Definitive way to play your favorite games

[mortuz]

Odds are your favorite game has gone through multiple ports, re-releases, special editions, and more variations than you can count.
This happens because companies want to reach a wider audience or bring their games to new players on newer consoles.

Sometimes it’s obvious which edition or port is the best choice, but other times it’s far from simple. A so-called ‘special edition’ isn’t necessarily an improvement if the disc is missing content that was present in the original release. Newer versions can introduce problems like frame rate drops, downgraded features, awkward camera controls, or even worse visuals. In some cases, the Japanese or PAL versions end up being superior while other regions get an inferior release—and vice versa. Even ports can vary, with certain consoles receiving better features or more refined designs. All of this makes some versions of a game much more appealing than others.

I’m putting this thread together to help gamers sort through the many editions and releases of a game to figure out which one truly stands out as the best. The focus here will be on games with multiple versions, not the collector’s extras—statues, music CDs, and the like are cool, but what really matters are improvements to the gameplay itself. Things such as reduced lag, faster loading times, additional levels, more on-disc content, or enhanced graphics make a real difference. Keep in mind though: simply having HD visuals or extra DLC doesn’t automatically make a game ‘better’—there need to be meaningful upgrades to the actual on-disc experience for a version to count as superior.

ROM hacks or mods that don’t drastically alter the base game—and are for titles that were officially released—are allowed here. For instance, a hack that simply fixes bugs in a company-released game is perfectly fine.

Feel free to give honorable mentions too—ports that might not be the very best, but are still better than most and definitely worth a look.

 

[Yousef]

That’s a super interesting topic idea. A lot of franchises definitely need a guide like this, like Persona, GTA, Yakuza and many more.

 

[poppy_]

im a bit of a sonic adventure fan, and most other fans probably know about the issues with the sonic adventure port to the gamecube "Sonic Adventure Directors Cut", or SADX. While it improved on the framerate (60fps up from 30fps) and allowed you to skip cutscenes, as well as adding playable metal sonic, it also completely overhauled the entire artistic direction of the game. a lot of the changes come down to personal preference, but many lighting effects, sounds, textures etc were broken or negatively effected.

The SADX mod installer comes prepackaged with mods to convert the PC version of SADX back to how it looked on the dreamcast. this is how i would recommend anyone play it, especially if its your first time.

if you are unaware of the issues with SADX, cybershell has a great video going over the differences and why its generally seen as inferior to the original dreamcast version.

 

[Lod 10]

Guys, I'm rarely a gamer who plays a lot of games. I just play for fun. If I die, I try again. I don't care about people saying I'm bad. I'll take it. If I could, I'd take a p A popcorn, a soda and I played the game until I finished it. In my experience, not with the experience of others who are best friends.

 

[Turbo Kid]

Still the best way to play this, better than the arcade version too. Stay far away from Re-Shelled. The Super Famicom version has some added text lines from bosses if that matters to you.

Far better than the PS2 version, and this is the most powerful system you can play it on

Enhanced, definitive version:

 

[mortuz]

That’s a super interesting topic idea. A lot of franchises definitely need a guide like this, like Persona, GTA, Yakuza and many more.

It's stressing to think whenever a new version of a certain game is released, there will be content from previous port left behind due to the license expiring music, lost source code and many more.

I wish threads like these become useful for people to find what version of a game should they play.

 

[Turbo Kid]

Lot of differences between this and the Playstation version, the Switch/PC versions are the way to go. The Playstation version is missing a LOT of quality of life improvements.

 

[qw90700]

Funny coincidence that I just talked to a person about it like 5 minutes ago and said to him "usually originals are better gams than their later versions so if you ever played a remake for the first time you better believe their original game is better but of course great few exceptions" exist.

In that context few exceptions are Resident Evil 2 remake. The original game featured new characters with their different storyline which wasn't interesting to me, but to make it realistically happen the game take place in few locations that's not interesting. On top of it gameplay was too bothersome due to lots of enemies but not enough bullets which you had to somehow "know" you better risk taking damage, use your knife to make zombies stay away and avoid taking damage to continue playing the game instead uf shooting from time to time. As a result I didn't like the original game at all. But remake was a proper game so despite the locations were dull they could make it impactful. However can't say the same thing for Resident Evil 3 remake that was awful, lacking lots of key features that is identity of the game and locations.

And then we have a type of "remake" that is heavily downgrade version that lacks the point of playing the game. For example original version of Ni no Kuni on NDS has the point of being a wizard simulator that asks players to draw shapes of magic to cast spell but its remake has no gameplay whatsoever, not even via analog and mouse which make you select spell from a menu instead. On top of it story significantly changed and it does lacks features and locations to shorten development of the game so they released as "graphically modern but game itself is heavily downgraded". Imagine GTA San Andreas's remake turn it into more like GTA 3 that focuses on one city and also cuts tons of content. Doesn't make sense for a remake. A remake should improve a game, not downgrade it.

And then we have greedy Atlus way of "same game but different stuff going on" Persona games and its versions. They first cut content or they intentionally wanna play safe by not addiding certain content because they imagine with this content the game may be not liked, but instead of selling them as a DLC they sell this cut content bundled with the same game but they sell it as a new game. It's half bad and good for me because I never liked Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal, they ruin the base game for me but this idea itself is BS.

And then we have "updated" versions of games that mostly sold as "Definitive Editions". For some reason they usually have no noticable graphical improvement but to make it seem like "there is something different" the game requries a better PC to run so otherwise FPS is reduced by like 20 FPS. For example Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition is like that + they also "fixed" a feature in the base game that your character was able to mix lots of clothing options regarding outfit which turned out to be a bug so they removed this "feature" in Definitive Edition lol. Some of these such editions have BS graphical "improvement" like taking texture files and sharpening them instead of really increasing the quality, for example Mafia 2 Definitive Edition's graphics made bad due to bad textures that is over-sharpened and bad decision with black and white level of the visual making dark too dark, light too light.

Only few ports I know adds quality of life improvement and whatnot fixing to make base game enjoyable, which is why I would prefer 3DS version of Radiant Historia over NDS version despite NDS version is not bad or unplayable per se, but rather 3DS version have decent options for people who wanna replay the game by making the game "quicker" and "easier to deal with in battles".

In the end I don't think ports, remakes and remasters, et cetera necessarily a good way to play games which is why I will only care to have original means to play games in the way they meant to be.

 

[PhrawzT]

I typically like to play the original most of the time unless there are major quality of life upgrades, but here's a few of my opinions.

Katamari Damacy - aside from slightly upgraded graphics, the originals are just as good as the remakes.
Halo - Xbox 360 version with the upgraded graphics is a great improvement, but the gameplay is just as good in both.
Kingdoms of Amalur - the remake fixes some of the bugs in the original, but both still hold up great.
Super Monkey Ball - Gamecube version all the way, the physics in the recent remake is off and the mini games are nearly unplayable.

 

[Lod 10]

Odds are your favorite game has gone through multiple ports, re-releases, special editions, and more variations than you can count.
This happens because companies want to reach a wider audience or bring their games to new players on newer consoles.

Sometimes it’s obvious which edition or port is the best choice, but other times it’s far from simple. A so-called ‘special edition’ isn’t necessarily an improvement if the disc is missing content that was present in the original release. Newer versions can introduce problems like frame rate drops, downgraded features, awkward camera controls, or even worse visuals. In some cases, the Japanese or PAL versions end up being superior while other regions get an inferior release—and vice versa. Even ports can vary, with certain consoles receiving better features or more refined designs. All of this makes some versions of a game much more appealing than others.

I’m putting this thread together to help gamers sort through the many editions and releases of a game to figure out which one truly stands out as the best. The focus here will be on games with multiple versions, not the collector’s extras—statues, music CDs, and the like are cool, but what really matters are improvements to the gameplay itself. Things such as reduced lag, faster loading times, additional levels, more on-disc content, or enhanced graphics make a real difference. Keep in mind though: simply having HD visuals or extra DLC doesn’t automatically make a game ‘better’—there need to be meaningful upgrades to the actual on-disc experience for a version to count as superior.

ROM hacks or mods that don’t drastically alter the base game—and are for titles that were officially released—are allowed here. For instance, a hack that simply fixes bugs in a company-released game is perfectly fine.

Feel free to give honorable mentions too—ports that might not be the very best, but are still better than most and definitely worth a look.

Hello my bro, how are you? I'll tell you my definitive way of playing, which is casually. I don't care if I'm bad, the important thing is that I have fun. If I want, I'll buy some popcorn.For a soda and watching a movie, playing, listening to music and having fun Make a giant popcorn and take a break

 

[Turbo Kid]

Original hardware for best experience and zero input lag, but the game is pricey so go with emulation. Don't play the 32-bit versions as they have an awful remixed soundtrack

If you want the Cut Man boss fight, Saturn version is the way to go

Definitive version of Symphony of the Night no matter what anyone tells you, though it's missing the "I am the Wind" ending theme which still gives the PSX version some worth. The Saturn version is the worst version of the game despite having some interesting console exclusive content.

I could probably post a ton of stuff for this thread quite honestly. I thoroughly research stuff like this. Some games are also better by region, such as Bare Knuckle III. It's international counterpart sucks.

 

[Lod 10]

Original hardware for best experience and zero input lag, but the game is pricey so go with emulation. Don't play the 32-bit versions as they have an awful remixed soundtrack

If you want the Cut Man boss fight, Saturn version is the way to go

Definitive version of Symphony of the Night no matter what anyone tells you, though it's missing the "I am the Wind" ending theme which still gives the PSX version some worth. The Saturn version is the worst version of the game despite having some interesting console exclusive content.

I could probably post a ton of stuff for this thread quite honestly. I thoroughly research stuff like this. Some games are also better by region, such as Bare Knuckle III. It's international counterpart sucks.

Hey my friend, thanks for the recommendations you sent, I was playing Castlevania on the Super Nintendo, Super Castlevania 4In the emulator

 

[X y b e r - S k u ll]

Dark Souls Prepare to Die edition with DSFix installed was literally one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had, sucks they took it off all storefronts when Remastered dropped (Though you can still find it out there if you look hard enough )

Persona 4 PS2 version is still the best version of that game IMO (I think Golden added a lot of good QOL improvements, but personally on aesthetic levels PS2 is way better. Also not a huge fan of the Marie stuff if I’m being honest)

Pikmin 2 original GameCube version is perfect and you still get all the cool real world objects as treasures.

Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix PC version is the best way to play that game (Although it does that dumb thing from the HD collections where some of the moves had their names changed for no reason. Easy fix but still a bit annoying)

 

[Segadude113]

im a bit of a sonic adventure fan, and most other fans probably know about the issues with the sonic adventure port to the gamecube "Sonic Adventure Directors Cut", or SADX. While it improved on the framerate (60fps up from 30fps) and allowed you to skip cutscenes, as well as adding playable metal sonic, it also completely overhauled the entire artistic direction of the game. a lot of the changes come down to personal preference, but many lighting effects, sounds, textures etc were broken or negatively effected.

The SADX mod installer comes prepackaged with mods to convert the PC version of SADX back to how it looked on the dreamcast. this is how i would recommend anyone play it, especially if its your first time.

if you are unaware of the issues with SADX, cybershell has a great video going over the differences and why its generally seen as inferior to the original dreamcast version.

is there a mod manager for SA2Battle?

 

[PrismRed]

Sakura Wars 1 and 2 on Saturn has the classic grid-based RPG, the one on Dreamcast use the 3d movement system like in Sakura Wars 3 and has minor animation improvement, they are practically the same game so it's a matter of gameplay preferences.

Lollipop Chainsaw on X360/PS3 was uncensored and still has it's original soundtrack, along with the collaboration costumes.

Splinter Cell Double Agent were released in Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, Wii, and PC, PS3, X360. They are two entirely different games. Old gen is best played on PS2, new gen is best played on X360.

Skies of Arcadia, best played on Gamecube, better graphics, stable frame rate, also has extra contents on the side.

NBA Street V3 on Gamecube has exclusive Mario, Luigi, and Peach as playable characters, other consoles ain't got nuthin'.

GTA San Andreas' iconic orange tint is only available on PS2 hardware, and it has the uncut songs on the radio obviously.

2005's Star Wars Battlefront II, best played on PC, even unmodded it has higher texture resolution, and it has 2 exclusive maps not available on the console version.

Tales of Hearts, play the R version on Vita so you can get 2 extra party member.

XCOM Enemy Unknown, definitely PC mainly for one thing: massive loading time difference compared to consoles.

Uncharted Golden Abyss on Vita, well it doesn't have any port but the latest version knocked the difficulty down a peg, if you prefer the standard Uncharted difficulty I suggest to play the vanilla version. Update version however, added the HUD prompt to help you find the collectibles.

 

[Turbo Kid]

Skies of Arcadia on GC does have a downgraded soundtrack though, but I agree it's the best version of the game

If you want to get super nitpicky, the Xbox 360 version of Lollipop Chainsaw is better than the PS3 one in some minor ways (like a lot of third party games were back then). For one thing you can actually back up your save data. Also, the Valentines Day edition of Lollipop Chainsaw had some extra stuff and includes all of the pre order costumes via a code I think. I'm pretty sure it's the best version of the game. It has English and is region free

 

[poppy_]

is there a mod manager for SA2Battle?

this mod manager works for both and its what I use, im actually not sure if the post I linked installs this one or the older manager. either way im sure upgrading is pretty hastle free.

 

[PrismRed]

Some more I just remembered.

The Godfather on X360/PS3/Wii has more content compared to it's older generation, or rather, they cut lots of content so it can run with the old gens.

Devil May Cry 4 has exclusive Legendary Dark Knight difficulty on PC.

Viewtiful Joe on PS2 has Dante as a secret unlockable playable character.

American McGee's Alice, best played on modern consoles wherever you got the Alice Madness Return from, it has widescreen support and better character models than its old standalone version.

Doom, well each console versions got its own pros and cons, I suggest you look it up yourself and see which compromise works best with you.

True Crime New York City, stay away from the Xbox version at all cost, it has a bug in one mission that makes the game unbeatable, PS2's frame rate is very jittery, PC is the way to go.

Test Drive Unlimited 2, play it on PC since there is an active community actually reviving the game.

No More Heroes 1 and 2, the re-released version on Switch has controller scheme improvement if you don't wanna wag the joycon around, also has Japanese dub if you're into that, the original one on Wii only has English dub.

 

[Turbo Kid]

Some regional stuff

Ninja Gaiden III (NES), Contra the Hard Corps, and Devil May Cry 3 were all better in Japan before their difficulty balancing got tampered with via localization. It was an annoying trend with a lot of games to raise the difficulty when they left Japan. There are romhacks restoring NG III and Contra Hard Corps but I'm trying not to mention those in this thread and focus on official releases.

Oh, Mad City/The Adventures of Bayou Billy on the NES is another example of a game that got fucked via localization

It's also well known that any game that went through Working Designs got ruined. There are fan based releases fixing some of them that I think can be bought as reproductions.

There's a whole discussion that can be had regarding the original Spyro trilogy on the PS1 and the Re-Ignited remasters. The remasters are generally better if you don't mind some political correct changes and censorship. There's some controversy regarding the controls and physics of the Crash Bandicoot remasters vs the originals as well. You could just get both the originals and remasters of both trilogies and be content with that

There were some minor changes to the Mass Effect remasters that may or may not bother some people as well. Not to mention one of the stupidest uses of the Playstation trophy system I have ever seen with them creating a completely separate list apart from the one that came with each game which was just stupid and pointless. The superfluous extra list also doesn't include a Platinum. Personally, I still view the original Xbox 360 releases as definitive

I like the original Ninja Gaiden games, not all this Sigma crap or the "Black" version of the original. The original Xbox 360 version of NG II is the BEST version and the original version of the first game on the OG Xbox is the best one.

Conker's Bad Fur Day on the N64 is still the best version

Okay, this post is probably getting too long.

 

[X y b e r - S k u ll]

I like the original Ninja Gaiden games, not all this Sigma crap or the "Black" version of the original. The original Xbox 360 version of NG II is the BEST version and the original version of the first game on the OG Xbox is the best one.

Agreed on NG2, but Black on the OG Xbox is the best version of that game hands down

 

[Turbo Kid]

Agreed on NG2, but Black on the OG Xbox is the best version of that game hands down

It's debatable, but I think most of definitely agree on NG II. They really neutered that game.

 

[Segadude113]

this mod manager works for both and its what I use, im actually not sure if the post I linked installs this one or the older manager. either way im sure upgrading is pretty hastle free.

i'm using a hyperkin XBOX One controller and the camera won't stop spinning. I installed the input mod but it didn't work. i customized the controls with the app manager and still it keeps spinning and it won't save my custom controls either. So annoying!!!

 

[UnDubious]

Normally I prefer to play the original, but one example where the remake is better is Rent A Hero. The Genesis game is ok, and it has its moments, but the Dreamcast game is really good. There's a good deal of content exclusive to each version and the whole city is different, I'd say it's almost half-remake, half new game, so playing both also works.

 

[bjork]

Definitive version of Symphony of the Night no matter what anyone tells you, though it's missing the "I am the Wind" ending theme which still gives the PSX version some worth. The Saturn version is the worst version of the game despite having some interesting console exclusive content.

I'm with you on the Saturn one being the worst, but super hard disagree on this being the best version. For me, unnecessary translation, lack of shoulder buttons, lesser version of Maria. It *is* the best unlockable maybe ever in a game, but I still gotta go with the old PS1 version here. But that's okay, personal taste is always going to be different from person to person.

As for my contribution to the thread: most people will say the way to play Phantasy Star Online nowadays is Blue Burst on the PC, but I still enjoy the Gamecube version of Plus with some action replay codes running. Enemy lifebars, draw distance, things like that. I don't play it online, but I know it's an option that's there if I want it. I like it as a thing I sit down with and unwind for an hour or two every so often.

 

[Mr.Yes]

For me, I think most of modern re-releases, remasters, special editions etc.. lost their meanings.
For example, if you're going to release an older title, at least give us convincing reasons to buy it again, not just a 60fps widescreen patch and few costumes/skins locked behind a paywall, sometimes they even censor/cut content like what happened with Dead Rising Remaster and Sonic Origins. I swear, the things that kept me replaying the games over and over were the cheat codes and the rewarding unlockables.
A good fine case would be: Spider-Man (2000)

Anyway, the examples I think of the most that relates to your topic are the old GTA Steam ports and the supposed 2014 "remaster" of GTA SAN

The team Vadim M made a great explanation why are they horrible games.
Here.

Also, one of my favorite mods should go to Silent Patch.
The man cared for these classics more than the company, which is sad.