New box of goodies from Japan arrived today

[Dire 51]

Mostly Famicom stuff this time, with a few PCE CDRs thrown in.

Let's see here:

Akumajuo Dracula Special: Boku Dracula-kun (CIB)
Contra (rerelease w/ added maps, new ending and sound test - cart)
Akumajuo Densetsu (CV3 - cart)
Yume Penguin Monogatari (cart)
Cosmic Wars (Gradius strategy game - cart)
Akumajuo Dracula II: Noroi no Fuuin (disk)
Yume Koujou Doki Doki Panic (CIB)

NES SMB3 converted into a Recca cart,with guide, instructions and a videocassette!

CDRs of NEXZR, NEXZR Special and Star Parodier - I have GOT to track an original down of this one!

[maxlords]

CDRs of NEXZR, NEXZR Special and Star Parodier - I have GOT to track an original down of this one!

If you're talking about Nexzr, go for Nexzr Summer Carnival! The Summer Carnival version is a timed version of Nexzr, but it has the complete game hidden in it as well. The only downside to it (I have it) is that there's no cover art at all...only a white cover that says Summer Carnival 93 Nexzr. Also, the Summer Carnival version was going for a lot less money last I checked, but that could have changed by now, as PCE shmups are in a state of value flux (unlike the rest of the market that's dropping sadly).

[Dire 51]

max - actually I was talking about Star Parodier, but I'd love an authentic copy of NEXZR (is it NEXZR or Nexzr?). The Special version is the Summer Carnival one you mentioned, right? I recall seeing some kind of Carnival '93 logo on it when I booted it up.

[GaijinPunch]

All crap!

Just kidding -- good score.
Sounds like you got the Summer Carnival version. You can check out a secret webpage for a cover of the real one (I think I've only got Summer Carnival Alzadick up there). It's NEXZR on the cover, but I think that's all desing. It's usually referred to as Nexzr.

As for your Akumajo question, I'll give 3 to 1 odds that is' "Fuuin" as that makes more siense.
Noroi - cursed
no - possesive
Fuuin - seal

The Cursed Seal. I think this is a follow-up to Akumajou: The Possesed Walrus

[Dire 51]

"Akumajou: The Possesed Walrus" -

I'll go check that out when I have a minute. Either way, it's a great game. Thanks for clearing the Akumajuo question up!

[maxlords]

max - actually I was talking about Star Parodier, but I'd love an authentic copy of NEXZR (is it NEXZR or Nexzr?). The Special version is the Summer Carnival one you mentioned, right? I recall seeing some kind of Carnival '93 logo on it when I booted it up.

Oh...I'm looking for a Star Parodier as well (I have a CDR but want the original)...but I'm cheap. Bah...first you get Kaze Kiri before me, now it'll be Star Parodier! At least I beat you to Faussete Amour!

Anyway, as far as I know, it's Nexzr, and the special version is the Summer Carnival '93 one that I mentioned (and have). You must have a burn of the Summer Carnival one. There's a hidden mode in it that lets you play the whole original game though. I forget how well it's hidden.

[Dire 51]

I don't know... I'm not actively looking for it right now (and truth be told, I really had no idea what the deal with FA was, until I looked it up).

[ArnoldRimmer83]

Nice Famicom load you got there. By the way, I'm not sure Contra is a rerelease. I think the Japanese version always had those extra features from the beginning. I've never seen a Japanese version of the game emerge that was bare bones like the US one.

I believe the US one had all that stuff removed, because Nintendo of America had a strict policy about companies making their own custom chips to their games. The Japanese version used a special chip to achieve some of those extra graphic effects, and since Konami of America couldn't include that chip in the US release, several of that stuff had to be removed.

In any case, the Japanese version sure is a hell of a lot nicer. Check out level 5, the snow level in it. It looks amazing.

[Dire 51]

You know, you're probably right about that. I played through the game yesterday and was amazed at some of the extra graphic touches. It made for a better experience overall, I think.

[GaijinPunch]

Sounds like a big load of horse shit to me.
Why would NoA want a game to not be it's shiny best?

Was Star Ocean released in the states? Didn't it have some trickery like that in it?

[maxlords]

Nope...no Star Ocean Stateside, but it's true about Contra....they took a bunch of stuff out for hte US release. It's depressing

[Dire 51]

[cartman voice] Probably because NoA is stupid. [/cartman voice]

I don't know for certain, all I know is that we were gypped.

[maxlords]

Just like we were gypped on Terranigma, which was even TRANSLATED TO ENGLISH! AUGH!

[Dire 51]

*sigh*

[jaydubnb]

Oh...I'm looking for a Star Parodier as well (I have a CDR but want the original)...but I'm cheap. Bah...first you get Kaze Kiri before me, now it'll be Star Parodier! At least I beat you to Faussete Amour!

I wish you'd mentioned that you wanted Star Parodier! I had doubles of it for the longest time until about 2 months ago or so.....

[maxlords]

Oh...I'm looking for a Star Parodier as well (I have a CDR but want the original)...but I'm cheap. Bah...first you get Kaze Kiri before me, now it'll be Star Parodier! At least I beat you to Faussete Amour!

I wish you'd mentioned that you wanted Star Parodier! I had doubles of it for the longest time until about 2 months ago or so.....

GAH! it figures!!! Damn it all

[Azazel]

max - actually I was talking about Star Parodier, but I'd love an authentic copy of NEXZR (is it NEXZR or Nexzr?). The Special version is the Summer Carnival one you mentioned, right? I recall seeing some kind of Carnival '93 logo on it when I booted it up.

Oh...I'm looking for a Star Parodier as well (I have a CDR but want the original)...but I'm cheap. Bah...first you get Kaze Kiri before me, now it'll be Star Parodier! At least I beat you to Faussete Amour!

Anyway, as far as I know, it's Nexzr, and the special version is the Summer Carnival '93 one that I mentioned (and have). You must have a burn of the Summer Carnival one. There's a hidden mode in it that lets you play the whole original game though. I forget how well it's hidden.

It's not hidden. You can access the regular Nexzr on the title screen. I think it was the first option if I remember right. Although I'm too laszy to check.

[maxlords]

Hmmmm....quite possible. It's hidden on Alzadick though.

[Dire 51]

Azazel's right - Nexzr is a selectable option on the Special disc.