@LowDefAl From my (limited) understanding, the PS2 was able to render 480i games at 240p internally (either 512x240 or 640x240), which helped performance and saved RAM. This meant there was a real incentive for games to be interlaced only!
In contrast, the GameCube and Xbox almost always did full 640x480 or higher, so only supporting interlaced mode (480i) was kind of a waste: in a 60fps game, only half of each frame would get scanned out, and the other half would be wasted, so why not just allow progressive scan so players can see the whole frame?
Additionally, I've heard that Sony allowed and even encouraged devs to use a resolution of just 512x448, even in 480p mode. This again saved on RAM and performance, but made many games like the Ratchet series look noticeably fuzzier. On the other hand, you had a lot of GameCube games going higher than 480p internally for some reason, and many Xbox games even did full-blown 720p!
Early PS2 games' low resolutions, lack of de-flicker, and forced interlacing made for some muddy or jagged-looking graphics, which had a lot of people wondering if the Dreamcast was actually the more powerful console at the time. (And I didn't even mention the PS2's shimmering textures!)
@UK_Kev Just picked up Ultimate recently, and it still looks amazing, as does 2001's Dead or Alive 3. Those were wild times: not only did each generation bring mind-blowing graphical improvements*, but even the improvements within a generation were larger than what we'd call a generation leap today!
*The original Super Smash Bros. and Dead or Alive 2 were just one generation apart- and not only that, but they came out the same year, 1999! (The arcade version of DOA2, that is, though the Dreamcast port was a few months later.)
@BulkSlash LowDefAl could probably elaborate, but from what I remember:
The Dreamcast and arcade versions have better textures
The PS2 versions have slightly more natural lighting/fog
The later releases (such as Hardcore) have slightly better character models (the giveaway is that Kasumi has either octagonal sleeves and braided hair, or round sleeves and a ponytail).
And of course, that Japanese PS2 launch version is ugly and jagged. I forget the resolution, but probably a 512x240 back buffer, with forced 480i output?
I like the way Hardcore looks, but I think the last Japanese DC release is objectively a bit better, combining the best models and textures.
EDIT: That PS2 lighting, though! I'm undecided. I will say that I think the US PS2 version beats the US DC version, at least.
This actually dates back to 2020. It was originally called Stay at Home, and it had Banjo collecting the most valuable resource at that time: rolls of toilet paper. (That's not a joke!)
Kurko has been expanding this mod, and also decided at some point to make its themes a bit less... dated, or limited to a certain specific year. It should be amazing when it's done, if his other work is anything to go by!
@AJB83 Always great to hear when game soundtracks (most often on Genesis/Mega Drive) use a recognizable synth sound that can be heard in '80s pop music... or vice versa!
Also, I figure one's appreciation of early '90s Redbook soundtracks hinges a fair bit on an appreciation of mainstream music from around that time.
@Sketcz Them's fightin' words! I love how the Redbook soundtracks really bring that late '80s and early '90s sound, in a way that many cartridge-based games couldn't. And the SNES's music chip can produce great results in the right hands... it just doesn't sound good when the publisher cheaps out and makes the sound team pack an entire soundtrack into 100 KB of ROM!
But I will concede that some Redbook soundtracks are really cheesy-sounding (Golden Axe on Turbografx), or lean more into an atmospheric style instead of catchy, hummable tunes.
@Daggot Yeah, it's no doubt a case-by-case thing, with some games being literally impossible to cover this way (due to no materials still existing), and others being too obscure or expensive, etc. etc.
I think Nintendo would be a great candidate for this, seeing as they love re-releasing their games at premium prices, and a really good set of bonus materials would go a long way in making this more palatable... but then, they usually go for minimum effort, and still make piles of money.
If any other companies (especially Rare!) are listening, though, maybe we can meet in the middle: even if your games can't get the full documentary treatment, playable prototypes could be a huge draw. Hint, hint!
@Daggot I'm still in favour of basic emulation, if it keeps old games perpetually available for purchase.
But the Karateka and similar collections (documentaries?) look fantastic, and I'd also love to see more like that. Though I have to admit that the games covered so far wouldn't be my first choices, I still do plan to pick these up eventually, as the overall package is really compelling.
The thought of my all-time favourites getting this treatment, though? Downright mouth-watering! Imagine collections of Nintendo/Rare/Sega classics with the full slate of documentaries, concept art, and playable prototypes from different stages of development!
@Azuris Yeah, DRM-free places like GOG are great! As much as I like physical media, these DRM-free digital releases will outlast even those cartridges and discs- and it doesn't matter what happens to the companies, licensing agreements, or distribution servers, because these games don't need to phone home in order to keep running! It makes me a lot less reluctant to buy digital games.
Software all the way, as the main reason I use emulation is for the enhancements, particularly on 3D games that can benefit from improved resolution and performance. Real hardware is preferable for most older games, though, and I'll be more likely to consider FPGAs as the most authentic substitute if/when my cartridge-based consoles start dying... though software emulators for those old consoles are already so accurate that this might be a moot point!
I got a pretty decent Mad Catz SNES controller for just a few dollars (brand new!) in the early 2000s. It was slightly bigger and more ergonomic than Nintendo's own design, and I got years of use out of it. However, its D-pad didn't have the usual plastic rocker under it to prevent opposing directions from being pressed, and this could cause odd effects in a few games: by pressing all four directions at the same time, Mario could moonwalk at high speed in Super Mario Bros. 3! It also could cause Aero the Acro-Bat to crash when manually panning the camera in opposite directions at the same time.
Ah, the internet. If you're not seeing incorrect/incomplete info from a single source, regurgitated ad infinitum by search engines and AI, then you're seeing this done by other humans!
@UK_Kev @poodlestargenerica Sorry, I should have been more thorough. There are a lot of conflicting numbers, but (TL;DR) my point stands, in that the actual game data appears to fit within DC/GCN media specs.
The PC version of GTA3 came on 2 CDs, so the data can definitely fit in some form! This doesn't tell us how much (de)compression is involved, though I see that the system requirements say it needs just 700 MB of free space for installation.
CHDs, 7Zs, etc., are indeed compressed. These often come pretty close in size to the amount of actual game data, as most games already have compressed assets that don't re-compress well. But this can be very misleading in other cases! Download sizes for PS2 and Xbox ISOs appear to be between 500 MB and 1 GB, for what it's worth.
Raw rips of DVD-based games always end up the same size (4.3 GB for a single-layer disc), because the discs are made that way. Rarely is there 4.3 GB of actual game data on the disc. (See also: GameCube games always being 1.35 GB, even though Animal Crossing is just 32 MB!)
The PS2 version of GTA3, when unpacked, has 2.4 GB worth of actual files. However, this includes 1.3 GB of duplicate IMG files which are 100% identical, so we can probably disregard those as padding: junk data added for performance reasons. (There's also a 50MB file explicitly listed as padding.) This brings us just under the 1.1 GB limit of a Dreamcast disc.
@Serpenterror The GameCube version of RE4 (along with the Wii, 360, and PS3) was only 30fps. But it did look considerably better, with way more geometric detail and lighting effects. The PS2 made all kinds of smart downgrades that aren't too noticeable at a glance, but do make it look a little less impressive overall. And then there are its cutscenes, which were just recordings of the GameCube graphics!
As a general rule, the GameCube could handle PS2 ports just fine, with few/no downgrades, whereas the PS2 always struggled with GameCube ports: halved framerates, less geometry, worse textures, etc.
@KGRAMR I wouldn't be surprised, but on the other hand, I wouldn't know how to check. Pretty sure Evans was using the same sample library across different games, at least (a common practice- see Sakuraba's work across Golden Sun, Mario Golf Toadstool Tour, and Tales of Symphonia, as another example).
@KingMike Yeah, it's only later games that had region locking, IIRC. I thought I had lucked out by finding one of the relatively few PAL games that would work on my console without issue... though again, that copy of GnG might have technically been a western release.
@UK_Kev This claim about disc space keeps circulating around the internet, but it's false: GTA III is under 1 GB, so it could have fit on a Dreamcast or GameCube disc.
San Andreas, on the other hand... its audio alone is too big to fit on a GameCube disc!
@Spider-Kev If I'm understanding this correctly, it is saving, but it keeps missing the last part of each play session? I wonder if Minish Cap has invisible checkpoints like the Metal Gear series, where you can save at any time, but it still rolls you back to the last checkpoint, with any progress after that being lost.
(I can only guess. I picked up Minish Cap for Wii U recently, but ended up putting it on hold after having had enough of a Zelda binge for the moment!)
Hardware/battery failure doesn't seem too likely, as I'm pretty sure the 3DS family uses a form of solid-state memory, just like all Nintendo systems from the past 20 years.
I don't know, might be more of a European thing? All of the cartridges I've encountered in Canada have been North American, aside from a PAL copy of Ghouls 'n Ghosts, which works flawlessly without modding. (And from what I've read, this may have actually been sold as the Canadian version at the time- our games market was a little more separated from the US back then, with games like Sonic the Hedgehog using the PAL box art.)
@jesse_dylan The Game Boy's CPU wasn't a Z80, though I think it had some similarities. There was a ton of famous game hardware that used the actual Z80, though, including various Sega and arcade systems.
Speaking of bad games with great music, Dean Evans teamed up with Barry Leitch (San Francisco Rush series) on Eek the Cat for SNES. It's a frustrating game that's essentially made up of awful escort missions, but it has a surprisingly good soundtrack! A couple of the tunes on there resemble Evans's work on Waterworld.
This would seem to tie in with the wave of casual DS titles aimed at adults. Brain Age 1 and 2 immediately come to mind, and there were also some standalone Sudoku games. And, of course, the wine-tasting and astrology games mentioned in this article!
I can't see that article about the DS's audience being kids, as it's paywalled (could try getting around that later), but I'm taking statistics like that with a grain (if not a whole shaker) of salt.
@Daggot It's frustrating to see the game industry taking so long to figure this stuff out, but I think you're right that they'll come around eventually- if only because they realize there's money in it!
Even as live service nonsense dominates, and as companies are experimenting with streaming, re-releases of classic games continue to provide a slow, but seemingly endless, revenue stream. And behind-the-scenes content and dev materials have made their way into commercial releases as a selling point, so I'm somewhat optimistic.
I wanted one of these as a kid, but only got to play when my friends lent me theirs. The idea of playing video games on a long, boring car ride seemed so cool!
A friend/coworker gave me his old Game Boys about 15 years ago, complete with a few games and that super-rad box art showing the robot hands. I've managed to have many hours of gaming on those since then, but the days of being a passenger on four-hour car trips were mostly behind me!
A Genesis/PC hybrid, as well as Myst-like CD-ROM games releasing in 1989 (predating Ys Book I&II, but following the TG16/PCE's first CD games)? Must've been a really exciting time for those who could afford cutting-edge tech (and who were old enough to play games back then)!
@RetroGames Yeah, I'd agree that there have been some cultural changes (including the internet's role in our lives) since around 2010, but things like YouTube, online gaming, gaming discussion, and social media were alive and well even before then. Doesn't the very existence of these videos on a major gaming channel make that self-evident? (I don't know, I suppose this could vary depending on perspective and age. But 2010 wasn't that long ago!)
Good point about Doom 2016: until that, the last entry was what, Doom 3? That was definitely not a "rip and tear", speedy, action shooter! (The more action-heavy "BFG Edition" didn't exist back in 2010, either!)
@Lanmanna I don't remember, as it's been a full year since then. It might have had something to do with seeing multiple "Shining Rogue" stories/articles lately, as more than one game had that title.
@RetroGames Er, that "older footage" is only from 2010.
Aside from that, as a total n00b at Doom, I can appreciate where you're coming from! Jumping in for a first playthrough a few years back, I had to tread carefully, looking around for keys and traps, and using resources and the level layouts to my advantage in combat. In terms of later FPSes, I'd put my Doom experience more in Goldeneye territory, as opposed to Call of Duty. Someone who grew up with the game might see it differently, though!
Later games (including Doom II) might amp up the "rip and tear", but the first one does a good job of balancing the tension of navigating creepy environments and being ambushed by powerful enemy forces- and I think the soundtrack generally fits well, with the metal tracks showing up more often in simple, combat-oriented levels, and the more spooky, atmospheric stuff accompanying exploration.
Haven't played the PlayStation version of Doom 1, but Doom 64 similarly tips things further in that horror/exploration direction, and both the atmospheric soundtrack and coloured lighting work in tandem to enhance this. But you probably won't find me humming the soundtrack afterwards!
@KingMike Is the dynamite actually less forgiving, or is the issue just that it has such a deceptively small sprite for the explosion? (IIRC, the SNES uses some kind of scaling trickery to make the explosions ridiculously huge, like the arcade version.)
The Genesis version is the weakest of the three, and I don't think many would debate that, but I like how it has so many changes and additions which make it unique- kind of like TMNT: Hyperstone Heist.
Richard Jacques has done some great soundtracks, but I didn't know he worked on Headhunter- I never got the chance to build up much of a Dreamcast collection, unfortunately.
This is supposed to be one of the most modern-feeling Dreamcast games, isn't it? (Launching alongside the likes of GTA3 and MGS2, as opposed to what was out when the DC launched, like MGS1 and Ocarina of Time, probably has something to do with it.)
@PKDuckman That's unfortunate. There really is no definitive version of this game for English speakers: the PAL version only works well on a proper 50Hz setup (and plays a bit slower than the NTSC), and the Virtual Console versions have broken audio (as they simply run the PAL ROM at 60fps, making the music go too fast and the PCM samples play off-key).
Well, unless you patch the original Japanese version of Hebereke with an unofficial translation patch- I can confirm that's a great option! I wonder if the ROM can be easily extracted from Enjoy Edition.
Recca for NES had an opening sequence with the "S?GA" logo getting blown up and replaced with "Nint?ndo". It even has the Sega jingle from Sonic the Hedgehog, recreated in Recca's soundfont!
Someone at Naxat (or Nintendo) must have shot this little gag down at the last minute, though, as it's only accessible with a Game Genie code.
@SuntannedDuck2 Strange, I either hadn't heard of this 2025 limit before, or I forgot. At any rate, I see that people have tested this and found that the clock naturally rolls into 2026 and beyond- it just can't be manually set higher, which could prove to be a small problem when the servers are down, and the internal battery dies. But at that point, I guess you can just set it to 2005 again, and the system will keep running. They really should have patched it to include 2099, though.
About the 2038 problem, I'd hope that a 64-bit console from the 21st century already uses a 64-bit number for the date. Not sure if anyone has confirmed this, however!
I expect that back compat on 360 would allow you to play your OG Xbox games indefinitely, if you install all of the patches before the servers go offline.
These cases are kind of niche (even compared to other game preservation topics), and not a lot of people will care, but I can see why it's frustrating!
@RG-Riven To play the Phil's advocate, the Xbox 360's store and online services have been open for a very long time. The 360 is turning 19 years old this year, and it predates the Wii and PS3 by a full year!
Consider that Nintendo has already pulled the plug on the Wii (2006) and its successor (2012), and MS is doing quite well by comparison. Even more so, when you consider that a decent percentage of 360 games can still be purchased, re-downloaded, and played on a brand-new Series X!
I would prefer that every game stay available indefinitely, though it's understandable that licensing and technical issues sometimes prevent that. Microsoft's approach has been far from perfect (esp. around older generations), but it's a big step in the right direction, and well ahead of what anyone else has done!
Weird, I thought this was fairly common knowledge, at least back when the game was new(ish). It's like the recent "discovery" of the alternate GameCube startup jingles, all over again.
And it's true: you do only need to get the Venom medal in Expert mode. Not sure I would have been able to unlock this feature, otherwise!
The Halo remarks don't ring a bell, but I distinctly remember Miyamoto taking shots at the outsourced F-Zero and Star Fox games. I interpreted this as partially a jealous jab thrown at Sega, especially in light of Nintendo's seeming inability to top the brilliance and production values of F-Zero GX.
Shinobi III is the obvious answer, but Shadow Dancer and especially Revenge of Shinobi have a special place in my heart. The latter is really tough, but satisfying to get right. And where else can you fight blatant rip-offs of Rambo, Batman, Spider-Man, Godzilla, and the Terminator, all in one game?
(Er, I mean, bald flamethrower dude, devil dude, Marvel™ Spider-Man™, a dinosaur skeleton, and an inexplicably uncensored Terminator... at least that's how it is in my copy.)
Still need to give the GG and PS2 games a proper try- they both look good!
This is throwing around a heck of a lot of polygons for a Nintendo 64 game, and staying above 30fps to boot! It's safe to say that the N64 could handle a pretty good port of Sunshine, with enough work. Didn't someone (probably Kaze) already port a lot of the FLUDD functionality into the SM64 engine, anyway?
Of course, water and objects are all missing here, but the N64 should be able to handle those as well, especially after some more optimization.
What is the bottom portion of this? I don't recognize those buttons, but there must be some purpose to it. Does it have switching hardware for the video and power? (And speaking of power, maybe at least one of the PSUs is hidden in there?)
If this device is a simple N64+Wii hybrid, you'd think it'd be simpler to put the Wii directly under the N64, but there must be some reason for the layout here.
Looks great, but- and I know this is probably sacrilege- I hope there's an option to play in HD. There's an old-school survival horror game on Steam, called Vaccine Rebirth, which does the same pseudo pre-rendered trick, and it looked amazing when I played it with an HD graphics mod. It retained the PS1 aesthetic, but was crystal-clear and way easier on the eyes.
Similarly, games like Lunistice and A Short Hike make the pixelation filter optional (though they do more of a general PS1/DS style, not mimicking pre-rendered graphics), and I really appreciate that the option is there, even if it's not the intended way to play!
It's neat to see Lugosi's likeness used officially, though pretty much every depiction of Dracula prior to Symphony of the Night (which gave the character a very different look) was based on him, anyway!
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Re: The Dreamcast Version Of Dead Or Alive 2 Has Been Unofficially Remastered
@LowDefAl From my (limited) understanding, the PS2 was able to render 480i games at 240p internally (either 512x240 or 640x240), which helped performance and saved RAM. This meant there was a real incentive for games to be interlaced only!
In contrast, the GameCube and Xbox almost always did full 640x480 or higher, so only supporting interlaced mode (480i) was kind of a waste: in a 60fps game, only half of each frame would get scanned out, and the other half would be wasted, so why not just allow progressive scan so players can see the whole frame?
Additionally, I've heard that Sony allowed and even encouraged devs to use a resolution of just 512x448, even in 480p mode. This again saved on RAM and performance, but made many games like the Ratchet series look noticeably fuzzier. On the other hand, you had a lot of GameCube games going higher than 480p internally for some reason, and many Xbox games even did full-blown 720p!
Early PS2 games' low resolutions, lack of de-flicker, and forced interlacing made for some muddy or jagged-looking graphics, which had a lot of people wondering if the Dreamcast was actually the more powerful console at the time. (And I didn't even mention the PS2's shimmering textures!)
Re: The Dreamcast Version Of Dead Or Alive 2 Has Been Unofficially Remastered
@UK_Kev Just picked up Ultimate recently, and it still looks amazing, as does 2001's Dead or Alive 3.
Those were wild times: not only did each generation bring mind-blowing graphical improvements*, but even the improvements within a generation were larger than what we'd call a generation leap today!
*The original Super Smash Bros. and Dead or Alive 2 were just one generation apart- and not only that, but they came out the same year, 1999! (The arcade version of DOA2, that is, though the Dreamcast port was a few months later.)
Re: The Dreamcast Version Of Dead Or Alive 2 Has Been Unofficially Remastered
@BulkSlash LowDefAl could probably elaborate, but from what I remember:
I like the way Hardcore looks, but I think the last Japanese DC release is objectively a bit better, combining the best models and textures.
EDIT: That PS2 lighting, though! I'm undecided. I will say that I think the US PS2 version beats the US DC version, at least.
Re: The Banjo Kazooie Mod 'BK: Nostalgia 64' Lets The Bird & Bear Visit Other N64 Classics
This actually dates back to 2020. It was originally called Stay at Home, and it had Banjo collecting the most valuable resource at that time: rolls of toilet paper. (That's not a joke!)
Kurko has been expanding this mod, and also decided at some point to make its themes a bit less... dated, or limited to a certain specific year. It should be amazing when it's done, if his other work is anything to go by!
Re: Sega Saturn Is Getting A Fan-Made Remake Of Revenge Of Shinobi
@AJB83 Always great to hear when game soundtracks (most often on Genesis/Mega Drive) use a recognizable synth sound that can be heard in '80s pop music... or vice versa!
Also, I figure one's appreciation of early '90s Redbook soundtracks hinges a fair bit on an appreciation of mainstream music from around that time.
Re: Sega Saturn Is Getting A Fan-Made Remake Of Revenge Of Shinobi
@Sketcz Them's fightin' words!
I love how the Redbook soundtracks really bring that late '80s and early '90s sound, in a way that many cartridge-based games couldn't.
And the SNES's music chip can produce great results in the right hands... it just doesn't sound good when the publisher cheaps out and makes the sound team pack an entire soundtrack into 100 KB of ROM!
But I will concede that some Redbook soundtracks are really cheesy-sounding (Golden Axe on Turbografx), or lean more into an atmospheric style instead of catchy, hummable tunes.
Re: The ESA Says Its Members Won't Support Plans For Online 'Game Preservation' Libraries
@Daggot Yeah, it's no doubt a case-by-case thing, with some games being literally impossible to cover this way (due to no materials still existing), and others being too obscure or expensive, etc. etc.
I think Nintendo would be a great candidate for this, seeing as they love re-releasing their games at premium prices, and a really good set of bonus materials would go a long way in making this more palatable... but then, they usually go for minimum effort, and still make piles of money.
If any other companies (especially Rare!) are listening, though, maybe we can meet in the middle: even if your games can't get the full documentary treatment, playable prototypes could be a huge draw. Hint, hint!
Re: The ESA Says Its Members Won't Support Plans For Online 'Game Preservation' Libraries
@Daggot I'm still in favour of basic emulation, if it keeps old games perpetually available for purchase.
But the Karateka and similar collections (documentaries?) look fantastic, and I'd also love to see more like that. Though I have to admit that the games covered so far wouldn't be my first choices, I still do plan to pick these up eventually, as the overall package is really compelling.
The thought of my all-time favourites getting this treatment, though? Downright mouth-watering! Imagine collections of Nintendo/Rare/Sega classics with the full slate of documentaries, concept art, and playable prototypes from different stages of development!
Re: The ESA Says Its Members Won't Support Plans For Online 'Game Preservation' Libraries
@Azuris Yeah, DRM-free places like GOG are great! As much as I like physical media, these DRM-free digital releases will outlast even those cartridges and discs- and it doesn't matter what happens to the companies, licensing agreements, or distribution servers, because these games don't need to phone home in order to keep running!
It makes me a lot less reluctant to buy digital games.
Re: FPGA Vs Software Emulation - Which Is Best? We Asked Four Experts To Find Out
Software all the way, as the main reason I use emulation is for the enhancements, particularly on 3D games that can benefit from improved resolution and performance.
Real hardware is preferable for most older games, though, and I'll be more likely to consider FPGAs as the most authentic substitute if/when my cartridge-based consoles start dying... though software emulators for those old consoles are already so accurate that this might be a moot point!
Re: Please Don't Ask Who's In The Sonic Costume In This Rare Rosie O'Donnell Clip
@PinballBuzzbro
So basically if Sonic Man turned out to be the villain in Sonic '06?
(Or, for a real twist, if he came back in Frontiers 2!)
Re: This 15-Year-Old Just Utterly Destroyed Tetris
"He has also 'Summoned Satan'"
Er, that's one way to gain insane, ungodly Tetris abilities, I guess?
Re: Did Mad Catz Really Create "The Worst Video Game Controllers Ever"?
I got a pretty decent Mad Catz SNES controller for just a few dollars (brand new!) in the early 2000s. It was slightly bigger and more ergonomic than Nintendo's own design, and I got years of use out of it.
However, its D-pad didn't have the usual plastic rocker under it to prevent opposing directions from being pressed, and this could cause odd effects in a few games: by pressing all four directions at the same time, Mario could moonwalk at high speed in Super Mario Bros. 3! It also could cause Aero the Acro-Bat to crash when manually panning the camera in opposite directions at the same time.
Re: Random: This Bulk Slash FAQ Has Been Puzzling Fans For Almost 20 Years
Ah, the internet. If you're not seeing incorrect/incomplete info from a single source, regurgitated ad infinitum by search engines and AI, then you're seeing this done by other humans!
Re: Grand Theft Auto III Likely Wouldn't Exist Without The Sega Dreamcast
@UK_Kev @poodlestargenerica Sorry, I should have been more thorough. There are a lot of conflicting numbers, but (TL;DR) my point stands, in that the actual game data appears to fit within DC/GCN media specs.
Re: Grand Theft Auto III Likely Wouldn't Exist Without The Sega Dreamcast
@Serpenterror The GameCube version of RE4 (along with the Wii, 360, and PS3) was only 30fps. But it did look considerably better, with way more geometric detail and lighting effects. The PS2 made all kinds of smart downgrades that aren't too noticeable at a glance, but do make it look a little less impressive overall. And then there are its cutscenes, which were just recordings of the GameCube graphics!
As a general rule, the GameCube could handle PS2 ports just fine, with few/no downgrades, whereas the PS2 always struggled with GameCube ports: halved framerates, less geometry, worse textures, etc.
Re: Dean Evan's Spectacular Waterworld SNES OST Is Being Released On Vinyl
@KGRAMR I wouldn't be surprised, but on the other hand, I wouldn't know how to check. Pretty sure Evans was using the same sample library across different games, at least (a common practice- see Sakuraba's work across Golden Sun, Mario Golf Toadstool Tour, and Tales of Symphonia, as another example).
Re: Did You Butcher Your Mega Drive / Genesis Carts To Overcome Sega's Physical Region Lock?
@KingMike Yeah, it's only later games that had region locking, IIRC.
I thought I had lucked out by finding one of the relatively few PAL games that would work on my console without issue... though again, that copy of GnG might have technically been a western release.
Re: Grand Theft Auto III Likely Wouldn't Exist Without The Sega Dreamcast
@UK_Kev This claim about disc space keeps circulating around the internet, but it's false: GTA III is under 1 GB, so it could have fit on a Dreamcast or GameCube disc.
San Andreas, on the other hand... its audio alone is too big to fit on a GameCube disc!
Re: Survey Reveals Japanese Gen Z Gamers Still Love Nintendo's DS Handhelds
@Spider-Kev If I'm understanding this correctly, it is saving, but it keeps missing the last part of each play session? I wonder if Minish Cap has invisible checkpoints like the Metal Gear series, where you can save at any time, but it still rolls you back to the last checkpoint, with any progress after that being lost.
(I can only guess. I picked up Minish Cap for Wii U recently, but ended up putting it on hold after having had enough of a Zelda binge for the moment!)
Hardware/battery failure doesn't seem too likely, as I'm pretty sure the 3DS family uses a form of solid-state memory, just like all Nintendo systems from the past 20 years.
Re: Did You Butcher Your Mega Drive / Genesis Carts To Overcome Sega's Physical Region Lock?
I don't know, might be more of a European thing?
All of the cartridges I've encountered in Canada have been North American, aside from a PAL copy of Ghouls 'n Ghosts, which works flawlessly without modding. (And from what I've read, this may have actually been sold as the Canadian version at the time- our games market was a little more separated from the US back then, with games like Sonic the Hedgehog using the PAL box art.)
Re: The Processor Used In Pac-Man Is Being Discontinued, 48 Years After It Launched
@jesse_dylan The Game Boy's CPU wasn't a Z80, though I think it had some similarities. There was a ton of famous game hardware that used the actual Z80, though, including various Sega and arcade systems.
Re: Dean Evan's Spectacular Waterworld SNES OST Is Being Released On Vinyl
Speaking of bad games with great music, Dean Evans teamed up with Barry Leitch (San Francisco Rush series) on Eek the Cat for SNES. It's a frustrating game that's essentially made up of awful escort missions, but it has a surprisingly good soundtrack! A couple of the tunes on there resemble Evans's work on Waterworld.
Re: Random: Did You Own This Bizarre Anti-Smoking Game For DS?
This would seem to tie in with the wave of casual DS titles aimed at adults. Brain Age 1 and 2 immediately come to mind, and there were also some standalone Sudoku games. And, of course, the wine-tasting and astrology games mentioned in this article!
I can't see that article about the DS's audience being kids, as it's paywalled (could try getting around that later), but I'm taking statistics like that with a grain (if not a whole shaker) of salt.
Re: The ESA Says Its Members Won't Support Plans For Online 'Game Preservation' Libraries
@Daggot It's frustrating to see the game industry taking so long to figure this stuff out, but I think you're right that they'll come around eventually- if only because they realize there's money in it!
Even as live service nonsense dominates, and as companies are experimenting with streaming, re-releases of classic games continue to provide a slow, but seemingly endless, revenue stream. And behind-the-scenes content and dev materials have made their way into commercial releases as a selling point, so I'm somewhat optimistic.
Re: Anniversary: The Game Boy Is 35 Years Old Today
I wanted one of these as a kid, but only got to play when my friends lent me theirs. The idea of playing video games on a long, boring car ride seemed so cool!
A friend/coworker gave me his old Game Boys about 15 years ago, complete with a few games and that super-rad box art showing the robot hands. I've managed to have many hours of gaming on those since then, but the days of being a passenger on four-hour car trips were mostly behind me!
Re: Sega TeraDrive Version Of Myst Forerunner 'The Manhole' Found And Preserved
A Genesis/PC hybrid, as well as Myst-like CD-ROM games releasing in 1989 (predating Ys Book I&II, but following the TG16/PCE's first CD games)? Must've been a really exciting time for those who could afford cutting-edge tech (and who were old enough to play games back then)!
Re: PS1 Doom Has Been Backported To PC, Along With Its Amazing Soundtrack
@RetroGames Yeah, I'd agree that there have been some cultural changes (including the internet's role in our lives) since around 2010, but things like YouTube, online gaming, gaming discussion, and social media were alive and well even before then. Doesn't the very existence of these videos on a major gaming channel make that self-evident? (I don't know, I suppose this could vary depending on perspective and age. But 2010 wasn't that long ago!)
Good point about Doom 2016: until that, the last entry was what, Doom 3? That was definitely not a "rip and tear", speedy, action shooter! (The more action-heavy "BFG Edition" didn't exist back in 2010, either!)
Re: The Making Of: Soleil / Crusader Of Centy, Sega's Answer To Zelda
@Lanmanna I don't remember, as it's been a full year since then.
It might have had something to do with seeing multiple "Shining Rogue" stories/articles lately, as more than one game had that title.
Re: Descent 3's Source Code Has Been Released Online, 25 Years Later
I somehow ended up with half a copy of Descent 3 in the past.
It looked cool, but I never did get to play it, thanks to one disc being missing.
Good to know that it's being future-proofed, so if I buy it on GOG and it doesn't run well or look good, there'll be a better way to play.
Re: PS1 Doom Has Been Backported To PC, Along With Its Amazing Soundtrack
@RetroGames Er, that "older footage" is only from 2010.
Aside from that, as a total n00b at Doom, I can appreciate where you're coming from! Jumping in for a first playthrough a few years back, I had to tread carefully, looking around for keys and traps, and using resources and the level layouts to my advantage in combat. In terms of later FPSes, I'd put my Doom experience more in Goldeneye territory, as opposed to Call of Duty. Someone who grew up with the game might see it differently, though!
Later games (including Doom II) might amp up the "rip and tear", but the first one does a good job of balancing the tension of navigating creepy environments and being ambushed by powerful enemy forces- and I think the soundtrack generally fits well, with the metal tracks showing up more often in simple, combat-oriented levels, and the more spooky, atmospheric stuff accompanying exploration.
Haven't played the PlayStation version of Doom 1, but Doom 64 similarly tips things further in that horror/exploration direction, and both the atmospheric soundtrack and coloured lighting work in tandem to enhance this. But you probably won't find me humming the soundtrack afterwards!
Re: This New Sunset Riders Genesis' Hack Lets You Record Your High Scores
@KingMike Is the dynamite actually less forgiving, or is the issue just that it has such a deceptively small sprite for the explosion? (IIRC, the SNES uses some kind of scaling trickery to make the explosions ridiculously huge, like the arcade version.)
The Genesis version is the weakest of the three, and I don't think many would debate that, but I like how it has so many changes and additions which make it unique- kind of like TMNT: Hyperstone Heist.
Re: F-Zero ROM Hack Brings SNES Tracks To Maximum Velocity
Nice! I might actually be most intrigued by that fourth cup (which is apparently not based on the SNES game?), though!
Re: Ex-Sega Composer Richard Jacques On Headhunter, The First Game Score Recorded At Abbey Road
Richard Jacques has done some great soundtracks, but I didn't know he worked on Headhunter- I never got the chance to build up much of a Dreamcast collection, unfortunately.
This is supposed to be one of the most modern-feeling Dreamcast games, isn't it? (Launching alongside the likes of GTA3 and MGS2, as opposed to what was out when the DC launched, like MGS1 and Ocarina of Time, probably has something to do with it.)
Re: Sunsoft's "Enhanced" Port Of Hebereke Is Out Now On Steam & Switch
@PKDuckman That's unfortunate.
There really is no definitive version of this game for English speakers: the PAL version only works well on a proper 50Hz setup (and plays a bit slower than the NTSC), and the Virtual Console versions have broken audio (as they simply run the PAL ROM at 60fps, making the music go too fast and the PCM samples play off-key).
Well, unless you patch the original Japanese version of Hebereke with an unofficial translation patch- I can confirm that's a great option! I wonder if the ROM can be easily extracted from Enjoy Edition.
Re: 33 Years Later, Game Boy Title's 16-Player Mode Is Finally Unlocked
@Azuris The GameCube might not look like much, but it's a beast!
Re: BAFTA Poll Declares Lara Croft The Most Iconic Video Game Character
British organisation selects a British character designed by a British studio as the most iconic? Seems legit.
Re: Random: Did You Know About This Not-So-Subtle Nintendo Dig Hidden Inside 'Battle Mania'?
Recca for NES had an opening sequence with the "S?GA" logo getting blown up and replaced with "Nint?ndo". It even has the Sega jingle from Sonic the Hedgehog, recreated in Recca's soundfont!
Someone at Naxat (or Nintendo) must have shot this little gag down at the last minute, though, as it's only accessible with a Game Genie code.
Re: Xbox 360 Online Store A Hot Mess Ahead Of July 2024 Closure
@SuntannedDuck2 Strange, I either hadn't heard of this 2025 limit before, or I forgot. At any rate, I see that people have tested this and found that the clock naturally rolls into 2026 and beyond- it just can't be manually set higher, which could prove to be a small problem when the servers are down, and the internal battery dies. But at that point, I guess you can just set it to 2005 again, and the system will keep running. They really should have patched it to include 2099, though.
About the 2038 problem, I'd hope that a 64-bit console from the 21st century already uses a 64-bit number for the date. Not sure if anyone has confirmed this, however!
I expect that back compat on 360 would allow you to play your OG Xbox games indefinitely, if you install all of the patches before the servers go offline.
These cases are kind of niche (even compared to other game preservation topics), and not a lot of people will care, but I can see why it's frustrating!
Re: Xbox 360 Online Store A Hot Mess Ahead Of July 2024 Closure
@RG-Riven To play the Phil's advocate, the Xbox 360's store and online services have been open for a very long time. The 360 is turning 19 years old this year, and it predates the Wii and PS3 by a full year!
Consider that Nintendo has already pulled the plug on the Wii (2006) and its successor (2012), and MS is doing quite well by comparison. Even more so, when you consider that a decent percentage of 360 games can still be purchased, re-downloaded, and played on a brand-new Series X!
I would prefer that every game stay available indefinitely, though it's understandable that licensing and technical issues sometimes prevent that. Microsoft's approach has been far from perfect (esp. around older generations), but it's a big step in the right direction, and well ahead of what anyone else has done!
Re: Random: Did You Know About Star Fox 64's Hidden On-Foot Mode?
Weird, I thought this was fairly common knowledge, at least back when the game was new(ish). It's like the recent "discovery" of the alternate GameCube startup jingles, all over again.
And it's true: you do only need to get the Venom medal in Expert mode. Not sure I would have been able to unlock this feature, otherwise!
Re: Flashback: That Time Miyamoto Said He Could Make Halo, But Didn't Want To
The Halo remarks don't ring a bell, but I distinctly remember Miyamoto taking shots at the outsourced F-Zero and Star Fox games. I interpreted this as partially a jealous jab thrown at Sega, especially in light of Nintendo's seeming inability to top the brilliance and production values of F-Zero GX.
Re: Konami's Sci-Fi Sidescroller Surprise Attack Heading To Switch & PS4
@RootsGenoa A very big movie from 1989... you can't mean... UHF?
So instead of a spaceman with a gun, was the protagonist originally Stanley Spadowski with a fire hose?
Re: Poll: What's The Best Shinobi Game?
Shinobi III is the obvious answer, but Shadow Dancer and especially Revenge of Shinobi have a special place in my heart. The latter is really tough, but satisfying to get right. And where else can you fight blatant rip-offs of Rambo, Batman, Spider-Man, Godzilla, and the Terminator, all in one game?
(Er, I mean, bald flamethrower dude, devil dude, Marvel™ Spider-Man™, a dinosaur skeleton, and an inexplicably uncensored Terminator... at least that's how it is in my copy.)
Still need to give the GG and PS2 games a proper try- they both look good!
Re: Super Mario Sunshine On N64 Looks Better Than You Might Expect
This is throwing around a heck of a lot of polygons for a Nintendo 64 game, and staying above 30fps to boot! It's safe to say that the N64 could handle a pretty good port of Sunshine, with enough work. Didn't someone (probably Kaze) already port a lot of the FLUDD functionality into the SM64 engine, anyway?
Of course, water and objects are all missing here, but the N64 should be able to handle those as well, especially after some more optimization.
Re: Wrestle War's Unauthorised Hulk Hogan Cover Got Sega Into Legal Trouble
@KingMike See also: the "Marioro" billboards in Mario Kart 64 (JP version only, of course!)
Re: Wrestle War's Unauthorised Hulk Hogan Cover Got Sega Into Legal Trouble
Look closely: that's "Titan Mogan", not Hulk Hogan. Clearly a totally different guy, who obviously gave Sega permission to use his likeness!
Re: Random: This Frankenstein Wii / N64 / GameCube Console Gives Us Nightmares
What is the bottom portion of this? I don't recognize those buttons, but there must be some purpose to it. Does it have switching hardware for the video and power? (And speaking of power, maybe at least one of the PSUs is hidden in there?)
If this device is a simple N64+Wii hybrid, you'd think it'd be simpler to put the Wii directly under the N64, but there must be some reason for the layout here.
Re: PS5 Survival Horror 'Crow Country' Is Giving Us Serious Final Fantasy VII Vibes
Looks great, but- and I know this is probably sacrilege- I hope there's an option to play in HD. There's an old-school survival horror game on Steam, called Vaccine Rebirth, which does the same pseudo pre-rendered trick, and it looked amazing when I played it with an HD graphics mod. It retained the PS1 aesthetic, but was crystal-clear and way easier on the eyes.
Similarly, games like Lunistice and A Short Hike make the pixelation filter optional (though they do more of a general PS1/DS style, not mimicking pre-rendered graphics), and I really appreciate that the option is there, even if it's not the intended way to play!
Re: This Castlevania Homage Stars Legendary Dracula Bela Lugosi
It's neat to see Lugosi's likeness used officially, though pretty much every depiction of Dracula prior to Symphony of the Night (which gave the character a very different look) was based on him, anyway!