Mortal Kombat 3 - SNES vs Genesis, Full Review
2190s Video Games, Episode 187
Mortal Kombat 3 - SNES vs Genesis, Full Review
In today’s episode, I am going to compare Mortal Kombat 3 on Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo.
The main question - Is Super Nintendo’s version finally better this time?
I am going to compare the overall presentation, colors and resolutions, sound effects and music, and playability. This video was not made to show my skills, I lost on purpose to show different characters. In this video I am also not going to perform many fatalities.
I did complete both games, however.
But enough talking. Lets get going!
While comparing intros and menus, or even the ending titles of these two ports, I have to admit, the presentation on Sega Genesis is way better in my opinion. Yes I know, Super Nintendo uses bigger logos and images, but these images are kind of stretched out and weirdly placed. Scrolling story screen also looks nice on Sega Genesis. Overall, visual design looks better on Sega Genesis.
As a side note. For some reason, SNES version doesn’t make the screen dark during a fatality.
Besides that, I opened all the secret menus (except SNES sound test) to see what kind of new options do you get. This round goes to Super Nintendo as this version has more options to enable. Super Nintendo even has an option to enable pause during the game.
Unfortunately, you will get annoying notification before every match. One time would have been enough, don’t you think? And while the secret menus look visually fine, what is going on with yellow and red text in the regular options?
Next two categories have nothing to do with the game as these are the system specific.
In resolution department, 320x224 pixels on Sega is not only bigger than 256x224 pixels on Super Nintendo but this weird flawed resolution on SNES (8:7 as it is) leads to awkward stretched visuals once displayed in standard 4:3 TV. I have no idea how some designers thought, that going with a different resolution shape could be a good idea?
In Mortal Kombat 3 it wasn’t. This point goes to Sega.
How about color department? Super Nintendo almost always wins in colors department. The SNES could handle 256 colors simultaneously and as a result you can see slightly brighter colors and better contrast in the game. No debate, graphically Mortal Kombat 3 looks way better on Super Nintendo. Even though the visuals are stretched, I have to give this point to SNES version.
Score is even, 2-2.
Next category is sound effects and music. If talking about voices, it would be draw. Super Nintendo’s version is still a bit muffled and Genesis version is grainy. However, once I got into the actual game I got really annoyed by the fighting sound effects on the SNES version.
Like, what the hell?
Some of these sound effects are very bad. Cyrax web sounds are ridiculous. Uppercut sounds like someone is hammering against a tin plate. And when you get dropped to the ground, the sound effect is awkward metallic. Also I noticed some weird sound errors while performing a combo.
I know, I will probably get a lot of hate, but even the music sounds a lot better in Genesis version. I can barely hear the music in SNES version, the sound effects are too loud. It breaks the atmosphere. Soundtracks in the Genesis version are also way more interesting.
As a side note. This running sound in the end titles of the SNES version is riddiculous.
In terms of gameplay I would also give a clear edge to Sega. Even though, I have to admit. Super Nintendo did a really great job in visual department and the game is also more playable and more responsive this time (unlike Mortal Kombat 2 was). However, AI is riddiculously unstable. It doesn’t matter what difficulty you choose, at random times your opponent either stops fighting or goes berzerk. When A I stops fighting you could just go standing next to your opponent, and they will not attack. If they go berzerk, there is nothing you can do. They will break your combos, block everything and all you get is a misery.
Genesis version is way more stable and usually you would get what you chose. Sega also has this godly 6 button controller, which was probably designed to play Mortal Kombat.
Overall, SNES version might shine visually, with brighter colors and more contrast. It’s graphics may be more detailed and smoother. Unfortunately, the resolution is a bit smaller and visuals are stretched, and voices are a bit muffled.
Fighting sounds however, have this weird metallic sound in them.
Genesis has better resolution, but spoken voice effects are grainy, and visually it’s less bright and detailed. Sound effect are without metallic sound and music is a bit louder for more pleasure. Playability however, is where the difference will be made. Genesis has way better A I and it has this wonderful 6 button controller. And once you have used it, there is no way back.
In conclusion, Genesis version is better game.
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