3DO ZONE Forums

I think this is a new YouTube vid. Pretty spot on based on my own observations with the 3DO & Saturn ports ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScTSg-lyGm4

I've been really feeling like playing some NFS lately, but my 3DO isn't hooked up.
This is gonna make me pull it back out.

I can't even remember which one is my favorite car, but I could always get the most air time with the Viper. It was also the best one for doing donuts.

That's a good a video.


...although "port of the DOS game?"

3DOKid wrote:That's a good a video.


...although "port of the DOS game?"

Yeah, he was mistaken on that ... it's the other way around.

Trev wrote:

3DOKid wrote:That's a good a video.


...although "port of the DOS game?"

Yeah, he was mistaken on that ... it's the other way around.

He's since corrected the error with a pop-up note. You can find it at 1:30.

Interesting video and it's great to see a side-by-side of the two games. But as it's been mentioned, some of the information is off, like the whole "DOS port" thing. What also bugged me is his reference to the framerate. In the video, the Saturn one clearly has a higher framerate, but he says "It looks higher, but it's really made to look smoother even though it's actually not." Um, what? My eyes don't deceive, dude. Also, his explanation for his preference in visuals is weak. "I like the 3DO one because the cars look more realistic and thus it feels like you're really driving". Um, what? Come on, they are cars made up of a couple dozen polygons if we're lucky. Just say something like the colors pop out more, the textures are sharper, or everything is cleaner overall (which they are, heh).

Those gripes aside, it's a good video. I didn't recall how the Saturn and PlayStation versions looked, but now I understand why everyone prefers the 3DO one. The faster arcade-like gameplay just doesn't seem to fit the style of the original game. Seeing the Saturn one in action, it just feels like something is missing.

I hear this "the 3DO version is the best version of Need for Speed" quite often, but for me personally, it's not really that straight cut.

This is by no means to say that I don't love NFS on 3DO, because I do. However, I also really like the PS1 & Saturn version, of which, owning all 3, the PS1 version is the best of those 2. The Saturn version is the worst looking of them both (of all 3 in total) plus I believe it omits the Link play option from the PS1 version, something I sued to love doing as a kid, along with Doom & Final Doom, WO2097, RRRevolution and of course, NFS.

Graphically, the 3DO version is the sharpest BUT technically, based on how the game is constructed (3D), the PS1 version looks better. I also really like the soundtrack to NFS present in the PS1/SAT versions.

I enjoy both the more realistic take on 3DO vs the Cannonball run antics of the later version too! I think the sensation of speed in the later versions is great. Literally, pick the Diablo, choose the Coastal track with the Duel settings (inc. traffic, police etc) turn in game music off and play the opening theme to Cannonball run in the background! Done

Austin wrote:What also bugged me is his reference to the framerate. In the video, the Saturn one clearly has a higher framerate, but he says "It looks higher, but it's really made to look smoother even though it's actually not." Um, what? My eyes don't deceive, dude.

Could it be due to the combination of the increased speed and the removal of all the oncoming traffic? I don't know much about framerate (and rarely notice it) but I'd think those things might make it seem better than it actually is ...

Honestly, I just like busting on you about framerates. But seriosly, what do you think?

Trev wrote:Could it be due to the combination of the increased speed and the removal of all the oncoming traffic? I don't know much about framerate (and rarely notice it) but I'd think those things might make it seem better than it actually is ...

If the game has to worry about a lot less AI and doesn't have to render, texture and animate as many objects on screen, then yeah, that would theoretically free up more resources for processing everything else that's going on. That in itself could result in a smooth framerate provided everything else is optimized right.

Trev wrote:Honestly, I just like busting on you about framerates. But seriosly, what do you think?

Yeah, I know. Dick.

whats framrate?

Meh, I have had both NFS games, but to me,l the 3DO version has always taken the cake. If anything, I felt that the Saturn/PSX versions are dumbed down from the original concept to make them racing games instead of what the game was originally supposed to be.

I grabbed this at the PRGE for my cousins PS2. (The original, first version). I was going to get the 3do version but they wanted $35 for a either one of two copies. Both look like they had their long boxes crushed. The one that had a manual looked like it had been used for toilet paper. So I passed. Luckily my guess was right. I can find way better deals on Amazon.com. WAY better.

Yeah. $35 is pretty overkill Chris. Still, at least you got the PS1 version. As I'm sure anyone will tell you, on whichever format you get the game, you can't fail to enjoy it. The music present in the PS1 & SAT versions is especially good

ALSO...

Mr Darque Face! Can we not get our beloved T2Freeker back, but with this cool new avatar? Seriously. Everyone knows you as the Freeker...

NeoGeoNinja wrote:As I'm sure anyone will tell you, on whichever format you get the game, you can't fail to enjoy it. The music present in the PS1 & SAT versions is especially good

You really think ? I personally hated the music they added in the later ports. Generic rock, that just detracted from the cool engine noises from the various cars. I'm grateful the 3DO original didn't have it, as it would have felt out of place for a sim. I guess its more fitting for the arcade appoach EA took with the later ports, but I thought it was lousy myself.

You'll enjoy the ports if you haven't played the 3DO version. If you have though, there is a good chance you'll strongly dislike them. They are so watered down by comparison.

I really think.

I pretty much covered my thoughts on the whole 3DO, PS1 & SAT releases above, anyway...

Yeah, its cool. I'm glad you're able to enjoy the later releases.

I do like the 2 player mode the Sat/PSX NFS has. 3DO could have used a good 2 player racer.

We have not looked into it but we briefly raced 2 player. I think they had all the A.I. enemies included in the race. I hate it when its lone races with no A.I. in the mix. Thats what I liked about World Tour Racing on the Jaguar. Even in two player split screen it had the full compliment of AI opponents. The more the merrier. Lets put everyone into the mix.

Reading through old gaming magazines, every now and then you find a statement which is perfectly fine for the time the magazine was published, but amusingly wrong with 20/20 hindsight. (More often I find statements that would have induced massive face palming even to contemporary readers.) This is a snippet from Sega Saturn Magazine; check out the last paragraph.



EDIT: Updated image link.

As someone who had the ps1 and Saturn ports for years, and rarely played them because honestly I thought they were rubbish...after people kept trying to convince me to get the 3do version I broke down and got one. Not only do I like the 3do version, but I love it. To the point I like it more than the coveted favorite 2se on PC. It feels like a proper driving game, and its instantly since made my Saturn and ps1 versions useless coasters. I don't honestly understand how anyone, after playing all three, could think the 3do version isn't the most fun. And that's with technical opinions aside.

I never invested anytime in the PC version, the PS1 version I found very disappointing.

I've always had access to both the 3DO & PS1 versions since way back when. I had a 3DO with NFS and my mate (who got a PS1 before me) ended up getting NFS for his PS1 when it released. Eventually, I bought my own copy too.

To be perfectly honest, I really just enjoy both versions BECAUSE they're different. One thing the PS1/SAT version has > the 3DO version, for me, is the excitement and speed. It's MUCH faster. Having said that, I really don't ever bother with the tracks on PS1/SAT version and always stick to the routes/courses as per the 3DO version myself

I got the demo of the PC version off a PCGamer CDROM in 1994. I had a 486-50 at the time and man the high resolution mode was amazing, but too slow on my machine. But it seared that game into my brain forever.

The 3DO version is interesting, with all its videos and such. It doesn't run very fast but it certainly was a great racing game for the time. I think the visuals of NFS1 are the most striking aspect. The sim aspects are pretty weak. But it was a solid racer in the window between SNES/Genesis 2D racers and much more sophisticated 3D racers coming with PS1 and N64.