Steel thyself

In case you hadn't noticed from the amount of coverage we've been giving it, steampunk shooter Steel Empire recently launched on the 3DS eShop in Japan. A port of a 1992 Sega Mega Drive / Genesis blaster, the game is possibly best known for its eye-catching visuals, with massive steam-powered airships hurtling across landscapes straight out of a Hayao Miyazaki movie.

The 3DS port isn't the first time the game has hit Nintendo hardware, though — Japanese and European Game Boy Advance owners were treated to a conversion a few years back.

So which version looks the best? That's what the video below is intended to illustrate; while you might assume that the Sega version comes off worse, the more-recent Game Boy Advance offering suffers from lower resolution visuals and a slightly cramped screen — but has generally brighter graphics, no doubt an attempt to compensate for those players who owned the original, non-backlit GBA console. The 3DS edition has more bells and whistles — as well as a gorgeous 3D effect (which we obviously can't convey here) — but there have been some stylistic changes made which might not sit well with hardcore fans of the original.

Have a look for yourself and let us know which edition you prefer. Steel Empire is confirmed for release in North America this summer, and we'll be running a preview tomorrow.