Essential Games By Platform

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zaratustra
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Essential Games By Platform

Postby zaratustra » Fri Feb 09, 2018 6:39 am

this is something I work on now and then

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

basically games it'd be worth playing on the original platform either because they were done best there or because they just never came back

the logic of this list is more or less like this:

1. games that never got a better version or alternative later get priority. (Actraiser, Bubble Bobble, Alter Ego)
For reason of 1 above sports games, fighting games and pokemon will almost never go in
2. if a game got released for several platforms, the best version gets priority, as the assumption is you can just get whatever emulator you need. (Amiga Lemmings over others)
3. Games that are important to game design studies take priority (A Boy & His Blob)
4. after that it's personal opinion land ahoy (i will never budge on snake rattle & roll)

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Mothra
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Mothra » Fri Feb 09, 2018 10:39 am

GameCube:

  • Ribbit King Frolf

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beatbandito
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby beatbandito » Fri Feb 09, 2018 10:48 am

I would honestly argue that JSRF breaches the 'better update' clause for Jet Grind Radio.
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Niku » Fri Feb 09, 2018 1:23 pm

I wouldn't, because those games are actually WILDLY fucking different; the gameplay flow is almost entirely unique between the two of them thanks to JSRF dropping the original graffiti mechanics. Level design in JSR leans harder toward the Tony Hawk skate park style, while level design in JSRF is much more streamlined toward specific grind paths rather than "build your own way". In a way, JSR is like Mario 64 to JSRF's Galaxy?

I'm not arguing that JSRF isn't overall the better game, I just think they're distinct enough experiences that it's unfair to call JSRF "just" a better update. (JSRF being stuck on the OG Xbox to this day is, along with Steel Battalion, the entire reason I've been hanging onto that tiny house of a machine .. and those two are the entire reason I got one in the first place, for that matter).

Anyway! If we're talking gameplay and not historical significance, that tweaks things in one direction or another. (I'd put Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and ET all in the running for Atari 2600 when it comes to historical, for example, but fuck no for 'best played on').

Chu Chu Rocket for Dreamcast was ALMOST done better on GBA; it's really fucking close, but only having two face buttons means the directional pad + button arrow placement makes it more difficult to play by just enough to be obnoxious as shit.

Actraiser I think is a really strong SNES contender; ALttP is arguably just as good on GBA, Lost Vikings and Earthbound were also ported there (and I think portability, even through emulation/flash carts, is a decent argument for a better experience in some cases). Terranigma is a fucking masterpiece, but it's not so much of a unique experience as Actraiser. Neither Actraiser's 2D bits nor sim bits are best in class, but the combination is unique enough for its notability. And that fucking soundtrack. Even as a DKC series hater, I'm willing to say DKC2 is a pretty sturdy fighter in that race though when it comes to game design. And that fucking soundtrack.

Genesis, I'd push toward Toejam and Earl; roguelikes were so rare as a console experience around that era, and the entire vibe of that game just CAPTURES 90s Sega in a way that the other noms you've got on the spreadsheet don't quite manage. Sonic 2 doesn't exactly have a better port/version, but Sonic 3 and Sonic Mania both definitely capture the essential gameplay in a similarly refined way.

also for some reason i typed all this thinking you were trying to boil it down to ONE essential game per platform so lol
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Niku » Fri Feb 09, 2018 1:29 pm

xbox: jet set radio future, steel battalion
gba: drill dozer, wario ware twisted, ninja five-o, pokemon fire red/leaf green
gb: dig dug
nes: river city ransom
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zaratustra
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby zaratustra » Fri Feb 09, 2018 2:17 pm

These are pretty good suggestions! Though dig dug might be better suited for arcade, but I'll probably need, like, three or four lists for arcade games.

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beatbandito
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby beatbandito » Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:29 pm

Niku wrote:In a way, JSR is like Mario 64 to JSRF's Galaxy?


I'd say it's more like Resident Evil 2 to 4 differences, but otherwise will agree that it does fundamentally play like a different game.
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby mharr » Fri Feb 09, 2018 6:37 pm

The version of Elite you want on there is Elite-A for the BBC Micro, or possibly the Acorn Archimedes version, but that's going way out into the weeds in terms of emulation hassle. http://knackered.petestack.com/beeb/elite.html

If you had the BBC computers on there, you'd also want Thrust, Exile, Chuckie Egg, Granny's Garden and Repton. Honorable mention to Imogen, just for the level 'Tulips from hamster jam'.

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zaratustra
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby zaratustra » Fri Feb 09, 2018 8:35 pm

How does BBC Micro Exile compare to the Amiga or the Atari ST version?

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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Mongrel » Fri Feb 09, 2018 8:47 pm

Dreamcast: Skies of Arcadia
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Niku » Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:17 am

The specific reason I suggest Dig Dug for Game Boy is it has a secondary game mode, "New Digdug". It requires you to find keys around the level to open the exit and then get out, rather than just killing everything in the level; it's not anything mind blowing per se, but as far as I'm aware it's the only platform where that game mode existed, and regular Dig Dug is there too. On the other hand, it loses points for the low resolution making you see a fraction of the screen compared to other versions, upping the difficulty of the game.
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Newbie » Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:55 am

I approve of this thread, this discussion, and especially this inclusion of Adventures of Lolo on the NES list.
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mharr
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby mharr » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:38 pm

zaratustra wrote:How does BBC Micro Exile compare to the Amiga or the Atari ST version?

It has the technology limitations you'd expect - lower resolution, smaller palette, less smooth scrolling, muddy sound, smaller viewport, but the same items, physics puzzles and threats are all present. The primary difference is that the map is generated by algorithm where the later versions are hand-built from the usual underground cave tilesets, so the original feels significantly more abstract, like some halfway point between 2d action and a text adventure. It's a first-in-genre and legendary essential on the Beeb though, which it doesn't come close to on the later platforms against things like Lemmings and Dungeon Master.

I've also never managed to find a 16 bit copy that didn't have unplayable corruption all over later portions of the map. (The graphics and geometry fall out of sync.) I think this may be part of a really obnoxious copy protection system.

Edit: I have just found a spiritual sequel / retro remake of it on a random indie dev site though, it's called 'Nameless'. http://ovine.net/#remakes Looks pretty much complete.

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Mothra
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Mothra » Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:07 pm

PSP: Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together, because it's basically as perfect as tactical turn-based ever got, and as perfect as mobile rpgs ever got.

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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Wheels » Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:41 pm

Genesis: Ranger X, Rocket Knight Adventures, Desert Strike, Quack Shot, Herzog Zwei, Contra Hard Corps, Phantasy Star IV

Sega CD: Sonic CD, Snatcher, Silpheed, Lunar: Silver Star, Shining Force CD, Ecco the Dolphin, Flashback, Final Fight CD
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mharr
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby mharr » Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:23 pm

Ah, doomed experimental CD consoles, good call. Don't forget the 3DO with Return Fire, Space Hulk, Another World (Out of This World / Outer World) and Star Control II, although that one's been eclipsed by the open source release. Does that disqualify it?

Which reminds me: Which platform was it that could support two independent mice for two player splitscreen Lemmings wars? Because that was peak Lemmings right there.

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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Mongrel » Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:25 pm

Oh man, what was that prototypical 3DO racing game? That was amazing!
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Sharkey » Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:44 pm

Aw heck, I always have to throw in MULE. It was originally for Atari 400 or 800 or whatever, and maybe my bias is showing, but I liked it best on the Commodore. There was an NES version, but the sound was flat and the graphics were more of a sidegrade than an improvement and I kind of hate it.
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Mongrel » Tue Feb 13, 2018 11:53 pm

Sharkey wrote:Aw heck, I always have to throw in MULE. It was originally for Atari 400 or 800 or whatever, and maybe my bias is showing, but I liked it best on the Commodore. There was an NES version, but the sound was flat and the graphics were more of a sidegrade than an improvement and I kind of hate it.


AFAIK it was for the 2600? Which reminds me of another 2600 game: Seven Cities of Gold.
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Re: Essential Games By Platform

Postby Wheels » Wed Feb 14, 2018 3:28 am

Dreamcast: Power Stone, Marvel vs Capcom 2 (This actually IS the definitive edition of MvC2), Shenmue, PSO
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