Video Games That Sound Bad

[VectorGamer]

Is there anything worse than DK Jr on the Atari 7800? I cringe if I have to listen to the sound and music in this game

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsyj6nQT8SQ

[empsolo]

Is there anything worse than DK Jr on the Atari 7800? I cringe if I have to listen to the sound and music in this game

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsyj6nQT8SQ

That's what you get when you make next generation sound hardware completely optional for developers.

 

 

Though Hydlide is pretty terrible as a next gen game when it comes to music.

[Cynicaster]

Arcade version of 1942. What the living f*#k is that police whistle noise? I was playing it in MAME and I thought the emulation was broken/glitchy so I stopped. Then I played it on a real cabinet and realized the horrifying noises were in fact not emulation glitches but actual game sounds.

[VectorGamer]

Arcade version of 1942. What the living f*#k is that police whistle noise?

 

I never figured out what that is supposed to be

[BassGuitari]

Most games on the Arcadia 2001.

[CatPix]

Almost every game on the HMG 7900

https://youtu.be/W1HOQkxUOskand

 

 

If I say almost, it's because I haven't heard all of them.

 

And before you comment about early machines having low capacities, the HMG 7900 was first sold around 1983.

Edited April 18, 2016 by CatPix

[mbd30]

NES "1942'

 

 

BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP

[Flojomojo]

Popeye on the Intellivision is horrible. It's mostly on-key, but the little walking ditty restarts every time you stop or turn around.

 

 

Donkey Kong on Intellivision is even worse.

 

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 hands down in my opinion. That weied eee-ooo eee-ooo sound when the game begins, the buck-oooh sound when he chomps on a ghost, lastly the ear cringing sound effect when he eats the pellets.

[mbd30]

Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 hands down in my opinion. That weied eee-ooo eee-ooo sound when the game begins, the buck-oooh sound when he chomps on a ghost, lastly the ear cringing sound effect when he eats the pellets.

 

You think that's bad? They could use DKjr to torture suspected terrorists.

 

[cvga]

I immediately thought about Donkey Kong for the Intellivision. However, after watching the video and remembering the terribly slow game play, horrible jumping ability, lousy graphics and glitchy programming, I'm thinking that the sound might be the best part of that game (other than the power off button)!

[Reaperman]

I believe this number is titled "honk, blat, scrape, tinkle-tinkle, bong"

Those EA genesis carts sounded just great...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0XZdjiMyY4

Edited April 18, 2016 by Reaperman

[Skippy B. Coyote]

NES "1942'

 

 

BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP

I'm gonna go with the NES version of 1942 as well. Between the Arcade original, the NES port, and the Game Boy Color port the NES version is by far the worst in the sound department. The "music" (and I use that term in the loosest possible way) in the arcade original is only mildly grating on my ears, and the Game Boy Color version mercifully gives you the option to turn off the "music", but the NES version is just beyond horrific. It is nothing less than the sound of the NES's audio chip screaming in anguish.

[mbd30]

Fortunately "1943" has a nice soundtrack.

[Flojomojo]

Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 hands down in my opinion. That weied eee-ooo eee-ooo sound when the game begins, the buck-oooh sound when he chomps on a ghost, lastly the ear cringing sound effect when he eats the pellets.

 

 

BONK BONK BONK BONK BONK BONK BONK BONK

BOOOOOOP

BUCK-YOU BUCK-YOU BUCK-YOU

 

Those terrible sounds were used as stock sounds for "they're playing a video game" so often, I ALMOST like them now, just because of familiarity.

 

https://youtu.be/5XmQ3vOqUk8?t=1m

[78001987]

Action Fighter for the SMS.

[NinjaWarrior]

Donkey Kong for the 7800

[Tempest]

Most games on the Arcadia 2001.

I second this. Sometimes I wonder if it really is music or just random code being fed to the sound chip.

[mehguy]

Arcade version of 1942. What the living f*#k is that police whistle noise? I was playing it in MAME and I thought the emulation was broken/glitchy so I stopped. Then I played it on a real cabinet and realized the horrifying noises were in fact not emulation glitches but actual game sounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDwivbWwnt8

 

the nes version is even worse

[+wongojack]

Arcade version of 1942. What the living f*#k is that police whistle noise? I was playing it in MAME and I thought the emulation was broken/glitchy so I stopped. Then I played it on a real cabinet and realized the horrifying noises were in fact not emulation glitches but actual game sounds.

 

 

 

I never figured out what that is supposed to be

 

 

NES "1942'

 

 

BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEP BEEP BEEP

 

 

I'm gonna go with the NES version of 1942 as well. Between the Arcade original, the NES port, and the Game Boy Color port the NES version is by far the worst in the sound department. The "music" (and I use that term in the loosest possible way) in the arcade original is only mildly grating on my ears, and the Game Boy Color version mercifully gives you the option to turn off the "music", but the NES version is just beyond horrific. It is nothing less than the sound of the NES's audio chip screaming in anguish.

 

The music is integrating the sounds made by a telegraph or other morse code radio equipment. The variation is actually quite interesting if you imagine it being a musical version of receiving orders via long and short beeps. I do agree that while I like the NES version of the game, I can only take so much of the music. The arcade version sounds like a work of art in comparison, and it does still capture the essence of 1940's radio equipment.

 

Off Topic - While I appreciate the updates to 1943 including the coop play and sound effects, there is something about the original 1942 that I really enjoy. I think it hits a sweet spot between the Space Invaders type vertical shooters and more modern shmups that makes it feel like a classic game borrowing slightly from the future. Shmups evolved to a place where my brain just couldn't process everything going on and 1943 is in that category. They are too hard and just expect you to feed them quarters, but I think a normal guy can complete 1942 on one credit with enough practice. Provided he can put up with the music of course.

 

Back on topic - I don't really mind the 2600 sounds in the 7800 DK games, but the sounds ripped directly from 2600 Video Pinball that were used in Jinks (7800) are an absolute embarrassment. I honestly don't really like some of the Super Breakout sound effects. They sound more like demo sounds to me. There were also quite a few other NES games where I didn't really think much of the music and sound. I'll probably think of a few and add them to this thread later.

 

 

. . . . NES Elevator Action

[HoshiChiri]

Most anything for the Channel F- but especially Dodge It- made all the worse by the sound coming from the system, meaning you have no way to turn it off or down.

[Cynicaster]

 

Off Topic - While I appreciate the updates to 1943 including the coop play and sound effects, there is something about the original 1942 that I really enjoy. I think it hits a sweet spot between the Space Invaders type vertical shooters and more modern shmups that makes it feel like a classic game borrowing slightly from the future.

 

 

 

That's a very interesting way of thinking about 1942. IMO, that same vision is better achieved by Xevious and Bosconian.