Bumping this old thread, as someone else did before (2006 to 2009).
So, today, I played through the entire SNES port of PoP1 for the first time.
On the whole, I prefer the DOS version.
The SNES version has some worse and some better stuff.
What I thought was worse:
- Being forced to watch an (unskippable) introduction logo and screen for several seconds.
- Some of the music is annoying, like in the red dungeon, and it just goes on and on. I don't think it can be turned off (see my question
here). Also, the music somewhat spoils the atmosphere: in a cold dungeon you hear your footsteps and gates and such, not music.
- Level 19 is an annoying maze, they must've thought: 'The player almost finished the game... quick, let's stall the player.' The endgame is similar, where you fight several enemies in a row; then Jaffar, twice. The level with portals is also mazy, I simply don't like that.
- It felt like the regular guards were all the same difficulty; merely had more potions in later levels.
- The level with the six-armed creature wasn't fun; suddenly having to dodge pots. And if you die, you have to go back to it and wait for it to descend the stairs again.
- Some environments have too flashy colors: it's like you're in Disneyland instead of being trapped in a dungeon/palace.
- No easy way (like DOS's
"megahit") to start certain levels or use cheats, only by typing in (PoP or Game Genie) codes.
What I thought was better:
- The details in the basic dungeon graphics, including the skeletons and such. The ending with the elephant, some other graphics here and there.
- Being able to move back and forth multiple times while fighting, without having to press left or right multiple times.
- Some of the music, especially the introduction and main menu themes.
- New traps here and there. However, their effects are mostly the same as the chomper. The sparkle trap is kind of interesting. The moving walkway is annoying, but it makes the game more challenging.
- The SNES port has more levels and more difficult levels.
- The mouse doing a somersault...
I think, for me, the music is by far the biggest problem of the SNES port.