Console By Genre Debate #5: Which is the Best Console for Playing First Person Shooters From the 4th Generation?

[SilverspoonGaming | 346]

In the history of computer and video games, the fourth generation (more commonly referred to as the 16-bit era) of game consoles began on October 30, 1987 with the Japanese release of NEC Home Electronics' PC Engine (known as the TurboGrafx-16 in North America). Although NEC released the first console of this era, sales were mostly dominated by the rivalry between Nintendo's and Sega's consoles in North America: the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES; the Super Famicom in Japan) and the Sega Genesis (named the Mega Drive in other regions) - Wikipedia

First-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective; that is, the player experiences the action through the eyes of the protagonist. The genre shares common traits with other shooter games, which in turn makes it fall under the heading action game. Since the genre's inception, advanced 3D and pseudo-3D graphics have challenged hardware development, and multiplayer gaming has been integral. - Wikipedia

[SilverspoonGaming | 346]

I personally didnt have much experience with FPS games before Halo, other than Doom and Wolfenstein 3D.  Those I pretty much played on PS1 and 3DO, so I am not able to answer my own question!

Im still curious to see where this goes and what you guys have to say...

[Reed Rothchild | 9,912]

Uh... SNES for the unique version of Wolfenstein 3D?

I never played Zero Tolerance

[SilverspoonGaming | 346]

56 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Uh... SNES for the unique version of Wolfenstein 3D?

I never played Zero Tolerance

Zero Tolerance was one that I always had my eye on at Blockbuster, but I never popped on it, which is probably good, because I didnt know what an FPS was at the time.

[DefaultGen | 5,723]

AvP on Jaguar is the only game that even springs to mind as me being interested in playing. I'll pass on voting though.

[Richardhead | 2,925]

Systems too obscure here. SNES will win by default...... probably.

[Californication | 1,491]

Was the atari jaguar in that generation - Wolfenstein, Doom.

If the jaguar is not in that generation, from what I have heard the Genesis port of Duke Nukem is alright so I think that would take it. 

Edited January 4, 2021 by Californication

[Tulpa | 3,684]

Atari Jaguar to me is 5th generation, even though it came out a few months after the Laseractive.

[fox | 1,759]

I’d say Jaguar it got a decent port of Doom and AVP, but not an option.

SNES was garbage for fps games.  Genesis was maybe only slightly better.

is Crossed Swords an fps?  First person hack n slash?  That is a fun one.  Going Neo Geo.

[Tanooki | 5,103]

Neo Geo doesn't have a FPS unless we're going to stretch punching and sword swiping with Super Spy and Crossed Swords but they're not FPS.  TG16 doesn't have one either other than Faceball 2000 on CD and same could be said for CDi.

The only two with a legit FPS game at all on there, and more than one would be the SNES and Genesis.  The Genesis has Zero Tolerance which due to the abysmal draw/sprite view distances the map is vital so it is fairly zero tolerance for fun (I owned it) and then there's little else other than Doom which requires more hardware (32x) and it's not too bad on there yet still one of the worst.  Anything else outside of a stage in a Toy Story game is all homebrew, after market, or unreleased.

SNES that one had a few too.  Its version of Doom may have sucked for having no save and no monster view other than forward but in the era was the most accurate both on map design and total PC maps given to play which is weird so it's a good one to tool with.  Then you have the horribly sensored into comedic sadness Wolfenstein with the scary mutant rats and the Staatsmeister with his scary black X  as Hitler is bad.  Strangely years later that games red, white and black X would be put to better use by Morden, leader of the Metal Slug rebel army.  Go figure.  There was a very solid port of Faceball 2000 and the port of the PC game Spectre too.  And of course the period religious gem of Noah's Ark 3D.

You basically have to give it to SNES.

[Webhead123 | 738]

Are we including "light gun" games in this consideration? Probably not, eh?

I went with the SNES overall but it's hard to say. While its Wolf 3-D port was censored beyond belief, it was still decently playable. And while the Doom port was hamstrung by the technical limitations of the console, it was honestly a respectable effort and for those who didn't have a home computer at the time (like me), it was decent substitute. SNES-Doom is actually the first version I ever beat and I rented it multiple times.

Zero Tolerance is actually not a terrible game, considering it's on the Genesis. I consider it to be more playable and fun than the SNES port of Faceball 2000. Actually, I think it is largely overlooked amidst the console's library and that's a shame. The Duke 3-D port is...bleh. I appreciate the attempt and the result is *technically* playable but...yikes is it lacking in visual, audio and play appeal.

The "FPS" games on Sega CD all shared the same basic gameplay and it was all lackluster. The 32X got a really decent Doom port...but it had NO MUSIC! What the f-ing hell?

Does Sega deserve the win based on 32X Doom alone? Maybe. I dunno.

[TDIRunner | 2,876]

I'm in the minority of saying this, but the SNES version of Jurassic Park is by far the best Jurassic Park of the era, and possibly ever.  It had multiple FPS sections in the game (anytime you went inside a building) and it played very well for a system of the time.  Also, while the SNES Doom port is far from perfect, it's still impressive for a console of that era.  

[TDIRunner | 2,876]

2 hours ago, Webhead123 said:

The 32X got a really decent Doom port...but it had NO MUSIC! What the f-ing hell?

 

The 32x port of Doom had music, it was just really bad music.  You are thinking of the Jaguar port of Doom for missing music.  Oddly enough, it had music in the start up.  

[Webhead123 | 738]

1 hour ago, TDIRunner said:

The 32x port of Doom had music, it was just really bad music.  You are thinking of the Jaguar port of Doom for missing music.  Oddly enough, it had music in the start up.  

Ah, you're right. I always get those two mixed up. The 32X music was just really weak...but at least it HAD music. Yikes.

So, maybe Sega wins this one by virtue of a console/expansion module almost nobody owned. 

Edited January 4, 2021 by Webhead123

[TDIRunner | 2,876]

Funny thing about the 32x version of Doom is that despite the bad music and super small screen size, it's the only console port of Doom I've ever played through to completion (and that includes the PS1 version).  

[Webhead123 | 738]

1 hour ago, TDIRunner said:

I'm in the minority of saying this, but the SNES version of Jurassic Park is by far the best Jurassic Park of the era, and possibly ever.  It had multiple FPS sections in the game (anytime you went inside a building) and it played very well for a system of the time.  Also, while the SNES Doom port is far from perfect, it's still impressive for a console of that era.  

Jurassic Park was one of the games I owned in the 90's and I agree. Both at the time and still today, the SNES game is my favorite of the Jurassic Park games. The only genuine complaint I have is the lack of save/password feature for such a lengthy game but the rest of it is pretty darn great. The interior stages, while a bit janky, were incredibly immersive at the time. I felt genuinely nervous at times, worried that I'd turn a corner and see a raptor clawing at my face.

Also, the Sega CD version of the game often gets dumped on. It is an acquired taste but, as I've always loved point-n-click games, I consider it one of the best games on the console and have wasted countless hours with it since the 90's.

Edited January 4, 2021 by Webhead123

[cj_robot | 557]

Have to go with Sega.

I like SNES Wolfenstein 3D more than most people, I think. The censorship never really bothered me that much, and the gameplay was just barely functional enough to be enjoyable. Really liked the condensed level set, which the other console versions were based off of as well. SNES Doom, on the other hand, is an unplayable nightmare, despite having some nice music.

Zero Tolerance was not awful, but not that great either. One really frustrating feature, if I remember correctly, was that you needed to kill every single enemy on a floor to get a password, and by the second half of the game, ammo starts getting really scarce. Very frustrating. Doom on the 32X was pretty awesome, though. Yes, they had to cut many corners, but it's definitely playable and very enjoyable. 

Also, not sure if this counts, but there's a homebrew of Wolfenstein for the Genesis which kicks the SNES version's ass. And I've heard there's a hack of 32X Doom that adds the missing levels, fixes the music and several other things as well.

32X doom > SNES wolf3d

Sega wins

Edited January 4, 2021 by cj_robot

[Sumez | 3,151]

Uhm...

Neither? 

I think any FPS you can theoretically play on any of those platforms would mean doing that game a disservice.

[Webhead123 | 738]

16 minutes ago, cj_robot said:

SNES Doom, on the other hand, is an unplayable nightmare, despite having some nice music.

I would disagree with calling it "unplayable". Certainly it is one of last ports someone should seek out today if they just want to play some Doom ('cause you can find Doom on everything nowadays) but if you were a SNES owner in the 90's and wanted to play Doom, this game gave it to you. Yeah, it had missing levels are some seriously chunky pixels...but it played reasonably well for being restricted to a SNES controller. It was the first time I ever actually finished Doom and it satisfied until I could finally get a PC that could play the real thing at home.

[glazball | 176]

What @Sumez said ^^

Why no "None of the above" option??

[SilverspoonGaming | 346]

3 hours ago, glazball said:

What @Sumez said ^^

Why no "None of the above" option??

Thats the easy way out...

[cj_robot | 557]

4 hours ago, Webhead123 said:

I would disagree with calling it "unplayable".

I don't know. I tried with all my might to beat that game, but just couldn't get through it. The input lag was terrible and the graphics so pixelated, it was very hard to tell what was what. Maybe it's easier on an HDTV or with an emulator. Oh well.

 

Honestly, it still an impressive feat, given the platform it's running on.

Edited January 5, 2021 by cj_robot

[peg | 382]

Yeah, FPS games were absolutely unplayable shit on consoles before like the year 2000.  Just irredeemably bad. 

7 hours ago, Sumez said:

Uhm...

Neither? 

I think any FPS you can theoretically play on any of those platforms would mean doing that game a disservice.

 

[LutherDestroysTheGond | 714]

SNES.  It has the best Bible-based FPS of all time.   Case closed

[Reed Rothchild | 9,912]

15 minutes ago, LutherDestroysTheGond said:

SNES.  It has the best Bible-based FPS of all time.   Case closed

Uh, hello, Catechumen!

...also known as Bible Blaster