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Porting a game from one platform to the other generally carries a lot of precognitions, and [[Porting Disaster|not entirely without reason]]. These days, gamers are accustomed to seeing [[They Just Didn't Care|half-assed porting jobs]] done by lazy developers looking to make a quick buck without taking the time to iron out the issues with the new versions.
It doesn't have to be this way, of course: Sometimes, being able to port a game from one platform to another gives developers the extra time they would have already needed to polish their game up, tweaking the gameplay, possibly even adding new levels, and in the best-case scenario, eliminating the technical limitations that held back the original releases. And this is when that happens: Ports that exceed the originals far and away, and are likely to go on to be revered as the greatest possible versions of that game. In the most extreme cases, the ports themselves can take a game that was average at best, and ''elevate'' that game into classic status. And sometimes this trope means that a godawful game becomes at least
Compare and contrast, of course, [[Porting Disaster]]. See also [[Updated Rerelease]], which can be a
{{examples}}
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** The Wii version also suffered from inferior rendering quality, replacing the liquid-ink effects of the [[PlayStation 2]] version with static cel-shading and generic surface lighting (this is hard to spot in screenshots, as it affects the transitions).
** The original credits were removed, too, but were [[Regional Bonus|restored in the Japanese version]].
** Overall,
* Nintendo could've phoned it in with their inevitable port of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past]]'' to the GBA. A damn fine game on its own merit with controls modified to make up for the lack of two buttons. What did we get? Additional sounds (YMMV on whether this was an improvement or if they just added a [[Most Annoying Sound]]), Four Swords multiplayer mode and an extra quest and dungeon that are connected to said Multiplayer mode. Giving you the option to play with the original SNES palette was good too.
** This was pretty much their method of porting games to the GBA, at least as far as the multiplayer addition goes. For example, each [[Super Mario]] port also included the original arcade Mario Bros., which can be played with two players.
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== [[Action Game]] ==
* The PC port of ''[[Devil May Cry]] 4'': After the outsourced [[Porting Disaster
** Since then, Capcom have delivered a host of fantastic PC ports to their games, including ''[[Street Fighter IV]]'' (which includes addition visual tweaks as a PC-exclusive bonus) and ''[[Resident Evil 5]]'' (which comes certified for 3D vision, assuming you have the right peripherals). Unfortunately, thanks to "rampant piracy" (rather than sales of paying customers) of the PC version of ''[[Street Fighter IV]]'', it's unlikely that ''[[Resident Evil 5]]: Gold Edition'' will ever see a PC release, and ''[[Capcom Sequel Stagnation|Super]] [[Street Fighter IV]]'' only came out as part of the [[Capcom Sequel Stagnation|Arcade Edition]] release.
* While the NES version of ''[[Contra]]'' may not had the same detailed graphics as the arcade version, the stages were greatly expanded and rearranged from the arcade version, with more traps and pitfalls to avoid in addition to the usual assortment of enemy grunts, cannons, and vehicles to destroy. The change from the arcade version's vertical setup to a traditional horizontal one also makes the action less constrained and there are more power-up capsules and pill-box sensors than in the arcade version (and unlike the arcade version, there's no need to downgrade to the default gun to obtain some of them). The boss of the Waterfall stage was even changed from a generic sensor defended by two rotating guns and a five-way cannon to an alien statue that spits fireballs with its tentacles and mouth. The time limit from the 3D stages was also removed and the music is faster paced than the arcade version (as mentioned above).
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== [[Adventure Game]] ==
* ''[[The Secret of Monkey Island]]'' was greatly improved on its CD-Rom release, with pictures of the items in the inventory rather than text, a more concise set of commands, and most importantly, came on one disc, rather than several floppies. The only drawback was that they removed the 'stump joke' which is one of the most popular jokes in the series.
** The PC version of ''[[Escape from Monkey Island]]'' is filled with lag issues and [[Game Breaking Bug
* As shown in [http://blog.hardcoregaming101.net/2010/05/mystery-of-japanese-mystery-house.html this] article, the Japanese PC version of [[Sierra]]'s first graphic adventure ''Mystery House'' kept the graphics as black-and-white line drawings but redrew them to look more professional.
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** On the other hand, [[PlayStation]] owners got an extremely polished port. ALL regions.
** Still has [[Loads and Loads of Loading]] though. Well, not too bad, but there is a loading screen in between ''everything'', really reducing the pace compared to arcade.
* The Dreamcast port of ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom Clash of the Superheroes]]''. It was a full and complete port of the arcade original, with all the animation, characters, endings, codes, and gameplay intact. As far as game modes, it only adds training and survival, but has a number of small, somewhat subtle additions that really add up. Primarily the fact that by fighting the secret characters in the arcade mode, you can unlock them for use without the rather complex codes from the arcade (which still work here, by the way). Unlocking them all allows the player to actually use Onslaught in a separate game
== First-Person Shooter ==
* The [[Sega Saturn|Saturn]] port of ''[[Quake (series)|Quake]]'' was surprisingly competent considering the Saturn's notorious handicap with 3D, featuring all of the content of the original version and much more accurate level geometry than the concurrent [[Nintendo 64]] port. It also has four secret levels not found in any other versions
Fun fact: It's not even using the original ''Quake'' [[Game Engine|engine]]. The game was actually based on Lobotomy Software's own Slavedriver engine, also used in ''[[PowerSlave]]'' (''Exhumed'' [[Market-Based Title|in Europe]]) and the ''[[Duke Nukem]] 3D'' port.
* ''[[PowerSlave]]'', although the various version were released together, development started on the PC using the Build engine, best known for powering ''[[Duke Nukem]] 3D''. (Odd, isn't it? The version of Build used for PC ''PowerSlave'' is even older than that used for ''Duke Nukem 3D'' despite releasing after, at that.) Lobotomy then decided to try their luck on consoles, but upon realizing that a straight port was impossible, they developed the Slavedriver engine and ended up making practically another game. While PC ''Powerslave'' is forgettable and has overly long, boring levels, console ''Powerslave'' is one of the best early console FPSes, and loses some nicer textures in exchange for faster and smoother gameplay, full 3D movement, and open-ended levels with new weapons and abilities to discover in order to advance, predating ''[[Metroid Prime]]'' by over half a decade.
* Speaking of which, the versions of ''[[Metroid Prime]]'' and its sequel as re-released on the Wii as part of ''Metroid Prime Trilogy''. Both games had some extra lighting effects added and other minor graphical enhancements, along with ''Corruption''-style New Play Control that works beautifully. And all of this on one disk only slightly more expensive than ''Corruption'' on its own.
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* Speaking of ''[[Doom]]'', the Playstation version of ''[[Doom]]'' deserves a mention here. It may have replaced the memorable soundtrack with ambient tracks, but it also had plenty of extra levels, tons of new colored lighting effects which were pure [[Scenery Porn]], and even added some of the Doom II monsters into Ultimate Doom if you had the difficulty set to Ultra Violence or Nightmare!
* The PC version of ''[[Turok (series)|Turok]] 2'' had higher-resolution graphics and better music than the original N64 version, plus the ability to save anywhere, although some of the music was cut short to fit the redbook space on the CD.
* ''[[GoldenEye 007 (2010 video game)|GoldenEye]]'' for the [[
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== Multiple ==
* Several games on the [[Sega Genesis]] / [[Mega Drive]] had improved ports on the Sega CD. Some were worth it, some weren't. Similarly, some Sega CD games had upgraded versions on the 32X CD.
* [[Nintendo]] strongly hopes that this will be the case when many [[
* Probably worthy of a sub-trope in itself: Many ports actually managed to improve on the music from the original version, due to coding it for a different sound
** Pretty much any port for which [[Awesome Music/Tim and Geoff Follin|the Follin brothers]] did sound programming (e.g., ''[[Ghosts 'n Goblins|Ghouls 'n Ghosts]]'' for C64 and Amiga).
** ''[[Contra]]'' for the NES is another such port. Despite being on a more primitive sound chip, the music was faster-paced and generally more intense than the arcade version.
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* ''[[Guitar Hero]] 2'' was already highly popular on the [[PlayStation 2]], but the [[Xbox 360]] version gave the game not just a visual touch-up, but new guitar controllers, a host of new songs (and optional downloads as [[Downloadable Content]]), and a rearranged song order, meaning that the formerly infamous ''Psychobilly Freakout'' was moved up to the higher tiers, among others. It also widened the allowable gap between frets for hammer-ons and pull-offs just enough to make songs that made heavy use of them tolerable.
* The original ''[[Rock Band]]'' provides a backwards example. Usually games down-ported from the Xbox 360 to the PS2 are disasters with low frame rates, long loading times, ugly graphics etc. ''Rock Band'' looked like it would be no exception, given that 4 charts can scroll down the screen at once (a novelty at the time), with 4 characters rocking out in the background with more detail than they used in the Guitar Hero games. How did they pull it off? Well, they didn't. They compromised by removing the character editor completely and making a video file for every song of the pre-made characters rocking instead. At the price of having no choice of character (or editor), the game played smoothly with nearly identical graphics (in SD). A less-polished aspect is that the tour was removed and replaced with a simplified version (pretty much the same as the solo tour), although some people preferred this tour for having less menus.
** From this troper's (admittedly limited) experience with it, the Wii version of ''Rock Band 2'' definitely qualifies. After the Wii version of the first ''Rock Band'' was a straight-up port of the gimped [[PlayStation 2]] version, with a few extra songs thrown in, released about 6 months after every other version was already on shelves, the Wii RB2 came out just slightly later than the [[
== [[Role
* The [[Game Cube]] port of ''[[Skies of Arcadia]]'' is much better than the Dreamcast original, and not only because it allowed more people to play it. The developers reduced the cripplingly-high encounter rate and added several (fun) sidequests that do a great deal to explain [[The Dragon]]'s motivation as well as character backstory.
** Although the sound quality ''did'' take a hit due to being compressed onto one [[Game Cube]] disc (the Dreamcast original was on two discs), so this is a [[Your Mileage May Vary]] for audiophiles.
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** [[Your Mileage May Vary|However]], they removed The Answer (the 20-30 hour long playable epilogue), the anime cut-scenes, and the ability to actually walk around town (replacing it with a point-and-click type interface), along with downgrading the graphics, all to make it fit on the PSP's UMD. [[Atlus]] themselves have said that they were somewhat disappointed with it, and that they would do no further PSP ports of their [[PlayStation 2]] games, as it would mean cutting and downgrading too much.
* The first version of ''Golvellius'', developed by Compile on the [[MSX]], was a nice game already (it's basically a Zelda clone with some neat elements added, like side-scrolling dungeons) but had extremely bland graphics and sound. [[Sega]] remade it on the [[Master System]] with much better graphics, a completely new layout for dungeons and overworld, and some additions like mid-dungeon bosses. Compile took note and made the definitive version (often incorrectly referred as ''Golvellius 2'') for the MSX2: different storyline, awesome intro and ending screens, graphics similar to the [[Master System]] version but less cartoonish, and yet another complete renewal of overworld and dungeons.
* The ''[[Mother]]'' portion of ''[[Updated Rerelease|MOTHER 1]][[
* The initial release of ''[[Last Armageddon]]'' had only random encounters to fight, and required you read every single lore tablet hidden throughout the game world to progress to the second half of the game (with no way to tell which you've already read or where the missing ones are). Later releases on other systems added boss fights to the dungeons and reduced the tablet requirement to only require four red colored ones.
== [[Shoot'Em Up]] ==
* ''[[Twinkle Star Sprites]]'' got a [[Sega Saturn]] port with a bonus [[Omake]] disc and no slowdown; as a result, some prefer it to the [[Neo Geo]] original. Unfortunately, like every home version of the game, [[No Export for You|it also never left Japan.]]
* The [[Xbox 360]] ports of ''[[Mushihime-sama]] Futari'', ''[[
** ''DeathSmiles'''s 360 mode, which in other [[CAVE]] ports is typically just an HD version of the game it's a port of, allows the player to select Level 1 on every stage (instead of locking it out after a few stages), allows selection of Casper and Rosa without having to enter a code, and rebalances the
* The NES port of ''Toki'' used smaller sprites and much more of the screen was visible at a time. This greatly reduced the number of cheap deaths in the game.
* ''[[Desert Strike|Soviet Strike]]'' is practically the only [[Electronic Arts]] game that turned out better on the [[Sega Saturn]] than the [[PlayStation]]. Framerate is roughly the same, but the Saturn version has more detailed textures and even boasts a few new wingtip weapons. It also controls very well with the Mission Stick. The only downside is that the Saturn version cut some of the non-plot critical video clips.
** The Amiga version of ''[[Desert Strike]]'' was obviously a labour of love for the porting team. The sounds were redone, which included adding radio chatter in the title sequence, and a pleasant female voice notifying the player during missions of important information. A good deal of the graphics was redone, and it added a good deal of background flavour, such as wrecked vehicles strewn on roadsides and oases in the desert. Probably the most fondly-remembered change was that the pitiful and cartoony explosions of the original were changed to mushroom clouds accompanied by a mighty sound and the entire screen flashing white for a split-second.
* The 360 port of ''[[Ketsui]]'' fixes some [[Game Breaking Bug
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== [[Survival Horror]] ==
* The initial [[Xbox 360]] version of ''[[Alone in
* The PC version of [[Alan Wake]] is applauded by many critics to be better than the original [[Xbox 360]] release.
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* ''[[Phantom Brave]]: We Meet Again'' for the Wii is fundamentally the same game as the [[PlayStation 2]] original, but NIS took the time to remaster every single level and background to take advantage of the Wii's higher graphical capabilities (as well as add another story with some new stuff to collect, but that's par for the course for the company). The result is a much crisper look on the same great game.h
** This was then reported to the PSP as [[Phantom Brave]]: Heros of the Hermuda Triangle, which adds Hero Prinny, The Unlosing Ranger and Asagi to the cast of playable phantoms.
* Also from [[Nippon Ichi]], The PSP ports for ''[[Disgaea]]'' and ''[[Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories]]'' each add a [[Another Side, Another Story|second mode with an alternate protagonist]], more bonus-bosses more playable characters, and [[Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories|Dark Hero Days]] added DLC and Disgaea 3's Magichanges and passing system. The DS port of the first game added all this plus Prinny Commentary and more hidden characters, but lacks much of the voice acting. Both ports of the first game also replaced Etna's, and Thursday's/Vulcanus' voice actors with their new ones. All this is to provide better links to later games in the series and other [[Nippon Ichi]] titles.
** They're at it again with Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention for the Vita. Animated talking sprites, All the DLC on the disc (Including Beryl mode) two new charcters, more alternate scenarios with different leads, new spells and class specific attacks for the generic humanoids.
== [[Wide Open Sandbox]] ==
* For a good while, the PC ports of the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series (the very first game through ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|San Andreas]]'') were considered Porting Distillations, thanks to higher-resolution visuals, faster loading times, more accurate mouse-and-keyboard controls, and modding potential with swappable player character skins, in-game [[MP3]] players, and a plethora of user-created vehicles and mods (including the legendary ''Multi Theft Auto'' mod, adding a [[Wide Open Sandbox]] multiplayer mode to GTA years before GTAIV did the same and reintroducing a feature [[Grand Theft Auto II]] had on the PC to begin with). Unfortunately, the PC port of ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]'' failed to uphold the same reputation and was widely regarded as a [[Porting Disaster]] instead, though patches have since remedied this.
* ''[[Just Cause]] 2'' is the best-optimized multiplatform sandbox game released on the PC this generation by far, running more smoothly while having even larger environments than most games in the genre. On a Q6600/8800 GT system, it can easily maintain 60 FPS while other ports average closer to 30 FPS. Keyboard and mouse controls are also very tight and customizable, while [[Xbox 360]] gamepad support is retained. There's even a small [[Game Mod|modding community]] attempting to add features like ''multiplayer'', much like what happened to ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' above.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:YMMV Trope]]
[[Category:Videogame Culture]]
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