Overview
PAL vs NTSC describes the regional video standard differences that significantly affected gaming. European PAL systems ran at 50Hz versus NTSC’s 60Hz, meaning games often ran 17% slower with wrong-pitched music and black borders, unless specifically optimised.
Fast Facts
- NTSC: 60Hz, 525 lines (USA, Japan)
- PAL: 50Hz, 625 lines (Europe, Australia)
- Speed difference: ~17% slower in PAL
- Optimised PAL: Rare, required extra work
- Impact: Music pitch, gameplay speed
The Speed Problem
| Aspect | NTSC | Unoptimised PAL |
|---|
| Framerate | 60fps | 50fps |
| Game speed | 100% | ~83% |
| Music pitch | Correct | Lower |
| Difficulty | As designed | Often easier |
Why It Happened
| Factor | Cause |
|---|
| TV standards | Regional infrastructure |
| Game coding | Often frame-locked |
| Economics | PAL optimisation costs money |
| Ignorance | Some developers didn’t know |
Visible Differences
| Difference | Appearance |
|---|
| Borders | Black bars top/bottom |
| Speed | Everything slower |
| Music | Lower pitch, wrong timing |
| Gameplay | Easier timing windows |
Properly Optimised PAL
Rare but existed:
| Approach | Result |
|---|
| Speed-corrected | Runs at correct pace |
| Music adjusted | Correct pitch |
| Borders filled | Full screen |
Notable Examples
| Game | PAL Status |
|---|
| Sonic | Properly optimised |
| Most NES games | Unoptimised, slower |
| Most SNES games | Mixed |
Impact on Speedrunning
| Issue | Effect |
|---|
| Time differences | PAL/NTSC categories |
| Frame rules | Different timing |
| Records | Must specify region |
Legacy
PAL vs NTSC differences gave European gamers a fundamentally different experience. The 17% speed reduction affected difficulty, music, and gameplay feel in ways that weren’t fully appreciated until emulation allowed comparison.
See Also