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The arcade scene is nowhere near the money maker it was in the late ’70s to mid ’90s. Then the industry saw several revolutionary titles that pushed the boundaries of hardware in ways home consoles couldn’t handle. However, as console gaming became more mainstream, these titles inevitably saw home versions that varied wildly in quality.
A good home for an arcade title is not always a replica of the original title. What makes a title fun in the arcades won’t always have a lasting appeal, so some changes, like extra content or more polished mechanics, can turn a good arcade title into an absolute classic.
10 Dear: Contra for the NES has cracked the code
When gamers bring up the original contrary, they mostly remember the Nintendo Entertainment System port rather than the original arcade version, and for good reason. Although the Western NES version removed several additions from the Japanese Famicom, such as cutscenes and certain graphical effects, it still retained the excellent run & gun gameplay of the original title.
An important addition to the home port was the inclusion of the Konami code, which gave players 30 lives. Because of this feature, probably more players made it to the end of this version than in the original arcade.
9 Worst: Cruis’N USA for the N64 needs a revamp
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The original Cruise’N USA cabinet was considered a great response to Sega’s avoid and Daytona titles. While Midway claimed the original arcade title was powered by the same technology that would be used to power the Nintendo “Ultra” 64, it turned out to be a complete fabrication.
Despite having had two whole years to bring this game to the N64, inconsistent frame rates, poor collision detection, and terrible Midi conversions from the original game soundtrack make this port a tough ride. However, despite the horrific nature of this conversion, it became a commercial success during the holiday season of 1996.
8 Best: UN Squadron soared higher than the arcade
Although the Super Nintendo port eschewed the 2 player mode from the original arcade title, it made several changes that made it considered the definitive version by many. The game’s playable characters were no longer assigned to a specific aircraft, as the port had a wide variety of merchantable ships and arsenal.
The mission-by-mission structure of the original title was changed in favor of a less linear basic defense structure where players could choose who to face next. As if that wasn’t enough, the SNES version also featured brand new bonus stages not featured in the original release.
7 Worst: X-Men vs. Street Fighter was powerless on the PlayStation
The PlayStation didn’t have much luck with ports from Capcom’s fighters. For any solid gate like Street Fighter Alpha 2there were several horrific conversions such as: X-Men Children of the Atom, Marvel vs Capcomand X-Men vs. street fighter. The latter had many of the same issues as earlier ports, such as missing animation frames, constant lag, less background detail, and more obtrusive loading times.
The most glaring omission, however, was the arcade’s tag team gameplay. Unfortunately, the PlayStation’s memory limitations have reduced combat to one-on-one, removing an instrumental gameplay component from this much-loved title.
6 Best: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time on the SNES is completely tubular
The Super Nintendo Port of Turtles in time featured fewer animation frames, more compressed audio, and was limited to just two players. However, it has made several improvements to the combat and even added new content. Throwing enemies was no longer a matter of luck; it was even included in a brand new boss fight.
New levels were set in the Technodrome and the Neon Night Riders stage saw a change of perspective thanks to the system’s Mode 7 effects. However, for every downside, the SNES port made up for it and then some.
5 Worst: Mortal Kombat was Hara Kiri-ed on the SNES
Next Mortal Kombats arcade debut, the home versions were expected to see some compromises. While the Super Nintendo port’s visual fidelity and sounds were superior to the Genesis port, two major drawbacks made it inferior. Despite having more buttons than the standard Genesis controller, the controls in the SNES were significantly less responsive.
What was, of course, the most glaring omission was the original arcade title’s signature blood and fatalities being replaced by sweat and much tamer finishers, respectively. It’s no mystery why the Genesis port outperformed the SNES version nearly three-to-one.
4 Best: Tekken Tag Tournament was ready for the next battle on the PlayStation 2
Namco’s home conversion was one of the premier launch titles for the PlayStation 2, surpassing the original arcade release in every way. While the original title ran on the 32-bit circuit board that fed the previous entries, the PS2 port of Tag Tournament would see a jump in polygon count and texture quality as well as re-orchestrated tracks from the original midi music.
Most importantly, the game’s refined combat has remained completely intact. If consumers were skeptical about the jump from the original PlayStation to its successor, Tekken Tag Tournament put those worries to rest.
3 Worst: Revolution X for the Genesis is a toy best left in the attic
The Genesis Port of Revolution X took what was already a pretty crappy railgun shooter and made it considerably worse. While the Super Nintendo version was able to retain some samples of Aerosmith’s songs, Genesis owners had to contend with twangy Yamaha sound-chip approaches from Rag Doll, Eat the Rich, and Toys in the Attic.
This is pretty unforgivable for a game whose entire selling point is the involvement of a recognizable band. For what it’s worth, Steven Tyler’s and the rest of the band’s music videos seem somewhat intact, even when highly compressed. The deadly blow to this port is the lack of support for light weapons.
2 Best: Soul Calibur
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From the game’s intro series, the Dreamcast version of Soul Calibur makes an immediate impression because it’s done completely in-time rather than pre-rendered. This port was a substantial improvement on the original arcade version with fully polygonal 3D backgrounds, more polished gameplay, and additional content.
New additions include three game modes: training, team battle, and survival. In addition, the undead pirate and main antagonist of soul edge, Cervantes de León, returns to the selection of this port. To extend the life of the game, new costumes and character art can be unlocked. All of this culminated in making what is arguably the best arcade-to-home conversion of all time.
1 Worst: Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 helped trigger the 1983 crash
Namcos Pac-Man became a cultural phenomenon upon its initial release in 1980. Gamers looking to take the fever from the comfort of their homes via the Atari 2600 were in for a crushing disappointment as the port bore almost no resemblance to its arcade big brother.
This disastrous port is one of several Atari 2600 titles blamed for the 1983 Western Video Game Crash. It’s not just a terrible title; it’s one that almost helped kill the industry. That crime alone earns it its place in history as the worst arcade port in gaming.
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