An NES, two clones, and the Virtual Console. Where does Mario look his best?

[Tan]

Article from Opposable Thumbs:

Here is how I did it: I tested an original NES, the Generation NEX system, the FC Twin, and lastly the Wii Virtual Console version of Super Mario Bros. Each system is hooked up to my HDTV via composite cables except for the Wii, which uses component. I took a picture with each system at three different places in the first level. The results were a little surprising.....Read More

[Tan]

Besides the obvious fact that original hardware still looks the best it's interesting to see the FC Twin in action, and have it compared to the Nex.

[OatBob]

That's a nice demo.  For now I'm stuck with the top loading NES which puts vertical streaks across the screen.  These are very distracting if you use anything with a lot of color like Mario.  I'm aiming to pick up another NES sometime in the future.

Also, I found that Super Mario Bros. Deluxe for the Game Boy Color is also like the virtual console version of SMB.  Clean edges without any sharpness issues give the right impression about this Nintendo classic.  The only drawback, however, is the smallish game screen that forced the game to be redesigned with only 3/4 of the screen to be in view at a time.  This viewpoint sets you up for some difficult blind jumps.

[Tynstar]

The Top Loading NES actually sucks compared to model 1 IMO. No A/V jacks and all those damn lines on the screen. Hell my 2600 and Intellivision look better.

[OatBob]

Darn right.  Mine's an all-around pain.  The RF switch doesn't quite work right so I use one of the classic 2600 style ones from radio shack.  And the power adapter doesn't quite work.  I have a rubber band holding the shell around it because the previous owner broke it while opening it.  To top it off, I almost always have to clean the contacts with alcohol to get anything to work.  The controller is okay.  The buttons and d-pad are a bit tigher than the squarish one, so it doesn't have that classic NES mushy feel. 

[Tynstar]

Damn sounds like a pile of crap.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Mario graphics? Who the hell cares what Mario looks like? I mean as long as you get something besides a flashing gray screen it's all good. I personally don't care if the text is a tiny bit less texture quality.

[Tan]

Mario graphics? Who the hell cares what Mario looks like? I mean as long as you get something besides a flashing gray screen it's all good. I personally don't care if the text is a tiny bit less texture quality.

It's the extremes though that matter, a huge TV or a really small one. Fuzzy distorted Mario looks like crap on a 40" and you wouldn't want to try and read text that bad on a 13".

[OatBob]

I have a 13" and it shows.

If graphics didn't matter for me, I'ld play all those jump man knockoffs on my TI-86 and sell my NES and Game Boy.  To be honest, I like the Mario All-Stars versions a bit more because they did a graphical upgrade for the SNES.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Hmm, doesn't seem like it'd matter enough, even on a big TV.

[Tondog]

Tynstar, OatBob's NES is a piece of shit. Whenever I want to play some 2 player co-op Contra with him over at his place, the NES never works. He always has to do something to get it to work.