The best Raiden home ports...Genesis,Pc-engine,Snes or PSX?

[Dice]

Raiden for Genesis is the best pre-PSX port. The SNES version has too many liabilities to list, so it's down to Genesis vs PCE. The PCE version is decent, but more like a remix with its changes to level design and enemy placement. The Genesis version retains the original aspect ratio (as well as it can without TATE) and imo this works better than a PCE full screen style solution (much like comparing Truxton on both systems), is more accurate graphically (but no color-cycling rivers and somewhat less color), and sounds much closer to the arcade version as well, with accurate sound effects and real bass instead of beeps and white noise on the PCE side. As for the Jaguar rev, I haven't played it, but that grossly ornamental status bar on the right side is just ugly. Finally, comparing any of these to the PSX rev would be unfair, as it is by far the the best port of Raiden to this day.

Genesis Raiden Trad is 1-player only, and it has a status bar on the right side, so I don't see how thats a plus for the Genesis, but a negative for the Jaguar. Here's a pic of the Genesis version:



The Jaguar version is not Raiden Trad, it's Raiden and a straight port of the original arcade game and will compare quite well with the PSX version of Raiden(not Raiden II of course). In Raiden Trad the levels are truncated, so you won't experience the entire game, and did I mention it's only single player? The Jaguar supports full two-player cooperative play for its' Raiden title, and it has clearly better color depth. The Jaguar version clearly owns all others other than the PSX game. Seriously, if you get a chance to play it you should check it out.

edit* here's a screen of Jaguar Raiden, but note since the Jag isn't emulated its very difficult to get good quality screens:

[yojo!]

In Raiden Trad the levels are truncated, so you won't experience the entire game,

I've played both the PCB and the genny version, and I did not see any level truncated in the genny one.

[welcometoyourdoom]

In Raiden Trad the levels are truncated, so you won't experience the entire game,

I've played both the PCB and the genny version, and I did not see any level truncated in the genny one.

Exactly.

[CIT]

Has anybody played the FM Towns port of Raiden? Should be pretty close to arcade perfect, no?

[Raidenfighter Kirkov]

Hi !

Go with the PSX Version its arcade perfect !

I got the marty fm towns version...its a very good port btw.
Super Raiden for the duo also rocks (the soundtrack is brilliant)

And NEVER EVER talk about that Lynx shit again.




Greetings
RFK

[PFG 9000]

Sorry about the bump.

I picked up that Lynx Raiden cart from PCEngineFanX (Thanks!), and I'm fairly impressed. Obviously it doesn't compare to the Jag and Genesis versions, but it's quite playable, contrary to what I said above (that was based on emulation experience). So far I've only played to the fourth stage. Once you get your blue laser fully powered up, the game becomes much easier. The hit detection seems fairly consistent, but the controls are just a little too slow.

The biggest drawback in my opinion is the complete lack of music in the game after the title screen. I love the Raiden soundtrack, and it would have been cool to hear Lynx variations, especially considering how awesome the Lynx versions of Lemmings's and Shadow of the Beast's OST's are. I imagine the development team either ran out of time or didn't have the processing power to have a soundtrack playing simultaneously. I'd imagine it's the former, as many Lynx games have great music playing while demanding a great deal from the processor.

But yes, just like the Alien Vs. Predator beta, the actual game plays much more smoothly than the emulated version, and as a result is infinitely more enjoyable. I'd say it's well worth the $45.

[dave4shmups]

I personally like the PC Engine port the best out of all the ports of Raiden that I've played-and I've played pretty much all of them.

The explosions aren't loud like they are in PS1 Raiden Project, but every thing else is just better, IMO. For starters, the game is full-screen, which is nice since I don't tate, and the colors are VERY bright compared to other ports of the game.

So overall, if you have the means, I'd say get the PC Engine port. If you want Raiden II, you can always get PS1 Raiden DX.

[BAD]

Never played the PCE version, but the PS and Jaguar versions are the best. PS versions are arcade perfect, and the Jaguar Raiden is enhanced a bit if I'm not mistaken...

[PooshhMao]

Obviously it doesn't compare to the Jag and Genesis versions, but it's quite playable, contrary to what I said above (that was based on emulation experience).

Played with the keyboard with frameskip 4 perhaps?
What's more playable about the soul Lynx Raiden?

[PFG 9000]

It's not as choppy, and the controls feel far more natural. I don't remember what setting I had on frameskip and stuff, as it was awhile back. The only decent Lynx emulator is Handy, and it's far from perfect.

I had a similar experience with Gradius Galaxies. I emulated the game for a little bit, but I found the speedup increments far too uneven (1 was too slow, 2 was far too fast). But then I bought the actual cart and played the game on a real GBA, and the speeds felt far better (still not quite perfect, though). If a game is designed to be played on a certain control pad, it won't feel "right" on another unless the game is tweaked to fit those controls. But maybe that's just me; I tend to be anal about my gaming controls.