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How, generally, are PAL PS1 games?

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    #16
    Originally posted by MrKirov View Post
    Its also interesting to see that we would get patched/fixed versions of games, and also changes like the aforementiond Silent Hill- so its interesting to pick up some of the differences. Plus we used to get alot more collectors editions/extras to make up for the wait between regions- things like the SOTN limited edition (although weirdly the non limited edition without the CD and artbook is more rare- but it does exist!)

    To answer the original questions specific examples - MGS is optimised - full screen and speed, as is Vagrant Story. In fact I believe Vagrant Story PAL is the superior version.
    As a huge PS1 fan, I'd be really interested to learn more about which games have a PAL version which could be considered better than the NTSC release in some way. Interesting to hear about Vagrant Story... there's actually a PAL copy in the window of a CeX I pass every lunchtime on work days

    The only thing I can contribute off the top of my head is that due to the later release date Gran Turismo 2 PAL has a bunch of bug fixes, and some much harder gold license target times (in some cases to a sadistic extent)

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      #17
      Originally posted by Limitless View Post
      The only thing I can contribute off the top of my head is that due to the later release date Gran Turismo 2 PAL has a bunch of bug fixes, and some much harder gold license target times (in some cases to a sadistic extent)
      I'm not sure if anyone has a consistent list, but I seem to remember there being quite a few of these. Pretty sure I remember Tenchu being one of them.

      In the case of many, it sounds like it works a bit like the Saturn's Sega Rally, where the UK version ran at 25fps instead of 30, so the game was made to run 20% faster to compensate (otherwise it would just be 20% slower, and feel "off"). This also means, however, that the lap times between the PAL and NTSC versions are not comparable, as the way consoles worked in the 90s, the maths weren't quite so solid, meaning the game code's not running exactly 20% faster or slower, just nominally.

      Some games were just 20% slower though. Sonic on the Megadrive is a great example.

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        #18
        Originally posted by Limitless View Post
        As a huge PS1 fan, I'd be really interested to learn more about which games have a PAL version which could be considered better than the NTSC release in some way. Interesting to hear about Vagrant Story... there's actually a PAL copy in the window of a CeX I pass every lunchtime on work days

        The only thing I can contribute off the top of my head is that due to the later release date Gran Turismo 2 PAL has a bunch of bug fixes, and some much harder gold license target times (in some cases to a sadistic extent)
        Colin Mcrae Rally 2 feels sluggish in its NTSC form for some reason. It also replaces co-driver Nicky Grist with some unknown (and irritating) NA voice actor.

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          #19
          The WipEout games I believe are at least the correct speed in their PAL forms, being developed by a British dev. Not sure if they’re actually better. But WipEout 2097 is clearly a cooler name than WipEout XL, so there’s also that.

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            #20
            Being a huge PS fan, this is something I've looked at a lot. I am 99% NTSC but still try pal stuff for ease.

            You can generally trust Psygnosis to give a good pal game. Wipeout is excellent in all forms although 5fps slower which is noticeable but not bad. The NTSC Wipeout XL does have a touch more slowdown though, but only in busy moments.

            Codemasters arguably have superior pal games as the speed just doesn't feel right on in particular the Colin games in NTSC form. ToCa is ok though.

            Also, games like Rapid Racer and Total Drivin are best on Pal because full screen , full speed and best music. None of the NTSC games have the same OST.

            It's a conundrum!
            Last edited by nakamura; 11-12-2019, 19:30.

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              #21
              We should probably consider knocking up some kind of table comparing the performance of different titles. And any other weird changes in content, like the way the PAL version of Pipemania 3D has semi-transparent full pipes and the NTSC version inexplicably has solid half-pipes. No, me neither.

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                #22
                Total Drivin' is a game I played extensively back in the day, but only recently saw a video of the US version with different music... I was appalled! PAL soundtrack is far better. Didn't know about Rapid Racer having a different soundtrack also (that game properly stressed me out with it's difficulty as I remember).

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                  #23
                  Wasn't the Platinum reissue of Tekken 3 optimised for speed/screen (think they might've done a similar thing with PS2 Tekken Tag Tournament, iirc???)

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                    #24
                    Originally posted by Hirst View Post
                    We should probably consider knocking up some kind of table comparing the performance of different titles. And any other weird changes in content, like the way the PAL version of Pipemania 3D has semi-transparent full pipes and the NTSC version inexplicably has solid half-pipes. No, me neither.
                    Yeah, you will get changes like that as NTSC companies tended to do the PAL version last and fix bug add new effects. Regional soundtracks are more common than you think happen with a lot of titles, quite a few on Saturn, I believe Courier Crisis had different soundtrack between PAL and NTSC as it used licensed artists.

                    I'm glad to see we are not pushing the NTSC is always better lines that sites like this used to, as it isn't always the case. Trouble is unless you play the NTSC/U and NTSC/J versions along side the PAL one directly. You won't know which is best.

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                      #25
                      Omega Boost had different music in the UK and US, though the choices were strange. In the US, they got Shade by Feeder as the title track, when we got Dreamer by Cast. Strange as both were British rock bands, and it was published by Sony.

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