does anybody know if the SNES version or Genesis version is better?
Are there any differences?
I appreciate it ahead of time.
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does anybody know if the SNES version or Genesis version is better?
Are there any differences?
I appreciate it ahead of time.
Some of the more significant changes:
SNES version of Weaponlord:
- More colours on screen
- More difficult to beat AI (at least on the default setting)
Genesis version of Weaponlord:
- More character animation
- Louder music
- More intuitive controls due to the way buttons are set up on the 6-button pad
There are various slight changes in background level animation between the versions, but neither one has an edge over the other.
I've never played the SNES version, but seeing that it's a 6-button fighter, I'd say that probably gives the edge to the Genesis version. Gotta love that controller for fighting games!
I actually like WeaponLord a fair amount. It's hardly the best game on the Genesis, but it's a pretty fun weapon-based fighter and the fatalities are really excessive and cool. It's extremely barebones, there's really not a lot of content, but as far as early-nineties, extremely gory fighting games go, it plays leagues ahead of stuff like Mortal Kombat.
I would say the Genesis version purely for the fact you play it on a Genesis and not a console designed for children and/or girls.
As block is usually mapped to the shoulder buttons, high attacks are mapped to Y&X and low attacks are mapped to B&A I prefer the SNES pad for fighters, that said, Weapon Lord is one of those fighting games I've only played the Genesis version of. Wasn't very impressed with it really.
This is not the case in Weaponlord. It's thrust Y B A and backslash L X R.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bastardcat
how are the special commands perormed
a la street fighter? hadookens and such?
It has been a few years but I still own both version because they both have their own merit. Here is a writeup I did a while back before I realized the internet is just a place for people to criticize and complain at.
Graphics:
The SNES game has more colors on screen, though not in the characters, mostly in the backgrounds. The Genesis game has significantly more character animation, specifically in the attack animations. Which makes the Genesis game feel more smooth when playing it, and the SNES game look prettier while watching it. Both games seem to have the same level of gore in the fights and the kill moves that eviscerate. The blood animates a little differently in both versions, but there doesn't appear to be more or less of it in either version.
The Genesis game has a black bar on the top of the screen behind the energy bars. To make a guess, the Genesis had most of its games running at 320 x 224, while most SNES games ran at 256x224. So it seems that the developer chose, instead of taking advantage of the extra resolution for screen details, to take the menu items off the screen entirely.
None of the on screen detail is missing in the Genesis picture, meaning that none of the screen is cropped or squished. Both games have the same amount of background in the scene, and the characters are the same size, but the Genesis version has enough room to put a black bar behind the energy bars on the top. This suggests higher resolution in the Genesis version, that was wasted with a black bar rather than a higher resolution image.
Level design differences:
The SNES version's 1st level has more animation in the background. The light on the walls from the torches flicks back and forth in a couple of frames of animation, to simulate the light reflecting better. Also, the pathway in the background scrolls left and right smoothly, the way the ground under the character's feet does, all the way up to the castle. The Genesis version doesn't do any of these things in this level, the ground scrolling ends just after the first curve on the pathway to the castle, while the SNES version's path scrolls independantly from the background very dramatically.
No other levels have this kind of significant difference in background animation however. Level 2 has the same ground scrolling, and the waterfall in the background animates in the same amount of frames in both games. The far background is seperate from the trees in the SNES version, and is not seperate from the trees in the Genesis version. Level 3's smoke moves with the same three frames of animation in both games and there are no other differences. Level 4 has falling snow in the far backgrounds and the dogs animate in the same animations in both games.
Level 5's crowd does animates more independantly from each other, and some of them have three frames instead of just two in the SNES version, while the Genesis version's crowd animates in two frames all at the same time. Level 6 uses a warping technique to simulate the heat from the volcano in the background, the fire in the grate animates, and the skull's have lights pop in and out in their eyes in the same way on both systems, but the foremost skulls on either side of the screen are seperate backgrounds from the rest of the background, and scroll independantly on the SNES game. Finally the final level's demon animates in the same way on both systems, and both systems have the background fade out to be replaced by a moon while fighting Zarak as well.
Audio:
The SNES cartridge has special hardware in it for the voices, according to the ZSNES FAQ, and no emulator correctly emulates the SNES game's audio without locking up. Interestingly enough the voice and sound effects have very little difference between the two games. Unlike MKII, both versions have all the same amount of voice samples, though this is significantly less than the MK or SF games have in them. Voice samples in Weaponlord are limited to the announcer, grunts while fighting, and grunts while dieing, and that's about it.
The music is louder in the Genesis version, with more stereo sorting and bass, while the SNES music is more subdued and very much in the background. The Genesis and SNES games also have a different song when the credits scroll but other than that the songs are the same, but sound completely different because of the choice of instruments.
Gameplay:
Gameplay has some significant differences on both systems. For one, the default difficulty setting for the SNES game is much harder than the Genesis version's, though both games have adjustable difficulty. The enemy AI blocks and counters expertly starting from the first level in the SNES version, while the Genesis version by default gives the player more openings and gets progressively more difficult.
The control scheme also has major differences on the two systems. As can be seen in the strategy guide intro, the Genesis version has forethrust 1-3 set to A-B-C, and Backslash 1-3 set to X-Y-Z on the control pad in order of power to the right, and speed to the left. The SNES pad has Forethrust 1-3 set to Y-B-A, and Backthrust 1-3 set to Ltrigger - X - Rtrigger.
This makes for a major control scheme change for the two games. The Genesis game has the attacks lined up from weakest(fastest) to strongest intuitively set from left to right, while the SNES version has the thrust attacks set to the left, bottom, and right buttons in the diamond design, and the slash attacks set to the left trigger, top button in the diamond, and right trigger. To say the least, the change takes some getting used to.
The only other major gameplay difference is the level right before Zarak. The SNES version says that you must fight all of the opponents that you spared along the way, which should mean that if you kill your opponent at the end of the second match you shouldn't have to fight that opponent in the last fight. The Genesis versions just says that you must win to proceed, says nothing about only fighting opponents you spared, and does make you fight opponents you killed along the way.
Conclusions:
Looking at the big picture takes more subjective observations as it always does. Both games stand alone well for their generation in graphics, gameplay and sound. The differences noted above gives the SNES the slight edge in the graphics department, and the Genesis the slight edge in the gameplay and audio department, though that assertion is still going to depend on your tastes.
If you like the Genesis' chip music with full stereo sorting and diverse analog instruments, you'll probably like the Genesis game's music better. The SNES version's music just isn't as loud and, well, barbaric sounding, it is much more subdued and sounds more synthesized. Of course, if you're one of those souls who never liked Genesis chip music, then you'll probably like the softer, easier listening, of the SNES game better than the Genesis game.
The gameplay could be argued in the same way the Genesis/SNES versions of the Street Figther II games were. It really comes down to which version you played first, it's not like it's especially difficult to use the triggers for two of the slash attacks on the SNES game. If you prefer the arcade SFII 6-button configuration, then you will probably prefer the Genesis version's gameplay, and if you prefered the SNES pad for SFII at home, then you will likely prefer the SNES version's gameplay.
:confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Smith
Sounds like I would like the Genesis one better
are the ending graphics or intro cinemas any different in the two versions?
So, games like Super Turrican 2, Metal Warriors, Contra 3, and Final Fantasy are for children? :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Mr Smith
just tried the Genesis version. I am pretty pleased with it. Graphics are gorgeous coming from our old genny. About to test out the SNES version. I will come back with my final analysis and thoughts
edit
wow the SNES version is compelete unplayable trash
more colors but worse graphics
Genesis superior in all ways.
on a side not, a dark age game, needs dark colors, not brighty whitey secret of mana palletes
Well if the SNES version is that bad, and I found the Genesis version to be unenjoyable, I'll probably just skip the SNES one.
Yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Curryman123
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bastardcat
THIS
I wouldn't judge either version by emulation. The SNES version has a special chip for the audio and both games look totally different on real hardware. Also, if there is any controller lag both games are impossible.
TOo late, I already placed the order in for the Genesis version.
Man I hated Weaponlord. It seemed real slow, with colors and art so murky that I couldn't even see what the characters were doing, oftentimes...
nooooooooooQuote:
Originally Posted by DanceroftheShadows
I got it already, the game kicks ass. Just gotta look up the moves list since I cant seem to do any specials. Im not going to get into it right now though, Im too busy with my SNK conquest at the moment.
Do you happen to know what the part # of the chip is, and/or have a cite? It sounds like Weaponlord needs to be added to Wikipedia's list of SNES games that use enhancement chips.Quote:
Originally Posted by sheath
EDIT: Huh, byuu says it doesn't use any extra chips.
I have no idea what the chip is for SNES WeaponLord's audio. I just remember it being a few years before Zsnes supported WeaponLord because of it.
Also, the link I posted earlier in the thread has scans of Gamepro's complete move guide. Ah, here it is again.
^ i saw no moves in that link all dead links on the picturs
That's the old Archive site, as all of the files have been moved I haven't fixed the screenshots on that site. Only click on the "Strategy" links, they all work.
-edit-
Sorry, I completely forgot that I actually got around to updating that.
http://www.gamepilgrimage.com/conten...e-october-1995
I got Weaponlord for Genesis back when it was still playable on XBand. It played great on XBand. My friend had it for SNES and in my opinion, it played a lot slower; the controls felt sluggish and the timing was way off.