8-Bit vs 16-Bit

[Vyothric]

So, I think I'm actually starting to prefer 8-bit games. Why? graphics.

Obviously, from a technical standpoint 16-bit games have better graphics. But that's the problem I've been having.

When a platform is just a row of blocks, I can clearly see where it starts and ends. When it's a tree branch covered in leaves or an animal or some other crap, How the hell am I supposed to know which pixel is the end? I don't. *falls off*

Also, sprite size. Everything seems way too big on 16-bit games not giving you enough time to react to what's happening. It's like playing zoomed in.

I don't know, maybe it's just the games I've been picking but they've been giving me some real trouble lately.

Anyone else have this problem?

[TL]

When you said this in the chatbox it actually got me thinking and most of the platformers I actually enjoy are more 8-bit styled, so maybe this is why? 

[TrekMD]

Seems like a valid point.  I've gotten some platformers for the Genesis but I think the ones I'm playing don't suffer from the sprite size issue so much.  They do have the issue about the "end" of the platforms, though. 

[Bobinator]

I wouldn't blame yourself too much about The Jungle Book. All those Virgin Interactive games (Aladdin, Cool Spot, Global Gladiators, and so on) share a very similar engine. The problem is I always kind of felt like that engine was a little... janky, for lack of a better word, about their controls and collision detection. I'd almost wonder if the animation has something to do with it, as it might actually be making Mowgli's hit box too big, which might explain some of the issues you're having...

Even games like Earthworm Jim suffer from this a little bit, since I think they use the same, or at least a very similar engine.

[64bitRuss]

You have a valid point, other than Super Mario World, Bonk's Adventure and Super Castlevania IV, I can't think of other platformers I really enjoyed during the 16-bit era. And those I listed are basically 8-bit style in construction, just with nicer graphics.

It took me some adjustments to get into Pitfall: Mayan Adventure on the Jaguar, for the same complaints you listed; such things as ambiguous layers and platforms. The 16-bit era for me ushered in the rise of the shmups, beatemups, and actually good sim/strategy games.

[zapiy]

Difficult subject for me as i was a huge platform gamer during both era's so i have fond memories of both..

[onthinice]

Not sure for everyone else but a larger Bit system seems like overkill when playing some platform games. Above 16-bit is pushing my limits.

I really like the early 16-bit games like Castle of Illusion and Quackshot. Later on it was Gargoyles and Sylvester and Tweety. Those games would not have been as well done on any of the 8-bits and I'm happy to play them on a 16-bit. They are also the exception. Aero the Acrobat, Busby and some of the latter Looney Tunes games were just milking the platform craze. Suppose the list could go on...

[ls650]

I grew up with the 8-bit systems, so obviously they hold the most nostalgia and personal interest.  I have a TG-16 and I do like a fair number of games for various 16-bit systems, though.

[Bobinator]

Personally, while we're discussing this, I'd say 16-bit games are generally superior. I'd say that a majority of them are more polished and have generally aged better, and there's a few reasons for this.

It's like... I feel that 16-bit machines kind of meant that developers had to have higher standards. There were a few more 'rules', which meant that developers had a little more of an idea of what to do and what not to do. That's not to say all 16-bit games are great, of course, but what I mean is that the 8-bit era was kind of where stuff that didn't work was thrown out and replaced with better stuff. Like, say, the sort of games where when you jump, you can't change your trajectory, which was very common in 8-bit games, not so much 16-bit ones.

I also feel like the technology led to better games from the lack of limitations. You could have bigger, more interesting levels, faster speed, better boss fights, and so on. Take... let's say, Earthworm Jim and Gunstar Heroes, for example. Sure, they ended up on 8-bit machines in some form, but they were severely cut down with those 8-bit limitations holding them back. Things like passwords and game save features also became a little more common, which ties into the whole 'The developers realized what was fun or not fun' thing I was discussing.

I'm not saying 8-bit games are necessairly bad. I just think that they don't really have the polish and gameplay improvements that the more experienced developers of the 16-bit era had to offer.

[Aaendi]

The Genesis sometimes felt like it was a more of a "Super" version of the NES, than the Super NES was.  NES and Genesis games tend to be well polished with tight control and smooth gamplay.  Whereas so many SNES games look really unpolished, with dirty coloring, sloppy controls and sluggish gameplay.

[TL]

The Genesis sometimes felt like it was a more of a "Super" version of the NES, than the Super NES was.  NES and Genesis games tend to be well polished with tight control and smooth gamplay.  Whereas so many SNES games look really unpolished, with dirty coloring, sloppy controls and sluggish gameplay.

You see to me that part I highlighted describes most NES games.

[Bobinator]

The Genesis sometimes felt like it was a more of a "Super" version of the NES, than the Super NES was.  NES and Genesis games tend to be well polished with tight control and smooth gamplay.  Whereas so many SNES games look really unpolished, with dirty coloring, sloppy controls and sluggish gameplay.

Can you give some examples? I'm not seeing it.

[Aaendi]

I felt Ghouls 'n' Ghosts and Castlevania series were smoother on the NES than they were on the SNES.

[Bobinator]

I felt Ghouls 'n' Ghosts and Castlevania series were smoother on the NES than they were on the SNES.

Thing is, as far as I know, they never put Ghosts N' Goblins, the prequel to Ghouls N' Ghosts, on the NES. Also, it was a really, REALLY bad port. Castlevania... eh, that's a little harder to argue. I will say that I prefer Bloodlines over Super Castlevania 4, though, so I guess I can agree more with that.

I'd say the two systems both have enough good exclusives that they're both worth trying out, in any case.

[Aaendi]

Castlevania IV is one of those games where the control is timed to animation.  It looks like they update Simon Belmont's sprite by only 2-4 8x8 tiles per frame, and when performing an action, the game waits for the animation frame to be loaded before performing the character's action.