Feature: The Ultimate Multiplatform Guide Subscribe to this RSS feed
Generation 2.5 continued...
With Sega calling it quits not soon after the release of the PS2 and losing most of its third-party support in the process, there were very few multiplatform releases that came out on both systems. In fact, the most notable DC/PS2 ports were releases of Sega properties like Ecco the Dolphin and Crazy Taxi by Acclaim. Of course, this being Acclaim, they managed to bungle moving a game to superior platform, and the games generally looked better on the dead Dreamcast than the nascent-at-the-time PS2.
Generation 3: Sony PlayStation 2 vs. Microsoft Xbox vs. Nintendo GameCube
While the last gen wasn't the first to have three competing consoles, it was the first to have multiplatform support spread across three systems simultaneously for a lengthy period. As a result, there were many instances in which gamers had to not only determine which version was the best, but also the second-best alternative. This was particularly evident during the early iterations of the Madden NFL franchise during this generation. The PS2 was generally favored as the only system offering online play for EA Sports games at the time, while the Xbox boasted the best visuals. The GameCube was perpetually the weakest in sports ports, as the memory card constraints were far too limiting for most of the system's lifespan, and the system's connectivity with the GBA to provide an extra screen couldn't make up the difference.
Link's a difference maker, all right. Click on each exclusive character above to see how the major outlets reviewed each version of Soul Calibur 2.
Once developers got a hang of the platform, and Microsoft asserted itself as a genuine player in the console market, games started to reap the benefits of the Xbox's superior hardware. The graphical divide was apparent in many games, particularly in the Xbox-PS2 title Psychonauts, wherein the PS2 version ran a bit rougher, with the system lacking the ability to cast shadows, making the platforming sections just a little more difficult. Later sports titles were far and away the best on the Xbox, as the system's more streamlined Xbox Live online service and the hard drive's ability to create custom soundtracks made the choice an easy one for multiplatform sports fans.
Perfect fit, right?
There were still rare occasions where other consoles were the better choice, however. Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance actually fared worse on the Xbox, due to unique programming in the PS2 version not replicating well on the Xbox, not to mention the controller's inability to handle Snake and Raiden's many moves with the same level of precision. Nintendo's few claims at superior ports have been a result of the company's direct involvement in sprucing up third party games. The company threw Link into Soul Calibur II, which gave the GameCube version the most popular exclusive character and the highest review scores to boot, despite the fact that the Xbox version boasted 720p widescreen support. Also, the addition of Super Punch-Out into Fight Night (as well as Little Mac as an exclusive character) as well as an all-Nintendo team in NBA Street Volume 3 gave the games a fighting chance against the online-enabled PS2 and Xbox versions.
