|
In [[video game|video gaming]] parlance, a '''conversion''' is the production of a game on one [[computer]] or [[games console|console]] that was originally written for another system. Over the years, video game conversion has taken form in a number of different ways, both in their style and the method in which they were converted.
In the [[arcade video game]] industry, the term ''conversion'' has a different usage, in reference to game conversion kits for [[arcade cabinet]]s.
The earliest video game conversions were almost exclusively home versions of popular [[arcade game]]s. The first known examples were conversions of [[Atari]]'s ''[[Pong]]'' in the form of consoles with this one game built-in, as well as consoles that included a number of variations on the game. Atari produced their own "official" conversion of the game for home use, but a number of other imitators such as [[Sears, Roebuck and Company|Sears]]' [[Telegames Pong IV]] were also on the market. ▼
With the begin of the video game era, Atari released their [[Atari 2600|2600 console]] for which they licensed and produced a number of home conversions of popular arcade titles, including ''[[Pac-Man]]'' by ''[[Namco]]'', ''[[Space Invaders]]'' and ''[[Defender (video game)|Defender]].'' Later, other third-party developers and publishers such as [[Activision]] and [[Coleco]] became involved producing, among others, games like ''[[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]]'' for the [[Atari 2600]]. ▼
Atari also sublicensed a number of their Atari 2600 conversions to be reproduced on home computers such as the [[Commodore 64]], on which [[ROM cartridge|cartridge]]-based versions of games like ''Pacman'' and ''[[Pole Position (video game)|Pole Position]]'' were produced under the Atarisoft label.
In [[1983 in video gaming|1983]], [[Nintendo]] entered the fray, producing the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] which partly acted as a platform for bringing Nintendo's own arcade games to the home, firstly in the middle of 1983 in [[Japan]], then later in the year in the [[United States]]. These games included ''Donkey Kong'', ''[[Donkey Kong Jr.]]'', ''[[Clu Clu Land]]'', ''[[Punch-Out!!]]'' and ''[[Hogan's Alley (video game)|Hogan's Alley]]''.
In [[1985 in video gaming|1985]], [[Sega]] released the [[SG Mark III]], which was re-released in the United States in 1986 as the [[Sega Master System]]. This also was partially a platform for bringing conversions of Sega games to the home, which resulted in home versions of (among others) ''[[Shinobi (video game)|Shinobi]]'', ''[[OutRun]]'', ''[[Space Harrier]]'' and ''[[After Burner]]''.
The mid-1980s and the mid-1990s saw a flurry of conversions of popular arcade games to home computers such as the [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore Amiga]] and [[Atari ST]]. These games were mostly developed and published by groups who were not involved with the original developers, but who had bought the rights to create faithful reproductions of these games. Console versions of these arcade games, however, were often produced by the original developers of the arcade title, leading to a higher degree of accuracy in translation. This was most prevalent in the 1991-1992 conversions of ''[[Street Fighter II]]''. The [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Nintendo]] and [[Mega Drive]] versions produced by Capcom themselves were highly acclaimed. The home computer versions were, however, less successful, with US Gold converting the game, not having access to the original [[source code]] and being forced to "imitate" the game.
The arrival of the era of [[32-bit consoles]] such as the [[PlayStation]] and the [[Sega Saturn]] ushered in a new era of video game conversions. The [[Commodore Amiga|Amiga]] and [[Atari ST]] were, at this point, at the end of their commercial lives, and the only remaining home computer that was considered a viable gaming platform was the PC, specifically with the arrival of [[Windows 95]] and the [[DirectX]] development platform. The dominance of these platforms, the tendency for arcade developers to convert their own titles, the photographic quality of the graphics and audio that they were capable of providing, together with the decline of the traditional [[video arcade|arcade]], meant that conversions of games from the arcade were not just "pixel-perfect" (an industry term to describe accurate one-to-one conversions), but also sometimes exceeded their original source material in terms of quality, adding extra features, enhanced graphics and higher-definition sound.
As the traditional arcade game continued to decline, a greater focus on converting games between the home computer and console platforms began to take shape. Whereas games for home computers have been considered to be more sophisticated in scope, console games tend to be simpler in nature. Some home computer games such as ''[[Command & Conquer (series)|Command & Conquer]]'' and ''[[Civilization II]]'' have been ported to the consoles in a simpler form to accommodate the target audience and technical limitations, and a number of "console-style" games have also found their way onto home computer systems. With the decline of the traditional arcade, this is a trend that is likely to continue in the field of video game conversions.
==Types of conversions==
===Direct conversions===
Direct conversions, ofalso videoreferred gamesto canas take"straight severalconversions", formsare -conversions those createdin bywhich the originalsource developers,code orof thosethe sublicensedoriginal togame ais thirdused partywith developerrelatively few modifications. Historically,Direct conversions ofwere titlesfairly performedrare byuntil the originalsecond developerhalf tendedof tothe be1990s. moreIn accurate,the butcase of arcade conversions, this was duebecause toarcade thirdsystems were usually much more advanced than their contemporary home-partiesbased systems, which thus could not havingaccurately accessrecreate tothe speed, graphics, audio, and in some cases even the originalgameplay sourcealgorithms codeof arcade games.<ref>{{cite Whilemagazine|title=The licensingNext issuesGeneration were1996 indeedLexicon aA factor,to technicalZ|magazine=[[Next issuesGeneration were(magazine)|Next alsoGeneration]]|issue=15 prevalent|publisher=[[Imagine -Media]]|date=March 1996|page=30}}</ref> In the case of personal computer conversions, most games pre-1995 were produced in [[assembly language]], and source-based conversions could not be reproduced on systems with other [[Microprocessor|processor]]s, rendering the original source code useless. Also, while most third-party developers had access to the original graphics and audio, they could not be faithfully reproduced on older home computers such as the ZX Spectrum and developers were forced to recreate the graphics and audio from scratch.{{cn|date=January 2017}}
In the early 2000s, source-based conversions of games became more feasible and one-to-one pixel perfect conversions became commonplace.
In recent years, [[source conversion|source-based conversions]] of games have become more feasible and one-to-one pixel perfect conversions are commonplace. In examples of open source games such as ''[[Neverball]]'', ''[[BZFlag]]'' and ''[[The Battle for Wesnoth]]'', this conversion has literally been one-to-one - the game has been precisely converted from platform to platform (usually [[Linux]] to [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]) thanks to the free availability of the source code, and differences between the versions are negligible or non-existent.
===Imitations/clones===
Imitations of popular arcade games were common, particularly in the early days of video gaming when copyright violations were treated less severely. While the game was fundamentally the same, the title, names, graphics and audio were usually changed to avoid legal challenges. Most imitations were of titles such as Space Invaders and Pacman. As video games became increasingly sophisticated, clones of games began to deviate from their source material in varying ways.
ItDevelopers hashave been known for a developer to create acreated "cloneclones" of one of their own games. Escape (now [[Westone]]) produced a clone of ''[[Wonder Boy]]'' for the NES by the name of ''[[Adventure Island (video game)|Adventure Island]]'' to circumnavigate a number of legal issues surrounding the ''[[Wonder Boy]]'' name and character.
===Remakes===
{{main|Video game remake}}
Particularly in recent years, developersDevelopers have been [[Video game remake|remakingremade]] older video games with modern technology. Usually, this has been by the development firm themselves or companies sub-licensed by these developers. This was a particular phenomenon during the late 1990s with numerous 3D updates of games such as ''[[Frogger]],'', ''[[Missile Command]]'', ''[[Asteroids (video game)|Asteroids]]'' and ''Space Invaders''. Sega have also been active in reproducing a number of their older [[16-bit consoles|16-bit]] era titles with 3D graphics for the 5th generation of consoles (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube)
===Retro/Emulationemulation===
Advances in technology and a rising interest in [[retrogaming]] have incited a trend whereby collections of "classic" games, usually arcade games, are re-released on modern gaming systems in their original forms. TheThis originalis "retrousually pack"carried isout widelyby thoughtmeans toof becustom [[Namco Museumemulator]] Volume 1s, andwhich manyreproduce similarthe packagesactivity haveof sincethe been released by Sega,original [[MidwayROM Gamesimage|Midwayarcade ROMs]],. andIn [[Taitoother Corporation|Taito]]words, amonginstead others.of Thisrewriting isthe usuallycode carriedfor outthe bygame meansitself ofonto customthe [[emulator]]snew hardware system, the programmers write code which reproduceimitates the activityoriginal ofhardware system and transfer the originalgame code without alteration.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z: Emulation|magazine=[[ROMNext imageGeneration (magazine)|arcadeNext ROMsGeneration]].|issue=15 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=March 1996|page=33}}</ref>
Nintendo's [[Game Boy Advance]] is often considered to be a retro gaming console, which has led tohad hundreds of conversions of older games,{{cn|date=January being reproduced for the console,2017}} including games originally written for the SNES, the hardware of which forms the basis of the Game Boy Advance.
==SpecialConversion caseskit==
{{See also|Arcade cabinet|Arcade video game}}
===ZX Spectrum/Amstrad CPC===
The Spectrum and CPC were exceptions during the 1980s when conversions were generally quite different from system to system. The reasons, being a tendency to write in assembly language and the considerable differences in the hardware, did not apply between the Spectrum and CPC. Although the graphics hardware differed between the two machines, they shared a common processor (the [[Z80]]) and sound chip (the [[AY-3-8912]]), which allowed relatively easy porting of Spectrum software to the CPC to save time and money. However, this practice was largely frowned upon by CPC users, who perceived it as a waste of the CPC's abilities.
A conversion kit, also known as a software kit, is special equipment that can be installed into an [[arcade machine]] that changes the current [[arcade video game]] it plays into another one. For example, a conversion kit can be used to reconfigure an arcade machine designed to play one game so that it would play its sequel or update instead, such as from ''[[Street Fighter II: Champion Edition]]'' to ''[[Street Fighter II Turbo]]''.
===Atari ST/Amiga===
The 16-bit machines of the 1980s and early 1990s often found more or less identical ports between the two machines. As with the Spectrum and CPC, this was down to easy porting being made possible by an identical processor (the [[Motorola 68000]]). However, the ST's graphics and sound hardware was inferior to that of the Amiga's. Nonetheless, some conversions between these two machines (or conversions to these two machines at the same time) were very similar.
A conversion kit can be sold in the form of a [[printed circuit board]] (PCB) for a compatible arcade system (such as the [[Sega Model 1|Sega Model]] systems), or a [[ROM cartridge]] for a multi-game arcade system (such as the [[Neo Geo (system)|Neo Geo]]).
{{See also|History of arcade video games}}
▲The earliest video game conversions were almost exclusively home versions of popular [[arcade game]]s. {{cn|date=January 2017}} The first known examples were conversions of [[Atari]]'s ''[[Pong]]'' in the form of consoles with this one game built-in, as well as consoles that included a number of variations on the game. Atari produced their own "official" conversion of the game for home use, but a number of other imitators such as [[Sears, Roebuck and Company|Sears]]' [[Telegames Pong IV ]] were also on the market.
==Criticism==
Criticism has been made of converting video games in the past. Critics of arcade conversions often point to a lack of depth or sophistication that these games offer, especially in comparison to titles written especially for the console. Some contend that arcade conversions are produced exclusively to make money, as the design work is for the most part already carried out. This is, however, countered by the numerous extra features that modern arcade conversions often offer.
▲With the beginbeginning of the video game era, Atari released their [[Atari 2600 |2600]] console ]] for which they licensed and produced a number of home conversions of popular arcade titles, including ''[[Pac-Man]]'' by ''[[Namco]] '', ''[[Space Invaders]]'' and ''[[Defender (video game)|Defender]].'' Later, other third-party developers and publishers such as [[Activision]] and [[Coleco]] became involved producing, among others,produced games like ''[[Donkey Kong ( videoarcade game)|Donkey Kong]]'' for the [[Atari 2600 ]].
A number of criticisms have also been launched against conversions of games between home computers and consoles, particularly post-1995.
[[Data East]] introduced the concept of a convertible [[arcade system board]], or arcade conversion system, with the [[DECO Cassette System]].<ref name="Replay">{{cite magazine |title=The Replay Years: Our First Dynamic Decade In Words & Pix |magazine=RePlay |date=November 1985 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=120–32 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-2-november-1985-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%202%20-%20November%201985/page/120/mode/2up}}</ref> It was the first interchangeable arcade system, developed in 1979 before it was released in 1980. It inspired [[Sega]]'s [[List of Sega arcade system boards|Convert-a-Game]] system, which released in 1981.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Adlum |first=Eddie |title=The Replay Years: Reflections from Eddie Adlum |magazine=RePlay |date=November 1985 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=134-175 (160-3) |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-2-november-1985-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%202%20-%20November%201985/page/162/mode/2up}}</ref> ''[[Mr. Do!]]'' (1982) by [[Universal Entertainment|Universal]] was the first hit [[arcade game]] sold as a conversion kit.<ref name="Kent">{{citation|title=[[The ultimate history of video games: from Pong to Pokémon and beyond : the story behind the craze that touched our lives and changed the world]]|authorlink=Steve L. Kent|first=Steven L.|last=Kent|publisher=[[Prima Games|Prima]]|year=2001|isbn=0-7615-3643-4|page=352|quote=In 1982, Universal Sales made arcade history with a game called Mr Do! Instead of selling dedicated Mr Do! machines, Universal sold the game as a kit. The kit came with a customized control panel, a computer board with Mr Do! read-only memory (ROM) chips, stickers that could be placed on the side of stand-up arcade machines for art, and a plastic marquee. It was the first game ever sold as a conversion only. According to former Universal Sales western regional sales manager Joe Morici, the company sold approximately 30000 copies of the game in the United States alone.}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Cover Story: "This Is the Good Time" – Capcom's CPS system brings success to the firm... and offers direction for a troubled video market |magazine=RePlay |date=April 1990 |volume=15 |issue=7 |publisher=RePlay Publishing |pages=183–5 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-14-issue-no.-7-april-1990-600dpi/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2014%2C%20Issue%20No.%207%20-%20April%201990/page/183}}</ref> After the [[golden age of arcade video games]] came to an end ''circa'' 1983, the [[arcade video game]] industry began recovering ''circa'' 1985 with the arrival of software conversion kit systems, such as Sega's Convert-a-Game system, the [[Atari System 1]], and the [[Nintendo VS. System]], the latter being the Western world's introduction to the [[Famicom]] (NES) hardware in 1984, prior to the official release of the NES console; the success of the VS. System in arcades was instrumental to the release and success of the NES in North America.<ref name="Horowitz">{{cite book |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |chapter=The Vs. System (1984) |title=Beyond Donkey Kong: A History of Nintendo Arcade Games |date=July 30, 2020 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-1-4766-4176-8 |pages=119–28 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UXD0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA119}}</ref>
==Examples==
===''Ridge Racer''===
[[Image:PSX Ridge Racer.png|Ridge Racer on the PlayStation|thumb|200px|right]]
The conversion of ''[[Ridge Racer (video game)|Ridge Racer]]'' was one of the most earliest notable examples of suggested "pixel-perfect" arcade conversion. This was thought revolutionary as although pixel-perfect conversions had been produced in the past, they were usually of games that had been produced well before the console or computer itself came into being, and thus the games rarely stretched the machine's capabilities. Produced by Namco themselves as a launch title, ''Ridge Racer'' was intended to showcase the abilities of the PlayStation. However, in fact although it was an impressive conversion, ''Ridge Racer'' ran at only 30 frames-per-second, and was not displayed in the same resolution as that of the coin-op. Similar cases included the Genesis/Mega Drive conversions of ''Strider'' and ''Ghouls 'n' Ghosts'', which were widely perceived as being 'arcade-perfect' when they were not.
==References==
{{reflist}}
*[http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hov/ GameSpot's A History of Video Games]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060126210207/http://userswww.tkkgamespot.ficom/~eyegamespot/videogamesfeatures/video/hov/ Petri KuittinenGameSpot's A History of Video Games]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060126233108/http://users.tkk.fi/~eye/videogames/ Petri Kuittinen's A History of Video Games]
*[http://www.thedoteaters.com The Dot Eaters]
*[httphttps://wwwweb.archive.org/web/20060308050713/http://ataritimes.com/2600/features/2600arcade.html The Atari Times]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Video Game Conversion}}
|