brotkasten
Member
What about the PC version?shaowebb said:
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Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
The "definitive versions of old games" thread
- Thread starter I NEED SCISSORS
- Start date
Final Fantasy V
Available on: SNES (in English with ROM patch), PS1, Gameboy Advance
Definitive version: Gameboy Advance
The Gameboy Advance version has improved graphics, better controls, a translation that just oozes with charm, and bonus content not in any other release. The only reason to snub it is because the sound quality is worse than the SNES and PS1, but if you do that you're missing out. The SNES version is very dated, and the PS1 version is just a poorly-translated and poorly-emulated SNES game.
Available on: SNES (in English with ROM patch), PS1, Gameboy Advance
Definitive version: Gameboy Advance
The Gameboy Advance version has improved graphics, better controls, a translation that just oozes with charm, and bonus content not in any other release. The only reason to snub it is because the sound quality is worse than the SNES and PS1, but if you do that you're missing out. The SNES version is very dated, and the PS1 version is just a poorly-translated and poorly-emulated SNES game.
Lionheart1337
Member
Definitive TF2 = RIGHT BEFORE TRADING WAS INTEGRATED
Nuclear Muffin
Banned
I don't think we should be bothering counting virtual console versions here since they're automatically the best versions of the games being emulated (since they offer perfect emulation, with better image quality and temporary save states)
So aside from that, here's my contributions.
Killer 7 (GCN, PS2)
Definitive version - GCN
PS2 versions suffers from slowdown and aliasing and also has some censorship.
Banjo Kazooie (N64, 360)
Definitive version - None
The 360 version runs at a solid 30FPS as opposed to the N64 versions variable 20-30FPS and runs in HD, but there are a number of problems with the port. The intro is completely fucked up (out of sync movements, missing elements like Kazooie fighting Grunty etc) as is the fake ending (Banjo and Kazooie don't run back home), the camera controls are somewhat borked (the camera isn't as responsive and the 1st person mode awkwardly uses the 2nd stick), the changes to the note collection system make Click Clock Wood and Rusty Bucket Bay way too easy and ruin a lot of the fun of those levels, the enhanced draw distance makes finding items too easy now (since the lower draw distance was used to hide these items a lot, especially in Bubblegloop swamp) and a few of the enhanced HUD elements are a bit wonky looking. Plus the classic Nintendo logo intro is missing (unavoidable sadly but it does look wonky now)
It also suffers from a nasty glitch that can make getting all 900 notes impossible (Bottles Bonus Game note glitch)
Banjo Tooie (N64, 360)
Definitive version - None
Again the same thing applies here but the port is much better this time around. The framerate is again solid (and it's a bigger deal here because the N64 version's framerate was fucking terrible, 5-30FPS in no time flat!) and of course it runs in HD but again there are some problems. The intro is messed up again (though it's not as bad as in BK 360), the camera controls have been fixed though. Stop N' Swap is a complete waste though and adds nothing new to the game (woo a fucking Gamer Pic, thanks a fucking lot!).
The biggest problems with the port though are two fold. 1, the FPS section's controls are shit. 1 little mistake ruins everything, why does the cursor reset back to the centre of the screen when you let go of the stick?! WHY WHY WHY?! This makes the final boss fight almost impossible! I can't believe they made such a huge fuckup!
2, The cheats are now useless. Remember all the fun you had with SUPERBANJO? Well, guess what? Cheats now disable saving! WTF?! I can understand making them lock you out of the leaderboards but why disable saving all together?! This effectively ruins the cheats since they're now useless!
Perfect Dark (N64, 360)
Definitive version - None
Yes, it's online. Yes it runs at 60FPS. No it's not definitive.
While the 360 version adds some much needed framerate improvements (thank god!) it's still not perfect and can slowdown from time to time. Again the port comes with problems. The controls are somewhat iffy. There isn't one control scheme offered that feels quite right (and none that allow me to hold the A button to access the weapon select screen. WHY?!).
What pisses me off more is the little gameplay tweaks that change the game. Secondary function changing is now instant (not necessarily a bad thing but I don't like remakes that mess with the original core gameplay like this), smoke clouds are not nearly as strong and disappear much quicker (gone are those times where you can let off huge explosions and fight each other through the fog), the motion blur doesn't stay with you when you die (I know that this makes more sense and some hated it but I think that it's a shame that it's not even there as an option. It was a big part of the original game that helped define it's character and it's a shame to see it go completely, it was always really funny to watch someone miserably try to shake it off!), Laptop Gun was nerfed (fuck you 4J!) amongst certain glitches being removed like the poison knife dead body glitch.
Also I'm not a fan of the graphical overhaul. Some stuff looks good like Daniel Carrington's new model but Elvis and Johanna look crap! (Johanna looks like a reanimated corpse and Elvis doesn't look cute anymore
) Having the Goldeneye weapons in multiplayer though is pretty awesome.
So aside from that, here's my contributions.
Killer 7 (GCN, PS2)
Definitive version - GCN
PS2 versions suffers from slowdown and aliasing and also has some censorship.
Banjo Kazooie (N64, 360)
Definitive version - None
The 360 version runs at a solid 30FPS as opposed to the N64 versions variable 20-30FPS and runs in HD, but there are a number of problems with the port. The intro is completely fucked up (out of sync movements, missing elements like Kazooie fighting Grunty etc) as is the fake ending (Banjo and Kazooie don't run back home), the camera controls are somewhat borked (the camera isn't as responsive and the 1st person mode awkwardly uses the 2nd stick), the changes to the note collection system make Click Clock Wood and Rusty Bucket Bay way too easy and ruin a lot of the fun of those levels, the enhanced draw distance makes finding items too easy now (since the lower draw distance was used to hide these items a lot, especially in Bubblegloop swamp) and a few of the enhanced HUD elements are a bit wonky looking. Plus the classic Nintendo logo intro is missing (unavoidable sadly but it does look wonky now)
It also suffers from a nasty glitch that can make getting all 900 notes impossible (Bottles Bonus Game note glitch)
Banjo Tooie (N64, 360)
Definitive version - None
Again the same thing applies here but the port is much better this time around. The framerate is again solid (and it's a bigger deal here because the N64 version's framerate was fucking terrible, 5-30FPS in no time flat!) and of course it runs in HD but again there are some problems. The intro is messed up again (though it's not as bad as in BK 360), the camera controls have been fixed though. Stop N' Swap is a complete waste though and adds nothing new to the game (woo a fucking Gamer Pic, thanks a fucking lot!).
The biggest problems with the port though are two fold. 1, the FPS section's controls are shit. 1 little mistake ruins everything, why does the cursor reset back to the centre of the screen when you let go of the stick?! WHY WHY WHY?! This makes the final boss fight almost impossible! I can't believe they made such a huge fuckup!
2, The cheats are now useless. Remember all the fun you had with SUPERBANJO? Well, guess what? Cheats now disable saving! WTF?! I can understand making them lock you out of the leaderboards but why disable saving all together?! This effectively ruins the cheats since they're now useless!
Perfect Dark (N64, 360)
Definitive version - None
Yes, it's online. Yes it runs at 60FPS. No it's not definitive.
While the 360 version adds some much needed framerate improvements (thank god!) it's still not perfect and can slowdown from time to time. Again the port comes with problems. The controls are somewhat iffy. There isn't one control scheme offered that feels quite right (and none that allow me to hold the A button to access the weapon select screen. WHY?!).
What pisses me off more is the little gameplay tweaks that change the game. Secondary function changing is now instant (not necessarily a bad thing but I don't like remakes that mess with the original core gameplay like this), smoke clouds are not nearly as strong and disappear much quicker (gone are those times where you can let off huge explosions and fight each other through the fog), the motion blur doesn't stay with you when you die (I know that this makes more sense and some hated it but I think that it's a shame that it's not even there as an option. It was a big part of the original game that helped define it's character and it's a shame to see it go completely, it was always really funny to watch someone miserably try to shake it off!), Laptop Gun was nerfed (fuck you 4J!) amongst certain glitches being removed like the poison knife dead body glitch.
Also I'm not a fan of the graphical overhaul. Some stuff looks good like Daniel Carrington's new model but Elvis and Johanna look crap! (Johanna looks like a reanimated corpse and Elvis doesn't look cute anymore
) Having the Goldeneye weapons in multiplayer though is pretty awesome.i was just watching a video of the pce version of ninja gaiden the other day -- the distant backgrounds scroll REALLY choppily, probably reason enough to avoid that version. the snes ports of the ng games aren't very well regarded, but the specific differences that i can recall pertain to ng2 -- some missing music and visual effects. probably best to stick with the nes version, the port-ups are visually enhanced in a halfassed way that doesn't really make them look better
_Alkaline_
Member
Nuclear Muffin said:
Blasphemy. The note system in the original was completely borked and Rare's decision to fix it for the XBLA release was nothing but a huge improvement.
So some artificial challenge and tedium was removed...who cares? The game is better for it.
No offence to you personally or anything but I'm astounded by how someone could have such a viewpoint.
And an improved draw distance is bad now? Son, I am disappoint. Seriously NM this is some wack shit you're spilling out here.
Diablohead
Member
Pc version had problems running on XP for a while, when it did run the resolutions were limited in choice if any, it was a playable port but a budget one at that.brotkasten said:
DC version is still the best.
Nuclear Muffin
Banned
_Alkaline_ said:
The game was designed around the lower draw distance though. Bubblegloop swamp in particular takes advantage of this limitation by hiding objects in certain places where you can't see it from a distance. The XBLA version breaks this design.
Same thing goes for Treasure Trove Cove. That one empty honeycomb piece that was cleverly hidden just out of draw distance range in the sea is now made easy to find thanks to the enhanced draw distance.
It's just another example of how 4J recklessly changed the game design of these games without thinking about the consequences.
_Alkaline_
Member
Nuclear Muffin said:
You gotta give me an example of this because I just cannot any stance other than an improved draw distance being a good thing.
BK is a pretty simple game. You see things, you figure out how to get there and then you figure out what to do when you're there. In what way is that hurt by being able to see things from further away? It just helps clarify where you're supposed to go. If the game had to rely on technical limitations to add complexity (it doesn't) then obviously it wasn't doing much right in the first place.
Edit: Ok you've given an example. But I can't really agree. The focus on the honeycomb piece was flying over it and landing exactly right so that you didn't fall in the water and leave yourself open to Snacker. Now, if what made this whole thing satisfying to you was finding the honeycomb in the first place, I suppose I can understand it (and it's not like I can say you're wrong). But honestly, the mere idea of suggesting a game benefits from pop-in is just ridiculous to me.
Nuclear Muffin
Banned
_Alkaline_ said:
But Banjo Kazooie is as much about platforming as it is about exploration. This change takes away some of those exploration elements since the game hid objects by taking advantage of the low draw distance.
Pop-in is not generally a good thing, but BK was clever in how it used it and to take that away from BK is to strip part of its game design. Of course BT doesn't suffer from this problem since it never had any real draw distance problems originally.
SolidusDave
Member
mh, I always thought the PS1 versions of FF1,2,4,5 and 6 were the definite ones. Don't they have more content (FMVs, that encyclopedia stuff etc.), best audio and are still basically the same original games but with tweaks in graphics etc.?
Loading times alone are not enough for me as an argument. Also, for me a handheld version will always suck unless you have a way to play it on your TV/sound system in adequate quality (and ideally with a proper gamepad).
Loading times alone are not enough for me as an argument. Also, for me a handheld version will always suck unless you have a way to play it on your TV/sound system in adequate quality (and ideally with a proper gamepad).
manueldelalas
Time Traveler
Final Fantasy IV (Snes, PS1, GBA, NDS, Cellphones, etc)
Superior version: NDS
Reason: This is a full remake, the game is harder than hard FFIV, you have a book that tracks everything you do, so completionists will love this version (getting every item there is, exploring the last centimeter of dungeons, etc). Graphics have been redone in beautiful DS 3D (much better than the horrible sprites that the Snes game had, some of the worst graphics on that system), lots of videos and very good voice acting.
Superior version: NDS
Reason: This is a full remake, the game is harder than hard FFIV, you have a book that tracks everything you do, so completionists will love this version (getting every item there is, exploring the last centimeter of dungeons, etc). Graphics have been redone in beautiful DS 3D (much better than the horrible sprites that the Snes game had, some of the worst graphics on that system), lots of videos and very good voice acting.