Duo RGB image is much brighter, that's indeed true. At least you can see more details in my screenshot comparison. This single-pixel emulator shots are too small to see all the details.

[Black Tiger]

I've expect an answer like that. I know that i'm on a US dominated board.

As I mentioned about being oblivious, you went ahead and again flamed not only the entire board, but a whole country... while accusing them of doing the same. You're the one prejudging people and also assuming they have the same stick-to-their-own-kind attitude that you do. Also, if you were familiar with the regular members here, you'd know that it's not U.S. dominated.

At least Tatsujin is a bit more objective if it comes to any other than consoles. Sad but true.

All you know is that Tatsujin originally commented that he thought that the Amiga version looked best and that he said that the hardware itself is great. For all you know he smashes vintage computers every night. You're only saying that everyone who you think shares your opinions are objective and those who disagree are biased.

Fanboy? Who created this ugly word? I would really want to know it. Sounds more like kindergarden talk.

There's that same smug attitude. Your thought process must've been like this-

"Fanboy. What could it mean? Fan... cause I'm Fan-tasic, obviously. And Boy... must mean "Boy is that Retro-Nerd amazing!" Then why did it sound like he was disagreeing with me?"

This wasn't just a side note. He wanted to rant about a disk based gaming platform. Pretty obvious. There's no place in reviews for this, if he claim the objectivity for himself.

He kept that comment separate from the actual review, which basically said "gorgeous graphics and professional, synth-quality music, but bad gameplay." Sounds pretty pro-Amiga to me. He even trashed the sound of the console port. But you're judging him as an objective-less console-loving zealot based on a single comment and posted the link in this thread just so you could flame "console-lovers" in general.

There's no clear winner, i.e. the parallax scrolling looks much better on the computer.

I haven't played through both versions recently, but in the videos I saw the Genesis and Amiga versions had the same amount of parallax, while the FM Towns port had noticeably more.

Yes, i know that you US guys grown up with consoles and joypads. A bit more objectivity, THAT's what i've meant. I have no problem with joysticks or joypads. Peace? 

One person said that Amiga action games don't control well. Another person called you a gay fish. All the while you're ranting about console-freaks and lousy Americans.



Back on topic, I'd rather play the game on the left than the game on the right-



And the game on the right doesn't feel emotionally darker. It just looks washed out compared to the game on the left.


To me, the Genesis SotB doesn't look better or more theme-suited on the right, only lacking contrast-





Even if you prefer the subtle differences of the actual graphics of the Amiga version, at some point the cropping has to come into play visually, if not gameplay-wise-






Aside from looking better full screen at the Genesis resolution, having a wider view area dramatically helps to fix SotB's fatal flaw: enemies that come flying at you from the direction you're running towards and you have to punch them. Just like games with screens that don't scroll until the main character is too close to the edge, it makes for bad gameplay. Since the game uses a player sprite just about as big they should get without hampering gameplay at full screen, the more room the better. Of course it's all about balance, I don't think that anything bigger than the Genesis version is necessary-




The Amiga SotB just looks like a Gameboy Advance version of the Genesis game. Which is still nice, but not as good overall.

However I think the sound may have been better on the JP version, but I can't recall.

In the comparison video the music of one version was slower. It could've been a PAL rom run through an emulator or the emulator set to the wrong region or something.

[Tatsujin]

i still insist on my previous statement that the amiga version, in graphical terms of view is undisputable and by far the nicest version. the 1st pic above from retro speaks volumes.
the coloring, the details of the mountains and other obstacles, the whole ambience etc. is not even comparable with the flat and dull MD version.

this game was designed for the amiga and that's just what you can see.

we're talking here about the visuals of the game, and nothing else.

[Retro-Nerd]

That's true. The Amiga graphic has more depth, it looks imho better. We were talking about visuals, that's all we can do here with screenshots. And these more dim, pastel colors suits SotB much better. I like colorful PCE games like Bonk or New Adventure Island. They look great in this graphic style, but SotB not. That's my opinion, no more, no less.

The youtube videos aren't good enough for a comparasion too. You have to compare all the games/game versions for yourself on real hardware if you want real answers, that's a huge difference.

The Amiga SotB just looks like a Gameboy Advance version of the Genesis game. Which is still nice, but not as good overall.

Ok, THIS comment makes me smile. This is obviously not true. Sounds more like you lack a proper argument. But i stop here. We guys are all retro game freaks. No need to fight over such details.

[Tatsujin]

i won't question the meaning of this thread, because it's quite fun to see all the different versions of different ports on different platforms and i also appreciate the huge effort of those peeps here which providing us with all those nice screenies.
but on the other hand, we shouldn't take it too serious as well, because it's a fact, that we can't judge the final game and its quality just by watching at those pictures.

so please keep on the nice work

[Black Tiger]

i still insist on my previous statement that the amiga version, in graphical terms of view is undisputable and by far the nicest version. the 1st pic above from retro speaks volumes.
the coloring, the details of the mountains and other obstacles, the whole ambience etc. is not even comparable with the flat and dull MD version.

this game was designed for the amiga and that's just what you can see.

we're talking here about the visuals of the game, and nothing else.

I guess it's all up to personal taste, since the Amiga version's lack of contrast and detail/shading gives me less sense of depth. But if you look at the blimp, clouds and mountains in the first pic, they're all more detailed and better drawn and shaded on the Mega Drive version. Most things in the Amiga background are shaded with only 3 or 4 colors while the MD version uses 6 or more.





Technically, the MD version is noticeably more detailed and shaded. The choice of color and in places art is a matter of opinion.