Ports -

[Crichax]

For those who don't know, Fraki is easily one of the best game reviewers on YouTube right now. He has a fantastic series called Port Patrol that talks about various game ports.

Port Patrol

Welcome to Port Patrol. The show where I look at weird, interesting or knock off ports of video games.

www.youtube.com

This thread will basically be the KF equivalent of that series. What are some of your memories of various game ports?

As for one of my experiences with a port, I own Madagascar Kartz for the original DS. It's a solid Mario Kart clone, which isn't that bad, surprisingly.

 

[VV 422]

that isn't a port. a port is an attempted direct conversion of an existing game from one platform to another -- ghouls 'n ghosts for the genesis is a port, but super ghouls 'n ghosts for the snes is not. ports also include enhanced remakes, like pokemon firered and leafgreen
with that said, kirby super star ultra was a fantastic port to the ds, and so was super mario 64 ds if you bothered to use the wrist strap and the touch screen for movement. my least favorite port is castlevania dracula x for the snes, which isn't completely terrible but really pales in comparison to rondo of blood for the pc engine. if you can get ahold of the enhanced psp remake, you should give it a shot

 

[saisegeha]

and so was super mario 64 ds if you bothered to use the wrist strap and the touch screen for movement.

Holy shit the controls were so bad but somehow you just got used to it after a while. I have fond memories of Mario 64 DS too because the new additions were fun and they kept the atmosphere of the original. Also fuck me for believing you can unlock Waluigi the same way everyone thought you can unlock Luigi in the original.

Since we're at Mario, I also thought Yoshi's Island for the GBA was a good port, even though it was bright as shit.

 

[VV 422]

Holy shit the controls were so bad but somehow you just got used to it after a while. I have fond memories of Mario 64 DS too because the new additions were fun and they kept the atmosphere of the original. Also fuck me for believing you can unlock Waluigi the same way everyone thought you can unlock Luigi in the original.

Since we're at Mario, I also thought Yoshi's Island for the GBA was a good port, even though it was bright as shit.

all the super mario advance ports were good honestly. their only issues were the washed-out color palette, like you said, and the awful sound quality, since the gba's sound chip is made of tin cans and string
fun fact, if you're enough of an autist to try it (like me) you can actually map the input of an analog stick to a ds emulator's bottom screen to play SM64DS with a controller. it's exactly like the original but strictly better, especially with a resolution increase

 

[Clop]

Since we're at Mario, I also thought Yoshi's Island for the GBA was a good port, even though it was bright as shit.

For a moment I almost mixed this with the godawful DS-port that completely butchered the brilliant soundtrack. Still, for the soundtrack alone I would pick SNES since sadly while GBA has a pretty cool sound chip that really delivers in stuff like Advance Wars, it can't quite replicate some oomphs in YI.

 

[{o}P II]

Star Wars Battlefront II for psp is my favorite weird port
its bassilcy the console versions without some maps and the campaign
the psp was the original switch in terms of ports (and it was acttauly portable as opposed to the switch)

 

[Chaos Theorist]

I'm more of a brandy man myself

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Console ports of PC games are almost never as good as the PC counterpart, especially in the 90s and 2000s. That might seem kinda obvious given that PCs were way ahead of the curve back then, but holy shit it's night and day.

My first experience with Max Payne was the PS2 version, and the controls were clunky as shit. That was the game that made me realize that mouse controls are superior to analog sticks when it comes to shooters. Not only that, but the game was clearly made with WASD movement in mind, since the tiniest tap of the analog sticks would make Max run full tilt in that direction (this gets really bad in sections with laser tripwires). I later got the game on Steam, and not only were the controls so much better, but the levels weren't chopped into bite-sized pieces because the PC could actually handle large-scale levels as opposed to the PS2's much more limited capabilities.

Of course, the majority of shooters that have more than 3 weapons suffer when ported to console since developers couldn't figure out how to switch between weapons without awkwardly scrolling through all of them. This is why I loved what Doom 2016 did by having a weapons wheel that slowed time as the player could pick a different weapon.

 

[Crichax]

Holy shit the controls were so bad but somehow you just got used to it after a while. I have fond memories of Mario 64 DS too because the new additions were fun and they kept the atmosphere of the original. Also fuck me for believing you can unlock Waluigi the same way everyone thought you can unlock Luigi in the original.

Since we're at Mario, I also thought Yoshi's Island for the GBA was a good port, even though it was bright as shit.

When I was younger, I believed you could unlock Waluigi too! Also, the 3DS Circle Pad makes playing that game (and many other DS games) so much better.

 

[JM 590]

Payday 2 has a notorious history of upsetting anyone that played the console ports. To get you up to speed:

-the PS3 and 360 versions' support was culled about a year after release, with some paid DLC and just two updates coming out. No new maps or characters were ever added
-the PS4 and Xbox One versions got significantly more updates and DLC, but are still perpetually behind the PC version
-the Switch version was released in Feb 2018, but shipped with updates and DLC up to mid-2016. It hasn't been updated aside from the day one patch, no DLC has been released, and it's behind even the PS4/XB1 versions.

On top of that, there was that one time when one of the developers rudely told a player to switch platforms (just buy it on PC):

The Xbox One version of Payday 2's release was a broken mess that took months to be fixed, and according to assorted forum posts I saw, the matchmaking is still really bad

And even to this day, Overkill still doesn't care much about the console community, as can be seen in this Reddit thread where they announce they're bundling up all the console DLC on PS4/Xbone. Still no word on any Switch updates, and that free console update coming this summer... still hasn't dropped. It's mid-August, school is back in session, and the console community's so beaten down on how Overkill's treated them over the years that they're just happy with anything.

Payday 2's a great, though heavily flawed game, but, just... don't expect the full package if you don't want to play it on PC.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Payday 2 has a notorious history of upsetting anyone that played the console ports. To get you up to speed:

-the PS3 and 360 versions' support was culled about a year after release, with some paid DLC and just two updates coming out. No new maps or characters were ever added
-the PS4 and Xbox One versions got significantly more updates and DLC, but are still perpetually behind the PC version
-the Switch version was released in Feb 2018, but shipped with updates and DLC up to mid-2016. It hasn't been updated aside from the day one patch, no DLC has been released, and it's behind even the PS4/XB1 versions.

On top of that, there was that one time when one of the developers rudely told a player to switch platforms (just buy it on PC):
View attachment 897065

The Xbox One version of Payday 2's release was a broken mess that took months to be fixed, and according to assorted forum posts I saw, the matchmaking is still really bad

And even to this day, Overkill still doesn't care much about the console community, as can be seen in this Reddit thread where they announce they're bundling up all the console DLC on PS4/Xbone. Still no word on any Switch updates, and that free console update coming this summer... still hasn't dropped. It's mid-August, school is back in session, and the console community's so beaten down on how Overkill's treated them over the years that they're just happy with anything.

Payday 2's a great, though heavily flawed game, but, just... don't expect the full package if you don't want to play it on PC.

I know I just complained about PC to console ports, but holy shit this is just plain dickish. It's not even down to technical problems or anything, it's just the developers actively fucking over people who probably can't even play Payday 2 on PC.

 

[Recoil]

Might as well sperg on one of my favorite series of ports.

Slime World originally came out on the Atari Lynx. It was capitalizing on that 90's 'tude gross out humor that gave us titles like Boogerman on the genesis. I was lucky enough to talk with its creator, Peter Engelbrite, at length. He's an oldschool US gamedev who worked for Atari & Epyx and programmed the whole game by himself, including graphics, sound, music and level design. It's a very well programmed game, full of silky smooth graphical effects that several ports tried to replicate on much more powerful machines and failed at.

Here's the original Lynx game:

Here's a port on the Genesis:

Here's the PC-Engine CD port, with cutscenes:

None of the two later ports hold a candle to Englebrite's original, even on significantly more powerful systems. It's no surprise that Englebrite didn't have any role in them. A game's 'soul' is hard to put your finger on but when it's missing, you know right away.

 

[Shaved Kiwis]

I think I've played all the ports and releases of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 save for the Pocket PC version. The GBA and GBC versions were obviously their own games, but the GBA version managed to remake most of the moves and the general level layout of the 3D games in an isometric fashion. It played pretty well and was really impressive for the time. The PC version was probably the best one since it was the first PC Tony Hawk game and included a bunch of levels from the first game. It's pretty sweet being able to manual through the Dam level. The latter Xbox version felt like it used a different engine and the Xbox exclusive levels sucked ass. It didn't help that the Xbox dpad was shit for doing combos either. And don't get me started on the Tony Hawk HD remake where the grinding physics are completely fucked and you can fall through the floor.

While I am at it; what the hell happened to extreme sports games? There were a ton in the 90s and early 2000s. Is it the death of arcades or the push towards realism? It seems like extreme sports games mostly died out with the PS2.

 

[sasazuka]

that isn't a port. a port is an attempted direct conversion of an existing game from one platform to another -- ghouls 'n ghosts for the genesis is a port, but super ghouls 'n ghosts for the snes is not. ports also include enhanced remakes, like pokemon firered and leafgreen

Speaking of which, I didn't experience this port first hand as we already had Ghouls 'n Ghosts for the Sega Genesis but the Sega Master System port of Ghouls 'n Ghosts is really impressive for the hardware it's on.

Spoiler: Ghouls n' Ghosts longplay on Sega Master System

Another 16-bit Capcom arcade game that got an impressive "de-make" on the Sega Master System was Street Fighter II, down-ported to the Master System by TecToy of Brazil. According to Top Hat Gaming Man, TecToy convinced Capcom to let them put it out for an 8-bit system by first tricking them into thinking it was a Mega Drive port, which obviously looked inadequate compared to the already-existing Mega Drive/Genesis ports of Street Fighter II put out by Capcom themselves. Capcom told TecToy that it needed a lot of work, considering most of the background elements were missing, but then Capcom changed their tune when TecToy revealed that these graphics were being put out by a lowly 8-bit processor. Capcom was very impressed that TecToy were able to put such detail and smooth animation into large character sprites on the Sega Master System and gave permission for TecToy sell the game in Brazil.

Spoiler: Top Hat Gaming Man discussing SFII for the Sega Master System

 

[JM 590]

I think I've played all the ports and releases of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 save for the Pocket PC version. The GBA and GBC versions were obviously their own games, but the GBA version managed to remake most of the moves and the general level layout of the 3D games in an isometric fashion. It played pretty well and was really impressive for the time. The PC version was probably the best one since it was the first PC Tony Hawk game and included a bunch of levels from the first game. It's pretty sweet being able to manual through the Dam level. The latter Xbox version felt like it used a different engine and the Xbox exclusive levels sucked ass. It didn't help that the Xbox dpad was shit for doing combos either. And don't get me started on the Tony Hawk HD remake where the grinding physics are completely fucked and you can fall through the floor.

I had some fun with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X. The menus are the most 2001 things I've ever seen:

While I am at it; what the hell happened to extreme sports games? There were a ton in the 90s and early 2000s. Is it the death of arcades or the push towards realism? It seems like extreme sports games mostly died out with the PS2.

Yeah, I miss that genre too. Some genres just seem to go in and out of style. Extreme sports games were alive at a time when adventure games were completely dead, and now they're everywhere, albeit, evolved into Telltale-style interactive movies and walking simulators. Horror games seem to be making a small comeback, too, what with the popularity of Resident Evil 7 and Five Nights at Freddy's. Maybe we'll see a resurgence in the 2020s?

Seems like the closest things we have today are along the lines of Trials and Urban Trial Freestyle, Excitebike-style games that sort of mesh puzzle solving with Tony Hawk-style stunt comboing. Those are great games, but nothing worked quite as well as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

And if you don't already know about it, check out THUG Pro. It's a big mod that lets you play most of the older Tony Hawk levels in THUG2 PC's engine.

 

[Shaved Kiwis]

Speaking of which, I didn't experience this port first hand as we already had Ghouls 'n Ghosts for the Sega Genesis but the Sega Master System port of Ghouls 'n Ghosts is really impressive for the hardware it's on.

Spoiler: Ghouls n' Ghosts longplay on Sega Master System

Another 16-bit Capcom arcade game that got an impressive "de-make" on the Sega Master System was Street Fighter II, down-ported to the Master System by TecToy of Brazil. According to Top Hat Gaming Man, TecToy convinced Capcom to let them put it out for an 8-bit system by first tricking them into thinking it was a Mega Drive port, which obviously looked inadequate compared to the already-existing Mega Drive/Genesis ports of Street Fighter II put out by Capcom themselves. Capcom told TecToy that it needed a lot of work, considering most of the background elements were missing, but then Capcom changed their tune when TecToy revealed that these graphics were being put out by a lowly 8-bit processor. Capcom was very impressed that TecToy were able to put such detail and smooth animation into large character sprites on the Sega Master System and gave permission for TecToy sell the game in Brazil.

Spoiler: Top Hat Gaming Man discussing SFII for the Sega Master System

The Brazilians also got a ton of Game Gear ports to the Master System that only got released over there. IIRC TecToy also created a version of Duke Nukem 3D for the Megadrive that had Wolfenstien 3D style maze levels instead of the recognizable locations of the original Duke 3D. Still, it was pretty neat for the time.

I had some fun with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X. The menus are the most 2001 things I've ever seen:

Yeah, I miss that genre too. Some genres just seem to go in and out of style. Extreme sports games were alive at a time when adventure games were completely dead, and now they're everywhere, albeit, evolved into Telltale-style interactive movies and walking simulators. Horror games seem to be making a small comeback, too, what with the popularity of Resident Evil 7 and Five Nights at Freddy's. Maybe we'll see a resurgence in the 2020s?

Seems like the closest things we have today are along the lines of Trials and Urban Trial Freestyle, Excitebike-style games that sort of mesh puzzle solving with Tony Hawk-style stunt comboing. Those are great games, but nothing worked quite as well as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

And if you don't already know about it, check out THUG Pro. It's a big mod that lets you play most of the older Tony Hawk levels in THUG2 PC's engine.

TBH by the time I sat down to play THPS2X at home I had already beaten it on DC,PC, PSX, and GBA at least twice over. I played through it once on my modded 360 in one go just to get to the new levels and hated the entire experience. I think it really came down to the horrid d-pad. Whenever Xbox emulation gets good I'd love to try it again with a PlayStation controller.

I'm holding out hope for a resurgence in extreme sports games, 3D platformers, and AA developed offbeat games. All the really unique and wacky stuff nowadays is made on a shoe string budget and some of it can really benefit from a larger dev team.

P.S. Thanks for reminding me to grab THUG Pro. I've been meaning to check it out for a while now.

 

[JM 590]

Another game with an interesting port situation is Silent Hill 2. When the game was ported to the Xbox, the "Born from a Wish" scenario was included. This was DLC before DLC, a small expansion that gives a backstory to an important character you meet throughout the story. Every port and release of Silent Hill 2 would have Born from a Wish going forward, even including the PS2 version's Greatest Hits rerelease. Completely unadvertised and everything. That's the only game I've ever heard of where the Greatest Hits version actually adds content.

 

[faint horizons]

The weirdest fucking port I've played is the Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories port for the PS2. You think with significantly better hardware the thing wouldn't chug but it does. It's like playing GTA 3 where occasionally the FPS drops are like abrupt and sometimes random.

Also a surprisingly underrated PSP port was Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition. I haven't played it, mostly because the PS2 version had the Remix version which had more cars and the old Tokyo map from Midnight Club 2, but the game is a full experience nonetheless. Soundtracks and all. Really shows you how far Sony was at in the handheld era while the DS, which was decent, was still by and large not exactly the bees knees then. Now Sony's handheld grip on the market is as tight as an old man with Parkinson's ever since the Vita flopped. Still, I'm baffled by the fact that they managed to fit the entirety of Midnight Club 3 on the PSP. It has turd textures upscaled but with that tiny ass screen it looked pretty decent for what it was.

 

[Shaved Kiwis]

Another game with an interesting port situation is Silent Hill 2. When the game was ported to the Xbox, the "Born from a Wish" scenario was included. This was DLC before DLC, a small expansion that gives a backstory to an important character you meet throughout the story. Every port and release of Silent Hill 2 would have Born from a Wish going forward, even including the PS2 version's Greatest Hits rerelease. Completely unadvertised and everything. That's the only game I've ever heard of where the Greatest Hits version actually adds content.

The weirdest fucking port I've played is the Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories port for the PS2. You think with significantly better hardware the thing wouldn't chug but it does. It's like playing GTA 3 where occasionally the FPS drops are like abrupt and sometimes random.

Also a surprisingly underrated PSP port was Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition. I haven't played it, mostly because the PS2 version had the Remix version which had more cars and the old Tokyo map from Midnight Club 2, but the game is a full experience nonetheless. Soundtracks and all. Really shows you how far Sony was at in the handheld era while the DS, which was decent, was still by and large not exactly the bees knees then. Now Sony's handheld grip on the market is as tight as an old man with Parkinson's ever since the Vita flopped. Still, I'm baffled by the fact that they managed to fit the entirety of Midnight Club 3 on the PSP. It has turd textures upscaled but with that tiny ass screen it looked pretty decent for what it was.

Speaking of interesting port situations Konami, Rockstar and the PS2 generation; IIRC Sony had an exclusivity contract with Konami for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty so Konami figured out a way around this by releasing MGS2: Substance as an enhanced port on the Xbox. As a side note the game got ported over to PC and PS2 later, but strangly enough only the PS2 version had that skateboarding minigame. Supposedly Rockstar had a similar contract in place with Sony and the way they got around this was to bundle the GTA games on Xbox and sell it as the GTA Double Pack. This was never officially confirmed but Rockstar games sold like gangbusters and there was no real need for them to package GTA III and Vice City together. Why else would they do it when squeezing cusotmers for extra copies was the way to go in the pre-DLC era?

As an aside I fucking loved Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition on the PSP. Definitely in my top 3 PSP racing games along with Burnout Legends and (one of the only great PSP exclusives) Persuit Force. There were tons of visual and performance mods for the cars and the map was huge for a portable game. It was one of the few games I bought legit and the only real downside to it was the abysmal load times especially when played from the UMD.

 

[BananaSplit]

I liked the PSP ports of home console games since the devs didnt sacrifice anything to make the game work in an handheld, but also added some extra content as a bonus. Playing Disgaea or any jrpg in short bursts was much more satisfying. PSP ports were in general well optimized unlike what happened to a good amount of Vita ports.

Speaking of Vita ports, I did like the Vanillaware titles (Dragon's Crown, Odin's Sphere and Muramasa), EDF2 Portable (originally a PS2 game, with a lot less framedrops than its first PSP port and Air Raider as an additional class), Catherine FullBody (advertised a lot on PS4 during development so it seemed like a red flag at first but the handheld port is actually pretty good) and Binding of Isaac Rebirth (it doesnt have the Afterbirth expansion and the framerate drops on extensive situations)

PC ports of japanese console games have gotten a lot better lately, outside of the typical NISA fuckup. Resident Evil 2 remake comes to mind as a prime example of well optimized port, but EDF5 runs very good too even if the pc port is rather barebones.