What Games Were Better on Genesis Than on SNES?

[-^Cro§Bow^-]

Sunset Riders is a really tough call to be honest.

The SNES version is really more like the arcade but the music is off. It did have all the cool little speech from the villians though.

However, the Genesis version has much better music as I always thought the Genny music sounded more like the arcade. The Genesis version is also about 2x longer than the SNES version as the levels were all much larger, and there were more bosses in the Genesis version.

So my overall decision is that I feel the Genesis port of Sunset Riders is better simply because I always felt I got more of my moneys worth from it.

[klausien]

The Genesis version of Soldiers of Fortune is leagues better than the SNES version. The dithered graphics suit the game's art style better. It is much smoother too. Same goes for Thunderforce 3. I know the SNES version was a port of Thunderforce AC, but it is lacking in every way. Genesis got the better Darius game (Sagaia) as well, though I did still enjoy Darius Twin quite a bit. Super Nova is weak.

As mentioned before, The SNES SFII games ran rings around the Genesis versions. Better sound, larger characters and more colors. On the flip side, I wholeheartedly agree that most of the SNK Neo Geo ports were better on Genesis. Also, even though it was badly censored, the SNES version of Sunset Riders was truer to the arcade game. The SNES port of Turtles in Time also slays The Hyperstone Heist. Super Ghouls & Ghosts, despite its slowdown, looks much better than the Ghouls 'N Ghosts on Genesis.

When it comes to the early polygon stuff (choosing to forget the Tengen ports of the early Atari 3D games like Steel Talons (which is better on SNES), Stunt Race FX is not even in the same ballpark as Virtua Racing, but that is more due to the Hitachi SH1 than anything else. Stunt Race is higher res, but has a terrible frame rate that makes it nigh unplayable today. VR was tight and remains so.

Anything that required moving many sprites simultaneously benefitted from the Genesis's faster CPU, but anything focused on detailed sprites was much better on the SNES due mostly to the superior color palette. Genesis could excel in the area of detail when the color palette limitations were worked out correctly (Gaiares, Castle of Illusion, Sonic), but the dithering is tough on the eyes after experiencing the newer consoles. Sound was also generally better on SNES, with the major exceptions being those games that maximized the effect of the Genesis's grungy PCM (All Tecnosoft games, Sonic).

It is a wash. that is why so many of use have chosen to collect both!

[SnowKitty]

The Genesis version of Soldiers of Fortune is leagues better than the SNES version. The dithered graphics suit the game's art style better. It is much smoother too. Same goes for Thunderforce 3. I know the SNES version was a port of Thunderforce AC, but it is lacking in every way. Genesis got the better Darius game (Sagaia) as well, though I did still enjoy Darius Twin quite a bit. Super Nova is weak.

As mentioned before, The SNES SFII games ran rings around the Genesis versions. Better sound, larger characters and more colors. On the flip side, I wholeheartedly agree that most of the SNK Neo Geo ports were better on Genesis. Also, even though it was badly censored, the SNES version of Sunset Riders was truer to the arcade game. The SNES port of Turtles in Time also slays The Hyperstone Heist. Super Ghouls & Ghosts, despite its slowdown, looks much better than the Ghouls 'N Ghosts on Genesis.

When it comes to the early polygon stuff (choosing to forget the Tengen ports of the early Atari 3D games like Steel Talons (which is better on SNES), Stunt Race FX is not even in the same ballpark as Virtua Racing, but that is more due to the Hitachi SH1 than anything else. Stunt Race is higher res, but has a terrible frame rate that makes it nigh unplayable today. VR was tight and remains so.

Anything that required moving many sprites simultaneously benefitted from the Genesis's faster CPU, but anything focused on detailed sprites was much better on the SNES due mostly to the superior color palette. Genesis could excel in the area of detail when the color palette limitations were worked out correctly (Gaiares, Castle of Illusion, Sonic), but the dithering is tough on the eyes after experiencing the newer consoles. Sound was also generally better on SNES, with the major exceptions being those games that maximized the effect of the Genesis's grungy PCM (All Tecnosoft games, Sonic).

It is a wash. that is why so many of use have chosen to collect both!

virtua racing's SVP chip was not a hitachi SH-1. i can't remember what it was, but it was some custom chip. the only sega system that had an SH1 in it was the saturn and that was to control the CD drive iirc

[mercarian]

To be honest I believe MK and Aladin were better on Genesis. Then again I'm really Nintendo biased and didn't own a Genesis until like 4 years ago. O_o

[outofkeyslightly]

When it was originally released, Shaq-Fu for Genesis came with a single of Shaq's woeful rapping, but the Snes version did not... Edge, snes?

[mercarian]

When it was originally released, Shaq-Fu for Genesis came with a single of Shaq's woeful rapping, but the Snes version did not... Edge, snes?

Well then I would have to give the advantage to Sega. Because Shaq rapping was probably the only good thing in that craptastic game O_o

[izret101]

All the Mortal Kombats.
Although that is probably more of a bias than a fact. SNES did have the extra button so you had specific buttons for high/low punches/kicks.
The original Mortal Kombat had blood on Genesis while the SNES version had SWEAT. That could also be a factor.

[Kid Ice]

All the Mortal Kombats.
Although that is probably more of a bias than a fact. SNES did have the extra button so you had specific buttons for high/low punches/kicks.
The original Mortal Kombat had blood on Genesis while the SNES version had SWEAT. That could also be a factor.

The first MK is clearly better on the Genny.

The second is clearly better on the SNES.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

I've heard that sparkster (The Sequel to rocket knight) is better on the genny, but I only have the snes one.

Where the hell did you hear that? Trust me, the snes version is the better version of the game.

[Leo_A]

"I've heard that sparkster (The Sequel to rocket knight) is better on the genny, but I only have the snes one. I also think Pac-man 2 works better on genesis, because the SNES version has Ms. Pac-man as an unlockable game, while the Genesis version has Jr. Pac-man, an all new game (It's different from pac-man jr.)"

What are you talking about? I've never heard of a Pac-Man Jr. There was a Jr. Pac-Man released in arcades in the early 80's that was ported to the Atari 2600, 5200, and Atari 8 bit computers, but I've never heard of a Pac-Man Jr.

[Kid Ice]

What are you talking about? I've never heard of a Pac-Man Jr. There was a Jr. Pac-Man released in arcades in the early 80's that was ported to the Atari 2600, 5200, and Atari 8 bit computers, but I've never heard of a Pac-Man Jr.

S'true. The Genesis version of Pac Man 2 has a "new" Pac Man game called Pac Man Jr., which is not at all similar to Jr. Pac Man. In fact, this is clearly the only reason to pick up Pac Man 2, which STINKS on any system.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

I've heard that sparkster (The Sequel to rocket knight) is better on the genny, but I only have the snes one.

Where the hell did you hear that? Trust me, the snes edition is the better version of the game.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

certain games which share the same name are completely different games.

For example - Beavis & Butthead on the Mega Drive was so much better, and was completely different to the Snes game...

And Tazmania... Well, the Mega Drive one was a decent platformer, but the Snes one was a poor game where you simply went down a road like thing - Almost like a driving game really...


I find developers still did this later on with certain games - Ie, The World Is Not Enough on the PS1 is completely different compared to the superior N64 version... Although similar, the N64 level designs and missions were so much better.

Thankfully this trend has not carried over so much to the three modern consoles... Maybe just a few differences here and there to compensate for the Cube's poorly designed controller, or maybe a few extra's for an Xbox version, but not major differences...

[postulio]

Sunset Riders is a really tough call to be honest.

The SNES version is really more like the arcade but the music is off. It did have all the cool little speech from the villians though.

However, the Genesis version has much better music as I always thought the Genny music sounded more like the arcade. The Genesis version is also about 2x longer than the SNES version as the levels were all much larger, and there were more bosses in the Genesis version.

So my overall decision is that I feel the Genesis port of Sunset Riders is better simply because I always felt I got more of my moneys worth from it.

i pray that no one takes yoru advice. the snes version WAS the arcade game. konami gimped it for the genesis, you can choose only 2 of the 4 characters, the graphics were raped and the game is actually about HALF LENGHT. on snes you could actually use the multi tap if im correct. trust me on this i spent so much time on this game both at arcades and at home.

[evildead2099]

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Mortal Kombat (1)

Mortal Kombat 3

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game (The SNES version lacked 'big' characters like Yokozuna and Bam Bam Bigelow... And Bam Bam was my favourite wrestler to use in that game!)

[mr_jiggles_13]

home alone 2 and lost vikings are superb on the genny, i have both versions of each and i like the genesis ones better

not home alone (original one) was best on NES IMO even though the graphics were improved, it feels like a different game on the genesis which i dont like as much as the NES original.

[Dimitri]

A few that haven't been mentioned yet:

Bubsy - I've gotta say the Genesis version of this game is way better. I tried playing the SNES version a few months ago, switched it off after about ten minutes and turned my Genny on instead. ^^

Jim Power - Ungodly difficult game...the MD version only has one song playing for the whole game. Or at least as far as I got...nowhere near as far as I got on my SNES cart (how the heck do you beat that giant warship thingy anyways?)

I'm currently undecided between Super Bomberman 2 and Mega Bomberman...Mega Bomberman seems like a very cool game, but not having a Genesis multitap kinda stifles any sort of fair comparison there. Anyone have any thoughts on this one?

...it doesn't even compare...

Oh god, it's Johnny Turbo!

[Icarus Moonsight]

IMO all the Genesis games are better... I can take 'em on the port' with a Nomad Out of the HUGE list here is what I remember playing for both.

Aladdin (Disney's) (Genesis)
Lethal Enforcers (Genesis - you can use the gun to play Snatcher!)
Monopoly (Genesis - game had a more finished quality)
Mortal Kombat (Genesis - RED blood, non-pussified fatalities)
Mortal Kombat 3 (SNES)
Mortal Kombat II (SNES)
Pit-Fighter (Neither - It blew on both equally)
Raiden Trad (Genesis - I prefer my shooters on the genny)
Shadowrun (Genesis - Better game than SNES but, both are great)
Sparkster (Genesis - No Slowdown that I found on SNES version plus Genny has Rocket Knight Adventures )
Zombies Ate My Neighbors (Tie - Equally fun on both)

[Lord Contaminous]

Batman Returns:

SNES VERSION BY DEFAULT!

Because of how powerful the SNES sound format is and Konami knows what great game music is all about, this is the only Batman game to have that awesome orchestra-style music that's heard in the movies.

[XxMe2NiKxX]

IF not already mentioned, B.O.B. for sure.