8/16 bit rereleases with "Sprite Limit Disable" feature?

[Hazuki]

We know there are a bunch of rereleases of those old games in modern platforms nowadays. I haven't played many though, since I tend to use either real hardware or standalone PC emulators. Some of them also come with enhancement options like disabling the original machines' sprite limit. I know a few that do this:

Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box (PS2)
Monster World Complete Collection (PS2)
Fantasy Zone Complete Collection (PS2)
Sega Genesis Classics / Sega Mega Drive Classics (Various platforms)

Relatedly but not quite the same thing, the Playstation versions of Rockman 1~6 don't have the limiter. Capcom also made it optional for Mega Man/Rockman 9 and 10.

If you guys know any other examples, please post here.

[Jeneki]

ACA NeoGeo releases appear to have sprite limit disabled. For example Blazing Star's first boss has legendary sprite flicker (or straight up disappearing if you're pumping the BONUS) on original hardware but none in the ACA port.

[BIL]

I think ACA VS Castlevania lets you disable flicker, or rather, re-enable it:



The option is a bit confusingly-worded, and it's not a game whose flicker stands out to me. Holy Diver, now there's a major FC offender. It doesn't flicker, so much as apply optical camouflage to enemies and projectiles whenever there's more than two onscreen.

[Sumez]

Yeah, that's what the NES will do to your sprites. If a game flickers, that's because the developers actively programmed that in to prevent the disappearing sprites from happening

[BIL]

People say Holy Diver is metal for all the musical references, but it's also rock n' roll, for the coders clearly being blasted out of their minds on charlie n' horse, with the playtesters terrifiedly gripping the office floor - so as not to fall off into the sky - after demolishing a crate of Suntory.

[Sima Tuna]

The arcsystemworks combo pack of kunio-kun games allows you to disable sprite flicker. I forget what they called that package.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Are there any games where it's disadvantageous to disable sprite flickering when you have the option to remove the sprite limit? Like, where the flicker is deliberately intended and the game breaks visually if you prevent the flickering? I'm struggling to think of any.

[copy-paster]

Are there any games where it's disadvantageous to disable sprite flickering when you have the option to remove the sprite limit? Like, where the flicker is deliberately intended and the game breaks visually if you prevent the flickering? I'm struggling to think of any.

Blazing Star's flicker was unintentional even the devs said an apology for that, also TIL that ACA release doesn't have all the flicker so this is a good thing would like to play that version sometime.

[Air Master Burst]

Are there any games where it's disadvantageous to disable sprite flickering when you have the option to remove the sprite limit? Like, where the flicker is deliberately intended and the game breaks visually if you prevent the flickering? I'm struggling to think of any.

A lot of older arcade and NES titles used to have issues like this (for instance the startup Capcom logo in 1942, or intentional use of the sprite limit for effects like Zelda's doors and Ninja Gaiden's cut scene borders), but most modern emulators will automatically detect this and enable/disable the sprite limit for you based on whether it breaks anything.

[Hazuki]

Are there any games where it's disadvantageous to disable sprite flickering when you have the option to remove the sprite limit? Like, where the flicker is deliberately intended and the game breaks visually if you prevent the flickering? I'm struggling to think of any.

As Air Master Burst said, some games will display incorrectly that way. There are FC/NES titles that use a technique known as "masking effects" by placing multiple blank sprites in the same scanline so other sprites in that area won't be visible. This is easy to do on said console due to the extremely low sprites per scanline limit. A total of 64 sprites can display per frame, but only 8 can appear at once in the same scanline (yes, this extra limit is horizontal only). SMS also have the same specifications.

Check out this article to see some games that are affected:
https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/Sprite_over ... ng_effects

I also know a number of other examples not listed there:

Super Mario Bros 3
The effect is used to display World 8's trap hands properly. Without the limit on, they will instantly appear fully, grab Mario and disappear rather than slowly go up and down while confined in those black void squares.

Dragon Quest IV
At the end of chapter 4, there's a ship cutscene. When it leaves the dock, its mast will normally go above a nearby bridge, but with limit disabled it will go under it.
During the first Imur dream cutscene that happens at some point in chapter 5, Pisaro climbs a tower, talks with Rosalie and then leaves. With disabled limit his sprite won't climb correctly and persist on the screen even after he left.

Kekkyoku Nankyoku Daibouken / Antarctic Adventure
After you clear any stage, a country flag will rise from a building. Normally it will initially stay hidden behind the building as it slowly goes up, but with disabled limit it will appear on its front.

Dragon Spirit - Aratanaru Densetsu
Used to hide the dragon's sprite when it goes through Area 8's tunnel (after killing the boss from there).

Battle Formula
Used to hide the vehicle when it goes under certain tunnels/structures.

Anyway, it's safe to disable it for most games (I've played hundreds and didn't notice any problems). And despite potential visual glitches, it will never lead to any fatal issues. Unlike overclocking which is actually unsafe and may cause a game to crash.

By the way, there's at least one MD game that also displays wrongly without the limit: Sonic 1 at the title screen. Sonic's lower body is meant to be hidden behind the logo. If you disable it, it will look like this:



As for PCE, Bloody Wolf's stage 1 submarine boss is meant to go hidden underwater while submerged, but disabling limit will keep it exposed. Ninja Ryuukenden's cutscenes are also affected in the same way as the FC original.

That's all I know. I don't know any SMS game that uses that trick (there may be none).

Holy Diver, now there's a major FC offender. It doesn't flicker, so much as apply optical camouflage to enemies and projectiles whenever there's more than two onscreen.

Yeah, disabling limit doesn't help Holy Diver at all, since those disappearing sprites aren't caused by multiple being on the same scanline. They just go invisible for whatever reason. Not sure what's up with that exactly, probably just bad programming.

[Air Master Burst]

Holy Diver, now there's a major FC offender. It doesn't flicker, so much as apply optical camouflage to enemies and projectiles whenever there's more than two onscreen.

Yeah, disabling limit doesn't help Holy Diver at all, since those disappearing sprites aren't caused by multiple being on the same scanline. They just go invisible for whatever reason. Not sure what's up with that exactly, probably just bad programming.

Holy Diver is such a crime against nature it's trying to hide itself from the eyes of a vengeful god.

[BIL]

Holy Diver, now there's a major FC offender. It doesn't flicker, so much as apply optical camouflage to enemies and projectiles whenever there's more than two onscreen.

Yeah, disabling limit doesn't help Holy Diver at all, since those disappearing sprites aren't caused by multiple being on the same scanline. They just go invisible for whatever reason. Not sure what's up with that exactly, probably just bad programming.

Holy Diver is such a crime against nature it's trying to hide itself from the eyes of a vengeful god.

I would say it's more that Holy Diver is such a blasphemy against quality FC action/platforming, it's biting the head off a bat and a dove simultaneously while burning a bible and pissing all over the Alamo in front of an enraged heavily-armed mob.

It's a moot point anyway, as the command interpreter is also trashed, and even deadlier than the sprite dropout. I've 1LCd it on hardware, and I couldn't play Ninja Gaiden or Castlevania properly for a week after. I'm not even kidding; the muscle memory workarounds to avoid dunks into random pits / dead man's clicks VS bosses are IRL brain-rewiring BydoHorror. Play something that's actually designed around working controls, after, and you'll be missing input windows and getting owned by Fleamans and Birbs left and right. (I am a VRY Sensitive Gaymer 3;)

It's my pet theory that HD was made by people who dearly loved action/platformers, but had absolutely no idea how to create them. Either that, or Masahiko Ishida (composer, M72 badman, IRL rockstar) introduced the Consumer Division lads to the life, and they - as noted - partook most scandalously. All that's left is a beautifully-packaged Far Eastern Nutsack Torture Device. The last boss's first form is near-unplayable; you have to nuke its face off with Thunder not to kill the Obligatory IREM Dick itself, but its pincering zako, who are flat-out invisible, and will dogpile your shittily-controlling character into next Christmas, if not shut down via AOE.

Put it through rehab, you'd have a really neat Metroid x Zelda II for Game Center. Its flaws taken in concert, it's practically the FC's Metal Slug 2, which is a neat IREM tie-in, now I think about it. Right down to the "lockdown techs or else" last boss! Great game in theory, wonderful curio to have around, but holy fuck don't play its OG code. HD would actually be a great pick for M2 or Hamster to clean up... you know, instead of that shelf queen reprint from a while back. Just change the title to Unholy Climber, to keep Dio's estate off your ass, y'know?

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Huh, interesting. I was imagining issues would be more of the variety of sprites meant to flicker would suddenly cover up details by being solid, but I didn't realize that disabling sprite limit actually causes layering issues with sprites! Thanks for the info, lads.

Judgement Silversword's Xbox 360 and PC ports have sprite flicker turned off by default. Originally on the Wonderswan, the game is extremely prone to flicker due to the sheer number of sprites, so the removal of flicker in the ports is basically how the game was intended to be played (but couldn't due to to hardware limitations). If you want to experience the flicker as on the Wonderswan Color, the options allow you to do so.

[BIL]

Oh yeah, totally forgot about JSS (and Cardinal Sins') console/PC releases! The PS4 (and I assume Switch) ports of Rebirth+Recycle included with Eschatos have this option, too. They also have 75/60 FPS Blend enabled by default, which I was surprised to find preferable to straight 60fps. Very smooth, I wish more ports from non-60hz hardware would try this. Gulti's superlative Raiden Fighters Aces (360) has a similar option.

God, the Wonderswan pair own hard. Lovable aesthetic bearing utter fiery STG purpose. ENVY / DESTROY THEM ALL. Easily worth solo purchase, let alone together, and you get Eschatos too! One hell of a trio.

Of stuff that natively allows sprite limit tinkering, I always found it super-cute how Gun-Nac's options menu is titled config.sys, and lets you toggle whether the game prioritises speed over flicker (JSS+CS, of course, showing quite a bit of Compile influence themselves).

Somewhat related, Sin & Punishment also lets you enable frameskipping, though I never bothered with that; with the emphasis on precise aiming, it's a lot easier dealing with predictable slowdown than a choppy framerate.

Also, along the lines of the PS1 Rockman ports, the same system's Strider Hiryu has very, very noticeably removed flicker. It's really awesome in this game, with the hyper-detailed enemy death animations ; nothing says "cut down by future ninja" like a severed leg sticking out of a mech suit Combined with the fountaining explosions, and the port's lack of slowdown, scenes like st4's dinosaur valley that run at a flickery crawl on CPS1 absolutely shred. Great port, by ex-DECO peeps I believe.