rtcvb32: For those quoting such lines as '
PC has no exclusives' they obviously never looked at the back catalog of games. Though some like certain Ultima games didd get a console port, they were either gimped/changed, or the no-mouse made UI management a pain (
moreso than it already was), needing a lot of convenience features that aren't present.
I am actually familiar with the console ports of many RPGs. It's not just the Ultima games that got ported; you also see ports of Wizardry and Might and Magic. Here are a few things to note:
Wizardry: These actually ported rather well. The number of possible commands is relatively small, so you don't have too much menuing to do here. Also, when casting a spell, in console ports you can actually see which spells you know and how much MP you have left. The only real compromise comes in Wizardry 5 and later, where the conversation system doesn't port well; in SNES Wizardry 5, you automatically get all dialog when talking, while in PSX Wizardry 5, you choose keywords from a menu. Starting with the SNES/SFC versions, it is common to have an auto-map that pops up when you cast DUMAPIC, making it much less important to make hand-made maps. Of course, some ports have bugs; in Wizardry 1 NES AC doesn't work for party members, and in Wizardry 5 PSX BACORTU doesn't work at all.
Might and Magic: 1 saw an NES version; that version is decent except for the fact that Locust Plagues are far deadlier than they should be (by "far deadlier", I mean that, instead of dealing 10 damage to one character, they wipe out your entire party if they get to act). 2 on the Sega Genesis is decent (though I prefer the DOS version when it comes to game mechanics); 2 on the SNES (European version) was so buggy it's not worth playing. (I suspect the reason that version didn't see US release is that it failed to pass Nintendo of America's quality control; it was that buggy.) Supposedly there exists a Japanese Famicom version, but it is completely different. 3 saw SNES release, and while playable, it's slow and does have a bug that makes a certain stat much harder to increase.
(Will later edit with information on Ultima console ports.)
Edit: Here's the scoop on Ultima ports.
3: Saw an NES port. This port is somewhat similar to computer versions, but there are some differences; one in particular is that the enemies that appear on the overworld are dependent on your level. I prefer computer versions here mainly because, in the NES version, druids don't get fast MP regen.
4: There are two different console ports, one to the NES and one to the Sega Master System. The NES version (made by Pony Canyon, who also made the console ports of the other games) is quite different from other versions; the combat mechanics are completely different, some spells are different (Blink is now a combat-only spell that lets you valorously flee battle), and there are tons of other changes; I do consider this version worth playing. The SMS version, on the other hand, is more faithful to computer versions, though there are some differences, like being able to attack in all directions (though not through walls, unlike the NES version), and the first person view in dungeons being absent. This version (developed by Sega) is also worth playing.
5: For the NES, they tried to remake it in the style of Ultima 6, but the result was a mess. The game is sluggish, ignores input for 5 frames each second (at 60fps), has only one music track for the entire game (which loops every 19.2 seconds), and it seems that you need to game over to regain MP. This version is *not* worth playing.
6: Saw a SNES port. This one actually looks and sounds like its computer counterpart, but some sacrifices did need to be made. Also, the English version is oddly slow. With that said, this version, while inferior to the PC version, is still a decent game (unlike 5 NES).
7: Apparently saw a SNES adaptation, but I am not familiar with it, and it seems to be quite different from the DOS version.
