From: din@gradient.cis.upenn.edu (Clarence Din)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video
Subject: Re: Turbo CD upgrade
Date: 20 Nov 92 16:56:19 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <1992Nov19.043148.12249@bluemoon.use.com> grant@bluemoon.use.com (Grant DeLorean) writes:
>
> I am surprised by the rave reviews that Y's gets. It is graphically
>unimpressive, and the play is clumsy. Especially after just completing
>Zelda III on my SNES last week. Maybe Y's gets better as it goes along...

Grant,
   I must admit, I did not think much of Y's Book 1&2 when I first got
it.  In fact, I played it for 3 days, then took a 7-month (!!!) break
from it.  I said to myself, "Looks like Nintendo graphics so far."
I recently continued the game from where I left off and finished it
(in another 3 days).  There are lots of things about this game that
are impressive.  For one, when you meet certain characters in the
game, audio speech clips are read from the CD (along with enlarged
pics of the characters).  The opening animation is quite good and the
ending animation is simply fantastic.  Back in 1990 when this game was
released, this CD was "state-of-the-art" stuff.  It still holds up
quite well and would be considered by many, even non-TG-lovers, to be
a CD-game classic.  You won't find it on any other system (well, Y's 1
exists for the Sega Master System, but Y's 2 does not!).

>I have been a TG fan for along time (always liked it better than
>Genesis) but I have to say the SNES eats the TG's lunch graphicaly
>and sonically. Oh well, live and learn. I wanted a full size to go
>along with the TurboExpress so it is OK... Everyone ought to call TTI
>and bitch about the jewel boxes being discontinued though, if enough
>of us bitch then they will bring them back...

Base unit compared against base unit, yes, but nothing in the SNES
could compare with CD sound.  If you have money to spend (or blow)
on video games and hardware, then it's not a question of how much a
system costs, but the sophisticated games you can play.  For me, the
choice is clear.  TurboDuo.  All of the SCD games coming out take
advantage of the extra memory in the Duo, so you'll have better
graphics and sound in those games.  Rotation effects, I'll give to
SNES hands down.  Super R-Type is clearly superior to TG-16 R-Type,
true.  However, comparing my Super Darius on CD to SNES' Darius Twin,
I would have to go with my TG-CD version.  I want the *best* arcade
translation and I don't care if I have to pay a little extra for it.
With the TG-CD, I have access to a large library of games
(including Japanese ones via mail order), so I will never be bored
with my system.  I can't remember the last time I wanted to play a
game until I finished it (Y's 3, Y's 1&2, Andre Panza, Galaga, Last
Alert and more).  I just never felt the same way about games on the
Genesis or SNES (the first I owned; the second I still have).

> Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the games are tending
>to become less playable and enjoyable over the years? The graphics
>and sound and speed are all improving in geometrical fashion, but
>something has been lost along the way. Not that I want to go back to

I think you're right here.  I grew up on Space Invaders, Asteroids,
and Missile Command as arcade favorites.  I was probably the only
kid on my block without an Atari VCS (2600) and desperately wanted
one.  Galaga is still one of my faves.  I remember the days when I
had a VIC-20 in Junior High and any new game my friends and I could
program would be considered "neat" or "awesome."  But, that's
because you and I are from "the old school."  Most arcade gamers
nowadays (teens) want flashy crap.  They want to be dazzled.  They're
not content with a vector graphics Battlezone game.  They want filled
polygons moving at speeds faster than the screen (or their minds)
could handle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clarence K. Din
Information Systems Specialist III, Dept of Chemistry, Univ of Pennsylvania
din@gradient.cis.upenn.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have my toys (D-50+M-EX, SR-16, TurboDuo, SNES, HP48SX) and you don't!  Nyah!
Newsgroups: rec.games.video