SNES vs Sega Genesis/MegaDrive

[TL]

Yes and no.

Early Atari arcade games used POKEY chips (same sound chip as the Atari 8-bit computers) and then they went on to use a POKEY in combination with a Yamaha chip. Later Atari arcade games just used Yamaha sound chips and the Mega Drive does have a Yamaha sound chip, albeit a different one to that used in Atari's arcade games.

But then I love the gritty bassy sound of the POKEY and Yamaha sound chips but I am less keen on the slightly muffled synthetic sounds of the SID and for that matter the SNES sound chip. So I suppose there are definitely similarities.

[davyk]

Must be the Yamaha connection then. Funny I hadn't noticed it until now....

The Atari cabs had the benefit of big bassy speakers - Peter Pack Rat was another typical example.

https://youtu.be/WWJ3UuoiJsQ

[Rogue Trooper]

Snes Pit-Fighter made it to Gamestm's Conversion Catastrophe feature.

Slagged for poor animation, bugs, energy bar system replaced by numbers etc.


Lynx version gets the 'what you should have played it on', award but......

'There are no great conversions of Pit-Fighter;simply terrible ones and not so terrible ones.The Lynx port just about falls into the latter category.It does'nt play or sound particularly great, but visually it's an impressive feat of miniatrisation.....and it's the only conversion to feature sprite-scaling too.Still rubbish though!'.

[TrekMD]

Just found this comparison video between the two consoles.  Have a look!

https://youtu.be/lFJVizqsy1o

[TL]

Let's revive this thread with a look at Desert Strike:

https://youtu.be/NQAj-hEs5b8

https://youtu.be/jsRyroMNYO8

[Crusto]

MD for me, title music sounds better but the SFX sound better on the SNES. The gameplay looks more responsive on the MD though. I'm sure I played both flavours way back when and thought the same thing. Yep, MD wins, close call though.

[davyk]

The MD is the spiritual home of the Strike games - I daresay the SNES versions are quickish-ports so that rarely makes for a good game.

The MD versions just feel slicker to play - the clunky sound and muddy MD palette suits them better too.

[Greyfox]

Well it did originate on the Megadrive , so I'd expect this to be the better version which it is, you knocked it bang on the head with muddy palette and clunky sounds, which made it great, the Snes version which came after seemed to be a shined version and although identical in nearly every way, just didn't capture the style and gameplay the Megadrive version did.

So the Megadrive claims this one for sure.

[TrekMD]

MD/Genesis gets my vote here as well. 

[TrekMD]

Another video comparison of the two systems...

https://youtu.be/o_y3waeqxU8

[SnakeEyes]

Let's revive this thread with a look at Desert Strike:

(Super Nintendo) Desert Strike - Return to the Gulf - Campaign 1- Let's Start This Random

Desert Strike - Return to the Gulf Walkthrough/Gameplay Sega Genesis

I usually side with the Snes, but for me the Strike games always seemed to fit the Megadrive better.

[rush6432]

Tough call on both. Snes had some great games i wont deny, the genesis while a bit less powerfull and limited by a few things still put up one HELL of a fight.

There were quite a few games that pushed that system beyond what it was supposed to be able to do (Gunstar Heroes,Alien soldier, contra hard corps, many others). for the limited system ram i was very impressed....

The YM2612 sound chip is just killer also. That gritty sound gave the megadrive/genesis its unique touch to all games that utilized it effectively.

Sample based stuff on the snes was cool and sounded better and clearer but... there's something about the raw grungy tones of the megadrive/genesis.

[TL]

The YM2612 sound chip is just killer also. That gritty sound gave the megadrive/genesis its unique touch to all games that utilized it effectively.

Sample based stuff on the snes was cool and sounded better and clearer but... there's something about the raw grungy tones of the megadrive/genesis.

YES!!!!! 

Somebody who agrees with me! Exactly how I feel about the Yamaha FM chip too. There is no music on the SNES to match the Streets Of Rage 2 soundtrack in my opinion.

[Crusto]

Indeed, in the right hands the MD chip could sing. ROS, the SOR games and gauntlet 4 being some excellent examples. But overall I think the SNES chip kicks its arse. Final Fantasy 4(2) Actraiser, Super Star Wars, LTTP, Soul Blazer etc, much stronger line up overall.

[TL]

In America the Genesis was known as being the "Sports Machine" so let's take a look at one such title:

https://youtu.be/PUIsgYpC8vg

https://youtu.be/bVmLLmILrrg