This thread is dedicated to games that were released on multiple platforms, but sounded the best on inferior hardware. This happened more often than one might think, thanks in no small part to the Commodore 64 and its marvelous SID chip.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Here’s the main theme from the arcade version of Commando.
That boring ditty doesn’t exactly make you want to put on your dancing shoes, am I right?
Wait until you hear the Commodore 64 rendition of that tune by the legendary Rob Hubbard!
He turned everything up to eleven, transforming a once-dreary soundtrack into an epic and energetic face-melter of a tune.
So, do you guys have any examples of games that sounded the best on inferior platforms?
I think the SID renditions of the arcade tunes are more fun to listen to. On top of that, a new title theme was composed by Chris Huelsbeck and it’s wonderful!
Did you think I was done gushing over the SID chip? Think again!
Here’s another soundtrack I prefer on the good old Commodore 64. It’s Turbo OutRun!
Arcade
Commodore 64
The arcade version sounds like generic rock music, but the C64 version is bubbly and bouncy, thanks to having maestro Jeroen Tel on the keys. Also, the intro features an epic arrangement of Magical Sound Shower!
I’m impressed by the SFC Super Street Fighter 2 soundtrack (it differs from the US SNES version), really good stereo sound. Very charming and I think I prefer it over the arcade (from what I hear cause I don’t have the arcade cabinet to really compare).