Jump to content
NHL'94 Forums

Differences between Snes and Genesis versions?


Recommended Posts

Ok, i'm gonna throw my pennies'worth in.

I've played both games extensively over the last few months, and never really settled upon one or the other but each have their good and bad points.

Gameplay:

Megadrive (I refuse to call it Gens): Faster, more responsive, a bit more free-flowing, checks feel bigger, goal siren (although a horn would have been nicer), one timers are easier, AI is a little less challenging. More fun than it's Nintendo counterpart

SNES: Checking over the boards (Awesome), better goaltender animations (they make proper scramble saves and actually cover the puck), better animations, slightly more scrappy and therefore more realistic gameplay. (although talking about realism in this title is probably a step beyond it's intention.)

Graphics:

Megadrive: Blocky, no real attempt at creating realistic looking players, innacurate uniforms with irritating pallate sharing, no stick-tape, no blades on skates, horrible day-glow ice colour, rubbishy bench area, crappy hatrick animations, centre ice logos (on closer inspection) look messy, on the upside a much nice zamboni.

Snes: Better player build, player faces are less cartoony, wonderful scope for uniforms, stick tape, skate blades, goalies look far better, ice is a nice pale blue, fans are more animated, fans by the goal bang on the glass (something yet to be implemented into a modern hockey game), hatrick animation looks much nicer, centre ice logos are crisper and more fitting with the overall environment. Just a nicer looking game overall.

In Game Sound:

Megadrive: Tinny puck and player sounds, crowd cheer more at faceoffs than they do anything else, hitting the post sounds like dropping a paperclip, organ music is more frequent and more varied.

SNES: Far superior in almost every department, the carom sounds and post hitting are two real gems, crowd is a little more subdued, organists don't enjoy their job.

Other comments:

Megadrive: Much cleaner menu environment, the hackers dream, better theme music, quicker into the game, better replay options.

SNES: Cluttered, and sometimes plain ugly in the menus and splash screens, more regimented in terms of hacking, forgetable theme, the bloody long waits to get into a game, A QUIT GAME OPTION! (Means you don't have to bloody reset)

*Awaits a bear baiting*

Edited by Robby D
Link to comment
Share on other sites

no matter which system you prefer, at the end of the day, coming up with reasons why one system is better than the other is an argument you will not win

This is very true. Although I will add that when done the right way (i.e., don't come off like a d-bag) that some posts on GENS-SNES are the only way I learn about features of the "other" system.

I am very jealous of SNES defense/goalie control.

I find it chuckle-able that people would try to say that clockwise's review is biased. That's like saying that Onion News has a slant. Just laugh and enjoy the gifts he gives you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's been changed to "injuring" because there is a normal Roughing penalty, and also a Roughing penalty when you injure a guy. So it was changed to differentiate between the two. At one point it was called Boarding, but since it rarely happens by the boards (and boarding is a 5-minute penalty anyway), it was changed to Injuring.

There was a vote for GDL 3, I think. Injuring won. (Actually, "pwning" won, but it was silly... so 2nd place won).

Actually, a lesser boarding only gives you 2, which should be the 1 period injury, while a Major Boarding is 5 minutes+10 Misconduct which should be the game injury.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Played this game for the Genesis last night at a friend's house and damn... It's so much faster it's crazy. I prefer the Genesis game in every way now, minus the terrible controller. You Sega guys were right lol

NOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!

I'm unbiased, so I feel my opinion is solid.

Things SNES version is better at:

Passing

Goalie animation and control

Controller

Things SEGA version is better at:

Speed

Gameplay

Slapshots

Overall hockey "feel"

Fun factor

I'm a SNES guy, as I was only allowed one system as a kid and picked SNES. Back then, you coundn't just pick up a Genesis for 20 bucks like you can now, so I had to make a choice. I am going to buy myself a Genesis as well as Nhl94 used for a dirty cheap price. I don't like the Genesis controller, but the gameplay is so solid I'll learn to live with it. Nhl94 on SNES appears to be in slow motion, and the skaters move like they're in quicksand. It's sad to see, but I'm able to put aside my SNES "loyalty" to show love to the ideal Nhl94, which is the SEGA version. Man is the SNES version slow now! I always thought the SNES was the more advanced system. Sad day for SNES fans, but it ain't even close!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I respect your opinion, however... I feel that the gameplay, overall hockey "feel" and fun factor are actually superior in SNES.

Things SNES version is better at:

Passing - agreed

Goalie animation and control - agreed

Controller - agreed, although with emulators, you can use whatever controller you want

Things SEGA version is better at:

Speed - faster is not always better. I love how you can really slow down the play in SNES and make subtle moves to shake off defenders before whipping the puck around or find a streaking winger for a quick one-timer. You want more speed? You could try some of the juiced or capitalism roms for SNES

Gameplay - really? This is highly subjective.

Slapshots - agreed. I will concede that the slappers are probably better/faster and score more often when not done off the one-timer

Overall hockey "feel" - highly subjective. But I vehemently disagree.

Fun factor - I disagree BIG TIME

I respect the fact that you were able to be so decisive regardless of which system you grew up playing, but I just think you made the wrong choice. :D All the best with your 94'ing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Things SEGA version is better at:

Speed - faster is not always better. I love how you can really slow down the play in SNES and make subtle moves to shake off defenders before whipping the puck around or find a streaking winger for a quick one-timer. You want more speed? You could try some of the juiced or capitalism roms for SNES

While i cant deny that speed can kill in the GENS version, it can be effectively combated with slow, deliberate game play. I've employed slow, grinding offensive hockey that is full of small subtle moves to set up things since the day ive shown up here and ive been fairly successful, as well have others in employing this method...this gameplay style may explain why i was also able to have success in snes after a short period of time.

I think the true beauty of the GENS game is that it can be played in a myriad of ways successfully...while in snes, it more or less felt like the same game over and over again because only a couple of tried and true methods work in producing winning results.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the true beauty of the GENS game is that it can be played in a myriad of ways successfully...

This is very true. For example, AJ can defeat me with Vancouver, he can defeat me with Quebec, he can defeat me with Hartford, he can defeat me with Edmonton, he can defeat me with San Joe, he can defeat me with Ottawa... The list really goes on and on. There are so many ways to be successful!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While i cant deny that speed can kill in the GENS version, it can be effectively combated with slow, deliberate game play. I've employed slow, grinding offensive hockey that is full of small subtle moves to set up things since the day ive shown up here and ive been fairly successful, as well have others in employing this method...this gameplay style may explain why i was also able to have success in snes after a short period of time.

I think the true beauty of the GENS game is that it can be played in a myriad of ways successfully...while in snes, it more or less felt like the same game over and over again because only a couple of tried and true methods work in producing winning results.

I must admit, you're making me want to give GENS another go, to see if I don't completely hate it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must admit, you're making me want to give GENS another go, to see if I don't completely hate it.

i must provide full disclosure though...this strategy might make you hate the game at first, you have to have the patience though to learn the game, learn how the AI moves on both sides of the puck, do your homework in learning what skills players have on all teams, even the subs, and you also have to accept the fact that sometimes, the luck will be against you and speed will kill you no matter how much you try to slow things down and control the play, it can be a frustrating progress for new players to learn this style. But if you arent great at playing fast, this is the route that must be taken and it will take time to find your footing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i must provide full disclosure though...this strategy might make you hate the game at first, you have to have the patience though to learn the game, learn how the AI moves on both sides of the puck, do your homework in learning what skills players have on all teams, even the subs, and you also have to accept the fact that sometimes, the luck will be against you and speed will kill you no matter how much you try to slow things down and control the play, it can be a frustrating progress for new players to learn this style. But if you arent great at playing fast, this is the route that must be taken and it will take time to find your footing.

Picked up the Genesis game used for 1.25, and found a Genesis used for 20 bucks.. For under 30 shipped, it's a win-win for me. I'll never play any other Genesis game, but Nhl94 is worth a 30 dollar investment to me and my friends. Thanks to this site, I've been shown the true differences. I'm still shocked this site even exists lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Graphics:

Megadrive: Blocky, no real attempt at creating realistic looking players, innacurate uniforms with irritating pallate sharing, no stick-tape, no blades on skates, horrible day-glow ice colour, rubbishy bench area, crappy hatrick animations, centre ice logos (on closer inspection) look messy, on the upside a much nice zamboni.

Snes: Better player build, player faces are less cartoony, wonderful scope for uniforms, stick tape, skate blades, goalies look far better, ice is a nice pale blue, fans are more animated, fans by the goal bang on the glass (something yet to be implemented into a modern hockey game), hatrick animation looks much nicer, centre ice logos are crisper and more fitting with the overall environment. Just a nicer looking game overall.

Enhh... Basically theres two differences (between the sprites). SNES has a bigger palette so the uniforms could be a little more accurate, and the SNES went for a different player-to-rink size ratio which required them to shrink the sprites.

But the real winner is NHL 95 PC :D. It had the bigger Genesis sprites, the player-to-rink size ratio that the SNES had, the extra animations the SNES version had, and a bigger palette than either console version. Outside of the Habs (slightly problematic), even today pretty much every jersey can be recreated in the PC version.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...