retroking1981 wrote:

 

A hot off the press simpleton's take. Aside from the glaringly obvious (preferring the SNES game!), you can tell he's not the full ticket as he compares the MD version to Prince of Persia and describes the rug ride as 'nearly as frustrating and life-sapping as the infamous Battletoads in Battlemaniacs' bike level'.  I'm calling numpty; the rug ride only takes two or three goes to get down.  Maybe the question mark repeatedly confused him?  Perhaps he was trying to jump on the heads of the boulders?

Oh how I've been waiting patiently for this moment... I always preferred the opinion of one @Moot_Geeza on this subject. He apparently grew up a Sega fanboy but discovered the error of his ways when disposable income came his way and played the likes of Final Fantasy VII and Zelda Ocarina of Time. After these eye opening games he realised the grass was greener on the other side and over the years he discovered past gems such as Yoshi's Island on the GBA and realised that other 16Bit console he pretended didn't exist might have been worth playing all along.  I found this to be most telling in his retro reviews of one of the most compared games of that era, the 16Bit Aladdins. Here are @Moot_Geeza's reviews of said games from his Retro Game Thread on the excellent thebearandthebadger.co.uk forum taken from May 2013 pages 30 and 31 respectively. 

That's Aladdin on the Megadrive completed then.  Didn't start it until 9.50ish either, and save states were redundant as I racked up so many lives.  An incredible game in many ways - perhaps the most polished videogame I've ever played - but 35 minutes of gameplay is a fucking pisstake.  I remember getting this for £44.99 when it came out, and voluntarily pressing reset whilst fighting Jafar as I didn't want to complete it on my first go.  So I finished it on my second go.  I love it, it has so many nice touches (from the mouse ear extra life to to the way knives split your apples) and while it lasts I can't fault it, but it's painfully easy up until the final level and pretty short.  Those graphics and tunes though, wow.  85%

Just finished the SNES Aladdin, which I've never played before.  I thought this comparison would be a breeze, because the Megadrive version, although short, is a pretty magnificent game in many ways, I loved it as a kid, and I always thought the SNES version looked merely 'decent' (in a snooty, mine's better kind of way).  Now that I've played them both, there's really no contest when it comes to deciding the superior game, chiefly because the SNES version is three times longer.  The graphics (especially the unparalleled animation), sound effects, cut scenes and renditions of the classic tunes are all superior on the Megadrive, but the SNES version is no slouch in these departments either - it's an attractive game.  The gameplay (although markedly different) is equally good in both, but by the time you've reached Jafar's palace on the Sega version you're barely out of Agrabah in Capcom's effort, which just isn't on when you consider 16-bit games at this stage were well over £40.  One is a simple hack 'n slash platformer, the other is a head bopper.  Both share the apple throwing mechanic, although the fruit in question is pretty scarce (non-existent?) in the latter half of the SNES game.  The magic carpet escape section is great in both games, so I can't call that, but the SNES version edges it in terms of actual platforming (specifically swinging, which is well done).  Both games are too easy, but only one can be finished in 30 minutes.  Basically, the Nintendo game is better, because it represents far, far better value for money.  One is like Nouvelle Cuisine in a Michelin starred restaurant, the other is a hearty three course meal in an excellent country bistro pub.  This doesn't decide the console war or anything - I could always review Robocop Vs Terminator next.  87%

  Thank you Moot, best birthday present ever.

Eric wrote:

Anyone know why Turtles in Time wasn't released on the MD?