This is a comparison page for TMNT: Hyperstone Heist and TMNT IV for the Genesis and SNES respectively. All written comparisons, movies, MP3s and JPGs were made while playing the games on the actual console and taken from the actual console through a Composite A/V connection.

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Introduction

The differences between the two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games for the 16-bit systems are a microcosm of the differences between most games on the systems. That which is postulated in the Genesis-vs-SNES page is especially proven true by these two examples. Each game was developed in the same year, by the same company, for both systems, and both games are a decent example of what each system could do.

Graphics

In the normal gameplay scene, the SNES game shows a little over twice the colors on screen, and the Genesis game has more characters, less flicker, more background layers and more animation. The actual max color palette of the pictures shown are displayed in the Genesis-vs-SNES page, Hyperstone Heist displays 36 colors while Turtles In Time displays 82 colors simultaneously. As a result, the difference in color counts on screen is not the most noticeable difference in the graphics for both games. TMNT IV is brighter, and uses a healthy portion of pastel pinks and purples which the Genesis doesn't have in its color palette. This gives each game a distinct look in regard to the color palettes chosen by the developer Konami. The Genesis game is more bold and dark, and the SNES game being brighter, or just plain different looking in some levels.

Special Effects

The Genesis game displays more background layers, or parallax, in certain levels. This can be seen in the movie files with the word parallax in the link under both the TMNT IV and Hyperstone sections. The Genesis has a little known hardware feature for backgrounds that was exploited to a degree in Hyperstone Heist. In any given background, the Genesis could display two planes. Either plane could then be broken up into eight line rows or independently scrolling lines. The upper limit to how many background layers could be created was the Genesis native vertical resolution of 224 lines.

This effect was used in the ocean surfing stage in Hyperstone Heist, which shows the Turtles and other sprites on a side scrolling plane that appears to have depth due to how every horizontal line of ocean are scrolling at different speeds to the horizon. Turtles in Time does not approach this level of multiscrolling in the backgrounds. The SNES hardware was technically limited to four scrolling planes, two more than the Genesis, but the slower processor speed limited how many of these could be displayed in an action game like Turtles in Time. Nevertheless, developers had tried and tested methods for simulating multi-level background scrolling through cleverly disguised sprites, and this method was used in several levels in the SNES game.

TMNT IV for the SNES shows off the SNES' exclusive hardware scaling and Mode 7 special effects. The SNES' seventh mode was designed to scale and rotate a single background pane, which allowed for a two dimensional picture to be turned horizontally and vertically and zoomed in and out on the screen. In the case of Turtles in Time Mode 7 was used to simulate the ground scrolling into the screen. So, while the arcade version of TMNT IV had a side scrolling level with the turtles sliding on hoverboards, Konami decided to exploit the SNES' unique effect in the home version of the same level.

The scaling and Mode 7 movie files show the SNES hardware effect in its entirety. These same movies also demonstrate the limitation of the SNES' Mode 7. In order for the SNES to scale an object from the far background to the foreground, or back, the rest of the screen was always relatively empty, and was usually just left black. Alternately, when the SNES displays graphics in Mode 7, it never scales anything else. So, while Arcade games from the mid '80s would feature scaling objects on the ground and the gameplay area, SNES games would only scale the ground or an object. This is especially demonstrated in such notable titles as F-Zero and Mario Kart. With that said, no Genesis games released in 1992 demonstrate an effect similar to Mode 7, and Hyperstone Heist is no exception.

Because the Mode 7 effect was so unique to the SNES, fans of TMNT IV and the SNES in general will feel that Mode 7 contributed greatly to the game, even while they will feel that the infinite horizon in Hyperstone Heist's surfing level was not even worth noting. Without getting too much into the psychology of why people think the way they do, it is not logically correct to emphasize one special effect over another. Likewise, putting emphasis on deficiencies instead of strengths skews the overall impression of a game or console. So, the fact that the SNES game has a Mode 7 level, and the Genesis game has more background effects should logically balance each other out. The reader's preferences over which effect was more significant will tilt their impression of either game overall.

In addition to having the edge in background effects, Hyperstone Heist has more animation in all characters' standing and fighting animations and displays more characters on screen at once. These facts do not negate the fact that TMNT IV has a brighter color palette and twice as many colors on screen. Both facts can especially be seen in the Alley movie files. The relative lack of animation while running is especially noticeable in TMNT IV. The difference is significant enough that it does effect gameplay, which will be discussed below.

Sound

Both games have nearly the same soundtrack while the SNES instruments are all digital, and the Genesis uses a blend of digital and analog instruments, as is typical for both system's sound capabilities. Both game's voice samples are somewhat flat and grainy, with the SNES samples being somewhat less grainy, but also more quiet and having more reverb. Much like the graphical comparison, the simple differences between each system's sound capabilities can and will be experienced differently by players with different biases.

It should suffice to say that neither analog sound nor digital sound is intrinsically superior when both are playing at a similar frequency and bitrate. Much the same as the Mode 7 discussion above, SNES fans will insist that the very sound of the SNES' digital audio instruments is absolutely superior to the Genesis' analog instruments. Assertions such as these are more based on personal preference than anything measurable. One gamer calling the Genesis sound "flat" is making just as subjective a statement as another gamer calling the SNES sound "warbly." Both games soundtracks are posted for download above, with the exception of two of the SNES game's extra modes, and should be listened to concurrently.

While being of generally good quality, the SNES' version of TMNT sound effects are almost all more muffled and quiet than their Genesis counterparts. Most notably, when an enemy explodes in the TMNT IV it can barely be heard, and sounds more like a splash than an explosion, while Hyperstone's explosions have quite a bit of bass in them and make a very distinct sound that can't be missed. Overall, both game's music and sound effects are good for the system, and comparable overall, with the SNES music and the Genesis sound effects being respectively louder.

Gameplay

Contrary to popular belief, TMNT IV and Hyperstone Heist are not actually the same game. TMNT IV could actually be considered a sequel, and as such has a few more moves and differences in animation. Characters run differently, attack differently, and jump and fall differently and at different speeds. Hyperstone is actually the faster of the two in gameplay, but the SNES game appears to be almost as fast due to the lack of several frames in every animation. The only obvious difference in controls is that Hyperstone Heist has a run button, while the SNES game either runs automatically after holding forward for a second, or runs at a double tap, depending on what was selected in the option menu.

In TMNT IV the Turtles are capable of a flipping slash attack, that will also carry you further, just after reaching the peak of a jump, and are also capable of throwing footsoldiers into the screen. Contrary to popular belief, the screen throw animation is not using any kind of scaling technique, but is animated in three simple sprite changes. This same approach could have been used in the Genesis version, and both systems could have animated the throw with more frames. The reason why the SNES game does not scale the sprite for the screen throw is due to the speed of the game, and the necessary 3-6 characters on screen at once. Mode 7 simply was not implemented during gameplay to scale and rotate objects like the arcade version of Turtles in Time does. The SNES never did exceptionally well with action games, and throwing scaling sprites into the mix would have caused slowdown. Nonetheless, the screen throw is a notable gameplay mechanic of TMNT IV that is even featured in an early fight against Shredder that is not in any other TMNT game.

Hyperstone Heist is noticeably more difficult than TMNT IV, even while playing the later on 'Hard' mode and the former on Normal. The Genesis game's enemies just fight more, and gang up on you more more often, especially on that version's hard mode. In Hyperstone, the Turtles are also knocked down much more easily, which usually eliminates an opportunity to hit a boss, or knock down multiple enemies more quickly.

The boss fights are also much easier on TMNT IV and sometimes frustratingly hard in Hyperstone Heist. For example, Leatherhead will get on all fours after one combo is completed on him, in Hyperstone the transition to all fours will knock you away and take away energy, while on the SNES it does neither. In addition to that, Leatherhead moves across the screen much more quickly in the Genesis game, and is much more likely to hit you while switching sides. The SNES game compensates for this deficiency in enemy AI and boss difficulty by nearly doubling the damage taken from one hit. Meaning that the same hit in both games would count significantly more against your energy bar in the SNES game, thus making the game more difficult.

Finally, the level screenshot pages above might make it look like the Genesis game is shorter, while it is actually larger. Each level in TMNT IV is only one phase, what scenery you see in the beginning of that stage is what you will finish that stage in. In Hyperstone each level, with the exception of the Gauntlet, has two to three transitions in the same level, as can be seen in the screenshots for each. This means that Hyperstone Heist actually has 12 levels, while TMNT IV actually has 10, including boss fights and bonus rounds. This should not be considered a deficiency of the SNES game, but the significance of how many actual stages is in each game counters the claim made by every game review that the Genesis game has fewer stages and is therefore not only shorter, but too short. Both games are comparable in length. TMNT IV has completely unique levels spanning the theme "turtles in time" and Hyperstone Heist features a remix of various stages from both arcade turtle games and the NES games.

Presentation

Much to this action game fan's dismay, presentation has taken a front row seat in qualitative statements about games. Presentation is the most difficult aspect to measure in a game, but a gamer that thinks presentation is as significant as gameplay will trump all quantitative discussion with a discussion of their overall feeling the games gave them. These types of statements are by definition subjective. In regard to this comparison, if one game is prefered over the other that preference will be dependent on personal bias, not measurable differences in the games.

Action fans will likely prefer more enemies on screen with more nuanced AI patterns contributing to the challenge of the game over the fewer enemies with simpler AI that the SNES game presents. Adventure and RPG fans will likely feel that the cutscenes and general theme of Turtles in Time is superior because it is unique. While a discussion over which game has a superior theme is interesting, there can be no measurable comparison of the two. It is worth noting that Turtles in Time has a time trial mode that Hyperstone Heist does not, nobody ever talks about it, but it is there. As another weird side note, two of Hyperstone Heists levels feature turtles walking on water, even water that Pizza Monsters splash out of. A prominent glitch like this combined with levels like the Gauntlet while lacking extra modes in the title screen can contribute to the view that Hyperstone Heist is less polished than Turtles in Time overall. This view would need to ignore the extra character animations, and their corresponding addition to gameplay, and more sophisticated AI of Hyperstone Heist.

Conclusion

Both games are relatively short and easy to complete, compared to other beat-em ups on both systems. If the games were combined into one game, with the Genesis version's animations, and the SNES version's moves and color palette choices, the final product might be different. As it stands, both games are individually an excellent example of each system's graphical and audio capabilities, but both versions fall somewhat short in gameplay complexity, and AI when compared to titles like Super Double Dragon or Streets of Rage 2. The Genesis version is the better with the later two deficiencies overall, and the SNES is better with the former if you don't consider the lacking animations. However, level and character design, the overall art quality, and the music selection for both games are so unique and well done that they go a long way towards making the games seem like 9/10 titles when they are actually 7-8s at best.