Atari 7800 Vs. Nintendo Entertainment System

[Bobinator]

I've got to ask, just so I know where you're all coming from, what makes you keep saying that the 7800 looks better, most of the time? Now, I'm not saying that it has some bad looking graphics, I'd just like to hear your own opinions. Personally, I do appreciate that it has its own kind of distinctive look to it, kind of chunky, kind of 'large', with a lot of dark colors. That, and I imagine that the lack of sprite filter has something to do with it, as well.

On topic, what if we switched gears a little bit? What if we were to compare The Legend of Zelda and Midnight Mutants? That'd be a lot more difficult, I'd say... oh, too bad we don't have anybody who could load them both up and have people compare in real time...

[zapiy]

Yeah i wondered that, i think Trek and Laird need glasses lol...

[TL]

This one for me is a Draw. They are equally doing good on some aspects..but the NES has better graphics, look at the still image, much smoother edges..

We are not looking at still images here we are looking at the games in action. You also have to take into account that with YouTube the games often won't look the same as real hardware because of the capture device and or camera. Whatever quality they choose when they uploaded them also makes a difference.

The 7800 has 2 different resolutions that it can work from, one is much higher but displays less colours and the other one is a bit lower than the NES but can display more colours. In either mode it shifts sprites like a motherfucker, you will never ever see sprite flicker in a 7800 game where as in some NES games it is so bad it makes them almost unplayable.

I honestly don't see how you could ever say that NES Klax looks better graphically, especially when you watch the whole video and see the different backgrounds. The perspective is also wrong on the NES version too - that ramp is too steep.

Going back to a point Bobinator made the colours on the 7800 are certainly not dark, it has a larger colour palatte than the NES which, in my opinion, has the much darker more muddy looking colours. That said 7800 colours often appear much darker than they really are when emulators are used which may cause some of the problems. Look at Rampage - the colours on the 7800 version are clearly much brighter.

Me and Trek are both Atari fans so its normal for a little bias to sneek in but I think we have both been pretty fair so far. At the end of the day I posted this thread so EVERYONE could decide for themselves and we could have a bit of banter about it. Everyone can post their scores and then at the end we will add up the scores posted and give a final verdict, it's all good fun.

That said, for me, the 7800 is winning 6-2 

[TL]

On topic, what if we switched gears a little bit? What if we were to compare The Legend of Zelda and Midnight Mutants? That'd be a lot more difficult, I'd say... oh, too bad we don't have anybody who could load them both up and have people compare in real time...

Same game is the only fair way to do it.

[TrekMD]

I think Laird provided an excellent explanation.  A game is more than just graphics and, while the NES may have better graphics on some of the examples shown, how does the actual gameplay compare to the arcade, is there flicker, etc. 

[TL]

Let's take a look at another game then shall we, this time its the Data East arcade classic Burger Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWCUSs7Oyk4
NES Version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH26jpHIRDo
7800 Version (skip to 3:00)

[TrekMD]

Both of these versions are good.  The NES compromises by altering the colors and, to some degree, the design of the mazes but  has more arcade perfect characters.  The 7800 has compromises by doing characters that are not as detailed as on the arcade but keeps the mazes pretty much identical to the arcade.  Music is good on both (as are the other sounds), even if the music does play slower on the 7800 port.  This is more of a tie but I'm letting my Atari bias choose the 7800 port. 

[TL]

Yeah I have to say that this is the hardest one to call yet. Like you say the NES version edges it on sprites but the 7800 version has the more faithful level design. They are equal on sound because the 7800 cart has a POKEY chip in it. I would say a draw too but as I have to choose a winner then I go for the 7800 version because its more faithful to the arcade game and has difficulty levels unlike the NES version.

[onthinice]

I do not know about the 7800 version but the Nes gameplay is fast pace.

[TrekMD]

I do not know about the 7800 version but the Nes gameplay is fast pace.

The 7800 version has several levels to choose from.  Believe me, on the expert mode it is very fast paced! 

[onthinice]

They both look good so I will call it a draw.

[TL]

Ok next up is EA's One-On-One Basketball, the 7800 version features "Dr. J" Julius Erving and Larry Bird while the NES version swaps Dr. J for legendary Michael Jordan. Is this game to turn the tables in this battle?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpjglPE7XDY
NES Version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T_OG7x4Ht4
7800 Version

[zapiy]

Only one clear winner on that one NES wins easily..

[TrekMD]

This one goes to the NES.  I don't think the programming effort for this game on the 7800 is as good as it could have been.

[TL]

Only one clear winner on that one NES wins easily..

Agreed, easy win there for the NES.

My score:   7800 7-3 NES