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NEC PC-Engine/SuperGrafx => PC Engine/SuperGrafx Discussion => Topic started by: CloudGamerX on September 30, 2016, 01:53:12 AM

Title: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: CloudGamerX on September 30, 2016, 01:53:12 AM
Alright, so lately I have been playing alot of Splatterhouse on my PC Engine, and one thing that sticks out to me is that in the beginning of the first two levels, you get a 2x4 instead of the cleaver like in the arcade. I have heard someone say it's probably due to hardware limitations, but then I saw a hack where they implemented the cleaver in Stage 1, and the monsters actually get decapitated when you hit them with it. So was it actually censorship from NEC's part, or did someone just hack in new sprites with the cleaver replacement?
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: tbone3969 on September 30, 2016, 01:56:05 AM
I thought the PCE version was uncensored?
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: edamame on September 30, 2016, 02:05:18 AM
Basically the only difference in the PCE version is Rick's mask is white, stage 4's boss fight is against an upside down cross and it takes place in a church with an altar at the end.
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: Necromancer on September 30, 2016, 02:28:34 AM
It's not censorship or a hardware limitation, it's just the standard simplifications made to fit a project within the budgeted schedule and rom size.
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: lukester on September 30, 2016, 02:36:57 AM
Quote from: Necromancer on September 30, 2016, 02:28:34 AM
It's not censorship or a hardware limitation, it's just the standard simplifications made to fit a project within the budgeted schedule and rom size.

This. And there's a lot less gory background detail. And a bird enemy is missing.

Still a great port though. And Captain Mozarella <3
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: esteban on September 30, 2016, 08:34:39 AM
Because... why not?

http://tg-16.com/screenshot_comparisons_action.htm#Splatterhouse
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: NightWolve on September 30, 2016, 08:46:00 AM
PC Engine (PCE)Mega Drive (MD, Genesis)
(http://tg-16.com/comparisons/splatter_pce_5.png)(http://tg-16.com/comparisons/splatter_md_5.gif)

Hm, I like the blue clothes better, but green ain't bad either. PCE Jason Hockey mask is definitely better than MD Skull mask, but the latter better protected you from infringement concerns from the copyright holders of the Friday the 13th/Jason franchise (whatever risk there was). As it wouldn't have been too much trouble, I vote that color options should've been made available. Let the player decide how Jason should do his thang in style!
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: NE146 on September 30, 2016, 09:22:02 AM
Quote from: lukester on September 30, 2016, 02:36:57 AM
Quote from: Necromancer on September 30, 2016, 02:28:34 AM
It's not censorship or a hardware limitation, it's just the standard simplifications made to fit a project within the budgeted schedule and rom size.

This. And there's a lot less gory background detail. And a bird enemy is missing.

Still a great port though. And Captain Mozarella <3

I'll probably get boo'd for saying this, but I was relatively disappointed with TG16 Splatterhouse back in the day for exactly for that reason. I remember being excited bringing the port home, only to find it was much plainer than the arcade without details like the body parts in the foreground.. which to me kind of sucked the spirit of the game away. Because let's face it, the huge part of this game's uniqueness was the horror atmosphere and gory "splatter" graphics..

The gameplay was all there though, that is for sure. :)
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: exodus on September 30, 2016, 08:17:00 PM
the timing is a lot better and more precise on the turbo/pce version compared to the arcade. far and away my favorite version.
Title: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: esteban on September 30, 2016, 10:11:26 PM
Honest question: how many folks here had Splatterhouse at a local arcade/deli/whatever back in the day?

Sadly, it simply wasn't in my area (and even worse, I have not found a cab in the intervening years, either).

One of these days I will play AN ACTUAL Splatterhouse cab....

Hopefully, the music will be MAXXED OUT:
http://www.tg-16.com/mp2/Splatterhouse/splatterhouse_medley_arcade.mp3


Although I really like the sound of the arcade tunes, I think the PCE Splatterhouse soundtrack (http://archives.tg-16.com/music_database.htm?col=jp&val=splat) is marvelous, too.

:)
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: WoodyXP on October 01, 2016, 06:58:40 AM
Quote from: esteban on September 30, 2016, 10:11:26 PM
Honest question: how many folks here had Splatterhouse at a local arcade/deli/whatever back in the day?

Never in my life have I seen a Splatterhouse cab. 
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: johnnykonami on October 01, 2016, 07:16:13 AM
Same here - I would chalk it up to not seeming family friendly enough for the arcades I went to, but one of them definitely had a Chiller cab only years before so I dunno.  There was certainly more news and hubbub about video game violence around the time it came out, so there's that also.  Only 36 owners on KLOV, maybe it didn't have much presence in the USA until the TG-16 version released.
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: NE146 on October 01, 2016, 08:03:41 AM
I came across it infrequently. One was back home in Guam (in a bootleg cabinet I'm sure).. and the other was when I was in college in the Bay Area, in an arcade in Santa Clara, CA.. somewhere down Saratoga Ave.
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: MrBroadway on October 01, 2016, 08:39:38 AM
Quote from: esteban on September 30, 2016, 10:11:26 PM
Honest question: how many folks here had Splatterhouse at a local arcade/deli/whatever back in the day?

Sadly, it simply wasn't in my area (and even worse, I have not found a cab in the intervening years, either).
I'm lucky that there's one down the street from me, although I generally just prefer the PCE version for home comfort.
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: Bonknuts on October 04, 2016, 08:03:58 AM
Quote from: CloudGamerX on September 30, 2016, 01:53:12 AM
Alright, so lately I have been playing alot of Splatterhouse on my PC Engine, and one thing that sticks out to me is that in the beginning of the first two levels, you get a 2x4 instead of the cleaver like in the arcade. I have heard someone say it's probably due to hardware limitations, but then I saw a hack where they implemented the cleaver in Stage 1, and the monsters actually get decapitated when you hit them with it. So was it actually censorship from NEC's part, or did someone just hack in new sprites with the cleaver replacement?

 Did the hack add in the extra frames of animation for the decapitation or were they already in the rom?

 I'm going to assume that the hack didn't add anything graphic-wise (pretty sure I know of the hack you're talking about). So I'd say it was a design related reason and obviously not a system limitation. Yeah, other details missing are memory limitation of the rom (and there are some other hardware limitations as well), but the cleaver in the first level doesn't appear to be one of them - according to your description of the hack.
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: HailingTheThings on October 04, 2016, 10:30:29 AM
Quote from: esteban on September 30, 2016, 10:11:26 PM
Honest question: how many folks here had Splatterhouse at a local arcade/deli/whatever back in the day?

Had a small local arcade called "Nickelodeon" located inside an old, run down mall. I remember playing Splatterhouse, Time Killers and Battletoads there. Yay.
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: seieienbu on October 09, 2016, 01:01:37 PM
I played it once when I was about 8 or 9.  An arcade named Games Galore in a shopping strip had it.  Games Galore was a dark and smoke-y place.  When I got to the boss of the first level my mother made me stop playing. 

I've referred to that boss ever since as the "Brain Worms." 
Title: Re: Splatterhouse PCE - The Cleaver
Post by: esteban on October 09, 2016, 05:02:27 PM
Quote from: seieienbu on October 09, 2016, 01:01:37 PM
I played it once when I was about 8 or 9.  An arcade named Games Galore in a shopping strip had it.  Games Galore was a dark and smoke-y place.  When I got to the boss of the first level my mother made me stop playing. 

I've referred to that boss ever since as the "Brain Worms."

Ha!