Let's Compare Arkanoid

Started by TrekMD, June 17, 2013, 20:30:28 PM

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TrekMD

Another fantastic game gets compared from arcade to home ports.  Let's play some Arkanoid!

[align=center:puvde84a]Let's Compare ( Arkanoid )[/align:puvde84a]

Going to the final frontier, gaming...


TL

I am a big Arkanoid fan, I actually reviewed the Atari 8-bit version for here a week or so ago!  :16:

TrekMD

This game was adapted to far more home versions than I thought.  Good thing because it is a great game.  Though it was never ported to the Intellivision, it did inspire the very similar Stonix!

[align=center:2hy9h84v]Stonix for the Intellivision[/align:2hy9h84v]

Going to the final frontier, gaming...


Rogue Trooper

Despite owning Arkanoid on 800XL and later C64, i never went that much on it, prefering as i did Ricochet on C64.

A8 version though, nice use of colour, sound FX fine, just always found ball movement to be off somewhat and ball too large (no idea if this is due to hardware limitations).Enjoyable enough at times, Atari User magazine review tad too harsh, but i never felt the a8 version was as polished as it could be.

C64 version, better ball all round, superb music+sound FX, colours just tad washed out.

TL

I don't rate the C64 version at all from that video.

I thought the A8 version was superb though. The ST version is arcade perfect though and can be played with a mouse to give more precise control.

Speccy version is also rather good too.

Rogue Trooper

Quote from: "The Laird"I don't rate the C64 version at all from that video.

I thought the A8 version was superb though. The ST version is arcade perfect though and can be played with a mouse to give more precise control.

Speccy version is also rather good too.

You can use a Neos Mouse on C64 version as well.But like i said earlier, sequel on C64 was better game, plus i prefered other games in this genre on C64, Traz was'nt bad either.

Havantgottaclue

This is quite simply an absolute trouncing by the C64 version of the Spectrum and Atari ones. I remember playing this on the "big telly" a couple of times (the C64 was usually plugged into a little 14" TV in the dining room) and the beefier sound really made the most of the terrific SFX. It has an authentic look to it, as well. The control options ensure that it plays far better than any joystick or key-based breakout clone of that time. I had a Commodore mouse, largely bought for the Advanced OCP Art Studio, but of course it came in very handy for this and Arkanoid 2, another fantastic conversion.

The Spectrum conversion is laudable considering the limitations of the machine, but the Atari XL version looks distinctly half-baked. It looks as though it got comparatively little attention, but even so, I do wonder how they could really have got by the 5-colour limitation of the Atari's character mode - even ANTIC splits don't help much when you have to have a couple of colours reserved for the background. Maybe some imaginative use of PMGs could've helped, but I have my doubts.

TL

Really?  :o

I still maintain that C64 version looks and sounds rubbish.

DreamcastRIP

Quote from: "The Laird"I don't rate the C64 version at all from that video.

I thought the A8 version was superb though. The ST version is arcade perfect though and can be played with a mouse to give more precise control.

Speccy version is also rather good too.

I recall having heard great things about the quality of the C-64 conversion back in the day.

Yep, the ST conversion was superb.

The Speccy version was mediocre at best... as indicated in the game's review in Crash at the time -

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue39/Pages/Crash3900022.jpg
Owned: Spectrum Jaguar JaguarCD Lynx ST 7800 Dreamcast Saturn MegaDrive Mega-CD 32X Nomad GameGear PS3 PS PSP WiiU Wii GameCube N64 DS, GBm GBA GBC GBP GB VirtualBoy Xbox Vectrex PCE Duo-R 3DO CDi CD32 GX4000 WonderSwan NGPC Gizmondo ColecoVision iPhone PC Mac

Rogue Trooper

Quote from: "The Laird"Really?  :o

I still maintain that C64 version looks and sounds rubbish.

Define rubbish though.Colours look muted sure, but sounds rubbish, honestly? stunning title track, spot on sound FX and jingles.Still each to their own....


Mentioned before dedicated Atari press like Atari User Magazine were very unimpressed by the A8 version (i thought they were a little too harsh), was'nt aware Speccy version got such a mauling though.C64 version was very well reviewed.


DS version got slated by likes of Gamestm 5/10, basically by adding so little after all these years it came across as a very uninspired conversion.

TL

I hate the colours and the sound effects are just horrible to me. Just doesn't look or sound like Arkanoid IMO.

I have the DS version and I think it's rubbish. The double screen play just doesn't work at all, terrible idea.

Rogue Trooper

Quote from: "The Laird"I hate the colours and the sound effects are just horrible to me. Just doesn't look or sound like Arkanoid IMO.

I have the DS version and I think it's rubbish. The double screen play just doesn't work at all, terrible idea.

The A8 version does'nt exactly 'look' like Arkanoid either though (IMO) the ball movement is off, plus ball looks more like a + than a ball.The C64 music is yet again a case of where the arcade music been improved.


Plus we are talking a tarted up Breakout here, visuals etc were workman like, as long as the 8 Bit versions retained playability, job was done.I'd rather play a version with a mouse (so C64 or ST) anyday over joystick (C64 or A8).response feels that much better.


:-) Actually if i had to play an 8 bit version these days i'd decline.PSN Shatter has spoilt me rotten...

DreamcastRIP

Quote from: "Rogue Trooper"DS version got slated by likes of Gamestm 5/10, basically by adding so little after all these years it came across as a very uninspired conversion.

I bought Arkanoid DS and personally found it one of the most enjoyable handheld videogames I've ever played. In fact, so highly did I rate it that I bought the Taito Spinner Controller peripheral for DS/DS Lite on Japanese import which made playing it better still. Superb game, imho.



Quote from: "The Laird"I have the DS version and I think it's rubbish. The double screen play just doesn't work at all, terrible idea.

Works fine for me on my DS Lite. Maybe it's more of an issue on your DSi XL.
Owned: Spectrum Jaguar JaguarCD Lynx ST 7800 Dreamcast Saturn MegaDrive Mega-CD 32X Nomad GameGear PS3 PS PSP WiiU Wii GameCube N64 DS, GBm GBA GBC GBP GB VirtualBoy Xbox Vectrex PCE Duo-R 3DO CDi CD32 GX4000 WonderSwan NGPC Gizmondo ColecoVision iPhone PC Mac

AmigaJay

Had a great time with the Speccy version, I'd don't care who says otherwise!
But it's irrelevant anyway, just load up MAME and play the original!  Hahawahmwah mwah!
Old School Gamer Since 1982 - Creator of various gaming websites and blogs 1998-2018

TL

As I said, the issue for me was that is uses 2 screens, which I found awkward and very unnatural. That is nothing to do with what model of DS I have.