Thanks to @Cholo (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=70) for prompting this train of thought.
Were there any CPC games that were as good as their 16 bit counterparts?
Maybe not in the graphics department but what about game play?
My own background in games was this - the arcades, then the CPC/CPC Plus (until 1999) and finally the PC (loved Carmegeddon). I never really experienced games on the Atari or the Amiga.
So did the CPC ever "punch above its weight" ?
The following games are better on 8 bit CPC than 16 bit Atari ST, in my opinion :
- Tau Ceti
- Head over Heels
- Deflektor
- Robocop
- Spindizzy
- Mission Genocide
An old favourite of mine was laser squad, I much preferred the monochrome graphics compared with the colours of the 16 but versions, the gameplay was identical.
And dare I say Pang on the gx4000 was possibly the definitive version
Not a lot of overlap between my CPC and my Amiga days, but here are some:
- Rick Dangerous: maybe it's because I played the CPC version first, but I find that the shorter levels make the game more enjoyable. I love both versions, though.
- Exolon: the Amiga version is utter crap.
- Chase HQ: not as bad as Exolon, but another stinker on the Amiga.
- Dandare 3: the 16bit version feels like a completely different game. The CPC one is superior imho.
- Shinobi: probably nostalgia talking here, but I enjoy the CPC version more.
Rick Dangerous 2 is closer to the 16-bit versions.
Rick with short levels is more addictive... Extra screens are only here to sold a 8bit game concept as a fake 16bit title.
Captain Blood
Trantor
Rick Dangerous Plus Version
R-Type (scene version)
A Tribute to the sisters (working on that for the next 97 years... :laugh: )
I agree with several games mentioned (Trantor, Rick Dangerous 1 and 2, Robocop...) and I would add a few more:
- Cybernoid 2, brilliant and from my point of view, the music is better than 16 bit version.
- Panza Kick Boxing, really close to 16 bit version.
- North Start, idem, really close in graphics and gameplay to the ST version.
- Antiriad is simply a 16 bit game, very high quality.
- Gryzor, if a 16bit version were developed, it would be very close to this version.
And I could mention more games, CPC has a lot of treasures in its catalogue.
Switchblade on the GX (despite my opinion it could've been prettier in Mode 0) is pretty darn close.
Already mentioned Simcity, Hostages and North & South, but there is certainly many more.
Games i think is actually better in the 8bit version:
- Bomb Jack (oh dear, sure the Amiga version has 16bit enemy sprites but the rest looks like it was painted by a 6 year old in paint, Amstrad version plays great)
- Feud (Amiga version they made the map bigger so it tales ages getting around, groundskeeper gone, Wittaker music gone & no offence but those graphics dont look 16bit)
- West Bank (aka Gunshoot on the Amiga, perhaps its just me. Anyone will most likely get mental issues after listening to the "creepy door opening sound" for more than 10 mins)
- Stormlord (finally a Amiga game with 16bit graphics, Has replaced the "flying the storm" with getting picked up by a eagle & the amstrad version is the non-censored version)
Definately just as good (as the amiga version):
- Pirates! (as good as the 64bit version if it wasnt for the added dance game)
- Prince of Persia
- Mr. Heli
- Ghostbusters 2
- Slikworm
- Little Computer People
- Operation Wolf
- Arachnophobia
- P47
- Crazy Cars 3
- Arkanoid 1 & 2
- BB4CPC (aka Bubble Bobble 2011 version)
- Ikari Warriors
Games that cant really be as good as the 16bit versions but i feel is really close:
- Turrican 1 & 2
- Hero Quest (i can listen to that 128k version music on a real amstrad for quite a while)
- Shadow of the Beast
- Supercars
- Lotus Challenge
Games i havnt played the amstrad version of but probably is really close too:
- Defender of the Crown
- Lemmings
- Last Ninja 2
- Monthy Phyton
- Forgotten Worlds
- Turtles (Arcade)
- B.A.T
- Text adventures like The Pawn & Wishbringer aka a bunch of Infocom, Silverbird/Rainbird that are basicly (litterally the same code but ran with different cp/m interpretors) the same but perhaps with optional upgraded graphics.
B.A.T and Defender of the crown, especially the 1st one aren't as good as the 16 bits releases. B.A.T on cpc lacks of music.
The 1st turtles game isn't so good to play on 16 bits computers.
Get dexter 1&2 do have st version, but on cpc the game is far better.
A.M.C is not bad on 16 bits far from the cpc/speccy quality.
Thanks everyone for the very interesting replies.
I will make a point of playing some of the games listed sometime in the future.
My own choices would have to be Pang and Megablasters, especially in two player mode. These were the only two CPC games that could drag friends away from their consoles and looked to me (back in the 90's) like 16-bit games - completely addictive :)
Quote from: kawickboy on 08:28, 14 March 19
B.A.T and Defender of the crown, especially the 1st one aren't as good as the 16 bits releases. B.A.T on cpc lacks of music.
Defender of the Crown? How come?
One I definitely like more in Amstrad than Amiga is Paris Dakar, from Zigurat (Amiga port is as lazy as a port can be). It was mentioned in before, but AMC in the Amiga does not play as nicely as in the Amstrad either, it is way slower and less responsive. Some others that are super close in the Amstrad are Savage and Pop Up...
Sorcery and Renegade
Quote from: ivarf on 01:12, 17 March 19
Sorcery and Renegade
There was a 16Bit version of Sorcery? Which platform / system?
Quote from: LambdaMikel on 02:27, 17 March 19
There was a 16Bit version of Sorcery? Which platform / system?
Definitely on Amiga (http://hol.abime.net/2014) and AtariST (http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-sorcery-plus_11286.html).
Quote from: LambdaMikel on 02:27, 17 March 19
There was a 16Bit version of Sorcery? Which platform / system?
Not really, I believe only Sorcery + saw an Amiga release. I have seen Sorcery + on the Amiga and wasn't impressed. It looks and feels better on the CPC. I listed Sorcery as I prefer it to Sorcery + on the CPC. The constant loading of Sorcery + makes it an lesser version for me even though the game is bigger
Quote from: Cholo on 21:45, 13 March 19
Already mentioned Simcity, Hostages and North & South, but there is certainly many more.
Games i think is actually better in the 8bit version:
- Bomb Jack (oh dear, sure the Amiga version has 16bit enemy sprites but the rest looks like it was painted by a 6 year old in paint, Amstrad version plays great)
- Feud (Amiga version they made the map bigger so it tales ages getting around, groundskeeper gone, Wittaker music gone & no offence but those graphics dont look 16bit)
- West Bank (aka Gunshoot on the Amiga, perhaps its just me. Anyone will most likely get mental issues after listening to the "creepy door opening sound" for more than 10 mins)
- Stormlord (finally a Amiga game with 16bit graphics, Has replaced the "flying the storm" with getting picked up by a eagle & the amstrad version is the non-censored version)
Definately just as good (as the amiga version):
- Pirates! (as good as the 64bit version if it wasnt for the added dance game)
- Prince of Persia
- Mr. Heli
- Ghostbusters 2
- Slikworm
- Little Computer People
- Operation Wolf
- Arachnophobia
- P47
- Crazy Cars 3
- Arkanoid 1 & 2
- BB4CPC (aka Bubble Bobble 2011 version)
- Ikari Warriors
Games that cant really be as good as the 16bit versions but i feel is really close:
- Turrican 1 & 2
- Hero Quest (i can listen to that 128k version music on a real amstrad for quite a while)
- Shadow of the Beast
- Supercars
- Lotus Challenge
Games i havnt played the amstrad version of but probably is really close too:
- Defender of the Crown
- Lemmings
- Last Ninja 2
- Monthy Phyton
- Forgotten Worlds
- Turtles (Arcade)
- B.A.T
- Text adventures like The Pawn & Wishbringer aka a bunch of Infocom, Silverbird/Rainbird that are basicly (litterally the same code but ran with different cp/m interpretors) the same but perhaps with optional upgraded graphics.
Have to disagree on Silkworm, the Amiga version is better than the coin-op and the CPC version is not close to either in terms of gfx, sound or playability.
Loved the coin-op, had cpc version, got amiga and Silkworm for it and was blown away. I still play the Amiga version at least once a year.
Quote from: lmimmfn on 03:12, 19 March 19
Have to disagree on Silkworm, the Amiga version is better than the coin-op and the CPC version is not close to either in terms of gfx, sound or playability.
Loved the coin-op, had cpc version, got amiga and Silkworm for it and was blown away. I still play the Amiga version at least once a year.
Then I have to try the Amiga version some day and do an comparison. I have the coin-up JAMMA card
Quote from: Otto on 20:32, 12 March 19
The following games are better on 8 bit CPC than 16 bit Atari ST, in my opinion :
- Tau Ceti
- Head over Heels
- Deflektor
- Robocop
- Spindizzy
- Mission Genocide
Can I add the following 2 titles too?
* Gx4000 Pang
* Chuckie egg
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk
The latter one is a good one ;) :laugh:
Quote from: lmimmfn on 03:12, 19 March 19
Have to disagree on Silkworm, the Amiga version is better than the coin-op and the CPC version is not close to either in terms of gfx, sound or playability.
Indeed, the Amiga version of SWIV is extremely good. In contrast to the Atari ST conversion.
I think only the SNES version was better, like the best SWIV version of them all, albeit somewhat different to the arcade and to the other ports. So maybe we should call the SNES version not Silkworm IV aka SWIV but Silkworm V aka SWV. :-)
Quote from: CraigsBar on 11:42, 19 March 19
Can I add the following 2 titles too?
* Gx4000 Pang
* Chuckie egg
Quote from: GUNHED on 12:08, 19 March 19
The latter one is a good one ;) :laugh:
Yes, the original Chuckie Egg on the ZX Spectrum is a true videogame gem.
The CPC conversion is still good (has it been done by the original Nigel Alderton?), but frankly the 16 bit conversions have not much in common with the original game anymore.
So indeed, another "8 bit version wins over 16 bit version" here.
-
I vastly preferred the 8-bit (and thus CPC) versions of Boulder Dash over the 16-bit clones. I never liked the higher resolution sprites and greater number of colours in these. And the Rockford clones lost character, and the boulders always looked strange ... too sterile.
To me, this was the first game where I realised that better hardware does not necessarily make a better game, even if the game itself is done properly.
FEUD is better on the 8 bit computers apart from the C64 as this version doesn't play correctly I believe.
I never thought there would be so many possible choices.
Might be a theme for one of the "Big Four" video producers (Zoe Robinson, chinnyhill10, Xyphoe or Novabug) to explore sometime in the future?
Quote from: Otto on 12:17, 19 March 19
Yes, the original Chuckie Egg on the ZX Spectrum is a true videogame gem.
The CPC conversion is still good (has it been done by the original Nigel Alderton?), but frankly the 16 bit conversions have not much in common with the original game anymore.
The original Chuckie Egg is a BBC B game, isn't it? Can't say I've ever played the 16-bit version but I don't see it as a game that would necessarily get better by just putting better graphics/music on it. For a lot of those early arcade type games, you kind of need the purity of simple graphics and sound for it to work IMO.
Quote from: Gryzor on 15:44, 15 March 19
Defender of the Crown? How come?
There is a bug in the cpc release, so it's really rare to be able to get married.
Quote from: lmimmfn on 03:12, 19 March 19
Have to disagree on Silkworm, the Amiga version is better than the coin-op and the CPC version is not close to either in terms of gfx, sound or playability.
Loved the coin-op, had cpc version, got amiga and Silkworm for it and was blown away. I still play the Amiga version at least once a year.
IIRC the Amiga and Atari version don't let you control both jeep and heli simultaneously. For me that was a major fun factor.
Quote from: kawickboy on 11:21, 20 March 19
There is a bug in the cpc release, so it's really rare to be able to get married.
Celibacy on the CPC? I blame mary Whitehouse.
Quote from: lmimmfn on 03:12, 19 March 19
Have to disagree on Silkworm, the Amiga version is better than the coin-op and the CPC version is not close to either in terms of gfx, sound or playability.
Loved the coin-op, had cpc version, got amiga and Silkworm for it and was blown away. I still play the Amiga version at least once a year.
Yeah I had both versions and the CPC was fine but the Amiga version was a heck of a lot more enjoyable to me and my friend I used to play it with loads. The sound effects in particularly are so satisfyingly punchy and adds to the fun. Also had much more variety in background graphics and colour schemes. CPC version seemed to all be set at night cos it lacked backgrounds. CPC version was a fine version to buy on budget since I didn't have an Amiga at the time but enjoyed playing the game on my friend's Amiga but yeah once I got my Amiga 1200 I was quite happy to move onto the Amiga version and the CPC was rarely taken off the shelf from that point on.
Quote from: kawickboy on 11:21, 20 March 19
There is a bug in the cpc release, so it's really rare to be able to get married.
My life is bugged in that way too.