Games that shouldn't be possible on their system

All this talk about the extrordinary sound capabilities in later Japanese Famicom games in the Ninja Gaiden thread got me thinking. What games are the best examples of software the goes beyond what the hardware should be able to handle? These games usually show up late in a system's life and say "here, see what we've learned about this hardware over all these years". Games with great sound like the Famicom Castlevania III or Lagrange Point. Games that do polys where polys shouldn't be possible like Saphire on the PC Engine. Stuff like that.

Donkey Kong Country the first.

And bollocks to those who say otherwise!!! :p

Vagrant Story on Psone

I thought Sapphire's polys were just prerenders sprites.

I'd say ethier Dracula X or Lords of Thunder, both games surpassed what I thought possible on PC Engine, as far as graphics and use of RAM. *-neo

gunstar heroes (genesis)
adventures of batman and robin (genesis)
x-men vs. street figher (saturn)
duke nukem (saturn)
quake (saturn)
powerslave (saturn)
virtua fighter (32x)

only games on sega systems come to mind when i think of games that aren't supposed to be possible for their system.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Nash
only games on sega systems come to mind when i think of games that aren't supposed to be possible for their system.

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Really? I mostly think NES. Battle Toads and Shatter Hand with those fantastic Parallax backgrounds....

Quote:

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Originally posted by Kidnemo
Vagrant Story on Psone

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I don't remember Vagrent Story... Did it have extra-spiffy 3D or something?

I can't really think of anything. If the game is on the system, then the system can handle it, no? If you mean games that made my say "wow!, shit! THAT'S a (insert system) game?!?"

Gunstar Heroes
Thunderforce 4
Ranger x
Powerslave, SS
Viewpoint, Neo Geo
Mega Turrican
Panarona Cotton
Sega Rally
VF2
Lords of Thunder, Duo
Drac X

And on DC:
Soul Calibur
DOA


I'm sure there's more.

Chibi Nappa: Yea Vagrant Story just had some really, really sweet textures and lighting effects.

And Battletoads is a great one, some of the best graphics on NES by far.

Doom (PC)

Dragon Force and Bangai-O.