These days, the differences between console ports of video games are so minimal that they’re hard to spot. Well, unless it’s an EA Sports game published on Switch, that is. Legacy Editions aside though, whether players pick up a game on PlayStation or Xbox, they can be fairly sure that they’re not being shortchanged or missing out on anything too big. This hasn’t always been the case though.
Back in the 90’s, the differences between the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo were clear for all to see. Games looked different, sounded different, and often played differently depending on which system they were being played on. Some preferred the Super Nintendo, while others were convinced that the Genesis was the superior machine. In truth, each system had its pros and cons. There were plenty of occasions however where the Genesis did what Nintendo couldn’t.
10 The Lion King
Both consoles took contrasting approaches to the way that they processed sound, leading to some rather noticeable differences. The tinny sound produced by the Genesis’ Yamaha chip wasn’t to everybody’s tastes and could sound very out of place in certain games. Depending on the soundtrack though, it could at times fit the score much better than the SNES’ iconic muffled sound. The Lion King was one of those games.
The parallax scrolling in the Genesis port is also a little faster and feels smoother too. This helps the gameplay feel more responsive. On the subject of gameplay, Simba seems to jump a little higher in the Genesis port which contributes towards the port’s more forgiving difficulty curve. All things considered, there really isn’t too much between them. The Genesis version just edges it out though.
9 NHL 95
Many consider the Genesis to have been the superior console not just for NHL games, but sports games in general. While the SNES typically offered better graphics, the Genesis ports featured much better gameplay. This was down to the speed of the system, but also by SNES ports sometimes running at lower framerates.
The Genesis port also gives players the option to save stats and records which adds a lot of replay value. This is something that many modern players take for granted, but at the time, it was a really desirable feature. Seeing those old records on the screen gave Genesis players the motivation to push themselves that little bit further in order to beat their personal bests.
8 Beavis And Butt-Head
When it comes to graphics and general presentation, it’s hard to argue that the Genesis doesn’t have the edge. Although brighter, the SNES port uses smaller sprites and is very pixelated in places. The Genesis port does a much better job of matching the show’s art style and also features more adventurous gameplay. It can be difficult at times but feels more rewarding as a result.
The SNES version does have the edge when it comes to sound, with better music and more realistic digitized voices. Ultimately though, it’s the Genesis version’s representation of the titular characters that really sets it apart. Even in spite of its horrendous password system, it’s the better Beavis and Butt-Head game of the two.
7 Cool Spot
Similarly to games like Sneak King and Pepsi Man, Cool Spot is a marketing tool more than it is a video game. Whether or not it succeeded in getting players to go out and buy 7 Up is hard to say, but unlike the aforementioned titles, Cool Spot is actually a pretty great game. Despite the SNES having a slight edge in the graphics department, the Genesis port was the definitive version.
For as good as the SNES port was visually, its gameplay was nowhere near the standard of the Genesis version of the game. Everything is much slower on the SNES and the tighter camera angle can lead to a lot of unnecessary back and forth hunting for spots. The Genesis version also sounds a lot better, both in terms of the music and the sound effects.
6 Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park was an entirely different experience depending on which version players owned. The SNES port offers a pseudo-3D experience which was incredibly impressive for the time. On the other hand, the Genesis version sticks to 2D, which arguably leads to a more visually appealing game thanks in large to the fantastic sprite work.
If visual styles were the only major difference, this may very well be a case of personal preference. The Genesis port had something else hidden up its sleeve though. Rather than controlling a human character throughout the entire game, those playing on the Genesis are able to play as a raptor during certain sections. Given the game’s subject matter, this is more than enough to give it the edge.
5 Mega Turrican
It’s unfortunate that the Turrican series was unable to keep itself afloat as it’s one that had a lot of potential. Known for its frantic gameplay and non-linear levels, it’s a series that was put out to pasture a little too soon. Mega Turrican was one of the best entries in the series — although it never actually released on SNES.
Super Nintendo players were instead treated to Super Turrican, which in some ways is actually the better title. It looks much better than Mega Turrican, although there are times where the bright backgrounds can be incredibly distracting. It’s also a little bit faster in the gameplay department but is let down by its buggy performance at times. It’s these bugs and the additional features found in the Genesis version that make Mega Turrican a more enjoyable experience.
4 Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is one of the most controversial games ever released and is almost single-handedly responsible for modern-day censorship in video games. As with most controversial games, its extreme gore was one of the game’s biggest selling points, which made the censorship of the console ports incredibly disappointing to many players.
Rather than oozing blood, fighters in the SNES port would instead sweat out a strange gray liquid. What’s more, ‘finishing moves’ replaced fatalities and they are nowhere near as violent. Conversely, the Genesis version changed the color of the blood to green but included a code that would change it back to red. The SNES version may have looked a little better, but the Genesis port was much truer to the arcade experience thanks to its faster gameplay and minimal censorship.
3 Super Street Fighter 2
The simplicity of the Super Nintendo controller made it a joy to game with for the overwhelming majority of titles. As well-designed as it was though, there were a handful of games that could have really used a few extra face buttons. Super Street Fighter 2 was one of those games.
The SNES is a lot closer to the arcade version than its Genesis counterpart, but the Genesis controller’s two extra face buttons provide more than enough reason to overlook this graphical disparity. When it comes to fighting games with complicated moves, the number of buttons and their placement can be incredibly important and this is definitely the case when it comes to Super Street Fighter 2.
2 Aladdin
Quite a few of the Disney games released in the 90’s had differences across the two consoles, but none more so than Aladdin. The disparities between the two versions are in some places so drastic that they can sometimes feel like two completely different games. The SNES version has tighter platforming and it’s better balanced in terms of difficulty. The Genesis version has the edge in almost every other area that counts though.
The inclusion of a sword in the Genesis port makes combat far more satisfying and the animation throughout the game is infinitely better than that of its SNES counterpart. The music is better and it also takes more from the movie’s plot. Together, this led to an experience much closer to the Aladdin experience that players were anticipating.
1 Earthworm Jim
It’s not often that a debate is so one-sided, but even some of the most ardent of SNES players will begrudgingly concede that the Genesis port of Earthworm Jim is the superior version. That’s not to say that the SNES version is completely without charm, it’s just that the Genesis version is a lot more charming.
Visually, the Super Nintendo has the Genesis (and maybe even the Sega CD version) beat, but the Genesis comes out on top in pretty much every other area. The gameplay and animation are tighter on the Genesis and the tinny tones of its Yamaha sound chip really bring the game’s soundtrack to life. Its levels are also a bit more experimental and introduce gameplay mechanics that just aren’t there on the SNES.
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