VGM-FACE OFF PRIMER ADDENDUM: Part 4 of 10: 1943 Kai Kaisen TRACK OFF!

For the Introduction/explanation to this mini-series, here's Part 1. The original VGM FACE OFF Primer post this is all based off of can be found here. For your convenience, here are the tracks again. Please listen to them BEFORE reading my write-up:

Arcade:

PC Engine:

In the case of the 1943 Kai Kaisen TRACK OFF: 

Which version was the original version? The Arcade - by approximately four years!

Familiarity/Novelty disclosure: The PCE track is the familiar version. I've never actually played either version. But I discovered the PCE one maybe three-six months before I was even aware it was an Arcade port.

System hardware preference disclosure: Mmmmm, I really wanna call this one a tie. I like Wavetable and FM about equally. But if you held a gun to my head, these days I’d probably have to say I actually like Wavetable just a little bit more. The Arcade version uses the YM2151 (OPM), the premier FM chip, though, and has more channels (so you probably could say the Arcade sound hardware is "more advanced", but somehow the PCE manages to sound fuller, and sound like IT has more channels, even though it doesn't. I'm gonna punt and say I just can't decide. 

My verdict: PC Engine wins!

Why? Several reasons: The PCE sounds MUCH fuller than the Arcade version. Though it only has six channels to the YM2151 OPM's eight, the PCE, as I said earlier, easily gives the [albeit false] impression that IT has the more channels, not the other way around. The PCE features really nice ADPCM sampled percussion while the Arcade version uses really thin FM percussion. The bass is fuller, richer, and more compelling on the PCE. I also like the pearly and whistly voices used in the PCE version much better than the [by comparison] "blend-into-the-mix-and-get-lost" Arcade equivalents. Furthermore, the PCE version in particular REALLY invokes very late 70's / very early 80's "elevator fusion" music, such as Larry Carlton's 1982 Sleepwalk album. That is lost somewhat in the more edgy, serrated, thinner Arcade version.

Was this a close contest? Frankly? No. The PCE mops the floor with the Arcade here, in my opinion. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I still like the Arcade version well enough. But I LOVE the PCE version. It leaves the Arcade original in the dust.

So, what about you? Agree? Disagree? Think I'm totally nuts? There's a comments section. Light it up!

p.s......May the 4th be with you! (I'm sorry...I had to.)

VGM-FACE OFF PRIMER ADDENDUM: Part 3 of 10: Mega Man 1 TRACK OFF!

For the Introduction/explanation to this mini-series, here's Part 1. The original VGM FACE OFF Primer post this is all based off of can be found here. For your convenience, here are the tracks again. Please listen to them BEFORE reading my write-up:

NES:

Genesis:

In the case of the Mega Man 1 TRACK OFF: 

Which version was the original version? NES - DUH!

Familiarity/Novelty disclosure: The Genesis version is definitely novelty. I first played Mega Man 1 in 1991 at age 11. I actually got a copy not too much later. I still have that same copy....I've never even played Wily Wars.

System sound preference disclosure: I definitely prefer the Genesis hardware to the NES hardware.

My verdict: Genesis (via Wily Wars)

Why? It retains the vibe of the original perfectly, only it's much richer, and fuller, with more going on, but nothing more going on. Nice use of the PSG keeps the old school sound there, but the FM dominant voices also bring it to the next level.

Was it a close contest? DEFINITELY!

So, what about you? Agree? Disagree? Think I'm totally nuts? There's a comments section. Light it up!

VGM-FACE OFF PRIMER ADDENDUM: Part 2 of 10: Jackie Chan’s Action Kung-Fu TRACK OFF!

For the Introduction/explanation to this mini-series, here's Part 1.. The original VGM FACE OFF Primer post this is all based off of can be found here. For your convenience, here are the tracks again. Please listen to them BEFORE reading my write-up:

TG16:

NES:

In the case of the Jackie Chan Action Kung Fu TRACK OFF: 

Which version was the original version? I -THINK- the TG16 was the original, and the NES version was the port...but I won't swear to that!

Novelty/Familiarity disclosure: TG16 version was the familiar version, but barely, as I had only discovered it maybe a few months before the NES version.

System sound preference disclosure: I definitely prefer the TG16 sound to the NES sound as a whole.

My verdict: TG16 wins!

Why? Yes, the melody is clearer and more front and center in the NES version, and I actually do think I prefer the slightly slower tempo on it. But The TG16 wins for me because of the richer harmonies, the amazing ADPCM sampled drums (when it really tried, the PC Engine/Turbografx was amazing at sampling, avoiding both the scratchiness of the Genesis, and the muffle of the SNES), and the more pearly "plinkly" embellishes in the chorus, as well as the pearled harmonies in the verse. Of all those winning elements for me, I think the real clincher is just the richness and extra depth of the harmonies (sometimes consonant, and sometimes dissonant).

Was it a close contest? Mmm, close-ish, maybe? The NES version really is pretty great! But the PCE version is even greater!

So, what about you? Agree? Disagree? Think I'm totally nuts? There's a comments section. Light it up! 

VGM-FACE OFF PRIMER ADDENDUM: Part 1 of 10: Introduction

Back on April 18th, I posted a blog that gave a primer on what will be a very important facet of the Nerd Noise Radio blog - the FACE OFF! Basically, we have three different “kinds” of FACE OFF, the “TRACK OFF”, the “VIBE OFF”, and the “VERSION OFF” (again, I totally punted on the name “VERSION OFF”. I’m 100% welcoming of any suggestions for a better name!). I won’t repeat what these types entail since that post does so in detail. However, I shared three FACE OFFs for EACH KIND (so, nine FACE OFFs in total….math goooooooooood!) 

I said that I’d share my own personal verdicts for these in the comments section. Well, come to find out, there’s a character limit in the comments, and I blew way past it. So, today I’m starting a 10 part series working my way through these contests, and rendering my verdict. I’ll have two posts to kick us off tomorrow, two posts to round it all out a week from today, and one post each weekday in-between. For your convenience, I’ll include the tracks again in each one. Please listen to the tracks BEFORE reading my write up.

Also for your convenience, here's a link to that original primer post.

Okay! So see you again tomorrow with some FACE OFF action! 

Cheers!

NERD NOISE RADIO - A VGM FACE OFF PRIMER!

VGM FACE OFFs are one of the funnest things for me, because you get to compare and contrast different tracks, and decide which one you like better. This blog will be A LOT more than just FACE OFFs...but it will be one of the staple features.

A lot of people tend to automatically default to the "familiar" version, and it takes something utterly extraordinary to get them to break pattern. Though much, MUCH rarer, others will default to the "novel", and the version that's new to them has to really be much worse before they'll stick with the old standby. There's not a lot I can pride myself on, but here's one area where I can. I have found in the nearly two years of doing FACE OFFs, I've had a pretty neutral bias on familiarity and novelty. My "voting record", as it were, has also been at least closer to neutral between versions on a system I prefer vs on a system that I don't than my actual biases for the systems themselves.

Anyway, I don't say any of this to brag, I say that to say that when there are very few foregone conclusions, the contests are far more interesting, which only further impels me towards FACE OFFs. These FACE OFFs are something that I've been trying to only modest effect on Facebook (where Nerd Noise Radio got its start in January 2013 - and is still going) since NNRs inception. But I've found that the Facebook medium is, shall we say, less than ideal for them, and for the multi-part focus. Hence, the advent of the Nerd Noise Radio blog!

So, for Nerd Noise Radio, we'll have three distinct types of FACE OFF- TRACK OFF, VIBE OFF, and VERSION OFF (I am totally open to a better name for this last one). Here is a description of each type, and three examples of each:

TRACK OFF:

This is the simplest, most straightforward kind. This is where it's the same game, the same melody, either done on different systems (ergo, different sound hardware), or on very rare occasions, different releases on the same system. The question posed by the TRACK OFF is simple: "Which version do you like better, and why?" The majority of FACE OFFs we will do on NNR will be of this TRACK OFF variety.

Here are a few examples:

Stage 3 Jackie Chan Action Kung Fu (Turbografx16) vs Stage 3 from Jackie Chan Action Kung Fu (NES)

Elec Man's Theme from Mega Man 1 (Genesis - via Wily Wars) vs Elec Man's Theme from Mega Man 1 (NES)

Stage 3 from 1943 Kai Kaisen (Arcade) vs Stage 3 from 1943 Kai Kaisen (Turbografx16)

VIBE OFF:

This is one where two (or more) completely different tracks (usually from different games) are contrasted because either the melody is incredibly similar, or the "vibe, and feel" are. This kind will be more rare, and is more difficult, because it's my subjectivity saying these tracks are kindred, perhaps vs your subjectivity saying they're not. Therefore, when doing a VIBE OFF, in addition to the questions "Which one do you like better, and why?" there are also the questions "Which one do you think pulls off the vibe better?" and most difficult of all "Do you feel like this is a valid VIBE OFF in the first place?

I mean, taking the title screen to Final Fantasy IV and comparing it to the title screen of Thunder Force IV is going to yield an invalid VIBE OFF....but what about the battle theme to Black Belt and Wily's Theme 1 from Mega Man 2? Or Blue Blue Moon from Super Adventure Island vs Dilapidated Town from Streets of Rage? Or what about BGM2 from Arnold Palmer's Tournament Golf vs the Check Mii Out parade music?

These are harder to answer...but I'm going to let you, as I'm sharing all three sets (in the stated order). So again, "Which one do you like better, and why?" "Which do you think does better with the vibe?" and "Do you feel these are valid or invalid VIBE OFFs?"

Wily's Castle 1 from Mega Man 2 (NES) vs Boss Theme from Black Belt (Mastersystem)

Blue Blue Moon from Super Adventure Island (SNES) vs Dilapidated Town from Streets of Rage (Genesis)

BGM 2 from Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (Genesis) vs Parade from Check Mii Out Channel (Wii)

VERSION OFF:

This is where you have two completely different pieces of music, generally with completely different vibes...but both belong to different versions of the same game. This will be the rarest type of all, most likely. But with a lot of Japanese games getting completely redone soundtracks when going to European gaming computer platforms, there are quite a few examples.

The questions for this kind are again "Which one do you like better, and why?", but also "which one do you think fits the game best?" If you're unfamiliar with the game, you may need to do a little YouTubing of game play videos, but it's still not hard to come to a conclusion.

Here are a few examples of "VERSION OFF" FACE OFFS (again, I'm totally open to a better name for these.)

Ancient Temple from Wolfchild (Genesis) vs Ancient Temple from Wolfchild (Super NES) - context is an old, crumbly, bug filled temple

Stage 1 from Ghouls and Ghosts (Arcade) vs Stage 1 from Ghouls and Ghosts (Amiga) - context is a graveyard during a thunderstorm with all sorts of undead baddies coming out of the ground after you, as well as large birds, killer plants, guillotines, and weather hazards

Collision Chaos Zone Present Theme from the Japanese/European versions of Sonic CD (Mega CD) vs Collision Chaos Zone Present Theme from the US (Sega CD) / PC (Windows 95) versions of Sonic CD - context is you're playing a Pinball world.

Like I said, FACE OFFs won't be all there is to the Nerd Noise Blog. I actually have all sorts of ideas for what I want to do on it...but they will be fairly regular - though I will usually just keep it to one FACE OFF per blog post. I definitely covet your feedback on which versions you like better when I do post them. I'll normally include my verdict in the blog, but I'm making an exception this time since there are so many. Maybe I'll share my verdict in the comments.

p.s. Why do I all-cap every time I say FACE OFF? It's just something we did in the very beginning. It  was meant to invoke the "SKITCHIN" shout from the game of the same name. Anyway, it's just stuck. It's the same with GEEKSPEAK.