We had a thread earlier examining which games received the most individual ports. But in the modern age of cross platform game engines, rereleases, homogenity and scalability in hardware, it’s often a measure of which games saw the most versions across old and existing platforms.
Recently playing the Nintendo DS version of Need for Speed: Prostreet got me thinking: Which games received the most individual bespoke versions?
I think this might have culminated in the mid 2000s when there are incredible diversity and variety in games hardware and platforms, including but not just limited to:
Japanese mobile phones
iPhone
iPod click wheel
Game Boy Advance
Nintendo DS
Sony PSP
Sony PS3
Xbox 360
Microsoft Zune
Nintendo Wii
PC
Mac
Browser based games, including those using Flash
Because of key differences between the above platforms, publishers had to create entirely separate versions of games in order to release across as many devices as possible.
An example of one such game might include Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands, which had at least five distinct versions:
Mobile
Nintendo DS
PSP
360 + PS3+ PC
Wii
Browser?
Or Rayman 2, which has many distinct versions:
N64 + Dreamcast + PC
PlayStation
DS
Gameloft iPhone version
Game Boy Advance version (called “Rayman 3”)
N-Gage version (based on GBA, I think?)
What other examples can you think of, and which versions would you call standouts? In the case of Need for Speed: Prostreet which I mentioned earlier, the DS version from developer Exient really is special. Not only is the handling model just exceptional, but it has the full featureset of the console versions, something the PSP version can’t match.
The one that springs to mind is Driver San Francisco (Wii) which was great and a totally different story and vibe than the Xbox/PlayStation game. Loved them both.
It’s one of the few Wii games that is awkward to play from anything other than the retail disc. At least it was when I played it done years ago. Copy protection.
I think Rise of the Robots might take the cake. The basic structure is the same but all the different versions have very different presentation, frontends and slight difference in game mechanics
Amiga + CD32 + DOS
Genesis
Game Gear
SNES
3DO
CDi
Arcade (unreleased but complete and dumped)
None of them are passable but SNES has cool soundtrack and presentation.
Honorable mention: Psygnosis’s mid-90s FMV rail shooters are games you wouldn’t expect to have been completely remade between platforms but they were.
Microcosm:
FM Towns + DOS
Sega CD
3DO
Amiga CD32
CDi (unreleased)
Again none of the versions are good but SCD is slightly more playable and has a cool soundtrack from the Wipeout composer. The Amiga CD32 does have a decent soundtrack and the best FMV but the gameplay is absolutely woeful.
Novastorm:
FM Towns Marty + 3DO
Sega CD
DOS
PS1
The DOS game I genuinely like and would defend as an impressively well-designed and thoughtful game for a FMV-based western rail shooter. All the other versions are crap. The PS1 does have fullscreen FMV and some neat boss designs exclusive to it but the gameplay is all fucked.
The first Disgaea game came out on PS2, PSP, DS and is not also on PC, PS4, and Switch. The original releases all have some extra features added to them that make them slightly different with the PSP adding an entirely new campaign as well as multiplayer and adding characters from the sequel. Oh and the PSP game is in widescreen as well.
The DS version had the same content but in addition they included mechanics that were originally from the sequel as well as more recruit able characters. There is also an added new game+ prinny commentary that is a fun way to play through the game again to hear what the orinny has to say about each scene.
The major difference between them other than input method, you can use the touchscreen on DS, is the lower resolution and overall fidelity of the DS version compared to both the PS2 and PSP release. The DS version has significantly reduced voice acting since it wouldn’t have all fit on the cart. It think only the opening and ending cutscenes are fully voiced with the rest of the game just having a couple of spoken phrases. Quality of life wise thought the DS is great since the top screen provides a minimap and a bunch of useful data without the need to open any additional menus.
Another game is Star Wars the Force Unleashed. It had a ton of ports to basically every single console that existed at the time.
Compared to the PS3/360 version the PS2, Wii, PSP version is entirely reworked having an expanded campaign that integrates some of the DLC scenarios that the newer consoles had with the PSP version having some additional exclusive missions that were never added to any other version.
These version also had multiplayer that was pretty fun that I played a bunch with some friends back then. The switch port that exists is interesting because it’s a port of the Wii version rather than the PS3/360 version so if you like the Force Unleashed and wanted to see how different they are it’s an easy recommend.
Here’s a video comparing all of the different versions:
Some really interesting picks so far - I had Disgaea DS and it really did feel like a separate version to the PSP version I previously owned. I think, like Rhapsody’s DS port, it might have been loosely based on a Japanese mobile phone version from the time as well.
I guess a really obvious 90s example of a game with many bespoke versions would be the first Doom, though perhaps shockingly the only version I’m familiar with is the Game Boy Advance version I grew up with, so it’s probably best placed for someone else to fully detail the differences. My understanding is the GBA version is based on the Atari Jaguar version, though. And wasn’t there a new version of SNES Doom releasing soon with a more capable SuperFX chip on the cartridge board?
I highly recommend DF Retro’s video on the subject:
And yes, a new doom is coming to SNES soon!
I actually never played doom that seriously until the recent switch ports but now I’m really into it. I always thought it looked cool at friends’ houses as a kid but I never had an SNES or PC at the time.
I do have a morbid interest in playing every official version even though I wouldn’t actually go through with it.
Oh yeah there were a lot enhanced DS mobile ports. Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded was a port of Coded from mobile. I had forgotten Rhapsody had a DS port but on the subject of Atlus, I’ve been going through a bunch of the older Ys games and you just reminded me that Atlus also released Legacy of Ys: Books I & II on the DS. That one was full 3D with character sprites so kinda like the DS Pokemon games.
Speaking of which Ys 1 & 2 has had a bunch of ports and remakes:
Table of Ys 1 release history taken from Strategy Wiki (https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Ys:_Ancient_Ys_Vanished)
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
Column 4
System(s)
Date
Name
Notes
NEC PC-88, Sharp X1, NEC PC-98, Fujitsu FM-7, MSX2
June-December 1987
イース Ancient Ys Vanished Omen
The original computer releases, the main title of the game is written as an illustrated Ys on the box artwork, manual, and title screen, as opposed to the Katakana イース which is the formal release title.
Famicom
August 26, 1988
Ys, イース
Both the English and the Katakana are displayed on the box artwork, while only the Katakana is displayed on the title screen.
Sega Master System
October 15, 1988
Ys (Japan)
Ys: The Vanished Omen (US & Europe)
The name was changed outside of Japan. The Brazilian box art contains the infamous and incorrect Y’s with an apostrophe.
TurboGrafx-CD
December 21, 1989
Ys I・II (Japan)
Ys Book I & II (US & Europe)
The first compilation release containing both chapters in one game. The title screen displays, イース Ancient Ys Vanished. This version would go on to be released on the Wii Virtual Console in 2007.
Sharp X68000
July 19, 1991
イース
No usage of the illustrated English appears on the box art or title screen of this version.
Sega Saturn
November 6, 1997
イース Ancient Ys Vanished Omen
Part of the first Falcom Classics compilation, the title screen utilizes Katakana instead of the illustrated English Ys.
Windows 95/98
April 24, 1998
Ys Eternal
The first in a series of remakes which upgrade the look, feel, and sound of the game, as well as introduce new content. A VE (Very Easy) version was released in 2001.
Windows 95/98
June 28, 2001
Ys Complete
A slight enhancement to the original remake which introduced new difficulties and time attack mode. First released as a compilation, but later sold separately from Ys II Complete.
PlayStation 2
August 7, 2003
Ys I & II Eternal Story
A compilation based primarily on the Ys Eternal version, but with further changes to gameplay.
Nintendo DS
March 20, 2008
イースDS / Legacy of Ys: Books I & II
The DS version of the game, originally released as separate titles in Japan, the two games were brought together on one cartridge for the US release.
Windows XP/7, PlayStation Portable, Steam
July 16, 2009
Ys I & II Chronicles
Based primarily upon Ys Complete, the PSP version was released first, followed by the PC conversion in December, and finally the Steam re-release as Ys I & II Chronicles+ on February 14, 2013.
Nintendo Switch
February 15, 2024
イース
The Nintendo Switch port based on the PC-8801 version will be released by D4 Enterprise as part of their EGGCONSOLE series.
And that’s just the first 2 games. Ys 3 and 4 have distinct versions as well especially Ys 4.
