Starblade Alpha Question

[gepeto]

I was playing the tekken 5 game and in usual namco flare they had a short classic game to play before going to tekken.

The game was starblade alpha. I really had fun albeit short fun. But I noticed the graphics were sharp and the controls seemed tight. I was wondering was there any other version released for the home console that was a nice as the tekken version?

[Putney]

I believe there was a Starblade Alpha on PSX that had both the original flat shaded polygons and textured ones (don't have it and have never played it). At least the version in Tekken 5 is the full game that you can unlock

[gepeto]

I believe there was a Starblade Alpha on PSX that had both the original flat shaded polygons and textured ones (don't have it and have never played it). At least the version in Tekken 5 is the full game that you can unlock

Thanks I didn't know that. I was just starting to get the hang and boom it was off to tekken. I kept restarting it. I will look into unlocking it.

[Aussie2B]

The US release of Starblade Alpha is also pretty dang rare.

[InsaneDavid]

Ah, Starblade, my all time favorite arcade game. Most home versions are called Starblade Alpha and feature an "improved" rework of the game that enhances the graphics and remixes the audio - basically including a lot more audio chatter and more variety of such.

As has been stated, the PS1 version is hard to come by and was longbox only. I got raked over the coals buying a box and booklet for my previous rental (no sticker, I think I was one of the few that ever rented it) disc only copy. There's a 3DO version that has the same features as well and to me it feels like it plays smoother than the PS1 version. I do need to play the 3DO version more to be certain but my 500+ times through the PS1 version (both the classic and rework) gives me a pretty good base to compare the other builds.

Never played the version in Tekken 5 but if it features both the original and reworked versions then it's more than likely an emulation of the PS1 Starblade Alpha - which would be disappointing as while Starblade Alpha looks and plays awesome for the time, it would be nice to have a 100% transition arcade port.

But yes, great game - it's really basically The Last Starfighter. For the record I prefer the original build over the enhanced. And of course the giant wraparound display and controls of the arcade.

[Haoie]

Apparently it's quite a decent, if albeit limited, rail shooter.

The PAL version of the PS game is not uncommon.

[cityside75]

The Tekken 5 version is the arcade build. The home console versions were a combination of polygons on an FMV background. The arcade version was fully polygonal.

The Dave & Busters that I worked at back in the day had a room-sized game that I believe was Starblade at one point.

Of course the game is emulated in MAME as well, although it's choppy in my older version of MAME. Does it run full speed in the newer builds?

[Pantechnicon]

Ah, Starblade, my all time favorite arcade game.

It's not my favorite, but I still have a big soft spot for this one. Around my first year of college (1992) the arcade closest to campus had the sit-down cab therein and that was quite the experience. I remember the stereo sound, with speakers mounted in the back, being particularly intense. This is one of only three arcade games with gameplay involving a clearcut ending that I willingly pumped money into to ride all the way to the end. Great game.

[Sabz5150]

It's not my favorite, but I still have a big soft spot for this one. Around my first year of college (1992) the arcade closest to campus had the sit-down cab therein and that was quite the experience. I remember the stereo sound, with speakers mounted in the back, being particularly intense. This is one of only three arcade games with gameplay involving a clearcut ending that I willingly pumped money into to ride all the way to the end. Great game.

It was loud, but not annoyingly so. When I sat down in that thing for the first time, it was like 'Oooh... this is nice'. I picked up the PS1 game from a local Stop for three bucks a few years back. Guaranteed to drive the neighbors bonkers with a surround sound system

[Steve W]

I've always loved the arcade game. I even bought the Sega CD version, with it's wireframe graphics (apparently the Genesis couldn't pull off the basic polygons, even with the added 68000 processor in the Sega CD unit). I still haven't found copies for the PS1 or the 3DO. I've been looking for a while all around my area.

[RARusk]

"Starblade" was also another favorite of mine. Back when I was working for the Namco Cyberstation on San Francisco's Pier 39 (1991-1993), one of my managers went to work for another store. He knew I had done some gametesting prior to working for Namco and he invited me to try out a demo version of Starblade at his new store.

The demo was shorter than the finished product plus it had a nice white padded chair with speakers directly behind your head. Unfortunately, they went with a plastic chair when they released the final version. I spent many a gaming session after work playing that game.

"The Dave & Busters that I worked at back in the day had a room-sized game that I believe was Starblade at one point."

That was probably a Galaxian3 unit. Back when that first came out in '93 we were the first place to get it. After all, the Pier 39 store was the flagship store for Namco - America (and probably still is). It was even featured on "The Next Step" television program shortly after it was placed in our store.

As for the Starblade version inside Tekken 5, for those who don't know, it is an unlockable bonus that can only be activated within the secondary game "The Devil Within". I should also point out that it is Progressive Scan capable making it look even better on the appropriate monitor.

As far as this port goes, it is identical to the arcade version, minus the parabolic mirror, of course.

[InsaneDavid]

The Tekken 5 version is the arcade build. The home console versions were a combination of polygons on an FMV background. The arcade version was fully polygonal.

Awesome! Looks like I have to pick up Tekken 5 now.

All the stories about the arcade cabinet - I have to agree. The first time I played it was on a shiny new cabinet at the tiny little CyberExpo arcade in the Westgate mall in San Jose (an Atari Family Amusement Center at the time - that's where those Atari tokens came from). I was just walking through the then declining mall and stepped into the tiny arcade. Starblade had just been installed and as I walked past I heard the machine's attract sequence. From outside the cockpit you really can't see what's on the screen so well - almost if the machine calls you to take a seat inside. Once I sat inside and looked up at that giant concave mirror and was given the backstory prior to launch, I knew it would become a favorite of mine. I went through my dollar and it was time to get back. Sadly (as with most stuff at Westgate) the arcade closed down and time spent away from the game only made me want to play it more.

I'd find other Starblade machines but none as perfectly tuned as that first one - I suppose I was probably one of the first to play that perticular machine. Most places seemed to stick it in the front, which was fine and all, but during the day you'd get glare against the mirror and it would ruin the experience. When I discovered it at a video store as Starblade Alpha in the PlayStation section for rental (I didn't buy a PlayStation until the 1997 price drop to $139.99 I believe) it became a frequent checkout. Eventually they put it up for sale for $3.99 but the sun-faded box was nowhere to be seen. That was corrected here last year when I was able to complete the game.