Battle of the Ports

[Leon Retro]

Obviously SNES/SFC is clear victor here, and I say that as one of the very few who prefers the OG coin-op to the SNES/SFC.

I prefer the music in the SNES version. The music in Magic Sword is also far better on the SNES than the arcade.

As a port of the arcade, the SNES edition looks the part and plays well. It has slowdown, but it's never bothered me. One of my favourite SNES games, I have great memories of when I first bought it and showing it off to friends and family.

Would've been nice to have seen Capcom make home ports of the pseudo-sequel Carrier Air Wing.

For me, Carrier Air Wing lacks the aesthetic charm of U.N. Squadron. It may be more advanced in some areas, but it doesn't appeal to me as much.

[Nu-Eclipse]

I prefer the music in the SNES version. The music in Magic Sword is also far better on the SNES than the arcade.

I used to think that way about SNES UN Squadron's music, and again I know I'm in the minority, but the coin-op soundtrack edges it for me - has more kick to it IMO.

For me, Carrier Air Wing lacks the aesthetic charm of U.N. Squadron. It may be more advanced in some areas, but it doesn't appeal to me as much.

Hmmm. I get where you're coming from, but CAW uses the exact same engine and, imo, there really isn't that much more aesthetic charm in Area 88/UN Squadron save for the anime artwork.

Put it this way - someone who had never played either coin-op before would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two at first glance.

[Yakumo]

I think in general most CPS games have better sound when ported to the SNES. Not all bug most.

[nakamura]

I love Area 88 on SFC. The damage system and fair but tough difficulty make it so damn tense! One ofy fav shmups ever.

Wish Capcom did a similar thing to Carrier too.

[Nu-Eclipse]

I think in general most CPS games have better sound when ported to the SNES.

I think that's highly debatable.

Final Fight/Final Fight Guy, Knights of the Round, Captain Commando and the SF games all sound inferior on the SNES/SFC compared to their CPS-1 coin-op counterparts. Go on YouTube and compare.

I think people on here are downplaying the CPS-1's sound capabilities. The architecture was capable of producing really good sound for its time.

[Mayhem]

Another concurrence here for the SFC version being better than the arcade, and one of my favourite shooters of all time, let alone on a console

[Yakumo]

I think that's highly debatable.

Final Fight/Final Fight Guy, Knights of the Round, Captain Commando and the SF games all sound inferior on the SNES/SFC compared to their CPS-1 coin-op counterparts. Go on YouTube and compare.

I think people on here are downplaying the CPS-1's sound capabilities. The architecture was capable of producing really good sound for its time.

Final Fight? No way, the music on the arcade board is painfully bad. When I say sound I actually mean the music, not speech samples or anything like that.

[HC_O]

Super Famicom Area 88 is one of the best shooters out there. I prefer it to the arcade version.
I like the manga as well, maybe a little dark, but still a good read.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Final Fight? No way, the music on the arcade board is painfully bad. When I say sound I actually mean the music, not speech samples or anything like that.

Way. SNES Final Fight's music is poor.

Coin-op soundtrack is so superior it's not even a joke. Again, compare and contrast.

[nakamura]

Don't like the arcade music at all for Final Fight. Just sounds nasty.

[Nu-Eclipse]

I think that the majority of the CPS-1 soundtracks are excellent, including Final Fight. Such variance in drum beat and bass that you simply don't get with the SNES port.

SNES Final Fight's soundtrack by comparison sounds so limited and tinny. Even Final Fight One on GBA sounds better.

The sound work that Yoko Shimomura, Isao Abe and Syun Nishigaki did during the CPS-1/2 era was excellent. Up there with the best of anything you can find on arcade or home console (ZUNTATA, Sega Sound Team, etc.).

[nakamura]

I do like a lot of that stuff too, just not Final Fight. As good as the drums are, the music just sounds a mess at times. Trying to create a sound not suitable for the hardware. Same with Streets of Rage 3.

[Mayhem]

Huh... horses for courses I guess, I love the Final Fight soundtrack

[Nu-Eclipse]

I do like a lot of that stuff too, just not Final Fight. As good as the drums are, the music just sounds a mess at times. Trying to create a sound not suitable for the hardware. Same with Streets of Rage 3.

A mess is what Final Fight on the SNES sounds like.

The coin-op sounds fine.

But I digress.

[Asura]

Does someone have a comparison video for this SNES/Arcade audio thing? I'd be curious to hear, but it'd be useful to have a best/worse case scenario.