Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important?

Submitted by Christopher Groux; January 17, 2013

Article Index
1. Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important?
2. What's More Important In An RPG?
3. What's Important In A Shooter?
4. What Makes A Platformer Function?
5. What's The Final Word

Page 1 of 5

Category 1: The Fighting Genre

Not too long ago, a user over at GameFaqs published a list of what they thought were the top ten most popular genres in gaming. While that may be something I'll cover on my own in the near future, for the sake of right now let's assume that this poster is correct when he says that fighters sit at number four. In terms of their basic operation, visuals do play a key role in the entire experience. After all, as a home console genre, games like Street Fighter didn't really gain much popularity until it hit the SNES, so there is a sense that the way things look certainly plays a hand in it. Looking at Street Fighter IV alone, the dazzling presentation is a large part of what makes the game so great. On the more realistic side of things, similar claims can be made about Tekken as well.

super street fighter iv

Still, it's important to remember that we're talking about which is more important today, and for fighting, gameplay is undoubtedly the biggest element that makes the genre work. If you don't have fluid controls to unleash your combos in the exact right way, you might as well call your game dead on arrival. There's no denying that the gameplay itself hasn't changed much over the years, but there is still a huge sense that that attribute is what both the industry and the game players lean on the most in this case. Fighting is all about precision, and when you lean too heavily on visuals, performance will suffer. That being said, there's no question gameplay is most essential here.

Winner: Gameplay

Next up, we're going to be talking RPGs!

Back - Read Page 2 of this Story >>

Tags: fighting, graphics vs gameplay, Platformer, rpg, Shooter

While I agree that gameplay is the most important thing, I prefer seeing an equilibrium in each of them. A good game must have BOTH, that's why I love games like Uncharted, Metal Gear, GTA and many others, they have great gameplay, and at the same time astonishing graphics (instead of focusing on one of them and being lazy in the other, which is what Nintendo and FPS games do)

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — Jayboat 2013-01-17 16:05

Being lazy has nothing to do with how a Nintendo game looks: They simply don't have the engine to run PS3/360 graphics. Until Wii-U that is, but we don't have enough game input to determine if they're top-notch.

A game does not HAVE to have both good graphics and gameplay to be a worthwhile game. Face it, if a game has terrible gameplay, what good are the graphics? People will more-than-likely play an 8bit with a story and gameplay, rather than a shiny, HD-quality turd.

I grew up when Nintendo first launched, so gameplay, for me, is an absolute winner.

# RE: RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — Acid_Snake 2013-01-18 04:57

read my post carefully, I said that I hate games that lack either one of them. On the other hand, the "Gameplay is everything" is Nintendo's ultimate excuse to make crappy consoles that are years behind anything else. IMO we as consumers should be more demanding in these type of things, otherwise they'll stop making great masterpieces and keep selling us games that lack in one way or another (either nintendo games that lack graphics, CoD games that lack gameplay, or games in general that have a really crappy storyline)

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — babyboomer 2013-01-17 17:24

Game play comes first for me but I like good graphics a well. But I'm not going play a game if it looks amazing but game play sucks as I'm not gonna play a game that plays well but looks like crap. Like minecraft plays well but looks like crap so I won't play it but if it was remade with great graphics then I would definitely play it. That's my two scents worth.

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — dm646 2013-01-17 22:14

i personally love gameplay over graphics :)

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — Conaxa 2013-01-18 05:20

Gameplay wins in any gender of games

if a game puts up great graphics, only 2 things can happen:

the game was awesome gameplay therefor is a great game

or the game was sucky game play and the graphics are just to cover it up

since you pick up final fantasy, most of the fans will prefer playing the old ones i would say till FFVIII compare to FFXII or XIII

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — hashtagmonster 2013-01-18 06:01

i would have to say both are important.

sure gameplay is important, no matter how great the graphics are, if the game itself is rubbish i wont play it.

but also if a great game has nice graphics it helps.

if anyone has seen nintendos lame attempt at their 3d pokemon game, it looks terrible and so out dated and when you look at its price tag, is it really worth it when its not really had any production expense.

also i love playing the last gen HD versions, if i had the option of playing the original or the HD version, 9/10 id pick the HD version simply because it has better graphics and display quality.

end of the day, humans are attracted to what they see, women, product packaging and even graphics.

i think companies like nintendo that say graphics arent important, are just using this to hide the fact that theyre not adding the resources to offer devs to make games that can make a graphical leap, just so they can save money on production and sell the system at a high profit.. take the wii u how that system is way over priced for what it is.

Graphics these days can help set the gaming mood/environment, would Silent Hill be scary in 8bit??

# RE: RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — Acid_Snake 2013-01-18 17:59

agree with you on every word
gameplay comes first, yes, but that doesn't mean we have to pay 50€/$ for a game where the devs were too lazy to make some good graphics

# Let's See — Alex214 2013-01-19 04:52

I agree and the only reason why nintendo is still making money is because of some of the tittles like Mario, Zelda & Pokemon other than that only a few make them $$$. I would love to see all the classic rpg's remade in HD with corrected typo errors and more side quest & achievements just to give us a little more to enjoy.

Some of the tittles i would love to get remade would be Final Fantasy Series Specially part VI & VII, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana 2, Suikoden Series, Dragon Quest Series & the Tales Series im not just talking about a remake its a HD-Rematered. I can just dream LOL.

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — tbag 2013-01-18 15:27

gameplay, I still play my old 8-bit games from time to time for the stories and gameplay alone

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — cookiejar 2013-01-18 17:01

I agree gameplay wins, there's no point in playing a game that is shine and has a boring story or u get boooored playing it for a few minutes

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — redfactor 2013-01-18 18:24

good graphics and good gamplay: JOURNEY
Best game i've played in ages

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — Fireballman 2013-01-19 03:34

I say there has to be a balance in gameplay and graphics.
You play a video game because it's interactive and great graphics makes it look real.
Otherwise you may as well watch a movie.

# Let's See — Alex214 2013-01-19 04:31

This post is to clarify the point of view of the Gameplay vs Graphics not to just say both are an essential part of them if that were the case everyone would just say give me the best of both. Therefore if i would have to decide on which entices me the most i would have to go with GAMEPLAY!!! 100%. It is just pointless to play a game that its just going to bore you the reason why we play is to have fun no matter of the genre or graphics. A fun game that comes to mind that don't have the best graphics is super meatboy i just love the game really fun. Also, when it comes to rpg's i don't agree with the post since the rpg's nowadays can't compete on the storyline or music of the classics maybe some of the mechanics and graphics can compensate the lack of gameplay in them but i just like the classics better.

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — sorrowxiii 2013-01-19 23:47

I have no idea how this is even a versus debate. First of all no matter how crappy the graphics are if it's got good/addicting gameplay it's going to work!

About the final fantasy idea of the poster where graphics are more important than gameplay is nuts!, no matter how shiny how pretty final fantasy looks no ones gonna play it if the gameplay sucks.

No offense to the poster but this versus doesn't make much sense.

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — All Game Play Baby! 2013-01-20 04:29

Im all about the game play i would rather play FF6 with an ZSNES then ever touch my copy of FF13 again

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — All Game Play Baby! 2013-01-20 04:36

I dont think Final Fantasy games needed to look better than 10 did...if they had kept the quality of 10s graphics and given us a real world map with an airship to explore and the free roam feel of the older Final Fantasy games 13 could have really been something special

# AGREE!!! — Alex214 2013-01-20 16:33

Gameplay all the way but its nice to see classic rpg games with crisp graphics like some of the iOS. Ex:Across Age & Zenonia games among other. I would love to see all those classic rpg's from the NES, SNES, GEN, SATURN & PSX of course just the good ones to get the smoothen & sharpened graphics with more side quest and achievements.

# RE: Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important? — errej 2013-01-21 01:52

IMHO, I prefer gameplay... Isnt the whole point of a GAME PLAY-ing it? Ultra realistic graphics is nice, but when it borders graphics in favor of gameplay, I feel its starting to make it look less like a game, and more like a movie. Ofcourse, I myself would like to see games' graphics getting pushed to its limit, but I'd rather not compromise my gameplay experience. :)

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Head To Head: Graphics Vs. Gameplay. Which Is More Important?

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