Side by Side: Moonwalker (Genesis vs. Arcade)

[Melf]

Despite what you may think about Michael Jackson now, his musical talent is something that has remained consistent throughout the years. At the height of his fame, he was all over the place, including the movies, with the self-indulgent dance fantasy Moonwalker. Jackson himself is credited with the game concept and design of the video game versions of the movie, which were released for several consoles and in arcades. In our latest installment of Side by Side, we take a look at the Genesis and coin-op versions and see which comes out on top. Read the full article (http://www.sega-16.com/2007/04/side-by-side-michael-jacksons-moonwalker-genesis-vs-arcade/) and try not to "woo!" too loudly.

[Rusty Venture]

I don't care what anyone says, "Smooth Criminal" is an awesome song.

The arcade near me had "Moonwalker" in it some years ago (within the past 5)....it's a shame I never went and played it. :(

[Joe Redifer]

I don't think the arcade has any graphics that the Genesis couldn't do. It really looked quite mundane, especially for games of the day (the original Hang-On is more technically impressive). The music in the Genesis version sounded remarkably average for the console's early days. It seemed to use the same sound engine as Shadow Dancer.

[CRV]

It seemed to use the same sound engine as Shadow Dancer.

They both used the same generic sound engine, the SMPS 68k (the generic SMPS engine using the 68000 to control the sound processors, instead of the Z80). Actually, a number of games used it.

http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Mega_Drive/Genesis_Sound_Engine_List

[Benjamin]

I disagree that they play the same. The arcade almost plays like a shoot-em up/beat-em up hybrid, where you spend most of the time dodging enemy attacks and charging up your beam weapon. Dancing is simply your bomb weapon. Meanwhile, the Genesis game is a fairly typical platformer styled after the games of the time (E-SWAT, Revenge of Shinobi, etc.) but does provide Michael with more moves over the arcade version. The robot transformation on the console game is more of a Easter egg, too, compared to all of the occurrences in the arcade game.

The Genesis game also ends with that weird perspective switch into a FPS flight shooter which the arcade game does not. I also believe that not as many songs appear in the arcade game. I'll have to plug in my board to check, but I want to say it's missing Billie Jean and Beat It. I know I was initially disappointed with Another Part of Me for the graveyard section, but after some time I realized that instrumentally it's a far better choice than Thriller would have been, so I think that worked out well. It's a much better song, too, so it's okay. :)

An article on Michael Jackson's relationship with Sega over the years would be interesting. :) There are the Moonwalker games, the supposed (I don't believe) involvement with the Sonic 3 soundtrack, and of course the Space Channel 5 games.

[Melf]

I disagree that they play the same. The arcade almost plays like a shoot-em up/beat-em up hybrid, where you spend most of the time dodging enemy attacks and charging up your beam weapon. Dancing is simply your bomb weapon. Meanwhile, the Genesis game is a fairly typical platformer styled after the games of the time (E-SWAT, Revenge of Shinobi, etc.) but does provide Michael with more moves over the arcade version.

I didn't find the Genesis game to be much of a platformer, since you're not really jumping around over pits and things (like Mario or Sonic). I was referring to them playing the same in that they both had you maneuvering around the stage looking for children while you killed thugs that came your way.

I do see your point though, and the arcade game is more run-'n-gun than the Genesis one. I think I wasn't clear enough about what I meant, so I'm going go back and to make that clearer. They may not play exactly the same, (the Genesis version is definitely more slowly paced than the arcade), but the general premise is more or less equal.


I also believe that not as many songs appear in the arcade game. I'll have to plug in my board to check, but I want to say it's missing Billie Jean and Beat It.

Both those songs are in there, and they have the same amount of tunes. Both games are about the same length too (five stages).

[ary incorparated]

The genesis version suffers from limitations, the music could have been done ways better even at that time shadow dancer sounded ways better.

Graphic wise the genesis version is really poor since the master system version was compelling almost the same game, still its a fun game but bit of a drag trough especially the last pear of levels.They should have done the eddie van halen solo in beat it (genesis version) lol.

The arcade version simply could have been ported to the genesis sore they didnt.

[Benjamin]

Both those songs are in there, and they have the same amount of tunes. Both games are about the same length too (five stages).

Five stages, yes, but the Genesis game is significantly longer as it is divided into three separate acts a la Sonic the Hedgehog. It's also not as linear as the arcade game being a search for Katy's instead of just them being strewn about like bonuses, adding to the length.

For me, the arcade original is the only one which stands up as still being a really good game. The Genesis version is nice and all, but all of Michael's additional moves are largely useless as his basic sparkling attack has good strength and range. Maybe if the Genesis game had bothered to randomize the Katy placement it'd be worthwhile, but it's not terribly exciting or challenging upon replays.

[Genesisdoes]

There's also a sega master system version but it's just like the genesis game with less features.

[Ash]

The music of the arcade really surprises me, I thought it would've been MUCH better than that. All the background instruments of the Genny sound great, but that god awful trumpet... that kills it completely. Other than the name, I thought it was a very average platformer.

[Sen]

Nice article. I really like the Megadrive game, played it a lot. I did at the time, and still like the music in the game. Gameplay is a bit simplistic, but it's so funny I don't care. Al the cheesiness made the game great for me. Graphics are a low point though, even at the time I did not find them impressive (but passable).

Never played the arcade game. Where can I find a rom (I am not used to such things)?

BTW, isn't there a short midi for thriller when you dance sometimes?

[ary incorparated]

The music of the arcade really surprises me, I thought it would've been MUCH better than that. All the background instruments of the Genny sound great, but that god awful trumpet... that kills it completely. Other than the name, I thought it was a very average platformer.

Yes i hate the ugly trumpet sound also,i don’t really hate the game since its very aged but well aged it looks pretty simple ,it reminds me of the first xmen game okay graphics for its time nothing special but fun.

I Really liked the guitar sound of beat it especially for its age only the sound fails a bit, the ugly trumpet kind of thing and there isn’t any interest in most of the songs, one thing i know is if they released this game in the 90ths and the software was a bit lost maybe one very talented game development team like techno soft or something would put interest in that game, that it first would have great and maybe almost identical Michael Jackson sound and would have resembled Jackson’s success in the 80ths.

The game was just to early and was buried for its treasure, it only need a extra step to reach at least the plot and man please they could have done the music at least a tad better, the music is god awful (quality wise) the songs stay great and when memorising crue ball is a saint compared to this sound wise.Yes the master system version is a great alternative if you can get it cheaper and don’t have a md the sms version does great on it own.

[Flash1087]

Why does it sound like it's saying "MOON WOLF" in the intro to the arcade version? :p

Good article, by the way. It was one of the more informative Side by Sides we've done, and it made me really want to play this game, which is what these articles should do.

[ary incorparated]

its saying moon wolf.

[Genesis Knight]

For the longest time I was denying that I liked any of MJ's songs, but finally I decided that liking a couple of his songs does NOT equate to supporting gay pedophilia. So it's without qualms I can say that Beat It and Smooth Criminal are awesome, even on Genesis.

[Zebbe]

It's the same for me: liking black metal does NOT equate to supporting killing.

[Benjamin]

Bad, Leave Me Alone, Another Part of Me, and Street Walker are just a handful of fantastic songs from that era. I don't bother thinking about how odd his personal life may be or what he may have done (yet to be found guilty of anything), since if I took the attitude of not supporting people who may be horrible persons, I believe I'd be forced to not be able to purchase anything or work anywhere. :p

[Genesis Knight]

Right - it's sort of the same thing with movies. If you get all uptight about actors/actresses who are jerks in their personal lives, you'll never enjoy anything.

[ary incorparated]

He has a handfull f good songs i dont know anything about gay pedo stuff that he did,but then who cares as the music is good.For me Beat it defnitly because of eddie.See it this way maybe he has a handfull of good song and maybe he has a handfull of child,s stuff who know,s.

[havoc00]

Why didn't the Genesis get the arcade version ported over?

[VinnyT]

There's an interview that explains how all the elements needed (isometric view, multiple Michaels, colors, etc) would be a pain to move it to the console without really killing it, so the design team put together a new game.

[havoc00]

There's an interview that explains how all the elements needed (isometric view, multiple Michaels, colors, etc) would be a pain to move it to the console without really killing it, so the design team put together a new game.

Is that interview available anywhere to read?

[VinnyT]

It was one of ours, but I can't remember who. Had to have been 2007-2008 though.

[havoc00]

It was one of ours, but I can't remember who. Had to have been 2007-2008 though.



I would have liked to have read that, I was always mad about it not being on the genesis, well the proper version anyway.

[VinnyT]

Al Nilsen (http://sega-16.com/feature_page.php?id=324&title=Interview:%20Al%20Nilsen)

I thought that was it, but It's looking like it's not. I swear it in one of ours but I can't think of the name.

Ken?

[Aarzak]

I have a feeling that Sega's arcade devs/people never liked the Mega Drive, hence why so many of their arcade gems remained in the arcades, while lesser devs were put to work on "adaptations" such as Shadow Dancer, E-SWAT and Moonwalker, among re-tread arcade ports such as "After Burner" and "Outrun".

Also, can't fail to mention that the Genny's hardware was absolutely dwarfed by Sega's arcade boards, but some of those aforementioned coin-op versions of those games could've been ported to the Genesis decently, just not their scaling/rotating stuff.

[havoc00]

Do you think that the arcade version could have ran on the SNES? I know it would have never have because Sega owned the rights.

[Benjamin]

I have a feeling that Sega's arcade devs/people never liked the Mega Drive, hence why so many of their arcade gems remained in the arcades, while lesser devs were put to work on "adaptations" such as Shadow Dancer, E-SWAT and Moonwalker, among re-tread arcade ports such as "After Burner" and "Outrun".

Hasn't Yu Suzuki been quoted as not liking the system? Maybe there's something to that, but part of me thinks it's just Sega finally wising up and realizing that consoles don't succeed when its game library is strictly arcade fodder which can be beaten in 10 minutes or so.