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Post by barvok on Nov 28, 2009 6:32:52 GMT -5
I’m writing about Chikyuu Kaihou Gun ZAS (which apparently translates to Earth Liberation Army ZAS) for HCG101, and I’m need some help, and would like some impressions of the game. First, some background: Chikyuu Kaihou Gun ZAS is a 1992 Game Boy shmup developed and, I believe, published by T&ESoft (only in Japan of course). It’s also a carefully designed, fun little green shmup. Play it if you can. What do you think of it? Is it fun, original, interesting? Easy, hard or dull? I’d like to get some impressions of the game before I go recommending it to the internet at large (well all of it that reads HCG anyway). I obviously like it, but I want to gauge its wider appeal. I’d also like to know of any similarities people notice between ZAS and other shooters (both pre and post ZAS). It borrows a lot from R-Type and seems to take an enemy or two from the GG Aleste games (which are excellent), but perhaps you can spot some other influences that I missed. I’m also looking for a clean scan of the box art. I’d be grateful if anyone could find or supply one. So far I’ve only been able to find a couple of low-res images. Here are some links for anyone who is interested in reading some more about the game: Chris Covell’s review: www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/ZASreview/reviews/ZAS/ShellShocks’ impressions: blamethecontrolpad.com/gbshooters/gbshooters3.htm Strider’s impression (I think…): www.invertedcastle.com/archives/2009/09/06/on-buried-treasures-and-game-boy-shooters/Shmup.com’s review (in French): www.shmup.com/index.php?page=fiche&id=824If anybody is looking for a copy, there is one on Yahoo Auctions Japan at the moment (and it has been there for as long as I’ve been checking the site – a couple of months): page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k117750554ZAS was also recently mentioned in Racketboy’s Game Boy hidden gems article: www.racketboy.com/retro/2009/11/best-undiscovered-gameboy-game-boy-color-games.html (I feel this article does a great disservice to its readers by recommending the GBC Bionic Commando over the black and green version, which, from all reports, is vastly superior. Oh well.) |
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Post by Shellshock on Nov 28, 2009 9:22:51 GMT -5
Be careful with the game's title translation. You might want to double check with various Japanese speakers as to what it exactly means. I left that bit of info out because of that.
And yeah, the "best" scanned cover is the one I have up, sadly. I'll take it down and replace it with one of the auction pics.
You know, I'm tempted to buy it from that link because I've been looking for a mint copy for some time now. Another copy popped up in Ebay about a year ago sold in a bundle with other games and it was a good deal, but I missed out on that.
EDIT: Cool blog entry, Strider.
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Post by Shellshock on Nov 28, 2009 9:52:04 GMT -5
Some of the games he highly recommends are mediocre or worst, actually. Quickest examples being KOF 96 (horrible), World Heroes 2 Jet (when he should have mentioned Samurai Spirits 3), and Sagaia (bland and boring). It seems he didn't have time to play them enough. |
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Post by Strider on Nov 28, 2009 9:52:38 GMT -5
Yep, that's me. I don't have a whole lot to add to my impressions beyond what's written there- the game is a lot of fun, though, and it totally needs more love. EDIT: Cool blog entry, Strider. Thanks!  - HC |
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Post by derboo on Nov 28, 2009 10:13:50 GMT -5
Be careful with the game's title translation. You might want to double check with various Japanese speakers as to what it exactly means. I left that bit of info out because of that. The translation is pretty much spot-on. Quickest examples being KOF 96 (horrible) It's not!  What bothers me about that list, is the fact that most of the "gems" mentioned aren't really "hidden". Kid Dracula, Kid Icarus, Gargoyle's Quest, etc. were pretty mainstream at their time. |
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Post by Shellshock on Nov 28, 2009 11:33:24 GMT -5
Quickest examples being KOF 96 (horrible) It's not! You like it? I thought Takara did a horrible job with all their SNK GameBoy conversions except for Japan-only Samurai Spirits 3, which comes closest to SNK's excellent NeoGeo Pocket fighters. Give it a try! What bothers me about that list, is the fact that most of the "gems" mentioned aren't really "hidden". Kid Dracula, Kid Icarus, Gargoyle's Quest, etc. were pretty mainstream at their time. Yeah, I don't think Kid Dracula was mainstream in its days though, I was heavily into GameBoy and don't remember seeing it even though I did play the NES version when it first came out. I would have mentioned Gargoyle's Quest relation to Ghosts'N Goblins though. Kid Icarus is worth mentioning though, since from what I have read it's a more polished version of the NES title. |
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Post by derboo on Nov 28, 2009 12:18:56 GMT -5
I'm also baffled by the categorization of Solar Striker as obscure. I owned 3 copies in my life, 2 gifted and one found on the street... You like it? I thought Takara did a horrible job with all their SNK GameBoy conversions except for Japan-only Samurai Spirits 3, which comes closest to SNK's excellent NeoGeo Pocket fighters. Give it a try! I once had a pirate cartridge with that on it, amongst other games. I liked it, but not as much as KoF96. |
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Post by Shellshock on Nov 28, 2009 15:01:33 GMT -5
... and one found on the street... Was it you who gave it to Atma? She said a friend of hers found one on the street and gave it to her. What's with finding Solar Striker on the street? |
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Post by derboo on Nov 28, 2009 20:42:43 GMT -5
Haha, no, I don't know Atma in person.
It was kinda exciting when I found it, though, because it didn't have a label anymore, and so it was a total surprise when I first tried it out. Bit of a disappointment, though, since I already owned it.
To say something on-topic: I fear if someone wants a decent boxscan for ZAS, he'd have to buy it and scan it himself.
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Post by barvok on Nov 28, 2009 22:53:48 GMT -5
Which is an expensive proposition at 19,800 yen (approaching 300 USD once one takes middlemen into account).
What do we all think of the music? I agree that the first stage track is too up-beat, the rest of the music seems well done and memorable though not spectacular. I do like most of the boss tracks, particularly that of the final boss (track 10 in the set up screen). And I do love that they went to the trouble of having a unique track for each boss (unlike, the GG Aleste games - which vie for best handheld shmup with ZAS in my mind).
Also ShellShock I've managed to get ZAS running on a GBA, so I can confirm that it is possible (and makes the game a little easier, without the blur, and really allows you to appreciate the detail in the sprite and background work - the game really looks wonderful!)
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Post by Shellshock on Nov 28, 2009 23:40:22 GMT -5
Also ShellShock I've managed to get ZAS running on a GBA, so I can confirm that it is possible (and makes the game a little easier, without the blur, and really allows you to appreciate the detail in the sprite and background work - the game really looks wonderful!) What model GBA are you using? Are you using emulators, original cartridge, or flash carts? I don't have an original cartridge, but used an old GameBoy flashcart that works with multi-boot. The game runs fine in the original GameBoy, but doesn't work in GameBoy Color or GBA SP (last gen). I also tried it on a GBA flashcart using Goomba emulator, and doesn't work. |
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Post by barvok on Nov 29, 2009 6:38:48 GMT -5
I'm using a flash cart I had sitting around for LSDJ (a USB 64M Smart Card) - I wish I had an original cart.
I've run it successfully on an original GBA and a GBSP as well as the original Game Boy (which is my preferred method of playing).
I've also messed around with it in several emulators, none of which emulate it perfectly. The best I've found is Lameboy on DS which mangles the sound but emulates the visuals almost perfectly (every few seconds there is a singular flicker) and KiGB for PC, which does the sound and visuals perfectly except for a odd blurring effect that occasionally occurs, marring the visuals - overall this is the best option for those without access to the means of playing it on original hardware.
When I was testing ZAS out on my GBAs occasionally (on both the GBA and the SP) there would be problems like those you described, either the sprites, or one or more background layers would be missing, sometimes all simultaneously, leaving me with a blank screen. But it would still run fine in a original Game Boy.
The problem would only occur when I'd re-written the flash cart, and could be alleviated by re-writing the flash cart again. It may have had something to having GBC and GB roms on the same cart? Once I had a 'good flash' of ZAS on the cart it would work on both by GB and my GBAs.
So your best bet would be to flash only ZAS to the cart, which always seemed to produce a 'good flash' for me.
Let me know how it goes.
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Post by Shellshock on Nov 29, 2009 10:01:38 GMT -5
Ok, I'll try that.
You can use BGB 1.03 or 1.2 to run it perfectly on a PC, the first version will let you take perfect screenshots that include both backgrounds by merging 2 frames into one in the options screen. That's how I took my screenshots. But you are also welcome to use all my screenshots.
I can also run it perfectly on the emulator MasterBoy for PSP.
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