Console ports that are better than their arcade counterpart

[DRW]

Haven't played the arcade version, but just from looking at Youtube videos the console version of Punch-Out!! seems superior.

Which console version do you mean? The one for the NES? In this case, that's more like just another game in the series and not really a port of the arcade version.

[drk421]

I prefer NES Rygar to the arcade version due to the fact that it's not linear and the music is better IMO.

When I say linear, I mean you get a connecting hub that gives you the illusion the game isn't linear.

[SkinnyV]

I know it might not be as retro as the other title mentioned, but the Dreamcast port of Soul Calibur definitely fit that category IMO.

[qbradq]

I definitely agree with Soul Calibur for DC, hands-down better than arcade. I also like Super-C / Contra better than arcade Contra, and NES Double Dragon (all of them) better than arcade Double Dragon (all of them).

I also thought Final Fight for SNES was much better than the arcade machine, mainly because of the difficulty tweaks. This may have been a result of the arcade owner being a bastard and having the difficulty dips set all the way up, dunno.

I also thought the Atari 2600 version of Asteroids was better than the arcade version, but I think that may have something to do with my tiny infant brain thinking "COLOR BETTER THAN NO COLOR!!!" Either way it's got tight controls and freak-awesome sound.

There's a few games that I thought were best in the arcades. For instance, Rygar is my favorite arcade original, and even though it was ported to nearly every contemporary platform they all suck the poo.

I also once played what I think is the VS Unisystem version of Super Mario Brothers, and I recall being enthralled with the minor differences in level 1-1. This thread has brought back that vague memory. I'm going to have to check that rom out now

[mikejmoffitt]

I find Double Dragon 2 as an arcade game to be an unplayable disaster of slowdown, shitty hit detection / hitboxes and mediocre animations. The FC/NES game, on the other hand, feels very responsive, I can see where everything is, the slowdown isn't there, and the animations are consistent (Just look at the "getting hit and falling over" animation from the arcade VS the FC title). I like the harsh contrast graphic style that was adopted to make do with the reduced color depth.
Oh, and the FC sound effects sound good unlike the arcade one where I am fairly sure the sound designer farted into a tape recorder at various speeds to create the sounds.


Turtles in Time for SFC I like more not just because of the extra stages and such, but rather because throwing enemies was changed from being random to an actual intended action - in the SFC version, the playe rmust walk over an enemy while it is in its keeled-over state and then press the attack button, optionally holding forward to determine the throw type. The arcade version is just stupid and randomized.