John's Arcade Forum - Classic Arcade and Pinball Collecting and Restoring Discussion Forum - RETRO MAME - Nintendo Vs Forum

On last week's Arcade Outsiders, they discussed how Donkey Kong Jr. was better as a console than in an arcade cabinet.  I've always agreed with that.  If you play DK Jr. on an Atari XL computer, it looks great and it is much more forgiving.  On  8-bit computers, these two games are also better:

Missile Command - Using a joystick is much more precise than a track ball.  I even think this game was better on the 2600.
Pengo - This was one of my favorite 8-bit games but it is brutal in an arcade cabinet.  Just played it again on my Atari XL and, sure enough, I like it a lot better.

Any others?

I don't have firsthand experience with the arcade original but many say that Bionic Commando was better on the NES.  I had it on the NES and played the hell out of it and thought it was awesome.  It's easily one of the top 10 NES games ever if you ask me.

Many say that NES Ninja Gaiden was better than arcade too, but I think that one isn't as cut-and-dried and depends on who you ask.  A friend of mine loves the arcade original and never liked the NES port.  But I do think he is in the minority.  Again I never played the arcade original but loved it on my NES.

Those are the two that have always stood out for me regarding this question.

I thought they were talking about Punch Out.  Anyway, my answer is Punch Out.

I dont know why but nba jam and nfl blitz for me. Maybe because I played it more on the console

It's not the same game is it? The arcade version does not have the "communications and wire tap" options or the oh map where you select routes, also the end boss is different. In the arcade you are super Joe, in the Nes version you are looking for super Joe? i believe.

EDD and Moogrum bring up a good point.  I think most sports titles are better on consoles than in an arcade.  Football, baseball, and basketball need to be played from beginning to end to be fun.  Without feeding several quarters, there is no way to do that in most sports video arcade games.  There needs to be a gimmick for an arcade sports title (i.e. one round only in Punch-Out, one series in Ten Yard Fight, punching a guy in the face in Arch Rivals).

 

Castlevania but in this case it came out on NES first.  Then came "Haunted Castle" which was harder and messed up vs. the original NES game

Contra arcade is very ugly looking.

Who said DK JR is better on the console?!

I would not agree with this! :)

Yes i remember NFl blitz would charge by the quarter (Segment of a football game) and more for overtime which i seemed to always be in that situation  ;D. $2 for a complete game.

Before i had my MC i used to play it a lot on the 2600 with a joystick and i loved it. But i fail to see how a joystick is more precise than a trak ball. But maybe it´s just me.

As to games that were better on consoles i would like to add Commando here. The Commodore 64 wasn´t exactly a console but Commando was good on there. Not as good looking as the arcade version, but the difficulty level was right and the soundtrack was awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrQuR1LHAVI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrQuR1LHAVI)

I mis-typed.  I think it was Mike Tyson's punch out that Jow suggested was better on the console.  I disagree with that BUT...... If you have any 8-bit Ataris laying around, I challenge you to play a few games of DKJr and then go to your DKJr cab and play a few games.  I do think the 8-bit version is better.

It always seemed easier to get your shots lined up directly under the incoming missiles.  On the MC cabinet, I find myself guessing and really just spraying shots after only a few levels. 

Oh yes, now i see what you mean. But it´s also because the incoming missiles get so much faster with each wave. I think it´s just a matter of getting used to and training with the TB.

Rygar on nes is way better than the arcade. Tmnt turtles in time was better on snes. (the shredder fight where yu throw foot guys into the screen to hit him on snes was awesome)

I think I just realized why I like DKJr more on 8-bit:  I can use my right hand to control the joystick.  The Nintendo cab has the joystick on the left.  I am not ambidextrous.  That's why it seems easier. 

I can't agree with Rygar being better on the NES. The arcade is a much better game. They were quite different from each other so I don't know if you can really compare them.

did rygar on nes allow you to throw your shield 'around' some 8bit ports limited rygars athletic and offensive abilities! love love love Rygar but I would not say any console version beats the arcade version.

The arcade version is a linear game. The nes version was more of an open world game with objetties and such. Games were totally different. After playing it on the nes as a kid the arcade version was disappointing to me

Kung fu...

I agree punch out is a great game on the console but different from the arcade version. I personally think the arcade version is more challenging than the console or PC10. Same goes for any Nintendo game in the arcade,  there's just something about standing in front of the cabinet that makes it better.