Games That Pushed The Limits Part 2 | RetroGaming with Racketboy

Games That Pushed The Limits

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Part 2
This is a continuation of my series on console games that made the best use of each consoles
limited system resources.

Aliens vs Predator

There have only been a few times before the 21st century
where I was amazed by how sweet a game looked in
action. The only two that stay on the top of my mind are
Sonic Adventure (on a pre-release Dreamcast) and Aliens
vs Predator for the Atari Jaguar.

Of course, by todays standards, the game looks pretty

dated, but there was just something about how futuristic
the game looked while most of were still playing on our
SNES and Genesis. While it was the only game for the Jaguar that even tempted me to purchase
Ataris doomed console, Im still intrigued about the game to this day.

When it was originally released, I was blown away by the graphics. Wolfenstien 3D was the only
game that I had seen in this new genre and I felt that this was the holy grail of video gaming
graphics. The textures accurately re-created the feel of the movies. The aliens could use a few
more frames of animation for added realism, but this is a forgivable problem. AvP also had some
really great sound effects to round out the package.
Full Review of Aliens vs Predator

DOOM

As you can quickly see, the Jaguar was bascially the first
console for good First Person Shooters. The graphics in
Doom were nothing short of phenomenal in its day. The
walls, ceiling, and floor are all texture-mapped. There was
a great attention to detail on the Jaguar port, as it was
actually programmed by John Carmac.

If you compare it to the 32X version, the Jaguar version is

full screen, has multiple views of the monsters, has more
levels, includes networking support, has a better resolution, and has more sound effects. Here are
some screenshots to compare in order to visualize the difference

The only things missing from the Jaguar version of Doom are a few of the monsters, the music,
and a level or two. Otherwise, Jaguar Doom is an incredible accomplishment because it mimics
the PC game so closely. Im sure that by adding another 4 megabits, the Jaguar port could have
been a perfect PC clone.
Full Review of DOOM

Rayman

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Raymans graphics and sounds were beautifully
engineered with some great themed levels full of soothing
color and animation. All the graphics have been done using
65,000 colors and couldnt look much better. The attention
to detail on both the characters and scenery gives Rayman
charmingly odd looks.

While gamers were getting excited by the early entries in

3D console gaming, Rayman showed that these more
powerful consoles could be used to make some phenomenal 2D games as well.
Full Review of Rayman

Honorable Mentions:

Iron Soldier One of the Jaguars crowning achievements, Iron Soldier featured colorful
graphics, a smooth frame rate and slick animation. The main complaint in the graphics
departments is that about 90% of the buildings are just plain boxes with absolutely no texture
mapping. (Review)
Cybermorph This pack-in title was the Jaguars first showcase game. It didnt require any
fancy FX chip like StarFox and was completely off-rails allowing you to fly anywhere you
wanted. But overall it was a lousy game. (Review)

Primal Rage

Overall, the graphics in this arcade fighter are very well
done and extremely smooth. With the visual acceleration of
the Jaguar CD, youll find that Primal Rage moves just as
fast as the arcade version. However, with such
accomplishments, it does bring its share of problems to the
table with the addition of image break up, and slow down in
some areas of the fight.

If you were to have one reason to buy a Jaguar CD, this

would probably it especially if you are a 2D fighter fan like myself.
Full Review of Primal Rage

Brain Dead 13

Following point and click games such as Space Ace and
Dragons Lair, Brain Dead 13 places you in the midst of a
rather unusual story line and you must guide your hero
through several different scenarios. Visually, the game is
one of the better-looking games in the genre and if youre
into these types of games, Brain Dead 13 is probably your
best choice.

Not only does Brain Dead 13 contain some of the best full
motion video to be seen on the Jaguar CD, but also doesnt pause in between scenes like Dragon
Lair. The game flows from scene to scene with only the slightest of delays.
Full Review of Brain Dead 13

Iron Soldier II

The best-selling Jaguar CD game, this sequel builds on the
originals mission-based gameplay, smooth animation, and
cool explosions, but brings enhanced graphics and more
advanced controls. The intro features some cool

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cinematics of your mech wandering around a city blowing

everything to bits.
Full Review of Iron Soldier II

Honorable Mentions:

Dragons Lair & Space Ace These were strong FMV Arcade ports and were one of the
better console versions, but still grainier than the arcade.
Myst One of the better ports on the Jaguar, it matches the PC version pretty well.

Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo

The 3DO is another one of those systems that many
people have forgotten about because it didnt have many
titles that stood out. Its also sad that the system died out
before developers were able to learn the ins and outs of
the system. The 3DO had some great hardware under the
hood, but unfortunately, it primarily received ports from
either the PC or other consoles nothing that was
optimized for the 3DO.

While the 3DO didnt have a lot of prime-time 3D action, Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo had enough
eye candy to show off the systems 2D muscle. SSF2 was the first Street Fighter game to promote
big combos and flashy super move finishes. While the regular SNES and Genesis SSF2 ports got
the job done, the 3DO brought the game much closer to the arcade original and was the only
console for a while that featured the Turbo version which introduced Akuma to the masses. It
also topped the arcade version with CD-quality audio. The 3DO soundtrack even tops those of the
Playstation and Saturn versions.
Full Review of Super Street Fighter II Turbo

Samurai Shodown

If you couldnt afford a Neo-Geo, the 3DO version of
Samurai Shodown was your best bet if you wanted arcade-
authentic graphics. Although the graphics in the 3DO
version arent quite arcade perfect, they are the best of the
three console versions. While all the scaling, character
animation, sprites, and background graphics seem to be
fully intact, the game lacks some of the parallax scrolling
from the arcade.

If you had played the 3DO version of Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, then you will have noticed the
same problem with the parallax in that game. This probably isnt the fault of the programmersits
just that the 3DO had some major problems doing this effect. However, the game does looks a
little bit sharper then even the Neo Geo version. This, in a way, makes up for the lack of parallax
and makes the game a little easier on the eyes.

Like the graphics, the sound in the 3DO is easily the closest to the originals you probably wont
notice any differences at all. From the sound effects to the amazing traditional Japanese
soundtrack, its all here.
Full Review of Samurai Shodown

Honorable Mentions:

Jurassic Park Interactive I played a demo of Jurassic Park Interactive back in 93 and was
amazed at how the game really made me feel like I was in the movie. I was severely
disappointed that the Jurassic Park game for my Sega CD never was that exciting.
Road Rash This version of the biker classic blows the doors off of the Genesis, Sega CD,
and SNES versions. It almost seems like a completely different game. The graphics, music,

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animation, and other little details (like the little old ladies crossing the street) make this 3DO
title a real favorite. (Review)
Night Trap and other FMV Games Just like the Sega CD versions, these games showed
off the full motion video capabilities of the console. However, the 3DO wasnt tied down to the
limitations of an aging 16-bit system and its small color palette. Instead, the 3DO versions of
Night Trap and other games had not only bigger video frame sizes, but the colors were much
more life-like.

Virtua Racing Deluxe

At a time when 3D games were only to be seen in cutting-
edge arcade systems or PCs, Virtua Racing on the 32X
was jaw-dropping. In fact, the 32X is still considered
superior to the later Sega Saturn version.

The 32X did a wonderful job pushing the polygons in order

to provide a smooth and enjoyable ride along a number a
fun-filled tracks. As the Racing genre is one that definitely
benefits from full 3D gameplay, Virtua Racing remained a
dominate title until Sega Rally, Daytona USA (Saturn) and Gran Turisimo (Playstation) showed up
on the later 32-bit systems.
Full Review of Virtua Racing Deluxe

Virtua Fighter

While it doesnt compare with Virtua Fighter Remix on the
Saturn, Virtua Fighter on the 32X was another game that
made the 32X attractive to die-hard Sega fans. (That is,
before they knew the add-on was doomed) Like Virtua
Racing, it pushed the 32Xs 3D capabilities enough to
hold gamers over until the Saturn launched.

The 32X version actually performs quite similar to the

original Saturn version of Virtua Fighter. Both have their
issues such as flickering polygons, but running off of a cartridge on the 32X has its advantages
(no load times). Here is a really great side-by-side comparison of the Saturn and 32X ports of
Virtua Fighter.
Full Review of Virtua Fighter

Metal Head

This was one of the first games I got for my 32X and it was
very impressive to see so many polygons with textures
running on expanded Genesis hardware. While it looks
pretty bleh by todays standards, this was a fascinating
game at the time of its release.

I have to mention, however, that once the novelty of Metal

Heads graphics wears off, you will realize the the game is
pretty slow and somewhat boring. But I consider it to be a
good demonstration of what the 32X could do especially considering developers didnt have
much time with the add-on.
Full Review of Metal Head

Honorable Mentions:

Cosmic Carnage The gameplay may have sucked, but this fighter had a zoom effect
similar to Samurai Showdown and had armor that could be broken off. Those who do enjoy
this game will remind you that Cosmic Carnage also utilized the 32Xs enhanced audio chip
to produce some enjoyable tunes. (Review)
Knuckles Chaotix Chaotix combined the fast-action Sonic gameplay, bumped up the
image quality with some beautiful colors and sprites, and added some additional physics to
deal with the bungee element. Chaotix also utilized the zoom effect in additional to some
sprite scaling. (Review)
DOOM While it wasnt one of the best DOOM ports in existence, the 32X version was still

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fun to play and ran fairly well.

All The Games That Could Have Been The 32X was killed off very early in its life and
there were a number of promising games that were slated for the 32X. Some examples are
Alien Trilogy, Alien vs Predator, Castlevania V, Darkstalkers, and Virtua Hampster.

X-Men vs Street Fighter

To most gamers, the Saturn is simply known as the system
that lost the console wars to the Sony Playstation. The
Playstation was built from the ground up to be a superior
3D machine in a generation that was hungry for this new
technology. So it was an oft-overlooked fact that the Saturn
was far superior in the area of 2D gameplay.

Possibly the best example of how the Saturn was the place
to go for arcade-authentic 2D fighters and shooters, X-Men
vs Street Fighter took full advantage of the 4MB RAM cart in order to keep the tag team action
quick and seamless in addition to minimizing load times.

The sprites were as big and beautiful as the real Capcom arcade version. If you try playing the
Playstation version of the game prior to experiencing the Saturn port, you will quickly realize how
limited the Playstation is in terms of 2D action. In fact, as if the less-impressive sprites werent
depressing enough the PSX doesnt even offer the tag-team feature one of the main selling
points of the game.

Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter wasnt far behind XMvSF. It had a larger character roster,
but I just dont feel that it was as polished as Capcoms first crossover fighter.
Full Review of X-Men vs. Street Fighter

Shining Force 3

The last great installment of the Shining Force series was
an amazing game in terms of gameplay, graphics, and
presentation. Camelot Software Planning pulled off
software-based transparency effects for polygons, which
was originally thought to be impossible on the Saturn. Its
part of the reason why the SSF emulator still isnt rendering
spell effects and such properly.

Theres also the fact that Camelot not only utilized both
video processors for the game, but they also made use of
the audio chip to help with the graphics as well. In order to cut load times the game streamed the
data while you move your character around and target enemies even before you even confirm
your selection. Shining Force 3 was an amazing piece of software, especially given that Camelot
Software Planning wasnt a large development team.
Full Review of Shining Force III

Radiant Silvergun

While some claim that this shmup is overrated, there is no
denying that Radiant Silvergun pushed the 2D limits of
what a 32-bit console could do. Just as they did with
Gunstar Heroes on the Genesis, Treasure pushed the
Saturn to its limits with Radiant Silvergun, using a great
mix of sprites and polygons throughout the game.
Absolutely huge bosses and other objects fill the screen.
Most of the bosses (and theres a LOT of them) in the
game are done in polygons, and actually can be taken
apart piece by piece.

The graphics of Radiant Silvergun are rendered sprites over polygonal backgrounds. The
foreground sprites are nothing special, but the backgrounds are intricate and beautiful and they
even effect gameplay, providing obstacles and cover for your ship. The gameplay is punctuated by
the beautiful explosions and intense firefights the fill your journeys. If you are a shooter fan and,
for some strange reason, havent heard of this game you must try it!

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Full Review of Radiant Silvergun

Virtua Fighter 2

The Saturns strength was 2D graphics, but there are a few
3D games that really push the polygon capabilities in order
to compete with the Playstation. Virtua Fighter 2 ran The
Saturn shows its hardware muscle by employing its High
Resolution 720575 mode (highest for a console game at
that time) while running at a smooth 60fps. The polygons in
VF2 were a great step above the original Virtua Fighter and
made the character look a bit more realistic. (Looking back,
its fun to think I thought these looked life-like)

Sega originally was planning on bringing Virtua Fighter 3 to the Saturn (possibly utilizing the 4MB
RAM cart), but as they saw the Playstation take over the market, they held off until they launched
the Dreamcast and Virtua Fighter 3TB. The closest thing Saturn owners got was Fighters
Megamix which took the models from Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers and threw in some of
Virtua Fighter 3s new moves. Megamix looked good, but lacked Virtua Fighter 2s high-resolution
feature.
Full Review of Virtua Fighter 2

Dead or Alive

A straight forward 3D fighting game based on the Virtua
Fighter engine, it features slick and intuitive gameplay. This
Saturn port looked stunning and many experts consider it
slightly better than the Playstation version. Even in its
Saturn form, Dead or Alive gain attention for its jiggly
animation techniques.

Its fun to look back at the 3D launch titles for the Saturn
(Daytona USA and the original Virtua Fighter) to see how
much progress was made. Sega seemed to rush ports of their popular arcade games to show that
the Saturn had some 3D capabilities to counter the upcoming Playstation. So its amazing to see
these later 3D titles show up when the developers had the time to learn the complicated
architecture (there were many DSPs, individual controllers and chipsets).
Dead or Alive Review

Nights Into Dreams

Besides all of the exciting arcade ports, this game alone was
one of the main reasons I wanted a Saturn. Sonic Team knew
the Saturn wasnt a 3D powerhouse so it created a almost 3D game that knocked everybodys
socks off. It was also the first game to bring out the Saturns bigger Saturn controller with an
analog stick (which is an obvious parent to the Dreamcast controller).

Nights features a number of flashy colors, well-textured landscapes, and light-sourcing. Ground
movement is full 360 degrees, with the ability to manipulate the camera to see a variety of
viewpoints. However, you will quickly notice that most of the gameplay takes place in flight. Nights
flight mode is basically on rails, so you dont have as much freedom as you might expect.
However, the execution strikes a perfect balance of beauty and playablity. I couldnt ask for much
more (other than a Gamecube sequel!) Also worth noteing, is that Burning Rangers was a later
Sonic Team title that used the Nights Into Dreams engine.
Full Review of Nights into Dreams

Honorable Mentions:

Saturn Bomberman This party classic isnt on this list because of its cute sprites and
animation, it is mentioned because it is the main motivation to stock up on Saturn Multi-Tap
Adapters. Saturn Bomberman brings to possibility of 10 simultaneous human players to this
classic franchise. (Review)
Sonic Jam considering the Sega had a hard time running a good Genesis emulator on the
Dreamcast (with the Sega Smash Pack), it is amazing to see how good of a job they did
emulating the 16-bit system on their 32-bit Saturn. On top of all this, the 3D Sonic World
that greets you in this compilation is of high quality and may have been a start of the engine
used for the elusive Sonic Xtreme. (Review)

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Panzer Dragoon Saga This massive RPG took up a full 4 CDs and is regarded as one of
the greatest non-Square/Enix RPGs of all time. The game is almost entirely 3D the only
noticeable use of the Saturns powerful 2D hardware is in the free-fly areas where it draws
the ground as a far stretching 2D plane which you barely notice. The gorgeously smooth
animation of the dragon, the surprisingly detailed areas you can walk around. (Review)
Street Fighter Zero (Alpha) 3 Yet another great example of how good the Saturn was with
2D. This late Capcom fighter not only utilized the 4MB RAM cart to hold every frame of
animation from the arcade original, but it is probably one of the best console ports of Alpha 3.
The only thing the PSX version has up on it is the controls are a bit tighter.
Die Hard Arcade I found Die Hard Arcade to be one of the best 3D arcade conversions to
be found on the Saturn. The game engine allows zooming and panning to provide the best
perspective of the beatemup action, but the game runs in a standard resolution (As opposed
to the High-Res mode seen in VF2). The character animation is similar to Virtua Fighter 2
and also features texture-mapping, complete with facial features. (Review)