Definitive versions of Speedball/Speedball 2?

[Zoyous]

I was just curious about peoples' opinions on which platform has the definitive versions of Speedball and Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe? My impression is that it's one of those games/series that had pretty good ports on all platforms. Obviously each port had to be adjusted to the limitations of its platform, but I haven't really encountered any actual bad versions yet. I've played the Amiga, Genesis/Mega Drive, and Master System versions. I think it originated on the Amiga, so I would guess that that might be a strong contender for the definitive version... but I'm also aware of a somewhat recent PC version with updated (not necessarily 'improved') graphics.

[+stupus]

I think I only played it on Amiga but it was one of the best 2 player games for it.

[Lost Dragon]

As great as the ST version is, the Amiga version is superior and the games sprites were done on the Amiga and then moved to the ST.

 

Decent article on it here:

 

https://readonlymemory.vg/the-making-of-speedball-2/

 

 

I know some like to present the Bitmap Bros as being champions for the ST but as you can read in the above article, whilst easier to code for, the hardware limitations of the ST meant Xenon 2 (which the Bitmaps only designed, game itself was coded on a 386 PC by The Assembly Line) went from a planned vertical scroller to a horizontal scrolled.

 

Amiga Magic Pockets betrayed it's ST roots also, but game itself was a low point for Bitmap Bros at that time.

Edited May 16, 2019 by Lost Dragon

[carlsson]

I never played the first Speedball, but Speedball 2 definitely should be enjoyed on the Amiga. Everything else is just a weaker substitute. I've got it for Genesis but while the graphics are just about the same and the music isn't bad, it doesn't have the same feel or flow as the Amiga version. I never tried it on the ST, but I'll take Lost Dragon's word for it.

[Lost Dragon]

Looking purely at the 16 bit versions, i would place them in the following order:

 

Amiga (love the Ice Cream! Ice Cream! samples as well as enhanced visuals)-ST-Megadrive.

 

I've seen the Master System and C64 versions get some good and sometimes absurdly high (perfect 10 on Master System) scores, but they aren't versions i would personally play.

 

Avoid Speedball 2100 on Playstation as well.

 

It was an attempt to do a then modern version of Speedball 2 (keep gameplay mechanics but update the visuals) and fell way short of the original title.

 

A good few years back Mike Montgomery was kind enough to answer a question i put to him via a community interview, as to why he thought attempts to recapture the magic of Speedball II via the updates, failed.

 

Mike:I think each version has it merits, but the biggest problem is people’s expectations. There are three main camps: old speedball players who want no changes, old speedball players who want changes and players who never played speedball. It’s very hard to get all three right. Satisfying one camp disappoints the others. We always tried our best to balance everyone’s expectations. Of course, the original gameplay is so good, it’s very hard to make it better!

 

 

And for extra reading about 2100, i recommend this fantastic Arcade Attack Interview:

 

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/olly-dibben-of-the-bitmap-brothers/

Edited May 17, 2019 by Lost Dragon

[carlsson]

As a side note, in 2009 I became inofficial German champion on Speedball 2 while I was visiting the DoReCo meeting. I believe I was the only foreigner there, and the arrangers probably wouldn't have thought I would win the tournament. The prize was a C128D(CR?) minus the keyboard which was way too big for me to bring as hand luggage on the airplane, so I left it as a gift to my host where I spent the night.

[Lost Dragon]

Mike Montgomery has been a great source of info regarding Speedball 2 etc.

 

Happy to point out the Bitmap Bros felt they stuck with the ST and Amiga for too long, the ST was something of a problem format for them, more than just down to hardware limitations, but piracy..apparently they lost a lot of ST Xenon sales to it...

 

 

But also that Speedball 2 was designed as a 2 player game first and put the single player mode in afterwards.

[Albert]

I know some like to present the Bitmap Bros as being champions for the ST but as you can read in the above article, whilst easier to code for, the hardware limitations of the ST meant Xenon 2 (which the Bitmaps only designed, game itself was coded on a 386 PC by The Assembly Line) went from a planned vertical scroller to a horizontal scrolled.

 

You have this backwards, it went from potentially being a horizontal scroller to a vertical scroller.

 

..Al

[Lost Dragon]

You have this backwards, it went from potentially being a horizontal scroller to a vertical scroller.

 

..Al

your bloody right. .

 

Thanks man..wingman of the year.

 

No wonder i invert the Y Axis on my games

[high voltage]

I've got the C64 version, .....on tape. Those damn Brits and their games on cassette tape.

[Lost Dragon]

I've got the C64 version, .....on tape. Those damn Brits and their games on cassette tape.

How dare you!

 

Cassette tapes are as English as Cream Tea's to us Brits. .

 

The joys of tape head cleaning..

 

Buying games you've never heard of from dodgy market stalls. ..

 

Copying tapes on your mates older brothers twin tape decks..