Since the Turbo-Grafx/PC-Engine mini has had the final slate of games confirmed for the console-- I think we can safely voice our opinions on which system has to offer. This isn't a judgement of each of these particular consoles as a whole, rather what is factory-installed on each system. The fourth generation of consoles all had a very unique "flavor", so I think it is interesting to see what people's tastes are like.
Let's do a quick run down on what each console has to offer:
Super Nintendo Classic
The SNES Classic Mini's library is only 21 pre-installed games, which is less than half of what both the Turbo-Grafx 16 and Genesis classic offer. Both the US/EU models of the system only have the NTSC-U version of each game.
I anticipate the SNES Classic to win this poll, but, outside of the inclusion of Starfox 2, it is about the safest lineup for any of the consoles listed here. US/EU only sees three third-party developers (Square-Enix, Konami and Capcom respectively) and basically the marquee titles you expect from Nintendo. There seems to be a lot of genres that are simply not represented, such as Belt-scroll/beat-em-up, Puzzle (in US/EU), STG/shmup, sports.
The Japanese line-up includes: Super Soccer (which is third-party), Panel de Pon (Tetris Attack), Ganbare Goemon (Legend of the Mystical Ninja), Super Street Fighter II and Fire Emblem-- while losing Earthbound, Street Fighter II Turbo, Super Castlevania IV, Super Punch-Out!! and Kirby's Dream Course.
Personally, I feel the SNES Classic is a solid product but I wish they took more risks/were more creative with the line-up. It is missing some of the systems best games but it does have most of Nintendo's classics from the era.
Genesis/Mega Drive Mini
Here's a list that circulated here in the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive game announcement thread:
Just like the SNES Classic before it, there are regional variations for different markets. Unlike the SNES Classic, however, is a third HK region that has different games than both the US/EU Japanese consoles. Third party support includes: GameArts, Capcom, Konami, Sunsoft, Taito, Interplay and EA in the US/EU markets.
The first thing that is worth pointing out is the large quantity of games versus the SNES Classic. Genres that were ignored in the SNES Classic lineup have better representation here too. Of all of the regional versions, the HK one is probably the stand out as it has Alien Soldier and sacrificed the god-awful Alex Kidd in Enchanted Castle.
The Genesis Mini also has some never-released goodies on it too. Not only is there a port of Sega arcade Tetris, there is a (fan?) port of the original Darius. Wily Wars and Monster World IV, which have never got physical releases in the US, are also on it.
For me, I think the HK lineup is pretty clearly my favorite but all versions are very nice. I feel SEGA really capitalized on what made the Genesis special more so than Nintendo did for the SNES Classic. Given the higher amount of third party support and SEGA not being shy about paying for licensing (the freakin' Mickey Mouse games are here, Yu Yu Hakusho for Japan!), I'd say this is a better lineup than the SNES Classic.
YES WE KNOW IT IS MISSING SONIC 3 & KNUCKLES!!!!!!!!!!
Moving on...
Turbografx-16/PC-Engine
For the sake of ease, here is the list from currently active Turbografx-16 Mini thread
There are two very interesting observations to immediately be made: 1) holy shit there are a lot of Japanese games on this thing and 2) holy shit there are a lot of CD games on this thing. Unlike the other regional variants observed before, the only difference is one game: Konami's Salamander was swapped in to replace Tokimeki Memorial in the Western markets.
As Konami is the rights holder for the whole Turbo library, both Konami and Hudson have the biggest representation of any other dev/publisher on the Turbografx-16 Mini. This doesn't shy away from what the system is defined by: arcade-style action games-- especially shooter/shmups (11!). The one thing I love about this console is that it really does a great job emulating what it felt like to own a Turbografx... Basically most of your games were imports-- especially if you owned the CD add-on/Duo. The balls they had to include this many raw Japanese titles (including Snatcher) is something else.
The wealth of amazing CD games on this is what kind of tips me to picking it overall out of all of these other retro consoles. The Sega Genesis Mini could have used a few too.
Devil's Crush, Final Soldier and Magical Chase missing from the lineup kind of stings though....
So Era, let us revive the Fourth Generation Console Wars and discuss which libraries we like most!
Let's do a quick run down on what each console has to offer:
Super Nintendo Classic
- Contra III: The Alien Wars
- Donkey Kong Country
- Kirby Super Star
- Kirby's Dream Course
- Secret of Mana
- Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting
- Super Mario Kart
- Super Mario World
- Final Fantasy III
- Super Castlevania IV
- EarthBound
- F-ZERO
- Mega Man X
- Star Fox
- Star Fox 2
- Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- Super Metroid
- Super Punch-Out!!
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
- Yoshi's Island
I anticipate the SNES Classic to win this poll, but, outside of the inclusion of Starfox 2, it is about the safest lineup for any of the consoles listed here. US/EU only sees three third-party developers (Square-Enix, Konami and Capcom respectively) and basically the marquee titles you expect from Nintendo. There seems to be a lot of genres that are simply not represented, such as Belt-scroll/beat-em-up, Puzzle (in US/EU), STG/shmup, sports.
The Japanese line-up includes: Super Soccer (which is third-party), Panel de Pon (Tetris Attack), Ganbare Goemon (Legend of the Mystical Ninja), Super Street Fighter II and Fire Emblem-- while losing Earthbound, Street Fighter II Turbo, Super Castlevania IV, Super Punch-Out!! and Kirby's Dream Course.
Personally, I feel the SNES Classic is a solid product but I wish they took more risks/were more creative with the line-up. It is missing some of the systems best games but it does have most of Nintendo's classics from the era.
Genesis/Mega Drive Mini
Here's a list that circulated here in the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive game announcement thread:
Just like the SNES Classic before it, there are regional variations for different markets. Unlike the SNES Classic, however, is a third HK region that has different games than both the US/EU Japanese consoles. Third party support includes: GameArts, Capcom, Konami, Sunsoft, Taito, Interplay and EA in the US/EU markets.
The first thing that is worth pointing out is the large quantity of games versus the SNES Classic. Genres that were ignored in the SNES Classic lineup have better representation here too. Of all of the regional versions, the HK one is probably the stand out as it has Alien Soldier and sacrificed the god-awful Alex Kidd in Enchanted Castle.
The Genesis Mini also has some never-released goodies on it too. Not only is there a port of Sega arcade Tetris, there is a (fan?) port of the original Darius. Wily Wars and Monster World IV, which have never got physical releases in the US, are also on it.
For me, I think the HK lineup is pretty clearly my favorite but all versions are very nice. I feel SEGA really capitalized on what made the Genesis special more so than Nintendo did for the SNES Classic. Given the higher amount of third party support and SEGA not being shy about paying for licensing (the freakin' Mickey Mouse games are here, Yu Yu Hakusho for Japan!), I'd say this is a better lineup than the SNES Classic.
YES WE KNOW IT IS MISSING SONIC 3 & KNUCKLES!!!!!!!!!!
Moving on...
Turbografx-16/PC-Engine
For the sake of ease, here is the list from currently active Turbografx-16 Mini thread
There are two very interesting observations to immediately be made: 1) holy shit there are a lot of Japanese games on this thing and 2) holy shit there are a lot of CD games on this thing. Unlike the other regional variants observed before, the only difference is one game: Konami's Salamander was swapped in to replace Tokimeki Memorial in the Western markets.
As Konami is the rights holder for the whole Turbo library, both Konami and Hudson have the biggest representation of any other dev/publisher on the Turbografx-16 Mini. This doesn't shy away from what the system is defined by: arcade-style action games-- especially shooter/shmups (11!). The one thing I love about this console is that it really does a great job emulating what it felt like to own a Turbografx... Basically most of your games were imports-- especially if you owned the CD add-on/Duo. The balls they had to include this many raw Japanese titles (including Snatcher) is something else.
The wealth of amazing CD games on this is what kind of tips me to picking it overall out of all of these other retro consoles. The Sega Genesis Mini could have used a few too.
Devil's Crush, Final Soldier and Magical Chase missing from the lineup kind of stings though....
So Era, let us revive the Fourth Generation Console Wars and discuss which libraries we like most!
