Welcome to 16-Bit Brawl, a collection the place we pit two Sega Genesis and Tremendous NES video games towards each other to see which one comes out on high. This time, we’re coming down with a case of Turtle Energy, pitting the immortal Turtles in Time for SNES towards the underrated Hyperstone Heist for Genesis. Who had the higher recreation? Let’s discover out.
Beat em ups, brawlers, no matter you name them, they’re in a style that’s seen a reasonably superior resurgence in recent times. However the one that always nonetheless sits on the high of the heap is the good Shredder’s Revenge, (that or Streets of Rage 4) which pays no small quantity of homage to the 16-bit period. And with regards to 16-bit brawlers, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are legends. Their first Arcade outing was an enormous success, however the dwelling consoles of the time couldn’t fairly deal with it. Its sequel, although, landed simply in time for the 16-bit machines to do their factor, and made its means into residing rooms in unbelievable type. Nevertheless it wasn’t alone. Each the Tremendous NES and Sega Genesis obtained completely different, albeit very comparable, Turtle primarily based brawlers. Let’s meet the contestants.
First up, we have now Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time for Tremendous NES. Broadly regarded to today as among the finest beat em ups ever made, Turtles in Time for SNES is kind of frankly, a masterpiece. It’s a superbly drawn, brilliantly animated, tremendous enjoyable beat ’em up with some superior results and a killer soundtrack. It’s arguably even higher than the arcade recreation it’s primarily based on! Decide your favourite turtle, staff up with a buddy if you happen to so select, and embark on a unbelievable journey by way of time to cease Krang and Shredder from… stealing the statue of liberty… for… causes?
Up subsequent, we have now Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist. As an alternative of giving Genesis house owners their very own port of Turtles in Time, Konami determined to go the additional mile and provides them one thing virtually fully completely different. Reusing lots of the property, Hyperstone Heist seems like a bizarre type of remix of Turtles in Time, however with its personal set of distinctive bosses, phases, and songs, it truly is its personal recreation, and a darn good one at that! The story makes about as a lot sense, too. Shredder and Krang have shrunk New York Metropolis with the ability of the Hyperstone! Why? To what finish? Who cares? It’s an excuse for the Turtles to hit the streets and beat the snot out of robotic Foot Troopers and recognizable baddies!
Now that we’ve taken a more in-depth take a look at the combatants, let’s see how they fare.
BUT FIRST! Just a bit little bit of housecleaning. In our final episode, I awarded Castlevania Bloodlines a bonus level as a result of there was a tie. And actually, I actually don’t thoughts the occasional tie. Typically two video games are simply pretty much as good as each other. However within the face of those ties, it occurred to me that this grading system is fairly susceptible to creating them occur because of it solely awarding 4 factors whole. Due to this fact, beginning with at present’s entry, there can be a brand new class: CONTENT! This class takes a take a look at how a lot there may be to do in a recreation. It will likely be value one level, and it received’t all the time essentially go to the sport with probably the most content material. It’s all about high quality!
Okay, for actual this time…
Now that we’ve taken a more in-depth take a look at the combatants, let’s see how they fare.
Graphics (1 level)
Right here we have now two video games that look very, very comparable. Once more, that’s as a result of they each fairly actually make use of the identical property. That mentioned, there have been a handful of adjustments made for the Genesis recreation. The Turtles themselves have a number of further frames of animation than their Tremendous NES counterparts, and their sprites seem slightly extra detailed as nicely. Usually these items would give the Genesis an edge, however within the case of the TMNT, it’s unusually a little bit of a disadvantage. The Genesis turtles transfer barely extra fluidly, nevertheless it comes on the expense of affect. Once you hit enemies within the SNES recreation, it feels very, nicely, impactful for lack of a greater phrase. The Genesis recreation’s hits nonetheless have some good punch, however they general do not come off as exhausting as their SNES cousins. As for the sprites themselves, that further element makes the turtles look a bit darker, and the dearth of element makes them look much more like their cartoon counterparts on SNES.
Then there’s the backgrounds. Not solely are the SNES recreation’s phases extra attention-grabbing and assorted, however the Genesis ones are weirdly stagnant. The SNES’s sewer stage takes place on these bizarre hoverboards, skimming throughout the water. The Genesis recreation reuses the identical background for its sewer stage, nevertheless it takes place on foot, the place the turtles and enemies actually stroll round on high of the water. There’s no splash impact round anybody’s toes. It simply seems bizarre.
And talking of results, I might be remiss if I didn’t point out the SNES recreation’s tremendous cool use of Mode 7. The long run stage the place you’re flying round on these bizarre hovercraft issues seems superior, however there’s nothing like the long-lasting “toss a foot soldier on the display screen” transfer, which is totally absent in Hyperstone heist.
Hyperstone Heist additionally does this factor the place the HUD is displayed over a black bar, whereas Turtles in Time’s isn’t, making these cool backgrounds all of the extra seen.
Anyway, the Genesis recreation on no account seems unhealthy, nevertheless it simply doesn’t maintain as much as Turtles in Time.
The purpose goes to the Tremendous NES.
SNES: I
Genesis:
Sound (1 level)
Once more, we have now two very comparable sound conditions, however this time across the winner is significantly extra clear. Each video games use a lot of the identical music, however whereas these specific devices usually come off as far more efficient on the Genesis, the wizards at Konami labored some severe magic and made the SNES soundtrack an absolute banger, as the children would say. That’s to not say the Genesis renditions are unhealthy, it’s simply that they’ll’t stack up subsequent to Nintendo’s.
Sound results have the same downside. Turtles in Time options these fantastically sharp “Thwap” sounds everytime you hit enemies. The Genesis sounds are simply weak by comparability.
Lastly, there’s the voiceovers. Not Solely do they sound extremely crunchy in Hyperstone Heist, however they’re additionally fully lacking from the stage intros. The SNES recreation has “Massive Apple, 3am.” The Genesis recreation has nothing of the like.
The purpose goes to Tremendous Nintendo.
SNES: II
Genesis:
Content material (1 level)
So far as the bottom recreation goes, this one’s a wash. Hyperstone Heist has fewer phases general, however they’re longer, and each video games could be accomplished within the 45-50 minute timeframe. That mentioned, fewer phases means fewer boss battles. Turtles in Time has Baxter Stockman in Fly kind, Metalhead, The Rat King, Tokka and Rahzar, Bebop and Rocksteady, Leatherhead, Krang, and Shredder. Hyperstone Heist has Leatherhead, Shredder, Krang, and provides in human kind Baxter from the primary Arcade recreation, Tatsu, and weirdly, a battle towards Rocksteady, however no Bebop. Whereas it’s cool to see Tatsu on this planet of the cartoon Turtles, the remainder of the lacking bosses are an actual intestine punch.
When it comes to recreation modes, the SNES has a Time Trial mode AND a reasonably nifty Vs mode the place Splinter performs referee whereas two turtles battle it out and the opposite two watch within the background. Neither of which seem on Genesis.
Once more, this one’s not a lot of a contest. The Tremendous NES has it.
SNES: III
Genesis:
Gameplay (2 factors)
As soon as once more, each of those video games are extremely comparable. They each have auto-scrolling phases on hoverboards, and tons of Foot Troopers to beat your means by way of. The one actual distinction I observed of their gameplay was how the Genesis recreation has a devoted run button, the place the SNES recreation requires you to double faucet the D-pad to run. That is fully bonkers as a result of the SNES controller has so many buttons, together with shoulder buttons which might have been good as it could nonetheless go away your thumb accessible to simply hit bounce or assault, however no. That mentioned, the Genesis recreation’s run button by default is positioned on the finish, which is ever so barely awkward to make use of together with your common jumps and assaults, however this may be remapped within the choices menu if you would like.
On the finish of the day, each of those video games are a blast to play, and nicely value your time to undergo. I’m personally extra nostalgic for Turtles in Time, however by way of pure gameplay, I can’t say one actually performs higher than the opposite. They’re each nice, and which means this class is a tie. They each get 2 factors.
SNES: IIIII
Genesis: II
Properly, there you’ve gotten it, dudes and dudettes. Main league butt-kicking is again on the town within the type of Turtles in Time beating the pizza out of Hyperstone Heist. The SNES recreation is clear-cut higher wanting, sounding, and has extra worthwhile content material. However whereas this one actually wasn’t shut, it’s value noting that Hyperstone Heist continues to be a killer recreation. So go seize the Cowabunga Assortment on the trendy platform of your selection and play them each! When you like beat em ups, you received’t remorse it.
The winner is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time
And that’s it for this version of 16-Bit Brawl. You probably have a pair of video games you’d wish to see us pit towards each other, or simply genuinely disagree with my evaluation right here, tell us. See you subsequent time!
