SYSTEM SMACK-DOWN: Animaniacs (SNES/Genesis/Game Boy)

Back when they actually gave two craps about the industry, Konami were one of the most beloved developers/publishers of the classic age, with a resume of titles such as Metal Gear, Contra, and Rocket Knight Adventures. However, like many other video game corporations, they also had their fair share of licensed games, some of them good, and others being throughly mediocre. And seeing as how I already covered a few games by them in the past, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at yet another one, that of which being a game based off of the most beloved cartoons to ever come out of the nineties, Animaniacs.

Seeing as how I’ve already covered a fair share of licensed Konami titles, some good, and some bad, how does this one stack up? Let’s find out, shall we?

ROUND ONE: THE LOOKS

In what seems to be a running gag whenever I do a Konami game in these articles, the SNES version offers the best translation of the show’s style into a video game format. Not only is the spritework of the characters 100% spot-on, but the backgrounds are delightfully varied and vibrant, offering one of the most lively games to ever come out on the SNES. The Genesis and Game Boy versions, while still good-looking, don’t exactly manage to hold a candle. Despite some smoother and arguably more detailed animations and backgrounds, they kind of lack the charm of the SNES version. So, I’ll be crowning the SNES as the victor.

ROUND TWO: THE SOUND

While the SNES may have won with great success in the previous round, that doesn’t mean it’ll carry over to the other ones. And in this case, the Genesis version easily has the best sound. Don’t get me wrong, the SNES version still has a good amount of decently catchy tunes, but none that I would really classify as “memorable”. The Genesis version on the other hand takes those verbs with profound grace, being pure ear candy in every sense of the word, with the music fitting each and every stage that you’ll find yourself in. Heck, in some cases they even mix up tunes from the show! As for the Game Boy version’s soundtrack, it’s alright, though it’s more or less a downgraded edition of the one from the Genesis. With that said, the GENESIS wins this one.

ROUND THREE: THE GAMEPLAY

After a temporary victory by the Genesis, the SNES has managed to come back with a vengeance. Getting the Genesis and Game Boy versions out of the way, they can best be summed up as dull, mediocre platformers that don’t really bring anything new to the table. While the controls are fine, the relentless tediousness of the level design really brings them both down, ESPECIALLY in the Game Boy version. Now as for the SNES version, it’s sort of a challenge to really describe the way that it plays. The best way that I can, however, is something of an isometric side-scrolling platformer with a few arcade elements thrown in for good measure. There’s simply way too many things to praise here; the tight controls, the sheer amount of variety between levels, the scale of the aforementioned levels, the balance between the platforming and arcade elements, the fast pacing, practically everything was given to people who really wanted to give it their all. If there is one little quibble that I have, it would have to be the fact that in order to free one of the captive Warner Siblings, you have to play this rather obnoxious mini-game. Still, without question, the SNES is the champion.

THE RETR0PIA RANKINGS:

SNES: A-

GENESIS: C-

GAME BOY: D

AND VICTORY GOES TO…THE SNES VERSION!

SYSTEM SMACK-DOWN: The Adventures of Batman and Robin (SNES, Genesis)

Over the past several decades, Batman has had what can best be described as an interesting history with games. Aside from the mostly globally-praised Arkham saga and the newly-arrived Telltale mini-series, many games featuring the Dark Knight have ranged from being surprisingly decent, just okay, or simply pure garbage in every sense of the word. Today, we’ll be looking at two games bearing the same name and source material, which in this case is a pair of now relatively-forgotten titles based off of the second season of one of the Dark Knight’s major forays into cartoons, Batman: The Animated Series, or The Adventures of Batman and Robin as it was referred to by its’ second season.

Developed and published in the year of 1994 for the Super Nintendo and the Genesis by Konami, Clockwork Tortoise, and Sega respectively, both games revolve around the titular dynamic duo as they take on some of the most iconic members of their rogues gallery who are in the midst of wreaking havoc in Gotham. With that said, which one of these versions is superior to the other? Let’s find out, shall we?

ROUND ONE: THE LOOKS

SNES – One thing that some of you might notice about this version is how it attempts to go the full mile with being a licensed title, attempting to translate the show’s usage of the simplistic yet also complex “art deco” style into a video game format. And honestly, it actually works out pretty well in its’ favor. Unlike most licensed games which usually only marginally resemble their source material, many of the backgrounds in this version look like they’ve been ripped straight out of an episode from the show itself. The spritework is also pretty fantastic, as each character looks exactly as they should be. It’s also worth mentioning that the visuals often throw in a bit of 3D, a great example being the boss fight with the Joker. It’s not anything groundbreaking, but for a licensed games, the visuals truly stand out from the crowd.

GENESIS – You know what I said earlier about most licensed games marginally resembling their source material? Well, this is one of them. I mean, don’t get me wrong, this version does look absolutely fantastic. The spritework is impressive, the usage of 3D is even better than in the SNES version, and the backgrounds have a lot of attention to detail in them. However, the reason why I think the SNES version is superior graphically goes more to how it actually feels like you’re going through an episode of the show. While this version does utilize the art deco style, it doesn’t exactly have that feeling of being “simplistic yet complex” and just leans more towards the complex side rather than having the perfect balance of both, if you get what I mean.

WINNER – SNES

ROUND TWO: THE SOUND

SNES – Going along with the incredibly faithful visual style, the soundtrack in this version strives to emulate another aspect of the show, which in this case is its’ orchestral-esque music, and manges to do so with great finesse. Each track invokes a sense of heroism and justice that you’d expect a Batman product to have, and there’s even a fairly nifty version of the show’s theme song thrown in for good measure. Also, the pausing sound effect is the same as the one from Turtles in Time for some reason. While I wouldn’t say that this is one of the SNES’ best auditory accomplishments, it’s certainly up there.

GENESIS – In what also seems to be an ongoing motif for this version, the music discards the orchestral-esque tracks in favor of a more stereotypical Genesis/Mega Drive soundtrack, being the usual electronic synthesized tunes that you’ve come to expect. That’s not to say that the music in this version is bad; in fact, it’s actually really good. It’s just that once again, the SNES version does a better job in keeping in line with the show.

WINNER – SNES

ROUND THREE: THE GAMEPLAY

SNES – Seeing as how both games came out long before the Arkham saga, it’s usually best to not keep our expectations high, as we never exactly know what the quality could be. However, I think it’s safe to say that this version is well above-average. It’s essentially a side-scrolling action-platform game along the lines of Mega Man X and Castlevania, the only difference being that Batman is in the lead. The controls are shockingly great for a licensed platformer, being smooth, tight and easy to get a hold of. There’s also a range of equipments that can be used throughout this version, including but not limited to the Batarang, a grappling hook, and smoke bombs. There’s also a heavy dosage of platforming and combat, both of which are executed with shockingly competent results, with the platforming truly stretching your skills to the limit and the combat being fairly addictive, though a bit tiresome. Though this version is definitely not on the same level of quality of the Arkham games, it comes pretty close.

GENESIS – There are a good number of ways in which I could describe the gameplay in this version, but if there was one that I’d have to pick in particular, it would have to be “entertaining, but nonetheless quite dull”. To be honest, there’s nothing inherently that bad about the gameplay – the controls are great, the combat is fun, and it generally invokes vibes of other games such as Contra. It’s just that when it all boils down, it doesn’t do anything that can be considered “fresh” or “new”. It’s not bad by any means, but there are superior options to be found.

WINNER – SNES

THE RETR0PIA RANKINGS:

SNES: A- 

GENESIS: B-

AND VICTORY GOES TO…THE SNES VERSION!

SYSTEM SMACK-DOWN: Garfield: Caught in the Act (Game Gear, Genesis)

Ever since his debut on the daily papers in 1978, Garfield has went on to earn a status as one of the most instantly recognizable and beloved cartoon characters of all time. In addition to this, he’s also made the rounds in almost every form of media, including television shows, movies, and of course, video games.

Developed and published in 1995 for the Game Gear and Genesis by Paws Inc., Novotrade International, and Sega, Caught in the Act revolves around the titular character as he finds himself trapped inside of a television set, his only hope of escaping being some good-old fashioned action platforming throughout several programs. With that out of the way, which version is the most deserving of the lasagna-loving feline’s name? Let’s find out, shall we?

ROUND ONE: THE LOOKS

GAME GEAR – One of the main reasons why the Game Gear ultimately died off and faded into obscurity was that a good handful of the titles released for it were pretty sloppy looking, ESPECIALLY when Sega began to wind down operations on it and the Genesis (the period when both games were released). For starters, the character sprites as a whole aren’t that great, as they’re extremely pixelated even for 8-bit standards. While you can still tell which characters from the comics and cartoons are supposed to be which, the sprites could be better. The backgrounds, while resembling what type of program they’re supposed to be based on, are nothing special, as they look as equally as unprofessional with a simplistic aesthetic.

GENESIS – One thing that’s worth noting about the graphics in this version is that in a similar fashion to The Lion King, the graphics were done by the creators themselves, this case being Paws Inc., who are responsible for the character sprites and animations, while the backgrounds and some other sprites were done by Sega. All in all, the efforts by both culminate in what is possibly one of the best-looking titles that the Genesis has to offer, right up there with the first three Sonic games and Earthworm Jim. The character sprites look like they leaped right out of some of the strips, with their animations being fluid, smooth, and appropriately cartoonish. The backgrounds are also great, as they help to suit the mood and theme of each stage. But if there is one thing that I have to ask…why exactly are the items and some of the sprites in 3D? I mean, in Donkey Kong Country it worked because it was done entirely in 3D, but in here they kind of stick out like a sore thumb amongst what is mostly a 2D game. Whatever, let’s try not to stray off-topic.

WINNER – GENESIS

ROUND TWO: THE SOUND

I just have to say that in this category, I won’t be comparing the sound of two versions. The reason why is because that they’re honestly on the same level on mediocrity, the only difference being that the Genesis one has significantly more advanced sound quality. While they do fit the levels, the tracks don’t exactly get me in the mood for platforming as much as they just kind of bore me a bit. This will most likely be the only time I do this in a SSD article, though.

WINNER – NEITHER

ROUND THREE: THE GAMEPLAY

GAME GEAR – Looking back on the Game Gear nowadays, I feel like one of the most glaring problems that it had was that a lot of the titles released for it were pretty bland and forgettable, with this version most certainly being one of them. Aside from the somewhat muddy controls, the level design brings nothing new to the table, getting as generic as generic can possibly get. The camera is also way too close, which can make telling where you’ll land after a jump a mind-numbingly difficult task. You know, given Garfield’s personality, I wouldn’t be too surprised if this version was designed and programmed by him.

GENESIS – While the Game Gear version is just plain bad, the Genesis is a bit more middling. At one moment, the stages can be tediously designed and suffer from a bad case of cheap difficulty, but at another, they can actually be pretty fun and even a bit imaginative. As for the controls in this version, they’re pretty good, though they could use a bit more refinement. The most glaring issue with this version that I feel needs to be addressed however is the collision detection, which might just be some of the worst that I’ve seen in a while.

WINNER…KINDA – GENESIS

THE RETR0PIA RANKINGS:

GAME GEAR – D

GENESIS – C+

AND VICTORY (SORT OF) GOES TO…THE GENESIS VERSION!

SYSTEM SMACK-DOWN: Donkey Kong (NES, 2600, ColecoVision)

The original Donkey Kong is nothing short of a timeless classic. Without it, Nintendo wouldn’t be the company that they are today, as they went on to set new heights for the gaming industry and the way that we view entertainment in general. While there have been countless ports/versions of the game, I’ll be covering and comparing three in particular: the NES port, the Atari 2600 version, and the ColecoVision version. Which one of these games is most deserving of the title of the legendary arcade hit? Let’s find out, shall we?

ROUND ONE: THE LOOKS

NES – One of the things that made the original game so groundbreaking for its’ time was its’ vibrant look and detailed character sprites – at least, as detailed as they could get at the time. With that said, the NES version is the most faithful translation in that category without a doubt. Aside from a few differences in coloring, the graphics are essentially the same as the original game, the only major one being that it’s just on an NES.

2600 – Even if this is a 2600 game, I’m not sure if even that excuse could save this version from looking like a complete and utter mess! While Jumpman’s character sprite looks okay at best, Paulina and DK don’t even barely resemble their arcade counterparts. Speaking of which, why the heck do the barrels look like chocolate chip cookies? Also, for some reason your number of lives are represented by blocks that change color depending on the color of what level you’re in. I get that the 2600’s graphical capabilities were extremely limited, but c’mon Atari, couldn’t you have made them look like Jumpman heads, or at the very least, numbers?

COLECOVISION – Though it’s different from the original game in a handful of aspects, it can’t be denied that Coleco still did the best they could in order to emulate the look and feel of it. Though Paulina and DK still don’t look quite like themselves, they’re still admittedly better than their 2600 counterparts. Jumpman on the other hand is more or less identical to his arcade counterpart, which is good.

WINNER – NES

ROUND TWO: THE SOUND

NES – Like the graphics, the sound in the NES port is more or less the same as the original game. I honestly don’t have that much to say in this category, but I will say that they do an impressive job on replicating the sound and music of the original.

2600 – Though the graphics are somehow lower than the typical Atari standards, the sound on the other hand isn’t all that offensive. If anything, the most extreme criticism that I can give is that it feels a bit nonexistent, as there’s no music whatsoever and barely any sound effects. Other than that, it’s typical Atari quality.

ColecoVision – Similar to how they attempted to emulate the graphics of the original, Coleco also did a fairly impressive job in carrying over the sound effects and music. Of course, like the graphics they’re different from what they were in the original, but they still get the job done nonetheless.

WINNER – NES

ROUND THREE: THE GAMEPLAY

NES – While the translation of the graphics and sound are impressive, neither of them stack up to just how identical and faithful this port is to the original. Practically everything, from the controls, to the hammer power-up and items, and the placement of enemies show that a great amount of time, effort, and care was put into making sure that this resembled the original as much as humanly possible.

2600 – Seeing as how the graphics, especially for a game released on a system such as the 2600, leave plenty to be desired, it’s kind of important that at the very least that the gameplay is at the very least enjoyable. And while I can’t say that it’s anything mind-blowing, I will say that it does manage to bring the formula of the original into a format like this. Though the layouts of some stages have been completely re-arranged and some of the stages are missing, the controls and jumping are fairly tight, and the hammer works the way it should.

ColecoVision – In terms of which game comes closest to feeling like the original, the ColecoVision would land somewhere in the middle. The controls and jumping are on the same level of tightness as the NES and 2600 versions, and the hammer still works just fine. However, there are still some missing stages and some slight differences in the layout of them. Despite this, it’s still a rather impressive recreation.

WINNER – NES

THE RETR0PIA RATINGS: 

NES – 9/10

2600 – 6/10

ColecoVision – 7/10

     

AND VICTORY GOES TO…THE NES PORT!

SYSTEM SMACK-DOWN: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (SNES, NES, Genesis)

Greetings again, my fellow retr0pians, and welcome to the very first edition of an all-new segment that I’d like to call System Smack-Down.  In these particular articles, I’ll be taking a look at games that I’ve already played or haven’t played before, and compare and analyze them to their sister console brethren to see how they stack up against one another. And for my first pick for these articles, I’ve decided to choose what I felt would be the most appropriate – a fighting game. A TMNT fighting game, that is.

What we have on our hands today is a game that I’ve actually played before, but haven’t revisited in a long while (the SNES version, I mean). Originally released in 1993 and 1994 across the SNES, NES, and the Genesis, the game was essentially a Street Fighter/Mortal Kombat clone starring the Heroes in a Half-Shell, as well as many of their friends and foes. When it was released, it received some fairly positive reviews, though the SNES version had gotten the most praise out of all of them. But the most important questions still remain: How do these games stack up against one another, and how do they still hold up after all these years? Let’s find out, shall we?

ROUND ONE: THE LOOKS

SNES – Oh man, where to begin with this? While admittedly sometimes feeling like they could be right out from a Street Fighter installment, the stages are nothing short of absolute beauty. There’s an overall sense of attention to detail and variety that persists throughout each of every one of them, which really helps to bring the game up. The character sprites are also great (albeit a bit big), as they too have a sense of attention to detail to them. I’d also like to point out the excellent use of colors, as they help to emphasize the variety in each stage. Needless to say, this is one of the best-looking 16-bit games I’ve come across yet.

NES – This version was released fairly late in the NES’ lifespan, and BOY does it show. While they aren’t completely awful, the graphics still leave a lot to be desired, as a lot of the character sprites come off looking rather shoddy, which is not helped whatsoever by their constant flickering. The stages look rather unimpressive themselves, as most of them are only defined by a single color, and for the most part are pretty uninteresting compared to the ones in the SNES version. Granted, they could’ve been a lot worse, but my point still stands.

GENESIS – I’ll be honest, the graphics in this version don’t look bad at all. However, my problem with them is the fact that a lot of the stages just seem so out of place for a TMNT game! For instance, in the background of one stage there’s this horrifying mass of flesh that looks like it came straight out of a damn H.R. Giger painting. I mean, I’m no demographical expert, but isn’t the target audience for this game supposed to be children? You know, ones who watched the cartoon show and expected something along the lines of it? And for an added bonus, take a gander at THIS screenshot. Some of you probably won’t believe me when I say this, but that is supposed to be April O’Neil.  Huh. I guess she got sick and tired of being labeled as a “Damsel in Distress”.

WINNER – SNES

ROUND TWO: THE SOUND

SNES – In addition to the marvelous graphics, this version has another strong pro in form of the music. Of course, it’s not as great as some of the other entries of the Konami Turtles games, but it still manges to have some really catchy and memorable tunes that fit each and every stage in terms of their look and feel.

NES – Even if the graphics don’t have that much to offer, the same can’t be said about the music. Being an NES Konami game, this version has some really nice and catchy beats which actually kind of bring the game up a little. Granted, calling it one of the greatest soundtracks of an NES game is kind of stretching it, but on its’ own, it’s pretty decent!

GENESIS – Considering the quality of the music in the other two versions, you’d expect the music in this one to be just as good. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong. While I have heard worse Genesis soundtracks, the music is pretty bland and forgettable, with each tune lacking any of the charismatic energy that we’ve come to expect from the Konami Turtles series. There’s also a ton of voice clips, each of which being incredibly distorted and just downright grating to the ears.

WINNER – SNES

ROUND THREE: THE GAMEPLAY

SNES – Once again, this version has another area that it excels in. The controls are great, being tight, snappy, and responsive. There are also several combos and special moves for each character, which helps them to stand out from each other and makes them fun to use. Each match is fast-paced, exhilarating, and tough, but in a good way, meaning that they never once get tiresome or boring. While this game might be a Street Fighter clone, it plays just as well.

NES – Seeing as how this version was released when the NES was essentially nearing death’s door, it shouldn’t be surprising when I say that the gameplay isn’t all that great. Even though the controls are pretty good, it can’t save the matches from being boring and rather cheap at times. Also, why don’t the Turtles use their weapons in this version? I mean, they used them in the other ones and every other game at the time, so why not here?

GENESIS – While the NES version may be underwhelming, I’d take it ANY day over this catastrophe. First off, the controls are terrible. They’re clunky, stiff, and unresponsive, and it doesn’t help matters when you’re pitted against what is quite possibly the worst and most unfair AI that I’ve ever seen in a video game. I’m not joking about the latter, by the way – each opponent moves so fast, it’s incomprehensibly difficult to land just ONE hit on them! In a way, it kind of makes this version practically unplayable, a word that I rarely ever have to use when I review a game. Honestly, I’d rather play Shaq Fu than ever go back to this trainwreck.

WINNER – SNES

THE RETR0PIA RATINGS:

SNES – 9/10

NES – 5/10

GENESIS – 2/10

AND VICTORY GOES TO… THE SNES VERSION!