Games that improved on the way from the arcade to console

[Sload Soap]

Soul Calibur. More modes and better looking. I've heard Street Fighter Zero 3 on Saturn is better than the arcade version as well for similar reasons.

Ninja Gaiden is a similar situation to Bionic Commando. Slightly quirky but not great arcade game turned into a NES classic.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I played the arcade versions of Contra and Super Contra (via Konami compilations) for the first time this year and was shocked by how shoddy they are. The NES ports absolutely murder the originals.

[Hobie-wan]

NES Gyruss added the variety of the bosses. I think the arcade original was a good simple formula, but the bosses do mix it up.

One could say the slowdown in the SNES Gradius III port made it more enjoyable by being less soul crushingly hard.

[marurun]

control sometimes felt a little delayed...arcade control is inexplicably even wonkier than the first... as with Contra, the control input feels a little sluggish... control input felt just a hair laggy

are you basing these critiques on emulated versions of these games or on your experience playing the original arcade hardware?

Both. I played very little Super Contra on authentic hardware, but I did play my fare share of the original.

[Tanooki]

NES Gyruss added the variety of the bosses. I think the arcade original was a good simple formula, but the bosses do mix it up.

One could say the slowdown in the SNES Gradius III port made it more enjoyable by being less soul crushingly hard.

I agree with this entire post and second it. I enjoyed both arcade games in the past enough but the Nintendo versions smoked them.

[Gamerforlife]

Playing this game was always an odd experience for me:



On the one hand, I always hated how downsized the graphics and music were as someone who played the arcade version a bunch of times, but the game was more balanced and had extra levels and bosses. In the end, I ended playing this game tons of times and loved it, but I don't know if it's necessarily better than the arcade. The downsized graphics and sounds removed a lot of the game's personality.

On the other hand, this game totally blows away the arcade version:



It had compromises to the audio visual presentation, but they were hardly drastic. Again, this version was more balanced in terms of gameplay, and had some extra levels/bosses. It was a better designed game with more content and only slight compromises to the graphics and audio. In fact, the mode 7 effects arguably gave the game some visual perks over the arcade version. And the SNES versions of some of the songs were great too

[Gamerforlife]

Marvel vs Capcom on the Dreamcast featured the awesome Onslaught mode and four player cross fever

Supposedly, you can use Onslaught in the PSX version too, but who wants to play that crappy port?

[Gunstar Green]

Some Genesis additions:

Rolling Thunder 2

It has more levels, enemies, weapons, story sequences and animations over the arcade game. It feels much more complete. It also has one of the coolest password systems ever. Namco really put a lot of love into this port.

ESWAT: City Under Siege

The arcade game is very mediocre but the Genesis game was completely redesigned and was a solid early action title for the console.

Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi

Levels and gameplay are overall better designed with a more even difficulty curve. Like ESWAT this one was a complete remake. You can command the dog to attack in this version which is awesome.

And a Dreamcast one:

Tech Romancer

Enhanced graphics and loads of unlockable extras. It's improved in just about every way.

[CD AGES]

Supposedly, you can use Onslaught in the PSX version too, but who wants to play that crappy port?

He is also available in the ps version, as well as Megaman Onslaught power up form which is a ps exclusive

[Gamerforlife]

Supposedly, you can use Onslaught in the PSX version too, but who wants to play that crappy port?

He is also available in the ps version, as well as Megaman Onslaught power up form which is a ps exclusive

Megaman Onslaught power up form? I'm gonna have to find a youtube vid on that.