Supergrafx - is it worth it?

[vestcoat]

I should have asked this before buying one, but what do you guys think?  

It's in the mail right now with a a copy of Aldynes.
I picked one up because i was worried about how Supergrafx auctions seem to be getting more and more expensive these days and also because I wanted to start assembling a back-up system.  is it worth tracking down a copy of 1941?  Am i correct in my understanding that Battle Ace sucks?

[rolins]

I've never owned a SGX, but buying one has crossed my mind. The reason why I never bought one is because it's tough to find a Super CD unit w/ the right connector cable.

You won't be disappointed with Aldynes. I've played it on ME and I can understand all the great reviews about it. If you do get a SGX the only other game I would consider is Daimakaimura.

1941 is a step up compared to 1943 Kai, but I think they both stink. Actually, I hate all the console versions of 19XX series, irritating music/sfx and gameplay.

Still, played them on an emulator and decide for yourself.

[Bonknuts]

1941 is a great game IMO. The graphics are pretty good, until the later levels were they degrade - probably because its only 8megs. The music is actually good considering the arcade music was average at best (think generic Adlib sound channels), so I actually prefer the chip music - its catchy. The playablility/controls are great. I found the game to be much better than 1943, but then again I didn't play 1943 back in the day.

The Super CDROM2 unit goes for $100-155. There is an online vendor that has a used boxed Super CDROM2 unit for $155. Mine didn't come with the power cord, so I had to look around for a correct voltage AC adapter, then look for a AC that had a plug that actually fits. I found both at second hand stores. I ended up making one AC from two.

[Keranu]

I don't own a SuperGrafx, but from the small handful of games it has (which I have played via emulator), they are all pretty decent, Granzort being my favorite probably. I'd recommend one if you really want to try that handful of games and have a back up unit to play PCE games, not to mention a really interesting looking machine and a cool gem to have in your collection to impress people with.

[td741]

My SGX + SCD replaced my old duo as my turbo system.

I've got pretty much all of the SGX game (except Darius Alpha).

My memory on the SGX games is a little foggy as I don't get much time to play games anymore.  However, from what I can recall I'd rate the games in the following order:

1941
Aldynes
Ghouls and Ghosts
Grand Zort
(Darius Plus)
Battle Ace

Battle Ace isn't bad.  It's just an afterburner-ish-type game.

Let's see, 1941 and Aldynes are games that probably would not have been quite as possible on the PCEngine.  Both games seem to have this sense of speed that I don't think I've experienced on any PCE/Turbo games before.

[_joshuaTurbo]

gotta get Ghouls and Ghosts.  All the way dude.  The game is absolutley perfect.  Awesome grafx, extremely difficult game.  A MUST HAVE.

Then of course you can play all Hucard stuff on it, and then get the CD add on.  Good for you man, You'll get plenty of sweet action out of your purchase!!


Rock On!!!




TurboSage

[vestcoat]

thanks guys.
Anyone know where i can get 1941 for less than one hundred dollars?

I reckon i'll pick up Ghouls and Ghosts as soon as possible.  It's embarrassing, but the only version i've ever played is on the SMS.  I think it's a great game though.

Stupid question, but will the AC adapter that comes with the deck work in the US?  i've never used an import system before.

I've never owned a SGX, but buying one has crossed my mind. The reason why I never bought one is because it's tough to find a Super CD unit w/ the right connector cable.

are you referring to the ac adapter or is there a cable you need to connect  a SGX to the SCD unit?  I was under the impression that the SGX just had a big port and you lock them together.  i know you do need an adapter to connect the supergrafx to the original pce cd-rom players (Edit:  Oh yeah, the RAU-30.  Thank you Compatibility Guide!)

[rolins]

Yeah, I was referring to the RAU-30 adapter. It suppose to connect the SGX to the cd-rom2 unit, but this where I'm confused. Do you need this cable to connect it to the SuperCD unit?

Edit:

Scratch out my last question. I found a pic with the SGX w/ SCD unit. I guess the cable isn't needed.

[handygrafx]

gotta get Ghouls and Ghosts.  All the way dude.  The game is absolutley perfect.  Awesome grafx, extremely difficult game.  A MUST HAVE.

Then of course you can play all Hucard stuff on it, and then get the CD add on.  Good for you man, You'll get plenty of sweet action out of your purchase!!


Rock On!!!




TurboSage

SuperGrafx Ghouls 'n Ghosts is good, but in no way is it anywhere near 'arcade perfect'.   It is not even almost identical to the arcade, like the X68000, Saturn, PS1, PS2 and Xbox versions are.

here's a comparison of SuperGrafx Ghouls 'n Ghosts (1990) vs the
CPS Arcade original (1988)



does SuperGrafx


look the same as Arcade?




the 'arcade perfect' (not) SuperGrafx



vs Arcade
(look at the swamp background in the distance)



SuperGrafx




Arcade



still not convinced?


SuperGrafx stage 3-2



Arcade stage 3-2
(Arcade stone monsters have claws, but not on SuperGrafx. the clouds are much better too)


trial by fire!

SuperGrafx


Arcade

_______________________

SuperGrafx
(the fire really sucks here)

Arcade
(all the fire looks great!)



Arcade


SuperGrafx
(looks somewhat close to arcade in this particular comparison (unlike others) but notice the blockier, less intricately detailed roots  on the right and missing worm-creature on the left)


SuperGrafx
(not much detail....)


Arcade
(look at the exellent DETAIL in the wall~entrance!)


_______________
Arcade
(detailed wall, bones, and tent!)


_______________
SuperGrafx
(where'd all the great detail go?)


________________
Arcade
(nice skeleton)


________________
SuperGrafx
(hey! give that skeleton back!)


SuperGrafx



Arcade
(the blue wall on the right looks awesome in the Arcade, but not nearly so on SuperGrafx)


(nevermind the somewhat blurry, washed out, over-bright look  of the last few arcade screens, I had to do capture them using MAME and I turned up the pause-brightness so you could see the detail better)


p.s. the Xbox and PS2 version in Capcom Classics Collection are not 100% exact to the arcade, although it is MUCH MUCH closer than the SuperGrafx version.  the Xbox-PS2 version is based directly on the not-QUITE-exact but 'pretty damn close' Playstation rendition from Capcom Generation vol. 2. which was released in 1998.  the Saturn version does not have background brightness problems that the PS1-Xbox-PS2 version has.


so, I hope that any illusions of the SuperGrafx Ghouls 'n Ghosts being, heh, 'arcade perfect', have been completely and utterly DESTROYED

with that said, I *Still* love the SuperGrafx and its translation (not port) of Ghouls 'n Ghosts and still think it's worth picking up at a REASONABLE price.  do not pay more than $300 for a SuperGrafx plus GnG.  I payed slightly under $300 for mine in the late 90s.

[Bonknuts]

No, the Super CDROM2 unit does not need the RAU-30 adapter. It also does not need a system card as it has system card 3.0 built into it. If you by the Arcade card upgrade for the Super CDROM2 unit, buy the Arcade Card Duo as it's cheaper and compatible with this unit (not the suit case models).

The Super CDROM2 unit has a AC power connector pass through cable so you only need one AC adapter(PAD-125), but the pass through connector needs to be for the SuperGrafx as the plug connecter is bigger than the PCE/CoreGrafx. The pass through cable I got with mine isn't for the SuperGrafx, so I run two AC adapters

[dj898]

same here though I rarely fire up my SGX combo...
use duo-rx instead if I need...

[GUTS]

Nice comparison shots, I was always under the impression that the super grafx version was supposedly arcade perfect.  From those pics it looks like the Genesis version basically.

[Keranu]

There is a site that compares the arcade, x6800, Genesis, and Super Grafx versions, and they are all a little different actually. The x6800 version was really close though, but the Super Grafx and Genesis versions just sort of decided to draw their own versions of the tiles, rather then trying to immitate them.

By the way, did anyone else think the Super Grafx version looked cooler in this shot?

[handygrafx]

Nice comparison shots, I was always under the impression that the super grafx version was supposedly arcade perfect.  From those pics it looks like the Genesis version basically.

SuperGrafx  version is quite a bit more detailed than the Genesis version as it uses more of the arcade's art, but it's not as detailed as the arcade and much less color is used.

SuperGrafx graphics are roughly inbetween Genesis and Arcade overall, maybe leaning slightly a bit more towards the arcade, but still a long enough ways off so that there is a large and very pronounced difference.


X68000 version is probably the closest to the arcade, even closer than PS1, Saturn, PS2 and Xbox.  these versions are all arcade-quality even though not 100% exact--they're close enough to the point where it doesn't really matter much.  however I do miss the arcade ending music which is different in PS1, Saturn, PS2, Xbox, but thankfully is alright in X68000 which is one of the main reasons I rate it above the other arcade-quality versions I mentioned in this paragraph.

There is a site that compares the arcade, x6800, Genesis, and Super Grafx versions, and they are all a little different actually. The x6800 version was really close though, but the Super Grafx and Genesis versions just sort of decided to draw their own versions of the tiles, rather then trying to immitate them.

here are some of the webpages comparing the different versions of Ghouls 'n Ghosts (not the more recent versions)

http://nfg.2y.net/games/x68k/
http://nfg.2y.net/games/GnG/
http://www.geocities.com/theghoulrealm/gng2.html
http://www.skytopia.com/games/arcade/arcadecompare.html
(scroll down to the middle of the page)

[esteban]

OK, this thread inspired me to post a few thoughts on the use of "arcade perfect" terminology and why it is a relative term:

0) Back in the day, many ports seemed to *really capture* the arcade experience, in terms of gameplay, graphics and sound. Today, we look back and realize that the consoles of yesterday didn't have many (if any) arcade perfect ports. Even simpler arcade games like Galaga were lacking / different in significant ways.

1) We still don't have truly "arcade perfect" ports on today's high-end hardware / consoles. Do many of these ports *seem* nearly perfect? Of course. Well, at least in 2005 we think so...

2) A few years from now, though, people will laugh at our current emulation of arcade hardware, because significant improvements will be made in all areas. Perhaps only the purists will appreciate this, because most folks are happy with the current level of emulation of older arcade games, but improvements will be made.

So,

A) "Arcade perfect", depending on how strict your standards are, is a term that shouldn't be thrown around carelessly with ports. EVEN TODAY.

But,

B) If we judge a port in context to the available hardware at the time, we can better appreciate the ports of yesteryear. In the realm of computers X68000 had a wicked port of G n G. But we should distinguish between platforms and not simply lump X68000 (or AMIGA, for that matter) in with relatively cheap consoles when we make comparisons.

We should also be a little forgiving when folks (back in the day) extolled a game as "nearly arcade perfect" because, at the time, these ports were as close as any console had gotten to recreating more sophisticated arcade games. We're talking late 80's and early 90's.

Sure, there were great ports of simpler, earlier arcade games (i.e. Joust, Galaga) during 8-bit and prior console eras, but it was amazing to see STRIDER on the Genesis at the same time it was in the arcades. Yeah, I know that Strider on Genesis wasn't arcade perfect -- far from it. I also know that folks have argued that the Genny port is showing its age and had some flaws. I don't disagree. But I still enjoy the game -- and it is NOT about nostalgia.

I seek and enjoy most versions of a kool game. So...

C) I never understand folks who say, "Well, now that the we have the perfect Saturn / DC / PSX / GBA / PS2 port of ____________ , you shouldn't waste your time with the earlier, lesser ports." In all fairness, some of the folks who say this aren't interested in retrogaming on consoles as much as they are interested in the orginal arcade games.

Sorry for rambling !!!