SMRPG: The best Graphics on SNES?

[digiki]

I don't understand how people can find SMRPG flawless, or that the battles are a joy to play, since all the battles did for me was trash my opinion of it.

[SegaFan]

I don't understand it at all.

To its credit it's good to see a top 100 list written by one person instead of voted on by a lot of people, because instead of ending up with the same old predictable games that are the most popular in polls you have some different games in there. I like the inclusion of Ouendan, Phoenix Wright, Banjo-Kazooie and Sonic Adventure. In fact apart from number 1 there's a lot I agree with about the list, it makes me wonder how someone with otherwise such good taste can think Mario RPG is good. I feel inspired to make a list myself (or I would if I had 20 hours to spare, which I don't).

[Blue Chu Jelly]

Originally Posted by SegaFan

In fact apart from number 1 there's a lot I agree with about the list, it makes me wonder how someone with otherwise such good taste can think Mario RPG is good.

Nostalgia.

[RetroNL]

As in 3d models I would say yes, in overall no. It also didnt use the superFX chip as far as I know, but games such as DKC also didnt. .
Still I think that SuperFX never has fully used its highest specifications on snes, games such as Star Fox could look better I think. . (although it uses more moving polygons).
Still the game is ok (SMRPG).

[Rew]

The graphics in SMRPG were decent but not the best on SNES. There are two games that I would put in that category but in very different ways.

Super Metroid has the best "realistic" 16-bit graphics. The environments are very vividly rendered, and especially the motion and animation is so fluid you would think it was 32-bit or more. Background, foreground, sprites, and everything was just so lush and wonderfully done. A game like this has potential to be very graphically dull (most of the game is underground in caves), but Super Metroid overcame this challenge beautifully.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is one of the most gorgeous games in existence. It took that crayon-background theme and did so much with it. Not only did the hand-drawn graphics not interfere with the atmosphere and beauty of the setting, it absolutely enhanced it. The backgrounds are very striking, and the sprites are wonderfully rendered as well.

Also as a runner-up to these two I would put the Donkey Kong Country trilogy for their use of models to make an almost 3D atmosphere in their games.

[Mickeymac]

Wow, very well said, Rew. I totally agree 100%.

[Betagam7]

Originally Posted by Rew

The graphics in SMRPG were decent but not the best on SNES. There are two games that I would put in that category but in very different ways.

Super Metroid has the best "realistic" 16-bit graphics. The environments are very vividly rendered, and especially the motion and animation is so fluid you would think it was 32-bit or more. Background, foreground, sprites, and everything was just so lush and wonderfully done. A game like this has potential to be very graphically dull (most of the game is underground in caves), but Super Metroid overcame this challenge beautifully.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is one of the most gorgeous games in existence. It took that crayon-background theme and did so much with it. Not only did the hand-drawn graphics not interfere with the atmosphere and beauty of the setting, it absolutely enhanced it. The backgrounds are very striking, and the sprites are wonderfully rendered as well.

Also as a runner-up to these two I would put the Donkey Kong Country trilogy for their use of models to make an almost 3D atmosphere in their games.

Your Avatar is great

[RetroNL]

Originally Posted by Rew

The graphics in SMRPG were decent but not the best on SNES. There are two games that I would put in that category but in very different ways.

Super Metroid has the best "realistic" 16-bit graphics. The environments are very vividly rendered, and especially the motion and animation is so fluid you would think it was 32-bit or more. Background, foreground, sprites, and everything was just so lush and wonderfully done. A game like this has potential to be very graphically dull (most of the game is underground in caves), but Super Metroid overcame this challenge beautifully.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is one of the most gorgeous games in existence. It took that crayon-background theme and did so much with it. Not only did the hand-drawn graphics not interfere with the atmosphere and beauty of the setting, it absolutely enhanced it. The backgrounds are very striking, and the sprites are wonderfully rendered as well.

Also as a runner-up to these two I would put the Donkey Kong Country trilogy for their use of models to make an almost 3D atmosphere in their games.

Yes indeed ! Especially the SMW 2 statement is a fact, its a very unique piece for its time (and still is). Also would I remind you that Rare not only made a good graphical touch with the DKC series but not to forget Killer Instinct which was in my opinion more advanced than for instance the popular Mortal Kombat on the console systems back in the days.

[Refa]

All of those Rare games were incredibly ugly (the prerendered ones). Whoever thinks that looks good is...wrong.

[digiki]

Originally Posted by Refa

All of those Rare games were incredibly ugly (the prerendered ones). Whoever thinks that looks good is...wrong.

I find the lush jungle levels to great, but later when you're in the drab environments, things are less impressive.

I found SMRPG to have terrible art direction as a whole, there was too much platforming for the isometric viewpoint too

[The shoemaker]

I got about 2 hours into SMRPG then quit. It was just too boring and I found no reason to finish it. The battles were boring, the platforming was boring, and the music was boring. I tried to get back into it, but I couldn't. And no, this game certainly did not have the best SNES graphics.

Really wasn't worth the hype, or the 900 points, or the huge rants from smrpgfanno01. Anyone else remember that dude?

[SKTTR]

No I don't remember this dude.

I played SMRPG for the frist time on VC, long after I beat Paper Mario 1 2 3 and Mario & Luigi Partners in Time.
For me SMRPG was worth its money. I had 50 hours of fun with it. I enjoyed the gags and the many different towns and stages, minigames and all. The isometric jumping was not a problem for me. Well it never was. You know other iso games like Light Crusader and Last Ninja weren't a big problem for me too.
The graphics are quite aged like all 16-bit rendergraphic-games. It has a few good music tracks but overall nothing standing out.

I don't remember any hype. It was just popping up there at some Hanabi festival and I always wanted to try it, so 50 hours, most of it was enjoyment and new to me, I give it an 8/10. Of course it's no Paper Mario (10/10) but that came out 5 years later.

[Ausden]

I played this game for the first time on the VC back in May 2009. I have to say, it was a blast. Wonderful graphics, great little story, and a fantastic group of supporting characters to help Mario throughout his adventure.

[slangman]

Got this as soon as it got released in PAL. I thought it was a fantastic RPG with loads of variety in the towns and characters . I got about 25-30 hours out of this one.

The presentation on this is also excellent and suits this game well, but best graphics on SNES? I am not too sure there are loads of other great looking games (Pilotwings, Yoshis Island, Chrono Trigger, KBL3 etc).

I rate this 9/10

[RetroNL]

Originally Posted by Refa

All of those Rare games were incredibly ugly (the prerendered ones). Whoever thinks that looks good is...wrong.

The jump from arcade to console was a big one (KI), but for its time those graphics where pretty good for a console.

[Betagam7]

Originally Posted by digiki

I find the lush jungle levels to great, but later when you're in the drab environments, things are less impressive.

What about the beautiful snow and water stages from DKC. I felt the music and graphics combined wonderfully in those stages. It was the gameplay that was average, in my view.

[SKTTR]

Now we're talkin' DKC?

Give me 1 hour and 15 minutes anyday, and I beat it 101%.
I love this game, gameplay is far from average.
If you see how I play this you'll realise how much gameplay there is.
I'm the manic DKC master.

The graphics were stunning back then. The best the SNES had to offer.
But when I play through this once in a year, the graphics seem to get worse and worse. That's only until I'm in the game for maybe 10 minutes when I don't notice anymore, then it looks as beautiful as on Christmas 1994.

I wish this game had online leaderboards and master run time trials.

[digiki]

Originally Posted by Betagam7

What about the beautiful snow and water stages from DKC. I felt the music and graphics combined wonderfully in those stages. It was the gameplay that was average, in my view.

I liked the snow aesthetic, by water, I assume you mean underwater levels though, which I wasn't fond of.

I liked the gameplay, there was enough variety to keep everything fresh. Of course with so many types of gameplay there ended up being a few not so great gimmicks :l

On a different note, I suppose my favourite looking SNES game may be Chrono Trigger.

[SamiCetinSMK]

As much as SMRPG was an aweosme game for graphics on SNES, i definitely have to lean towards the DKC trilogy for holding the best snes graphics, amongst a few other games.

As for Time Trialing DKC, the World Record sits at 44 minutes for 101% although not an extensive ranking, just the best record and videos.

There are World Record sites for a number of snes games, Super Mario Kart and F-Zero being two of the biggest, along with records on their subsequent sequel games.

[SKTTR]

Originally Posted by SamiCetinSMK

As much as SMRPG was an aweosme game for graphics on SNES, i definitely have to lean towards the DKC trilogy for holding the best snes graphics, amongst a few other games.

As for Time Trialing DKC, the World Record sits at 44 minutes for 101% although not an extensive ranking, just the best record and videos.

There are World Record sites for a number of snes games, Super Mario Kart and F-Zero being two of the biggest, along with records on their subsequent sequel games.

I recently (a few days ago) have beaten Donkey Kong Country again... twice... (2 Player Contest Mode) on Virtual Console.
When I said last month that I thought the game's graphics aged badly, that was because the last time I've seen it was it emulated and running on an Xbox.
Now that I played the VC version again on my new TV, I must take my comment back! Honestly, it isn't that amazing anymore as it was back in '94
but I'm still in awe about some of these great backgrounds and animations.

Super Mario RPG and Killer Instinct have the same graphic style (render). And some other games too, like Uniracers. And it's a style that needs a bit getting used to nowadays... but it's not the render games flaw but the SNES' since it couldn't show hi-res - Yeah really!! Render graphics weren't really meant to be dispayed/ported to low-res and low-RAM, they were too advanced for that little machine and the end of story is that when looking back classic graphics / sprite based games have a cleaner look and render graphics have come a long way).
It's the same with 3D graphics. Starfox was amazing on SNES. When it was new it had the best graphics. But 3D graphics have come a long way too! Now it just looks baaad!
Anyway, remark my words: Play one or two stages and you don't notice the 15 years the game has on it's back.
Another advice: Talk to Cranky Kong often. He's showing you right from wrong with his totally-out-of-place-out-of-character-attitude!

[sulcalen]

I know has been a while since someone wrote in here, but im relatively new and just startin reading it. I like to know, according to you, which snes game has aged better, in graphics, sound and gameplay.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Originally Posted by sulcalen

I know has been a while since someone wrote in here, but im relatively new and just startin reading it. I like to know, according to you, which snes game has aged better, in graphics, sound and gameplay.

At the time, 3D was the newest fad, so games like Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario RPG got a lot of hype. They may have been good at the time, but that kind of graphical style doesn't age well. So I'd say a more traditional 2D aesthetic with lush rendered backgrounds and detailed sprites would win the day in terms of what looks good now. Something like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, or Seiken Densetsu III all fit the bill.