3DO

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

Though the FZ-1 is a beautiful machine, if you are not technically inclined I fine the FZ10 to be more reliable, in general the "flip top" versions of disc based consoles tend to be less prone to breakdown. Plus I THINK the FZ10 has more memory or built in ability to manage saves or something like that...........

[+wood_jl]

Exactly HOW is "Need for Speed" better on the 3DO?

 

The Playstation version is excellent, so I seriously would like to know. Someone referred to it as a "lazy port" in a previous post. As well, the Saturn version of Need for Speed is excellent, and is one of the cases where it appears every bit as good as the Playstation version.

 

Being specific, can someone point to "3DO enhancements" to the game? I seriously enjoyed this game, and if it were so much better on a 3DO I'd maybe start looking for one, one day.

 

Cheerio!

[misspent_youth]

I spent a ton of time on the 3DO version of Need for Speed, and also played it on the PSX, and I just enjoyed the 3DO version more. I don't recall there being any extra features or tracks or anything (and I am going ONLY by memory of when I had the machine and game not long after they were released), it was just that the cars and traffic felt a little more realistic, in the PSX version the cars were just too jumpy. Not really a quantifiable difference, just a 'feel' thing for me. Same went for Road Rash. As for that guy in the videos, the best satisfaction was when you disabled that option and he appeared in the menu with tape over his mouth.

[mattyg]

Exactly HOW is "Need for Speed" better on the 3DO?

 

The Playstation version is excellent, so I seriously would like to know. Someone referred to it as a "lazy port" in a previous post. As well, the Saturn version of Need for Speed is excellent, and is one of the cases where it appears every bit as good as the Playstation version.

 

Being specific, can someone point to "3DO enhancements" to the game? I seriously enjoyed this game, and if it were so much better on a 3DO I'd maybe start looking for one, one day.

 

Cheerio!

 

perhaps I should have used the term "insincere" as opposed to "lazy" . The original NFS was intended as a street race sim. In addition to your smarmy opponent - which I actually liked - you got some great FMV footage of the real cars in action. The distance you travelled on the track and the speed you drove were real time scaled. ie if you really drove at x speed it would get you x distance. The dashboards were straight out of the original vehicle and the view uncluttered.If you drove the Porsche too hard the back would swing out as it would in real life - the Viper handled like a dog just as it really does etc.

 

Unfortunately this proved too cerebral for most console owners and the game was savaged for having too much FMV , too slow a framerate and too difficult to control.There was nothing wrong with the framerate - the game only appeared slow because well that's what its like in the real world.

 

So what did EA do for the Saturn and PS versions? They removed the FMV opponent (stupid because he could be toggled off anyway) and the footage of the real cars. They increased the framerate and dumbed down the handling to give it an arcade feel. They added a ridiculous HUD that covered too much of the screen and the map which in the 3DO version could only be seen when paused was also thrown onto the screen. The only worthy additions? Two player and the ability to change the in game tunes.

 

The 3DO gave you a much more rewarding experience that had you coming back to it again and again..........if you gave it some game time. The ports on the other hand were the equivilant of gaming junk food. NFS on the 3DO is the only car game ever that makes me want to use manual mode and the in car view. It is a subliminal game. Whilst EA continued to develop this franchise into a bubblegum format some of the guys that were in charge of the Burnout series kept a 3DO with NFS in their office ....so is it any wonder once they were given the NFS franchise to work with that the excellent Shift emerged? I don't think so.

 

NFS in my opinion was the 3DO's finest moment and definitely worthwhile to own - because just about every 3DO owner did - this excellent game is amongst the easiest and cheapest to get - so what are you waiting for?