Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition

At the 2011 Game Developers Conference, Chahi announced that an Apple iOS port of the title would be created by DotEmu and distributed by BulkyPix.[37] On September 22, 2011, BulkyPix released a special 20th anniversary edition for the iPhone/iPad, featuring a switch between the original and HD graphics, new intuitive touch controls or a classic D-pad, three difficulty modes and remastered sound effects. The Android version was released in March 2012, the Steam version was released on April 4, 2013 and the GOG version was released April 22, 2013 (15th Anniversary Edition available on GOG in the same package as 20th Anniversary Edition).[38][39]

Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition

That said, this anniversary edition of a bona-fide classic adopts a light touch that can either be praised as respectful of the source or slightly lazy, depending on your perspective. There are neat additions, such as the ability to switch between the rather jagged original visuals or a smoothed out alternative with a touch of the Y button, though the impact of the change is less noticeable on the 3DS screen than on a HD TV through the Wii U. Multiple sound options are also welcome, with the original track, remastered original and another option with the 'console' music of the '90s all included. The first two options are likely to be the purist's choice, though the console music is actually entertaining in an old Sci-Fi movie sense.

I think his main source of assistance came from his friend Jean-Francois Freitas, who worked on the audio and music composition side of development. Chahi even painted the cover art used on the Commodore Amiga box, which is also the title screen image in the 20th Anniversary edition.

Once Chahi purchased the intellectual property rights to Another World from Delphine Software in 2004, he proceeded to assist in the development of ports to various PC and console platforms. This culminated in the release of the 20th Anniversary Edition, released originally for IOS on September 22, 2011, with Android, Steam and major console releases occurring afterward. The first set of 20th Anniversary ports (released for the iOS and Android) were handled by a company called DotEmu, while another company by the name of Digital Lounge handled the modern console ports. Digital Lounge stated that the goal was to deliver the original experience of the game by taking advantage of the cutting-edge technology and high level of polish available on modern consoles. Both companies came together to develop and release the Nintendo Switch version, which was made available to the public on June 25, 2018.

There are games out there, in the history of video games, which have marked big steps forward in terms of technical advancements. Classics such as Pong, Pac-Man or Donkey Kong have marked their era, each by accomplishing something special that helped move the video game format forward as a true mainstream entertainment media. Back in 1991, video games that offered a truly cinematic experience were limited to arcade machines that employed the laserdisc to output a constant stream of full-motion videos on a large disc, such as Dragon's Lair, or classic 2D games that attempted recreating realistic movements through the use of rotoscopy, the ancestor of motion-capture, as was the case with Prince of Persia. Games that offered real-time graphics to offer a truly movie-like experience, however, could not yet be considered as feasible. However, Another World, or Out of this World as it is known outside of Europe, attempted to fill that gap, through clever uses of the technology of the era. First seeing a release on the two popular micro computers of the era, the Commodore Amiga and the Atari ST, the game quickly saw ports to the SNES, Mega Drive and many other formats of the time, bringing the wowing experience to as many people as possible who will remember it to this day as being a unique and ground-breaking experience. Fast-forward to 2014 and the HD re-edition of the game released a few years back on PC for its 20th anniversary finally lands on consoles. After taking a look at the Wii U version, it is time to dive into the portable, 3DS iteration.

What else does Another World 20th Anniversary Edition bring? On home consoles the game adds HD visuals as the main centre of appeal. This, of course, isn't to be found on 3DS, as the 400 by 240 pixel screen is simply incapable of producing the same level of detail as a HDTV. This portable version does have the added new details in the scenery that the Wii U version adds, but pressing the Y button, other than making these new details disappear as the game plays in its original form, the only noticeable difference that remains could be compared to a light anti-aliasing effect. Also, much to most people's displeasure, the game offers absolutely no stereoscopic effects, which is truly a shame! This 3DS edition does feel like a quick and dirty port to the handheld as the bottom screen even remains desperately black from beginning to end, as its existence, and that of the 3D screen of the handheld, are simply ignored. The sound part has the same enhancements as the Wii U version at least, however, the ambient sound effects track of the re-mastered option does not even loop properly and produces a light "pop" sound every time it does so, which is kind of infuriating considering the price of this is the same price as the Wii U one. Saying that, the re-mastered option makes the whole experience too bland anyway compared to the SNES or, even better yet, Mega CD soundtracks, which did add to the experience, so the included option of playing with the latter soundtrack, coupled to the original sound effects should be preferred at the end of the day anyway, and those loop properly. 041b061a72