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Post by dsparil on May 22, 2022 11:13:16 GMT -5
Rayxanber IIDeveloper Data West Publisher Data West Format CD-ROM² Release (JP) June 7, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Moderate Looping No Continue System Resurrect in place with upgrades lost, unlimited continues from start of level Rayxanber II has the reputation as the hardest shooter on the platform, but this is not quite the case. While many sections do present themselves as having a high difficulty, the proper strategies generally do not rely on manual dexterity or much memorization. Due to the weakness of the game’s weapons, it must generally be played defensively with use of the semi-invulnerable dash, an understanding of the ship’s fairly small hitbox and knowledge of when to use each weapon and in what orientation. However, the gameplay concept for the fourth stage is made more difficult due to clipping issues with one of the main obstacles, bouncing balls bounded by destructible webs. Aside from this issue, Rayxanber II is a much more approachable challenge than it appears to be. Approximate Hitbox
Don't get me wrong, this isn't an easy game, but it's certainly doable with a little practice. Having unlimited continues also helps. I would say the hardest game to complete with no prior experience is Super Darius although for the slightly artificial reasons I laid out in the post for it. However, I would say that the absolute single hardest moment is easily the final boss in the second loop of Hanii in the Sky.
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Post by dsparil on May 24, 2022 6:49:55 GMT -5
Final SoldierDeveloper Now Production Publisher Hudson Soft Format HuCard Release (JP) July 5, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Low Looping No Continue System Resurrect in place with upgrades lost, unlimited continues from start of level For Final Soldier, Hudson moved development from Kaneko to a smaller team at Now Production. Because of this or a potentially longer development period for its predecessor, Final Soldier feels like a step down in the core gameplay with less interesting level and boss design. The game does feature the first instance of customizable power ups on the platform with three of the four weapon slots having a choice of three weapons. These can also be changed on the game over screen in the event a poor load out is selected. This does add just enough variety to spice up the game and tip it into being recommendable. Like previous games in the series, Final Soldier was the main game for the 1991 Hudson Caravan festival so 2 and 5 minute training modes are also included. Approximate Hitbox
I'm pretty sure that this had less development time than Super Star Soldier and that's why it's a bit less interesting. SSS was originally announced in 1988, but Hudson decided to go with Gunhed for the 1989 Caravan for promotional reasons due to it technically being a movie tie-in. I doubt it got a full extra year, but there must have been lessened time pressure. I still kinda like Final Soldier, but I'm a sucker for weapon variety.
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Post by dsparil on May 25, 2022 9:34:18 GMT -5
Spirit Fighter Spriggan 精霊戦士 SprigganDeveloper Compile Publisher Naxat Soft Format CD-ROM² Release (JP) July 12, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Low Looping No Continue System Resurrect in place with upgrades collectable, unlimited continues from start of level Compile’s first CD-based game for the platform sticks to the standard embellishments of voiced dialogue and higher quality music, but it also features some of the best gameplay seen on the system at this point. Most notable is the weapon system which is based around combining three orbs of four different colors. A panoply of weapons are available, but it can be hard to tell what weapon will result. The constant supply of weapon orbs and their dual usage as bombs ensures that any given playthrough will see a large number of them. Spirit Fighter Spriggan was also the inaugural game for Naxat’s short lived Summer Carnival series and provides the requisite 2 and 5 minute score attack modes using unique stages specially tailored for this use. Approximate Hitbox
In the past, I've gone with Spirit Warrior Spriggan as the English title since that is the direct equivalent of 精霊 and 戦士. The site's article also indirectly suggests Elemental Warrior Spriggan. However, it turns out that the manual actually uses Spirit Fighter Spriggan. The origin of this game is a little unclear. There's an interview compilation on shmuplations where programmer Yuichi Toyama says this: "We loved Sega and wanted our next title to be on the Megadrive again, but due to various circumstances we switched to the PC Engine. Spriggan was what we came up with, a game with a strong fantasy-infused theme in order to differentiate it from Musha." My suspicion is that the "various circumstances" mentioned are Naxat contracted them to make a game for the nascent Summer Carnival. The other people just side step Spriggan after mentioning it which is a little weird to me. I guess it just gives the game an air of mystery which I find intriguing.
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Post by dsparil on May 26, 2022 13:14:12 GMT -5
Twin Hawk Custom 大旋風 CustomDeveloper NEC Avenue Publisher NEC Avenue Format CD-ROM² Release (JP) July 26, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Low Looping Yes Continue System Checkpoints with upgrades lost, 5 continues The CD port of Twin Hawk moves one step forward but also one step back. This version does revise the game somewhat and adds new content interspersed and sometimes replacing sections of the original. There are also small gameplay tweaks like the called squadron also acting as an Ultimate Tiger style bomb during some boss battles. However, the original’s seamless structure was replaced with discrete levels removing the only notable element of the original. The graphics are also degraded in some spots but improved in others. Twin Hawk Custom is a slightly better game despite the regressions, but it also does not go far enough. The new content is still mostly below the quality of the best portions of the original making this update was largely a wasted opportunity. Approximate Hitbox
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Post by dsparil on May 27, 2022 15:50:45 GMT -5
Hana Taaka Daka!? はなたーかだか!?Developer Natsume, Taito Publisher Taito Format HuCard Release (JP) August 9, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Low Looping No Continue System Resurrect in place with upgrades lost, unlimited continues from start of level Taito’s Hana Taaka Daka!? is only the second shooter to have a large focus on traditional Japanese culture although it also mixes in Japanese and American pop culture references. As a cute’em’up, the graphics are bright and detailed with a good mix of level themes. The game’s real strength is in its hidden stages which feature fanciful designs. Taken together, the main and hidden stages provide the greatest graphical variety on the system yet. Where the game does falter is in the gameplay of the hidden stages. Each main level contains one, and they loop infinitely until an item obscured by a destructible piece of terrain is found at which point play returns to the main level. A few levels in, finding these items becomes fairly tedious due to their placement causing the game to drag. Approximate Hitbox
The title pretty much defied my attempts at translation. It's a play on the main character being a hanataka tengu, and a Japanese phrase that translates as "proudly" but has a rough literal meaning as "high pointing nose" as in "holding your head high". The site's article differs a tad in interpretation, but that's what I pieced together. That phrase is very similar, and would be rendered as はなたかだか (note the lack of the central vowel lengthening mark). The title itself also means something which was been impossible for me to really figure out. One thing I did get is that it generally is written out as 鼻たーかだか using the kanji for nose rather than the hiragana; almost everything that comes up with the all hiragana title is stuff about the game. The kanji version brings up other things including a magic prop of a long nose and this very odd video that seems to be a demonstration of it being used.
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Post by dsparil on May 30, 2022 8:32:09 GMT -5
1941 -Counter Attack-Developer Hudson Soft Publisher Hudson Soft Format SuperGrafx Release (JP) August 23, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Low to Moderate Looping No Continue System Resurrect in place with upgrades kept, 3 continues 1941 -Counter Attack- is the pinnacle of the original 194x trilogy and possibly of the entire series. Moving to the western front gives the game greater graphical variety than the ocean heavy earlier entries. The game also plays closer to the ground in most stages which is emphasized by a new spin attack done by colliding with terrain. Stylistically, 1941 goes closer to science fiction than prior games but not as far as Psikyo’s Strikers 1945 series. As the final SuperGrafx game, Hudson’s port finally gave the system a small reason for existing. Until the advent of arcade emulations, this remained the only home conversion of 1941. However, these releases including the one included in the recent Capcom Arcade Stadium obsolete this version. Approximate Hitbox
The tiny thing this does have over the arcade game is that you keep your rank and extra hit points when continuing. It's also a little easier than the easiest difficulty in the arcade game, but it's hard to tell exactly. I'd take the full perspective and better graphics since having unlimited continues makes difference in difficulty less significant.
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Post by dsparil on May 31, 2022 13:18:53 GMT -5
Power GateDeveloper Make Software Publisher Pack-In-Video Format HuCard Release (JP) August 30, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Low to Moderate Looping No Continue System Resurrect in place with upgrades lost, 3 continues from start of level Make Software’s Power Gate is the first shooter on the platform to tackle a modern military theme without any major sci-fi embellishments. While the first level is overly languid, it picks up from there and is a fairly exciting game by the end. The later levels in particular focus equally on action and evasion giving the second half a gameplay feel that generally only lasts for short sections in other games. The main minus to the game is the bizarre hitbox which extends substantially below the plane’s sprite when dealing with enemy collisions and bullets, but is flat with the bottom of the sprite for scenery collisions. Without this distinction, the later stages would be substantially more frustrating, but it also leads to questions about why this is the case in the first place. Approximate Hitbox
I really do not understand why this game was so low on the Shmup Junkie tier list, and I don't think the video makes a particularly compelling case for why this is "D Rank". Personally, I had a lot of fun with it. In a way, the game's staid presentation works in it's favor somewhat because that actually makes it stand out in a sea of games that try to be as flashy as possible.
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Post by dsparil on Jun 1, 2022 12:12:06 GMT -5
GradiusDeveloper Konami Publisher Konami Format HuCard Release (JP) November 15, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Moderate to High Looping Yes Continue System Checkpoints with upgrades lost, no continues Konami makes a belated debut on the PC Engine unsurprisingly with a port of their classic Gradius. Due to the sheer age of the game in 1991, the PCE version is actually enhanced over the arcade game with better graphics and sound in addition to a new level based on one originating from the MSX port of the game. It also allows for the use of all four options rather than only two like some ports including for NES. Although it is the only fully enhanced port even to this day, the sometimes severe slow down hampers the game. In specific areas, the system simply cannot handle a ship with options and missiles while it is firing causing a jerky rhythm to the game. The difficulty of the game ensures this is not a frequent issue, but it can be troublesome when it happens. Approximate Hitbox
The slowdown makes it hard to say that this is hands down the version of the game to play because it otherwise would be. It puts the port in a weird place where the better at the game you get, the more likely you are to die due to performance issues. Overall, I'd recommend getting it in [Konami] Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection since it includes the first four games in the series (Scramble, Gradius, Salamander, Gradius II) plus some bonus material.
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Post by dsparil on Jun 3, 2022 13:21:38 GMT -5
Magical ChaseDeveloper Quest Publisher Palsoft (JP), Turbo Technologies Inc. (US) Format HuCard Release (JP) November 15, 1991 Release (US) Early 1993 Difficulty Low Looping No Continue System Unlimited continues from start of level with upgrades kept Like Sting, Quest initially produced games in a variety of genres with cute’em’up Magical Chase immediately preceding the company defining Ogre Battle. Gameplay is fairly standard with a few quirks. The major one being the permanent option ships with reverse directional firing that can be locked. Power-ups used by double tapping I are purchased from a shop also containing weapons and health upgrades. The most remarkable element is the graphics which are among the best on the system to this point. The US release also improved the character and shop sprites but worsened the first level. Nearly a decade later, Micro Cabin ported the game to the Game Boy Color as closely as the portable allowed with some beneficial tweaks such as better option locking. Approximate Hitbox
The GBC game is surprisingly close although there isn't really a reason to play it compared to the original. Since this was their only foray into the genre, I'm not surprised Quest never revisited it at all even on a minor spinoff basis like Sting and Baroque Shooting. Like the site's article notes, they did make little references to game here and there though.
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Post by dsparil on Jun 7, 2022 7:39:00 GMT -5
RaidenDeveloper A.I Publisher Hudson Soft, NEC Format HuCard Release (JP) November 22, 1991 Release (US) November 1991 Difficulty Low to Moderate Looping Yes Continue System Checkpoints with upgrades lost, 3 continues (JP) / 6 continues (US) Seibu Kaihatsu’s Raiden was borne of economic necessity. After the failure of their shooting gallery game Dynamite Duke, the company needed a low cost hit to stay afloat. Raiden was the hit they needed and more than made up for their failure. Popular games were studied including Ultimate Tiger, and its influence in particular is very strong on the end product. These include very specific similarities such as the same shielding bomb. On PCE, the connection is even deeper as both ports were handled by the same company! Despite being the best playing of the cartridge ports, the backgrounds are somewhat worse than the others and the life system was changed to use checkpoints rather than resurrecting in place giving the port less margin for error. Approximate Hitbox
The Genesis and SNES ports both have various issues so they aren't as recommendable. The SNES one was developed by Micronics before they got their act together so it's the worse of the two due to a low frame rate, but it isn't completely awful. A funny thing unique to those two ports is that the power ups will actually do a little loop away from you when you get close. There's an interview with an Ultimate Tiger developer where the interviewer asks why the power up move away from when they're close, and he says something like the movement is random and it only seems like they do that. Seems like the Genesis and SNES developers put in slightly hostile power ups as a joke.
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Post by dsparil on Jun 9, 2022 8:29:57 GMT -5
CoryoonDeveloper Naxat Soft Publisher Naxat Soft Format HuCard Release (JP) November 29, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Low Looping No Continue System Resurrect in place, unlimited continues from level menu Naxat’s Coryoon is a game deliberately marketed towards parents as text translating to “Easy mode for small children” appears prominently on the cover. The graphics are bright and cartoony with plenty of large and small fruits popping out of enemies as point bonuses leading to a surfeit of extra lives. Power ups are plentiful and also allow for a hit before losing a life. As for the easy mode, it is very easy and most regular enemy attacks are removed and boss health is greatly reduced. However, the normal mode features bosses that are a little too spongy, and the shear number of fruits that can be on screen can make enemy attacks difficult to see. For both children and adults, the game could have used an additional difficulty between easy and normal. Approximate Hitbox
The title is sometimes given as Coryoon: Child of Dragon as the title screen includes the text "Child of Dragon", but it's only shown as Coryoon in any other place the title appears including the cover and case spine. The hitbox is also a little hard to completely determine because attacks don't immediately register, but it does seem to be centered around the eye. It definitely does not include the body or nose. I'm a little cooler on this game than other people, but it does come down to default difficulty being tiring without necessarily being difficult to finish due to the life/hit system. Bosses can go down so quickly in easy that you don't even get a chance to see that the stage 2 mid-boss is lifted directly from L・Dis!
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Post by dsparil on Jun 10, 2022 14:32:18 GMT -5
SalamanderDeveloper Konami Publisher Konami Format HuCard Release (JP) December 6, 1991 Release (US) Unreleased Difficulty Low to Moderate Looping Yes Continue System Checkpoints with upgrades lost, 3 continues A mere three weeks after their PCE debut, Konami returns with Gradius follow up Salamander. The game most notably alternates between horizontal and vertical scrolling between its six stages. It also tweaks the formula by removing the power up selection bar and replacing it with standard pick ups which moderates the difficulty. The difficulty of the PCE port is also lower than the arcade game, but this is balanced by the game removing the original’s resurrection in place and replacing it with checkpoints. Despite otherwise being a fairly close port, the game shares Gradius’s speed issues which are heightened due to the increased use of multisegment bosses and the greater ease at holding onto power ups. Approximate Hitbox
I should note that the arcade game also has some slow down, but it is substantially lessened. I think it's to personal taste on the Salamander/Life Force divide, but I kinda like Life Force more even though the biological theme is mostly tacked on. It is a little moot for a port without voices since stuff like "Now entering Kidney Zone" is the most apparent change as the "vein" backgrounds taken from the first stage might as well be simple abstract geometric designs.
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Post by dsparil on Jun 10, 2022 17:21:27 GMT -5
Apologies to anyone that saw the original version of the above where I confused Scramble with SNK's Vanguard. Not really sure what happened since I've played both a fair amount, but my overtired brain couldn't resist linking them together somehow. Also, the Japanese version of Life Force has greater biological themes than the American one, but the Arcade Anniversary Collection only has the US release where it is mostly minor.
On the topic of Scramble, I wonder if anyone has thoughts about whether it should be considered the first in the Gradius series. Konami has implied both but stronger towards yes. I think the connection is mainly an homage since Gradius supposedly was Scramble 2 early on.
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Post by dsparil on Jun 13, 2022 7:18:48 GMT -5
It turns out that Hanii in the Sky has a fairly recent English translation now! In all honestly, having it be in English doesn't add a whole lot since there isn't much story, but the hack also adds in the ability to rotate your weapon in both directions which is nice. It translates the title as Honey in the Sky, and I laid out my case for why I didn't go with that. Honey was used partly because the Haniwa reference would be lost on an English audience which I think is a silly reason since that's probably the most recognizable element to a non-Japanese audience being the inspiration for Gyroids in Animal Crossing. Regardless, it's a good hack and I played through the first loop without any issues. www.romhacking.net/translations/6531/
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Post by excelsior on Jun 13, 2022 7:32:42 GMT -5
On the topic of Scramble, I wonder if anyone has thoughts about whether it should be considered the first in the Gradius series. Konami has implied both but stronger towards yes. I think the connection is mainly an homage since Gradius supposedly was Scramble 2 early on. Not really. I'm sure with Gradius a great deal was learned from the development of Scramble but Scramble is built around gameplay ideas not present in Gradius. I find similarities to mostly be surface level.
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