Zaccel
Noob
The purpose of this thread is to briefly dig up the hatchet and analyze MK1's most significant home releases.
Many a playground war was surely waged over this game's ports, and it'll be interesting to see how compromises made for the consoles affect MK1 at a high level. Some of the changes are bad, some good, but who knows--maybe the differences could make them better than the original (SPOILER ALERT: not really)!
GENESIS (Mega Drive)
I'm starting with this version because it's more widespread and familiar; most of its differences are thus less surprising. We've seen and heard a million times that this version is "better" because of the blood, but Ed Boon himself remarked this one "played better, too"--as the game's lead (and only) programmer that's pretty significant. But let's test that statement...
SNES
The main attraction. This port is not well-understood, being overshadowed by its sanitized blood and fatalities (which frankly aren't that bad save for Cage/Kano's silliness). The most you'll probably hear about this version is how bad its controls are. But how bad? And how do they affect gameplay?
So there you have it. From a competitive view, at least, the Genesis version would be the one to get. And if you have a friend who had the SNES version lurking in the box (as I had), my best advice is to stay well away. The SNES version definitely nails the accuracy, and looks nice, but the notoriety surrounding its gameplay runs deeper than controls.
Many a playground war was surely waged over this game's ports, and it'll be interesting to see how compromises made for the consoles affect MK1 at a high level. Some of the changes are bad, some good, but who knows--maybe the differences could make them better than the original (SPOILER ALERT: not really)!
GENESIS (Mega Drive)
I'm starting with this version because it's more widespread and familiar; most of its differences are thus less surprising. We've seen and heard a million times that this version is "better" because of the blood, but Ed Boon himself remarked this one "played better, too"--as the game's lead (and only) programmer that's pretty significant. But let's test that statement...
Getting the obvious stuff out of the way: ABACABB and DULLARD are cool and lend some authenticity. Graphically downgraded; fewer animations etc. Matt Furniss' remixed soundtrack is pretty sweet though.
When it comes to gameplay, Genesis is more faithful than its aesthetics imply. The 3-button control scheme is actually really nice (MK1 is basically a 3-button game mapped to 5 anyway), save for blocking with Start, and it retains the bulk of Revision 5.0's gameplay--combos galore!
Sadly, this also means some jank--Sonya's Leg Grab infinite, glitch jab--remains.
On the brighter side, certain things like "broken" blocks (disabled blocking after certain attacks) are gone, so Raiden can't do weird stuff like Uppercut, Teleport, Uppercut. Sub-Zero's "unblockable" ice is gone also.
However, some changes are less explainable: close attacks are remapped, but on top of that you cannot hold back to avoid doing stuff like elbows etc. You can "transition" from high hitstun to crouching hitstun when hit by a jab (seems to not affect frame data). Frame data skews toward slightly less safe, but blockstun also seems to even it out. Thus, attacks feel a bit different on whiff.
Throw oki is a bit different here and there; Ninjas can theoretically throw infinite Cage if it weren't for throw protection!
Perhaps most noticeable is that characters seem to have slightly less health than the arcade version. Four uppercuts leads to "danger" on arcade, but kills here. Thus, matches tend to end slightly faster.
Overall, a respectable port. In today's day and age it's not hard to get better versions than this, but it's easy to pick up and play. If you and an MK buddy got trapped on a desert island with a Genesis, you'll have a good time.
When it comes to gameplay, Genesis is more faithful than its aesthetics imply. The 3-button control scheme is actually really nice (MK1 is basically a 3-button game mapped to 5 anyway), save for blocking with Start, and it retains the bulk of Revision 5.0's gameplay--combos galore!
Sadly, this also means some jank--Sonya's Leg Grab infinite, glitch jab--remains.
On the brighter side, certain things like "broken" blocks (disabled blocking after certain attacks) are gone, so Raiden can't do weird stuff like Uppercut, Teleport, Uppercut. Sub-Zero's "unblockable" ice is gone also.
However, some changes are less explainable: close attacks are remapped, but on top of that you cannot hold back to avoid doing stuff like elbows etc. You can "transition" from high hitstun to crouching hitstun when hit by a jab (seems to not affect frame data). Frame data skews toward slightly less safe, but blockstun also seems to even it out. Thus, attacks feel a bit different on whiff.
Throw oki is a bit different here and there; Ninjas can theoretically throw infinite Cage if it weren't for throw protection!
Perhaps most noticeable is that characters seem to have slightly less health than the arcade version. Four uppercuts leads to "danger" on arcade, but kills here. Thus, matches tend to end slightly faster.
Overall, a respectable port. In today's day and age it's not hard to get better versions than this, but it's easy to pick up and play. If you and an MK buddy got trapped on a desert island with a Genesis, you'll have a good time.
SNES
The main attraction. This port is not well-understood, being overshadowed by its sanitized blood and fatalities (which frankly aren't that bad save for Cage/Kano's silliness). The most you'll probably hear about this version is how bad its controls are. But how bad? And how do they affect gameplay?
Up-front, all seems well: the presentation is much more arcade-accurate, even considering the altered violence. Everything is present and accounted for--damage is arcade-accurate and everything. If one ignores the fatalities this seems decent enough.
But then you try to play it.
The SNES version has perhaps the most pronounced input delay of any fighting game ever. I don't know the hard numbers, but we're looking at double-digit frames.
Strangely, this only affects movement; there's a grace period where just "tapping" the D-Pad does nothing. You must hold the direction down briefly before it registers any motion. This makes navigating neutral awkward, and everything--from movement, special moves, and offense--suffers for it.
Worse yet, "close" attacks (elbow/knee) take priority over punches up-close (no option to hold back and prevent that, much like the Genesis version), but inexplicably will not activate if an opponent is airborne near you! This makes anti-airing ridiculously difficult, and leads to a lot of confusion when you swore you input your attack and nothing happens. Why it does this, I don't know.
Frame data and staggers are weird, too. Attacks seem a lot quicker on whiff, particularly low kicks, and it seems to take less pressure to cause a stagger on block. The SNES version's low kicks (which feel way snappier) can also cause this block stagger, which doesn't happen in the arcade or Genesis versions. Some attacks, like Kano's headbutt, are plus on block, but they're high so you'll never land the damn things.
Piling on the problems, gravity is a tad different. Many air-to-air combos are different, if not gone entirely, due to how much faster the opponent is knocked down. In spite of this reduction to combos, gameplay seems based on an earlier revision; infinite juggles are possible with jabs, and you can OTG throw people, leading to 50% combos if you throw someone into the corner and just do it again (Sonya can potentially throw them into the corner over and over but couldn't replicate it).
Certain characters got changed, affecting game balance, primarily due to this funky engine. Raiden's teleport is now 100% safe because turnaround speed is slower. Sonya's Leg Grab is not an infinite, but Square Punch (like earlier revisions) can lead to juggles--including jab infinites. Ninjas have a corner infinite with knee in the corner (that is to say, "knee, repeat"). Glitch jabs are gone, so characters like Sonya (who could duck jabs and block sweep/knee simultaneously) aren't as omnipresent.
So, that was a lot. But there are two unique quirks that are actually pretty cool:
1.) There is an input buffer! It's indefinite. Frame traps like "jab, roundhouse" are possible, and because of the movement delay some traps actually prevent ducking under them. It's also easier to move by jabbing and using the buffer to move after, which feels mighty stupid.
2.) This has to do with blocking. By dropping Block on the same frame(s?) as an attack hits, you essentially "parry" the attack and can punish with nearly anything. This would be a really cool metagame (trying to block attacks and risk a hit, or wait out attacks and get thrown), except throw protection means there's no tricks here. The best tactic is to down-back, only blocking to freely punish a sweep or knee. This also invalidates the input buffer tricks, since you can easily block and punish.
In other words, the SNES version's best features are invalidated by themselves, and this is on top of the myriad problems already posed. Not worthy.
But then you try to play it.
The SNES version has perhaps the most pronounced input delay of any fighting game ever. I don't know the hard numbers, but we're looking at double-digit frames.
Strangely, this only affects movement; there's a grace period where just "tapping" the D-Pad does nothing. You must hold the direction down briefly before it registers any motion. This makes navigating neutral awkward, and everything--from movement, special moves, and offense--suffers for it.
Worse yet, "close" attacks (elbow/knee) take priority over punches up-close (no option to hold back and prevent that, much like the Genesis version), but inexplicably will not activate if an opponent is airborne near you! This makes anti-airing ridiculously difficult, and leads to a lot of confusion when you swore you input your attack and nothing happens. Why it does this, I don't know.
Frame data and staggers are weird, too. Attacks seem a lot quicker on whiff, particularly low kicks, and it seems to take less pressure to cause a stagger on block. The SNES version's low kicks (which feel way snappier) can also cause this block stagger, which doesn't happen in the arcade or Genesis versions. Some attacks, like Kano's headbutt, are plus on block, but they're high so you'll never land the damn things.
Piling on the problems, gravity is a tad different. Many air-to-air combos are different, if not gone entirely, due to how much faster the opponent is knocked down. In spite of this reduction to combos, gameplay seems based on an earlier revision; infinite juggles are possible with jabs, and you can OTG throw people, leading to 50% combos if you throw someone into the corner and just do it again (Sonya can potentially throw them into the corner over and over but couldn't replicate it).
Certain characters got changed, affecting game balance, primarily due to this funky engine. Raiden's teleport is now 100% safe because turnaround speed is slower. Sonya's Leg Grab is not an infinite, but Square Punch (like earlier revisions) can lead to juggles--including jab infinites. Ninjas have a corner infinite with knee in the corner (that is to say, "knee, repeat"). Glitch jabs are gone, so characters like Sonya (who could duck jabs and block sweep/knee simultaneously) aren't as omnipresent.
So, that was a lot. But there are two unique quirks that are actually pretty cool:
1.) There is an input buffer! It's indefinite. Frame traps like "jab, roundhouse" are possible, and because of the movement delay some traps actually prevent ducking under them. It's also easier to move by jabbing and using the buffer to move after, which feels mighty stupid.
2.) This has to do with blocking. By dropping Block on the same frame(s?) as an attack hits, you essentially "parry" the attack and can punish with nearly anything. This would be a really cool metagame (trying to block attacks and risk a hit, or wait out attacks and get thrown), except throw protection means there's no tricks here. The best tactic is to down-back, only blocking to freely punish a sweep or knee. This also invalidates the input buffer tricks, since you can easily block and punish.
In other words, the SNES version's best features are invalidated by themselves, and this is on top of the myriad problems already posed. Not worthy.
So there you have it. From a competitive view, at least, the Genesis version would be the one to get. And if you have a friend who had the SNES version lurking in the box (as I had), my best advice is to stay well away. The SNES version definitely nails the accuracy, and looks nice, but the notoriety surrounding its gameplay runs deeper than controls.
