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Arcade vs. Home Console: Which would you rather play?


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So I know that a lot of games were exclusive to consoles or exclusive to arcades, but of those that were ported, which would you rather play? The arcade or console version?

 

I know some games I prefer the arcade version because of the graphics and sound and the controls. But other games, I prefer using a console's controller over the arcades. Sometimes, there's also just the nostalgia of playing the consoles.

 

What games would you rather play on the console and which games would you rather play on the arcade?

 

 

My Partial list

 

Arcade:

 

Street Fighter and other fighting games

Double Dragon and other beat em ups

Raiden and other SHMUPS

Most Atari games

Racing games

 

Console:

Platformers like Super Mario

Sports games like NBA Jam and RBI Baseball and Punch Out

Strategy games like Bomberman

Adventure games like Gauntlet

 

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In a perfect world:

 

Arcade:

  • Vector games (duh)
  • Flying/Racing/Sim games w/ environmental cabs
  • Most classic arcade games, even if I still love the console versions the arcade is the original.
  • Light gun games

 

Consoles:

  • Fighting games (I always preferred D-pads, call me crazy)
  • Obviously genres that aren't generally in arcades (RPGs, etc)
  • Some home ports I like better than the arcade
  • Platformers
  • Puzzle Games

 

In the real world, I play console games 99.9% of the time. I grew up playing more console games than arcade games, and I'm good with that. I prefer arcade Defender, but I still have fun with 2600/5200 Defender.

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As to the original topic.... Arcade version hands down. I luckily grew up during the arcade craze and no way in hell does any emulator or whatever compare to playing an arcade cab. or pin. If all you have is an other than original to go on, you really missed out on the arcade experience. Luckily I still have a great arcade, with original machines in Ground Kontrol.

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BITD I went to the arcades mostly for the graphics and exploration of new virtual worlds, that and all the other teenage vices which went along with the arcade experience.

 

Today I now look for convenience and reliability and versatility in my gaming. And that means a lot of emulators - on premium hardware of course. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

But I would seek out and travel to play a nice DOT environmental though for various not-all-gaming reasons.

Edited by Keatah
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Arcade - superior in every way as it should be.

 

Quote for truth.

 

I agree, though, that some types of games just don't work in the arcade, not only from the standpoint of the player's enjoyment, but the business model. Obviously, strategy games and proto-RPG's like Legend of Zelda are best suited to home consoles. I'd rather play SMB on my NES than Vs. SMB in the arcade, because I just don't think scrolling platform games work well in the arcade format.

 

But if we're talking about game types that are actually suitable for the arcade environment, the arcade is going to win for me (almost) every time.

 

There is a very short list of console ports that I enjoy just as much as the arcade, if not a little more. I prefer NES Contra and Lynx Klax. I don't necessarily prefer Genesis Golden Axe, but it's just as good. I prefer Ninja Gaiden and Punch Out on the NES, but those ones get an asterisk because they're kind of different games from their arcade counterparts.

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Problem with real arcades is they tend to come and go, at least the games do. Or they don't have my favs. And the controls are sometimes not working correctly or the display out of alignment.. At home I don't have these issues. It's comforting to know I can play Liberator any time any place. Now and into the future. Haven't seen that game around at any arcade in my area.

 

Arcade emulation is like a photograph. It captures a lot of likeness in sharp detail, but can leave out some subtleties. Or not capture the entire scene. But there will come a time when the photograph is all that remains. It has the staying power to win the test of time.

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It depends on how their judged..

 

I would like to say that during the 80s-90's the Arcade games were "better". They definitely had superiors graphics and audio and were usually the "Original" game, whereas home ports had not only downgraded A/V, but sometimes omitted characters/levels/gameplay mechanics/etc... In a way, the Arcade game was the "Real Deal" and the home ports were like a cover band, they could be so bad as to say didn't even deserve the right say it's the same song, or they could be so good you rocked out to it just like it was favorite band... but in the end it WASN'T your favorite band, just a close facsimile.

 

On the other hand arcade games could get expensive, especially since *Drum roll... here comes my biggest beef with Arcade games* many seem to have been PURPOSELY made as hard as shit after eating cement. Games like T2: The Arcade Game, or Smash TV... lets just have so much shit going on that your health is steadily draining while you play, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Gauntlet started this whole trend I believe, wherein enemies didn't even have to be on screen... your health was just constantly diminishing like someone poisoned your rations, and there was no cure. I HATED that mechanic about Gauntlet. It was a hard game on it's own, monsters at every turn, many firing projectiles, there was no NEED to having your health constantly draining other than to make sure that even people who got good at the game and and had friends that worked together like a team, covering each others backs, were STILL gonna die and put in another quarter within 5 minutes. Other game developers just got smarter about it and said, well people feel cheated by having their health drain from NOTHING, so lets just make sure there's a steady stream of enemies and enemy projectiles so we can justify the health draining. But still, people got good at these games, and I'll admit (probably cause I like shooting games so much) I still played an unhealthy amount of T2 and got good at it, memorizing patterns and realizing that only the enemies on MY half of the screen could hurt me, and did a little better each time I sunk a few bucks into it. Unfortunately, nowadays, whether you own the game at home and just flick the coin counter to max your credits, or emulate the game, or whatever... when you're not dealing with REAL money to play, it just becomes a grind. You don't appreciate how well you did because you're not equating what you accomplished to how much you spent anymore. You can either toss in a few "virtual" credits and try to play it like a console game where you credits are predetermined, OR you just keep pumping them in and skill becomes moot because you don't even have to try that hard anymore, just buy your way to the ending screen.

 

Kinda like Poker... once you play for money, there's no going back...

Without a dollar value riding on the outcome, it's hard to care what hand you were drawn, or what cards you think you may receive after discarding.

Without a limited pocket of quarters, it's hard to care whether your first game lasts 30 seconds or 5 minutes, or wonder whether you'll beat the stage you lost at last time.

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When I'm at an arcade I don't bother with any games I can play at home. Games like Pac-Man, Galaga, Donkey Kong et al.

 

Galaga in the arcade is different enough from Galaga on the NES or 7800, so I like to throw in a few quarters every once in a while. But generally, yes, if I have it, I'm more interested in playing something I don't have.

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Surprised you'd rather console NBA Jam, though. That's a favorite on my MAME.

 

Some console versions have slight roster differences not just between arcade and home, but also between the different ports.

 

Personally, as a Celtics fan, I prefer the Sega CD version, because Dee Brown and Dominique Wilkins are in it, and they're also in Jam TE which is a plus.

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Depends on the game and the control system:

 

I'd for sure go for the arcade versions of:

 

- TRON

- Star Trek: The Strategic Operations Simulator

- Discs of TRON

- Spy Hunter

- Two Tigers

- Star Wars

- Cyber Troopers Virtual-On

- Red Baron

- Battlezone

- Space Harrier

- Pole Position II

Edited by Nebulon
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In a perfect world with unlimited funds, I'd prefer the arcade version of games. However, in the real world, where I got to make my money stretch, a larger initial investment and then owning a game makes more sense, even if it isn't quiet up to par with the arcade variant.

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Galaga in the arcade is different enough from Galaga on the NES or 7800, so I like to throw in a few quarters every once in a while. But generally, yes, if I have it, I'm more interested in playing something I don't have.

 

I'm talking about playing the arcade PCB or playing in MAME. I can play Asteroids in MAME using a joystick and fire button but it sucks. So, when I'm at the arcade I'll play Asteroids as it was meant to be played viewing a vector monitor and playing with buttons.

 

I can play Pac-Man on one of my MAME cabinets. I have no reason to go to an arcade and waste time playing that game when I could spend my time playing something I don't have like Tron or Baby Pac-Man.

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Arcade games all the time, every time. Money doesn't enter into it since the question is which would I rather play (I'd rather be with Kate Beckinsale in a Lamborghini, too, but that ain't happening, either). Every game that has/had an arcade version is better in the arcade. Now, many games never saw an arcade cabinet, many wouldn't even work in that format, so I will assume that we're only talking about arcade type games (whether there were arcade versions or not), so no long drawn-out adventure games, for instance.

 

Arcade games had the better displays (most obviously the vectors) especially now that most people play console and computer games on flatscreen TVs (the horror) and arcade games had the superior, dedicated controllers designed for each game. Consider that home console makers would brag about arcade quality controllers, arcade game makers never bragged about having console-grade controllers. Any arcade game requiring a spinner or trak-ball, for example is infinitely better than any home conversion that relied on a joystick. Same goes for specific button and controller layouts (Star Trek: SOS, Defender, Tron, Star Wars). Even the arcade art was better. Most people who play home consoles and PC games don't even bother to save the boxes (with most of the art on them) because so what, the game is enough.

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There are arcade related videos on YouTube that were filmed back in the day. One video touches on how much time is spent designing and testing an arcade game. Specifically, there's a video where Atari put Asteroids Deluxe out on location for play testing. If memory serves, they said the typical arcade game takes well over a year from design to manufacturing.

 

Out of all the arcade games that were released up to and including laser disc games, I don't know many of them that suck. Even the b/w games.

 

Arcade games are going to have controls that are tailored for that specific game. There are two games that come to mind that I would question why they used a joystick and not a spinner: Time Pilot and Gyruss.

 

You can probably name a whole bunch of Atari 2600 games where the controls are questionable. Super Sprint comes to mind as to why the driving controller wasn't used.

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Arcade games all the time, every time. Money doesn't enter into it since the question is which would I rather play (I'd rather be with Kate Beckinsale in a Lamborghini, too, but that ain't happening, either). Every game that has/had an arcade version is better in the arcade. Now, many games never saw an arcade cabinet, many wouldn't even work in that format, so I will assume that we're only talking about arcade type games (whether there were arcade versions or not), so no long drawn-out adventure games, for instance.

 

Arcade games had the better displays (most obviously the vectors) especially now that most people play console and computer games on flatscreen TVs (the horror) and arcade games had the superior, dedicated controllers designed for each game. Consider that home console makers would brag about arcade quality controllers, arcade game makers never bragged about having console-grade controllers. Any arcade game requiring a spinner or trak-ball, for example is infinitely better than any home conversion that relied on a joystick. Same goes for specific button and controller layouts (Star Trek: SOS, Defender, Tron, Star Wars). Even the arcade art was better. Most people who play home consoles and PC games don't even bother to save the boxes (with most of the art on them) because so what, the game is enough.

 

I agree.

 

You often have people say they prefer home versions due to more manageable difficulty, but I don't understand that, myself. For me, arcade-style games need to be brutally difficult or, at least, difficult enough to keep game times fairly short. And I don't say this to uphold the interests of the arcade operator, I say it as a player looking to be challenged and entertained. Who wants to a single game of Asteroids (for example) to last 30 minutes or more? It's a great game, but it is so basic in concept that if the game drags on for several minutes before ramping up in difficulty, I get bored. On the other hand, being promptly forced to play at my absolute limit to squeeze out every last second of survival is so much more interesting and fulfilling.

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