Original Gameboy vs. 7800

[A Sprite]

Just a thought -

 

Programmers for both systems faced low resolution screens, small roms, and tight deadlines in which to find a solution, because neither system was a priority.

 

Both have a strong classics library.

 

Both have obscure originals.

 

Placed head to head, and ignoring color vs. the B/W dot matrix screen for a minute, who comes out on top?

 

Pack in game

 

Tetris vs. Pole Position 2.

 

Games on both:

 

Ms. Pac-Man

 

Donkey Kong

 

Asteroids

 

Galaga

 

Double Dragon

 

Joust

 

Tower Toppler

 

Other?

Edited May 25, 2007 by A Sprite

[rockman_x_2002]

As much as I like the 7800, I have to say the Game Boy comes out on top. The main reason: Mounds and mounds of games spanning nearly 8 years, and that's just counting the carts that came out before the Game Boy Color. The 7800 only have a couple of fistfuls of titles.

 

Also add in the fact that the Game Boy got the support from a lot of well-known third-party companies (Konami, Capcom, etc.), where Atari had to rely primarily on lesser-known third-parties (even though Commando was Capcom's, and they did have a few games from Activision).

[Gregory DG]

I don't care how many games the GBA has, I'll take the 7800 on color factor alone.

[Feralstorm]

It's a bit more apples-and-oranges than many comparisons, since the Gameboy was from the ground up a handheld gaming device, and the 7800 wasn't.

[Prodos8]

I'm not much of a GameBoy gamer so the only one I've played on both platforms is Double Dragon. I must say it blows the 7800 version away by leaps and bounds.

[Vic George 2K3]

As far as games on both systems:

 

Ms. Pac-Man -- 7800 version is better, though the original Gameboy version is also good

 

Donkey Kong -- 7800 version is better; the Gameboy version is turned into an action-puzzle game

 

Asteroids -- Both are good, though the Asteroids/Missile Command Arcade Classics cartridge for the original Gameboy includes a "classic" graphics mode.

 

Galaga -- Original Gameboy version is better, though more enjoyable on a Super Gameboy, a Gameboy Color, or a Gameboy Advance

 

Double Dragon -- Never played the 7800 version, but the original Gameboy version is too overdetailed in graphics to really be enjoyable.

 

Joust -- 7800 version is better

 

Tower Toppler -- Never played either version, only played the NES Version (Castelian) and didn't like it.

 

Centipede -- 7800 version is better

 

Dig Dug -- 7800 version is better (yes, there IS a Dig Dug for original Gameboy)

[godzillajoe]

Now maybe my alcohol ravaged brain is misfiring here but didn't a lot of single screen games on gameboy require scrolling. Games like Pac-Man, Dig Dug etc.

 

It's been years since I played a gameboy game but I swear Pac-Man played like Jr. Pac-Man where you couldn't see the whole screen at once and it scrolled.

 

That to me kills the gameplay and spirit of the original.

[gdement]

I'm not sure I enjoyed much of anything on the Game Boy. I did play Final Fantasy Legend for a while, but overall that system just isn't much fun to use, and never was.

[A Sprite]

It's a bit more apples-and-oranges than many comparisons, since the Gameboy was from the ground up a handheld gaming device, and the 7800 wasn't.

 

Aren't they all? But the gameboy's library has been offered for home consoles - it's fair game. Besides, when you consider that it beats the 7800 in RPG's, Fighting games (Takara's later SNK ports) , beat 'em ups, platformers, adventure games, shooters, puzzle games, and has both Missile Command and a graphcally enhanced Mr. Do...you can see why I emphasised the games they have in common.

 

Otherwise, this could easily turn into a wish list.

 

Asteroids -- Both are good, though the Asteroids/Missile Command Arcade Classics cartridge for the original Gameboy includes a "classic" graphics mode.

 

I'm including screenshots, because I'm honestly curious about where gameboy Asteroids would rate if directly compared to every other release for 8-bit consoles.

 

It's always seemed like a classic system to me, even when it was new...

Edited May 25, 2007 by A Sprite

[A Sprite]

Now maybe my alcohol ravaged brain is misfiring here but didn't a lot of single screen games on gameboy require scrolling. Games like Pac-Man, Dig Dug etc.

 

It's been years since I played a gameboy game but I swear Pac-Man played like Jr. Pac-Man where you couldn't see the whole screen at once and it scrolled.

 

That to me kills the gameplay and spirit of the original.

 

 

Maybe I should have a sip. It's even worse than I remembered...

[Segataritensoftii]

Donkey Kong -- 7800 version is better; the Gameboy version is turned into an action-puzzle game

WHAT YOU SAY? Donkey Kong was a classic on GB, and much better than the original.

[Atari5200]

as for the 2 systems as a whole, gameboy beats 7800 to death just for the games alone and types of games, mainly due to probably the 7800 programmers being lazy, but I've seen nothing to date that could compete with games like Mario land 2, Metroid, Battle Unit Zeoth, Castlevania, Mega Man, the 7800 games, at least what I own, are pretty generic compared to what the Gameboy was able to do.

 

But if your just comparing to games on both systems: then i would have to go with the 7800.

Edited May 25, 2007 by Atari5200

[+davidcalgary29]

It's a bit more apples-and-oranges than many comparisons, since the Gameboy was from the ground up a handheld gaming device, and the 7800 wasn't.

 

Aren't they all? But the gameboy's library has been offered for home consoles - it's fair game. Besides, when you consider that it beats the 7800 in RPG's, Fighting games (Takara's later SNK ports) , beat 'em ups, platformers, adventure games, shooters, puzzle games, and has both Missile Command and a graphcally enhanced Mr. Do...you can see why I emphasised the games they have in common.

 

Otherwise, this could easily turn into a wish list.

 

 

With the greatest respect to the original post, I just don't see the value in this type of exercise because the systems were not commercial competitors. The 7800 was dated in its second release in 1986, and finished by 1989; the GameBoy was just starting is very long run by that point. It's not only handheld v. console, it's 1983 v. 1988-89, and b&w v. colour. A comparison between the Lynx, GameBoy, and GameGear is equally futile, but a bit more realistic; comparisons betwen esentially dissimilar systems is a bit ridiculous. I mean, what's next: Altair 8800 v. PS3?

[Atarifever]

It's a bit more apples-and-oranges than many comparisons, since the Gameboy was from the ground up a handheld gaming device, and the 7800 wasn't.

 

Aren't they all? But the gameboy's library has been offered for home consoles - it's fair game. Besides, when you consider that it beats the 7800 in RPG's, Fighting games (Takara's later SNK ports) , beat 'em ups, platformers, adventure games, shooters, puzzle games, and has both Missile Command and a graphcally enhanced Mr. Do...you can see why I emphasised the games they have in common.

 

Otherwise, this could easily turn into a wish list.

 

 

With the greatest respect to the original post, I just don't see the value in this type of exercise because the systems were not commercial competitors. The 7800 was dated in its second release in 1986, and finished by 1989; the GameBoy was just starting is very long run by that point. It's not only handheld v. console, it's 1983 v. 1988-89, and b&w v. colour. A comparison between the Lynx, GameBoy, and GameGear is equally futile, but a bit more realistic; comparisons betwen esentially dissimilar systems is a bit ridiculous. I mean, what's next: Altair 8800 v. PS3?

My problem with the whole excercise isn't even different eras, it's that the systems can't be fairly compared at all because of their libraies.

 

What's better, one of the most successful systems ever that had a virtual monoploy for a decade, that was supported longer than most any other system, and that, thus, has a library big enough to rival any console, or a poorly funded system with hardly any developers that struggled to be barely supported even for a few years? Could there even be a question there?

 

There were probably months where the gameboy recieved more games than the 7800 got in it's entire run.

[Vic George 2K3]

Donkey Kong -- 7800 version is better; the Gameboy version is turned into an action-puzzle game

 

WHAT YOU SAY? Donkey Kong was a classic on GB, and much better than the original.

 

If you like action/puzzle games, fine. I'd rather have Donkey Kong as a straight arcade game translation than have it be reshaped into an action/puzzle game. In that case, my comment still stands: 7800 version is better.

[jboypacman]

Is it really fair to compare the Atari 7800 to the Nintendo Gameboy? I mean,the Gameboy is a hand-held system and the 7800 is a home console system.

 

We should be comparing the Gameboy to the Atari Lynx which makes more sense to me anyway,hand-held vs hand-held.

[A Sprite]

*ducks rotten tomatoes, the maggot bombs exploding into a squiggling red rain*

 

 

Ow! Ok, I surrender.

 

But on your way out, look at Double Dragon's streamlined play control, and Asteroid's graphics options - and you can see where the games can be improved despite the 7800's weaknesses.

 

The gameboy can't be said to be too powerful...

 

That's why a comparison between the two, might improve the 7800 one day.

 

[Joey Kay]

I mean, what's next: Altair 8800 v. PS3?

 

Altair 8800 ALL THE WAY!!! Unless we throw in the TRS-80.

 

Actually, I don't mind these types of threads. I think the "7800 vs. NES" threads have been done to death over the few years I've read these boards. This is kind of an interesting twist - beats the hell out of ANOTHER conversation about how the 7800 could have done Super Mario...

[Video]

Now maybe my alcohol ravaged brain is misfiring here but didn't a lot of single screen games on gameboy require scrolling. Games like Pac-Man, Dig Dug etc.

 

It's been years since I played a gameboy game but I swear Pac-Man played like Jr. Pac-Man where you couldn't see the whole screen at once and it scrolled.

 

That to me kills the gameplay and spirit of the original.

 

 

Maybe I should have a sip. It's even worse than I remembered...

Actually, both the pac-man and Ms Pac-man games have full screen options. It's just a case of, take a closer to standard sized screen, with scrolling, or take a full screen that's microscopic (I play in micro mode myself, I just perfer the full screen mode.

 

And DK 94 is WAY better than 7800 DK (and it does have the original Arcade levels in them, doe sht e7800 even have the fourth screen? )

[jbanes]

And DK 94 is WAY better than 7800 DK (and it does have the original Arcade levels in them, doe sht e7800 even have the fourth screen? )

The GB DK levels aren't arcade-perfect, though. If you check the first level, you'll notice that there's at least one platform missing.

[A Sprite]

Actually, both the pac-man and Ms Pac-man games have full screen options.

 

I'm looking at Ms. Pac-man right now, and all I'm offered as options are two difficulty settings and an added two player game...

[A Sprite]

The GB DK levels aren't arcade-perfect, though. If you check the first level, you'll notice that there's at least one platform missing.

 

Don't forget what it adds.

 

You can throw your hammer in the air and catch it. Extra animations, and a more durable Mario who can fall further without dying are also on display...for better or for worse, the first few levels are more than a simple port.

Edited May 29, 2007 by A Sprite

[rockman_x_2002]

Actually, both the pac-man and Ms Pac-man games have full screen options.

 

I'm looking at Ms. Pac-man right now, and all I'm offered as options are two difficulty settings and an added two player game...

 

You'll need to press left or right on the title screen. You'll see a little "1/2" symbol appear. That'll start the game in "full screen" mode.

[A Sprite]

Thank you - that's awesome.

 

Here's a pic for anyone who wants to see what it looks like -

[shadow460]

The 7800 has a far better port of Karateka than the classic Game Boy does.

 

Not that I wanna jump ship, but my Color Game Boy gets more use for Classic titles that it does for color titles, and more use than my ProSystem does for 7800 titles. The ProSystem gets a whole ton of use for VCS titles, however.