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Thread: Thoughts on various obscure Saturn imports as they come

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    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    GUN FRONTIER




    GF is one of the harder to find shmups on the SEGA Saturn today. It commands a rather hefty tag, going anywhere from 55 to 80 dollars. To borrow the headline from DAM's review of GF: Here's a solid home conversion of an obscure Taito F2 top-down Arcade shooter from 1990, notable for an unusual and surreal graphic style and some tough hardcore gameplay.

    It does indeed have an unusual and surreal graphic style. In fact, watch the intro... watch the stage where there's a huge B&W flickering theatre screen that pops outta nowhere... this game has a sort of desperate "Diary of Anne Frank" feel to it.

    And the gameplay -- ah yes this is a tough one. Not the toughest shmup you'll ever play but it surely will test the hardest of the hardcore. A old-fashioned game that features punishing re-start points, this one is no Sunday picnic.

    Your initial weapon is very weak and hopeless, and you upgrade by shooting specific powerup drone ships. Even then, rapid fire in this game is not constantly streaming. It comes out in bursts, and this is something more modern shooter fans will have to adjust to. It's a little frustrating at first but you adjust to it eventually...

    Gun Frontier is definitely an acquired taste. I hate using the term "for hardcore players only" but it really is. Graphically it won't blow anyone away, and gameplay wise it's not flashy like Souky or RSG.

    Battle Garegga resembles GF quite a bit now that I've played it. In fact I've heard the makers of BG paid homage to GF with some similar elements found in Garegga, just a lot more modernized.

    The best part of this game for me is no doubt the music. Wow what a soundtrack. Some of the music here qualifies as "good workout" music... it just gets your blood pumping and your adrenaline racing. Good good stuff.

    I almost beat this game, made it to the final boss. He is very unique... I won't spoil the surprise. But yeah, there are 6 levels and then you go to the boss. You can't really call it a 7th level.

    GUN Frontier is right... the bosses are all shapes of guns IIRC.


    one of 7 big bad gun-related bosses


    For a more in-depth view and pictures go here:

    www.stickycarpet.com/dam/gunfrev.htm

    For just pictures go here:

    http://www.markinjapan.com/detail.php?selected=213

    Overall, GF will surely not appeal to everyone. I can't whole heartedly recommend it, as there are better shooters available on Saturn. However, if you love a challenge, don't mind old school games and got all the big-name shooters already, GF's worth a look. Just stick with it, trust me, when you first play it your first reaction might be "UGH". I know for me it was that way... but the more I stuck with it the more I liked it. Overall it's a solid (but not essential) shooter.

  2. #42
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    Tama

    (Adventurous Ball in Giddy Labyrinth)

    This is the very first game ever released for the Saturn in Japan, or it's very close to whichever game was the first.

    If you've ever played with one of those wooden labyrinth mazes, this game is basically a bunch of those in a game. But of course they're far more interesting and far more challenging as a video game than as just a wooden toy.

    One of the biggest parts of the challenge in this game is keeping the ball where you can see it while you're playing. It's only a major problem when you have to tilt the board away from you, but unfortunately, that happens often.

    So let me explain the controls, which can be customized to your liking, or at least they can be changed in the options. The left and right shoulder buttons rotate the board left or right. They have no other effect on it. So that's what you use to spin the board around to where you can see the ball. The D pad controls the tilt of the board, which causes the ball to move around. The A & B buttons zoom in or out on the board, but the camera reacts to them rather poorly.

    So this game is a major test of eye and hand coordination. There's a good sized world divided up into several areas, with each area divided up into several mazes. And it works like any good puzzle game should, you have to unlock all the more complex mazes by starting out with the simplest ones and working your way up to the more advanced ones.

    I must say though, I hope there's some cheat codes for this game, because even the simplest mazes are a real challenge, and not just because of the control scheme or the camera, they are every bit as hard as the wooden toy!

    Speaking of the wooden toy, some of the mazes do have holes like the wooden toy does, and if you fall into one, the ball will reappear somewhere that it was before it fell in the hole, so you have to try to get past it again. There are also lots of other obstacles to avoid or find a way to get past too, like ramps that the ball has to jump over. So at times you have to make the ball go fast, and at times you have to make the ball go slow, so you must control its speed.

    And finally, as if all that wasn't enough, there's a time limit! This is the most challenging aspect of the game to me, so hopefully there's a code to turn it off. That would help alot. You do get some continues, and you can choose how many in the options, but you can't choose an infinite amount of them, you can only choose up to 9 for the entire game. So there needs to be a code to fix that too. 9 isn't enough.

    The graphics are 3D flat shaded polygons, and the board hovers over textured backgrounds. There's also a very lengthy cinematic intro with some nice special effects that were obviously intended to attract potential buyers to buy a Saturn. So it's one of those showcase the new hardware games, but it pulls off its job pretty well, and I imagine it did help to sell at least a few Saturns in Japan in the shops that had this game running where people could try it out.

    The sounds are mostly just background music that plays while you play, and it's about average I guess. It hasn't really grated on my nerves, but I haven't really jammed to it either, so I guess it's just typical Japanese game music.

    I like the game alot, but it is very hard. And I would say that my eye and hand coordination is above average, but not way above average, and I think that's what you need to be able to complete this game. Maybe not, but it's like Hansha de Spark, you must anticipate your moves ahead of time and be ready to execute your next move in order to get the ball to the goal so you can go to the next maze.

    So there you have it, that's about all that I can say about it. Sorry I don't have any screenshots or cover scans of the game. Oh yeah it isn't very rare or expensive as far as know, I only paid $10 for a new copy of it, so it shouldn't be too hard to find it used, but apparently its old age has made it very obscure these days, so it may be hard to find.
    You can't run with the big dogs if you pee like a puppy!

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  3. #43
    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    The next game we look at is quite scarce. In fact, the last copy I saw of it on eBay it ended right around the grand century mark. That's crazy, especially seeing as how I recalled back in 2002 it didn't go beyond the $30 mark but I guess its scarcity in past years has really drove the demand up on this sucker.

    Name a platformer where you ressurrect the dead souls of the Musical Bremen Town animals? (remember that book/story from your childhood?)

    Name a platformer with a wicked sense of humor.

    Name a platformer with a horizontal SHMUP section.

    Keio Yugekitai? NO! We already went over that game :P

    Name a platformer where the intro opens up with "Yo you know what I'm talking about, homey! PEEP THIS!"

    Name a platformer where there's a section you'll swear you're on LSD.

    Stumped?

    Hey I'm here to help.

    Loved Keio Yugekitai? Crazy about the Bonk games?

    Then I'm sure you'll get a kick outta SUPER TEMPO

    ST is the sequel to the 32X game Tempo. Tempo was known for turning heads with its vibrantly colorful and beautifully animated graphics, but the gameplay was only so-so... the level designs weren't particularly interesting and the control became frustrating quickly.

    I've never played it but what I hear is that and that ST fixes the sub-par level designs and controls. And it most definitely retains its WICKED brightly colored worlds full with humor and animation.

    You haven't seen a world this RICH since... well, maybe Rayman.

    You haven't seen such humor since maybe Earthworm Jim 2.

    You haven't seen much overall zaniness and interesting boss fights since Keio Yugekitai. Playing ST I can't help but feel it's sort of a meshing of those 3 very good platformers.

    Game has a great sense of humor. The jokes in the game are every bit as demented and clever as they were in Earthworm Jim and its sequel. For instance, you'll find a pool of water with a raging waterfall spilling into it. Only when you reach the top of the hill do you discover the source of the waterfall... a tiny man relieving himself! He may want to talk to his urologist about that... :P

    Players control Tempo or his girlfriend. Tempo shoots out bubbles from his violin that encases his enemies whereby then he just to merely touch them to erase them for good. If you jump and hold down the attack button Tempo smoothly glides along... useful for hanging in the air after big jumps to collect musical notes. Killed enemies also releases musical notes that are collected for money. What does the money do? Well, at the end of a stage however much $ you have you spin the big wheel of fortune and use up all the money you earned on that stage for a nice prize.

    The new toy/item you win is then displayed and Tempo and his girlfriend's room. Bizarre? You betcha!

    You can control Tempo's girlfriend by going into a telephone looking booth strategically placed in certain levels. Some stages you just can't complete without using one specific character. Tempo's GF has a hair blow dryer that shoots out fire, and when you jump and press fire, she can fly... critical for those otherwise unreachable areas.

    Both Tempo and his GF can turn into their superhero alter-ego's... both during boss fights and regular stages. It's really funny and cool. They can only turn into it when you reveal the suit or boxing glove icon. Trust me, it's a hoot. They can increase in size mucho.

    As previously mentioned, you'll resurrect the long-dead members of the Bremen Town Musician Animals... only once do you collect their four souls in an eerie ghost town can you enter through the locked door. As for the SHMUP section, you'll glide through a shooting stage with thinly veiled references to ancient arcade games like Asteroids and Rally-X... splashed with a giant overdose of LSD. Crazy flashing lights and oddities like cowboys racing their horses by... stick figures which you collect for points, but if you shoot, they'll scream and die (they're innocent!) Can't forget to mention the awesome NUMBERS scene, where the screen is filled with giant green digital numbers randomly selected 1-9. Shoot the numbers the indicated amount of time to eliminate it before you crash into it.... awesome stuff.

    Boss fights are all cool. Giant electrical crab... giant mechanical chicken...

    This is a fun and very entertaining platformer. I'd recommend it, but be aware it's hard to find (I don't think MediaQuest pushed out that many copies) and in recent times the price on ST has really sky-rocketed. Still, it's worth keeping an eye out for. At first you might be disappointed that ST isn't exactly a "Super Mario Brothers" clone, but stick with it and I guarantee you'll see that it's a good quality game.

  4. #44
    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    This next game here is rather intriguing.

    I have only seen it once or twice on eBay in the last 3 years or so. I had been hunting this game for some dang time. It just never popped up. One morning last summer I was surfing eBay and happened to see it, at a reasonable BIN, and I jumped all over it.

    Since that auction, I just have never seen this game appear again.

    Some Saturn games are indeed a pain in the butt to locate. Ultraman PD Link comes to mind. I haven't seen Keriotosse! in a long while, nor Shingata Kururin PA! or Welcome House. Oh and Ninja Jaja Marukun.... never saw it again. Waku Waku Monster and Coin Puzzle Moujiya also aren't exactly prancing around out there.

    And Super Tempo? Let's not go there...

    At any rate, speaking on Super Tempo this next extremely hard to find game is what I would describe partly as.... "Super Tempo meets Bust-A-Move."


    PASTEL MUSES





    Like Super Tempo, it's extremely colorful with beautiful pastel graphics. Like Tempo, Muses has musical notes and in general incorporates a side-music gimmick in gameplay. Like Tempo, you can control either our cute hero or his cute girlfriend.

    Like BAM, PM employs aiming techniques. Like BAM, you launch one bubble at a time. Like BAM, you have a launcher that you can move (instead of left and right it's up and down).

    You can't help but think the makers sat down and thought.....

    *circa early 1997 in some Japan office*

    "Hooookay, I want to make a puzzle game.... how can we put a spin on the ole Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble gameplay?"

    Then one executive raised his hand.

    "How about we put it to the side!"

    "... I like that idea. But if it's on the side, how can we still employ the aiming techniques? I don't want our top secret puzzler to be known as a PAPPARA PAOON clone! That game was rather ho-hum.."

    "Hmmmm."

    They all rubbed their chins.

    "I got it! On its side... on a slanted hill!"

    "And we can give it a very pastel look. With cute furry wide-eyed creatures and add in musical notes in bubbles so when players deliver a long chain their ears shall be treated to the sweet sounds of victory -- literally!"

    ".. Bust-A-Move... on a hill.... pastel graphics... musical notes... furry cute wide-eyed creatures... brilliant! Commence Project Pastel Muses!"

    And that's how it came to be.

    Well maybe not but let's not ruin the magic for the kids eh. :P

    PM has four modes.

    1. Story Mode
    Here you can pick the guy or girl. You then go through several stages, each stage having four levels and on the 4th level you face the boss of that stage before moving on. After you move on you can pick to go left or right. First 3 levels of each stage you just try to clear the playing field. 4th level is the same idea... only this time the boss for that stage is on the playing field... slowly advancing toward you. When he reaches the cross line you're toast. If you hit him with your bubble he will throw a fit and advance a little faster forward before resuming his regular speed. So you have to work fast and accurately. The bosses start from being small and then gradually get larger and larger... later on they will really tax you. I was playing this mode for over an hour, and just couldn't beat this huge clown lion... damn.

    2. 2P Mode
    Ah the game's best mode. First one to squeeze or push their opponent's playing field over the crossline wins. Last summer when I got this game I played it a bit with my ex. She didn't like it as much as Waku Waku Monster, but it probably was because I crushed her all the time, haha. Gotta love the trash talking.

    3. Stand Alone mode
    self-explanatory.

    4. Single stages with a time limit
    How fast can you advance and how far can you get?

    The launcher has four positions. It's all parabolic. Ranges from roughly 1 o'clock to 3 o'clock. Press A and your furry friend will jump in the air. The longer you hold the higher he jumps. Release A and he will slam down on the launcher releasing the bubble. Connect 3 or more like colored bubbles. Some heavy chains can be accomplished here, and due to the hill gravity does play a role, sliding some bubbles appropriately if you burst a lot, perhaps unleashing nearby bubbles downward.

    The higher he jumps the further the bubble will go. So, basically, first pick one of the four positions the launcher can go to, then decide how strong you want the bubble to fly, and then press A and follow thru.

    Graphics are great. Beautiful pastel colors... you can almost feel your teeth rotting coz it's so sweet. Music is excellent. The musical notes are a nice touch, and as such you'd expect this game to have pretty ace music -- which it does. The continue screen has the SAME exact music as the infamous "girls jumping on a trampoline" end sequence/credits on the ole show THE MAN SHOW. It's the same I swear. That same catchy, beaty theme... without, of course, the visual flare... ah wellz can't have 'em all, right? :P

    Intro is well done and introduces us to the many bosses the game will throw at you, with a sneak peak at the sinister end boss.

    It's a nice little puzzle game. It gets pretty frantic when you're on the verge of dying... every so often the field will shrink... or when the boss comes waddling your way... and the music races and your furry friend goes into "AISH!" mode... haha good stuff.

    I recommend it. It's a nice ole twist to the ole Puzzle Bobble formula. Only problem of course is locating a copy... but what else is new. This one may take a while to figure out and come to an understanding of with its physics, but when you figure it out it quickly becomes very fun and charming.

    Another ace Saturn puzzler... who woulda thunk it? Good day all. See ya later tonight with my next write-up.

  5. #45
    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    IMAGE FIGHT & X-MULTIPLY

    I swear, these are two of the hardest shmups you will ever play in your lifetime. It makes Souky and Gun Frontier look like a cakewalk. Two shooters whose 3rd levels will probably never be seen by anybody other than the extremely dedicated weekend warriors.

    I have a funny story with this compilation that is part of the Arcade Gears lineup. I'll clear the air right now. There is NO double jewel case sized version of Image Fight and X-Multiply. This is the only AG game to come in a single jewel case and has NO Gamest book attached with it.

    Because this game is so hard to find I think a lot of people assumed it comes with a Gamest book and a double jewel case just like the other AG releases.

    When an auction came up with the picture showing it in single jewel case with no Gamest book, I made out like a thief in the night.

    I put in my max of $53. (this game usually goes in the $80's and $90's from what I've seen in years past). I too was confused about if there was a double jewel case version with a Gamest book, so therefore my max was only $53. I rather go for completeness as much as possible, but hey I'll take this too since it's been so long since I've spotted a copy.

    Well when I got home later that night I expected there was no way I'd win. Someone must have sniped me, I thought.

    No.

    One guy tried sniping, and I actually was familiar with his handle. He's a very knowledgable Saturn buyer who knows how much games go for.

    Well, his max was only $37... leading me to believe that he too was confused by the "urban myth" that Saturn Image Fight and X-Multiply comes in double jewel case size with Gamest book. Of course he wasn't gonna bid the barn on a "lesser" version. He basically had the same mentality as I did. That's why you see auctions of Cotton 2 that don't include the calender, go cheaper than those that comes with the calender. Many people just want things as complete as possible....

    Turns out... the single jewel case no Gamest book version is the ONLY version.

    Lucky me

    Anyway on to the game. Image Fight is the older of the two, and features "regular" ship enemies in a vertical style. X-Multiply though is infested with ugly monsters and aliens in a horizontal setting. Both are rock hard.

    Now I'll step aside and let SEGA SATURN MAGAZINE take it away.....

    There have been some truly magical moments in the large and dusty archives of gaming history, and a company with more than its fair share of classics is Japanese 2D specialist, Irem. You'll know Irem as the company behind the rightly beloved R-Type, as well as the stunning X-Multiply and the not-bad Image Fight. Now, Irem has bundled its two second-best titles onto a single Saturn disc. We're in Heaven!

    The gameplay in X-Multiply (1989) is more advanced than R-Type, mainly due to the fact that your ship comes equipped with two massive and free-moving tentacles bolted onto the top and bottom. This opens up more possibilities for attack and defense, as they act as a shield from enemy shots and smaller enemies themselves. A quick press of the D-pad flings these protective barriers wherever you like. These tentacles also become significant offensive weapons, as dragging them across huge motherships causes massive damage (leaving players free to attack whatever's coming from above), and the collection of power ups, like forward lasers and heavy-artillery bombs, further adds to the experience.



    Image Fight (1988) is an altogether different kettle of tech-no-organic fish. Punishing use of the restart points make this 2D shoot 'em up even tougher than its X-prefixed soul mate, and the simple fact that it's over a year older than X-Multiply leads to an all-round less-impressive display of visuals. Still, if R-Type and X-Multiply were all about style and design, Image Fight was more of an all-out test of survival and weapon accumulation, with unique (at the time) features, such as being able to set the ship's speed manually, along with free-floating drone-weapons which fire in the opposite direction to the ship's movement (this bit I especially liked!), Image Fight does boast an excellent array of power-ups but the super-tough nature of the game makes it a massive struggle to see the more advanced weapons.



    One of the reasons why these older shooters always seem so much harder than their modern counterparts is their use of the old restart point, which has been phased-out in newer blasters. Even the mighty Radiant Silvergun - the best shooter in years - may be completed by virtue of infinite continues and simple perseverence, whereas the notion of forcing the player to replay the section they've just died on (often restarting way behind as a 'punishment' for the error) makes it downright essential to master every inch, every attack wave and every boss in these old blasters. Both X-Multiply and Image Fight use this restart point philosophy to make players redo areas they've messed up (usually without those hard-earned weapons too!), and it's the reason why modern shooters will never compare to these classic blasters (though thankfully Irem's new baby, R-Type Delta retains the use of restart points.) It's also probably the reason why they're so ingrained in our memories as well..

    History will probably record R-Type as being Irem's finest hour, but connoisseurs may argue that the innovation-packed X-Multiply, or mega-tough Image Fight are both equally worthy of a place in the blaster hall of fame.

    ---

    Ahhhh, SSM we sure miss ya. What times, indeed. I like both IF and XM... but I prefer XM more due to its wicked Alien atmosphere what with its wicked monster foes (and bosses). The graphics are also a lot better than Image Fight and indeed I feel (as I believe many do) that XM is the real bread winner of the package, while Image Fight is not shabby and definitely a nice dessert. Both games do have a lot of collidable scenery though, coupled with hordes of enemies and punishing restart points this is NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART.

    Play on normal -- or God help you -- hard, and be ready to see your ship explode over and over until the giant digits appear on screen asking you to continue.

    Overall it's a good package of two old school blasters that are worth a look for any diehard shooter fan, but its difficulty (both in gameplay and in the ability to find the game on the market) and high price may detract lesser mortals.

    For some great pictures go here:

    http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~be...f-xmultrev.htm

  6. #46
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    I haven't heard much about this game in years past, but whenever I did I heard nothing but pure raves for this little-known 3D action adventure title.

    It will remind you a lot of Virtual On, Gundam, and even Burning Rangers.

    Yes. It's BULK SLASH

    I got this game from a friend last year but just recently played it. I know, for shame, but it just got lost in the to-play pile.

    After playing it for a couple hours I came to one simple conclusion:

    WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!

    Bulk Slash is one of the coolest games on Saturn. If you love robots you'll love this. If you love Virtual On you'll love this. If you love quality games you'll love this.

    There are 7 stages total, and to begin with you can start on stages 1, 2, or 3. Once all 3 missions are completed, you can pick from 4, 5, or 6. Beat those 3 and you come to the last level.

    Each stage is a huge sprawling 3D world. The graphics are solid and very colorful, one guy said "It's very PCE-esque." Gameplay is sweet. You start off each mission on foot, B fires your standard blaster gun or chucks a bomb. C jumps. L and R are used to rotate the camera. You can hold B and press left or right to shoot and strafe... it becomes 2nd nature not before too long.

    The cool part is when you press A. Here your robot transforms into a flying ship... and you have lock-on missiles and a standard blaster. So anytime you wish, you can run on foot blowing things up, or take to the skies and deliver a deadly aerial assault. Whatever suits you. Ace huh!


    Lock loaded and ready to make someone have a baaad night!


    Speaking of blowing up, man you do a lot of that. And thanks to the mission variety, you never get bored doing it. But before we get into that let's go back to the blowing up part. Futuristic stop lights, billboards, you can blow anything up except buildings. And enemies? They're scattered everywhere on the 3D landscape... firing missiles and lasers at you... it's quite a sight.

    Like Virtual On, when you get up close your robot will deal out a lethal Light Saber-esque blow. Nothing is more satisfying than slicing a tank in two and watching the polygons crumble before you. *MAD LAUGHTER* AHAHAHAHA!

    *ahem*

    I love the feel and look of this game. It's just... really like nothing you've seen on Saturn before. Our robot hero appears to be about 20 feet tall... it's fun to manuever him across city buildings and whatnot. It's like you vs. the world in a very cool futuristic world.


    whether on foot or flight, the action never ceases


    Here are the missions:

    Level 1- Standard day time city. Gets you used to controls and kinks. Your goal here is to dismantle 4 or 5 pods... once all targets are destroyed, look out for the spider-like boss.... he's HUGE!

    Level 2- Wow. The first time I saw this I just dropped my jaw. Talk about atmosphere! Neon green lights ... look up and you'll see the moon even! Great details. Your goal here is to destroy 4 bases. Once you do that, prepare for one of the coolest bosses you will ever see... a HUGE HUGE butterfly robot with an extremely long tail. Remember the stage 1 boss from Thunder Force V? Here he is in a true 3D setting....




    Level 3- Here is where the game makers decided to give Bulk Slash some variety. Instead of making each stage the ole "destroy a set of items then face boss" this is where stage 3 shows you how good the minds at HudsonSoft really were. A huge ship takes off to the (not-so) friendly skies, with a long energy bar, and it's up to you to protect it from the many enemy forces! If you do your job successfully, the ship will reach its destination and you'd have completed the primary mission. But wait! Here comes another big mutha of a boss.....


    can you escort this bad boy to safety while fending off hordes of machinery?


    Level 4- More variety ensues. Here you're in the vast darkness with blazing streaks of outer space. You must fly and transport 4 pods into a fixed base to fulfill your primary mission. (Think NiGHTS here). Then, try and defeat the Mothership boss....

    *breathes, whew, this is a lot of good action, but we're not done yet!*

    Level 5- This level screams BURNING RANGERS. Here it really emphasizes the platform part of Bulk Slash. You're indoors in some strange looking factory. Enemies litter the floors, you start on floor one and must find the key on each floor. You do this til you reach floor 5 where you face off with another mean nasty boss. Once you defeat him, he turns into a huge mechanical spidey creature. AH! No rest for the wicked! But cheer up, this is where the game introduces us to the baddest weapon of all -- the Bezier gun! Like the old Ghostbuster cartoon gun, it homes in and shoots a constant strong green stream of destruction!


    the beautiful and most powerful Bezier gun in full effect


    Level 6- A city in winter... snow is everywhere as are enemy tanks, ships and what have you. Your primary mission here is to destroy four HUGE and boss-like-tough AT-esque walkers. All in the snow... hmmmm.... I wonder where Hudsonsoft got the inspiration....

    Man, they're hard! And if you can destroy the four boss-like death machines... you then face off with this bad boy...


    holy shit!

    -Level 7
    ???? Let's not spoil everything now shall we....

    Overall Bulk Slash scores and scores high. An extremely enjoyable and playable blaster/shooter, it's got a bit of everything. When you're flying, it's true go-anywhere flying. No rails. You're weaving, ducking, dodging, jumping, strafing, shooting, locking in, all while bullets are screaming your way like there's no tomorrow.

    Just like NiGHTS, the replay lies in scoring as many points as you can. If you liked NiGHTS but wished there was more action and overall a bigger OMPH, it's safe to say you'll like Bulk Slash. At first I was a little overwhelmed. But on my 2nd go I just got completely addicted to it. It's a beautiful game with classic gameplay in a "modern" look. Great details, great feel, great atmosphere. And the boss battles... they're very intense and epic. It's really satisfying to zap them and watch parts of them flash before finally you have destroyed another giant machine of destruction. Put this baby at the top of your wish list, folks. Bulk Slash is one hell of a game.


    ahhhh, and just wait til you see how it is in motion with zero slowdown..



    It's the 4th of July -- no! Just another day at the (Bulk Slash) office

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    Finally Bulk Slash gets covered. What a great game - everything said about it here is true, and I wholeheartedly second Steven's recommendation. GET IT!

    Where'd those pics come from, btw?

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    Dire, they're from the old defunct Saturn-World.com

    (a site that IMHO is 2nd only to Dave's Sega-Saturn.com)

    HAHA and yes, BS finally got covered. I told you I'd get to it eventually... and damn glad I finally did :P

  9. #49
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    Is there any place I could get nice, big clear screenshots like that (minus the imprint)? I'm looking to replace the ones in the review I did with better ones.

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    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    Dire, none I know of, sorry.

    IMO there is no better game than the following to follow up Bulk Slash.

    BS was a great game partly because you could at any time transform into a flying ship or a bipedal robot. The next game allows you the same luxury...

    it's

    HYPER DUEL




    Another hard to find and extremely expensive shooter, but unlike Gun Frontier and Image Fight & X-Multiply, this one often hits in the 100's. Ouch. Luckily for me I was able to secure it for not just under 100 bucks, but under 10. Right place right time.

    Technosoft horizontal shooter. Yeah, that says a lot. Made in 1994 and ported to Saturn in 1997, this is one kicking shmup. Like Bulk Slash at first you may be overwhelmed by the option to switch into another mode, but you soon learn where it's best to change forms and when. Then, it becomes balls-out-fun.

    The first thing you will notice is that TechnoSoft presents us with an Arcade mode and a Saturn mode. What's the difference?

    Well in Arcade mode you get the original Hyper Duel. As it was meant to be. This means graphics that harken back to the Genesis days (not a bad thing at all, in fact it provides great nostaglia of old shooters like Thunder Force III).




    The Saturn mode features the same enemies, the same patterns, but this time the graphics takes a more updated approach, looking more like a Saturn-quality 2D game. The jump in graphics is quite impressive.

    You can configure your controls but you basically have four buttons.

    1 = rapid fire
    2 = bomb (I'll explain the "unique system")
    3 = Robot mode
    4 = Gun Lock

    There is no "invincible for a split second damage everything on screen automatically" bomb presented in Hyper Duel, no. Instead, you have an energy bar at the bottom of the screen. Anytime you shoot, it slowly builds up. When you press bomb, the bar depletes slowly as crazy gunfire shoots from around your ship which will likely hit any target on screen, but not always. I liked the bomb system because it's different and has its strategic places of implement.

    When you're the robot you can bomb too, and here the bomb takes on a slightly different variation. Trust me, it's cool stuff.

    Robot mode turns you into a flying bipedal robot. Here you have a blaster gun that can go in any 5 directions.

    Gun Lock mode is useful as when you're in Robot mode you can lock in a direction and move the dpad without changing the direction of your shot.

    Mind you, only the Saturn version allows gun lock as the arcade original didn't have this option. Therefore, the Arcade Mode is a bit tougher naturally than the Saturn version... for obvious reasons.

    You can select from 3 different characters and their ship. Each has different weapons and different robot weapons... good stuff. Lisa Rowland (young girl), Dr. B Lloyd (old scientist) and Keith (young hero). So creative!!!! .

    Graphics are good, whether you're playing ARC or SAT, with plenty of oooh and ahhh parallax scrolling. ARC is good for those nostalgic nights. SAT is good for some decent eye candy and a more modern feel. Big ups to TechnoSoft for including the Saturn mode. They could have been lazy and just programmed it into a straight up port, but giving us two ports almost gives us two entirely different games IMHO. Not quite, but hey, you'll take it. It's equivalent to the feeling of buying a DVD special edition, as opposed to buying a DVD only to see that its special edition will be released later.


    oooh, Saturn's special hi-colored mode


    Sound and music is right on the target. Some great loud bass and whatnot, and while the Arcade retains the same music, the Saturn version gets a kicking ROCKING arranged recording. Feel your heart tremble as the loud hypnotic pulsing rythyms and guitars take you to another world. TechnoSoft wins again.

    What makes Hyper Duel different from your average shmup is indeed the switch-a-roo option. Sometimes it pays off to be the robot... and other times the ship is called for. Also the unique bomb system, and this game has more strategy than your average mindless shoot 'em up.

    Alright, now let's tackle the levels and bosses...

    (no loading by the way! The levels merge into the next much like Layer Section AKA Galactic Attack... good stuff! No break of action...)

    Level One
    Space. The calm before the storm. Great parallax scrolling, with lots of big battle ships in background. Boss here is a giant mechanical octopus-like creature. Good stuff. When killed a meaty explosion is seen and heard. Ace.




    Level Two
    From Space to their base. Lovely entrance for the mid-boss here. Tight space with collidable territory surrounding you. Base ships annoyingly toss fire your way. This is where your bomb weapon comes in handy. The boss is a huge Machine of destruction toting a big gun. Once his gun is destroyed, in its place is his trusty nasty eye laser beam. Background is all distorted and wavy for this epic clash. Kill him and you're treated to another nice loud explosion.


    Sonuvabitch!...


    Level Three
    You descend from space to a desert-like world. Lots of ground-based and air-based enemies... this is where two player co-op play really comes in handy. But for you solo weekend warriors, rely on speed, smarts and your bomb! Boss is a bipedal mechanical machine with a gun, who jumps and causes rock beneath to fly up. The rocks can kill you.

    Level Four
    Back to Space we go. No room to rest as you're immediately greeted by a mid-boss with his backup gang. The boss is fore-shadowing... he's like a black version of MegaTron! (yeah, the first original bad boss from the old Transformers). Watch out for his henchmen (the higher the difficulty level the more henchmen he has) and watch out for when he transforms into a gun! Vintage MegaTron! Remember, keep this boss in the back of your mind....

    Level Five
    Best described as Descent Into Hell. You fly down a dark and eerie sky... taking out bases while avoiding a descending battle ship. No boss battle here. Stage ends with a BIG BOOM and an explosion that takes you to level six....




    Level Six
    Rage Against the City I like to call this. Long stretching bridge, buildings and heavy dark thunder clouds rage by in the background as you fly by the ocean. Great looking stage. Destroy this big ship and you'll unleash the boss -- a big freak of a droid... and then the underwater battle ensues....


    Shoulda let sleeping dogs lie...


    Level Seven
    Lots of mech enemies and "knife-diving" mechs like those annoying bastards found in Metal Slug. You forge your way through a dock -- I like to think of it as "Sitting (duck) By the Dock of the Bay" lol for those of you who get that reference. Lots of sizable spider machines come scrambling your way looking to terminate you... it's all foreshadowing...

    For the Mother Spider boss! Good luck...

    Final Stage
    This is odd but the stage 4 MegaTron boss you defeated, he joins forces with you here to dismantle a HUUUGE mothership. But as you defeat this mothership, before it goes out in a blaze, it extends a grapple and snatches MegaTron.... from here the final battle ensues.

    You or him.

    World peace or world abolition...




    Oh yeah, you get helper ships and droids. You just pick up floating icons to unleash these help buddies. They prove valuable as they even may take the hit for you. I found the droids to be more helpful, as they can shoot in many directions, while the helper ships only shoot forward.

    Overall, Hyper Duel is a winner and I'd recommend it... BUT the high price is a definite turn-off. Still, what you have here is a very very good and fun shooter. It's not TOO hard, so for those who want a lesser insane shooter, you might like this, but don't get me wrong there are plenty of moments of "THERES NO WAY YOU CAN SURVIVE THAT!" The 2 modes add a lot to the replay value as do the 3 different characters. I played this game today for 2 plus hours. Awesome shooter.

    If you have the means, go for it. Thumbs up for Hyper Duel.

    for more shots go here:

    http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~be...yperdscans.htm

    ps- Hyper Debt... I like that petname for this game lol. Others that spring to mind are Drag-On Force and Toshinden URA "moron to buy this" (geddit... as in Toshinden "you are a moron to buy this")... funny stuff

  11. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steven
    BS was a great game partly because you could at any time transform into a flying ship or a bipedal robot. The next game allows you the same luxury...

    it's

    HYPER DUEL
    Holy shit, that's awesome. I ever get back into collecting Saturn games, I'm tracking that one down.

  12. #52
    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    I played this game briefly (in the Power Instinct family lineup) back in 2003 when I got it, and enjoyed it for the 30 mintues or so I put into it. Recently I sat down with it longer and well, whereas once before I thought I preferred this to Astra Superstars, now I feel the opposite.

    GoF is a 2-on-2 fighter where you can tag in and out. It's the only fighter on Saturn with 4 player capability. There are 11 immediately selectable characters, and they really are quite bizarre. In all honesty I don't feel they're a very memorable cast, and a fighting game, IMO, is only as good as its characters and special moves.



    Here are some of them:

    Larry Light- Cool looking fireball, rushing Dragon Punch

    Chris Wayne- Spark ground-based projectile. Flash Kick variant

    Tenjinbashi- Weird big man with a lizard mask. Some bizarre special moves.

    Hizumi- The quick ninja with flame attacks and a wicked slicing super special.



    Remi- Witch. Disc projectiles, Flash Kick variant with her giant musical note friend that also looks like a scythe.

    Popura-Shoots out a jelly fish like projectile. Probably has the coolest looking Super Special in the game... Audrey II!



    M.A.D- Weird-looking character in a jacket with shock attacks

    Solis- Girl on cover. Tall police officer who fires her nightstick and has a jewel stunning move



    Falco- Old man who fights with cards. SS he launches 5 exaggeratedly huge cards that ends in an explosion



    Gartheimer- Big man who fights with two chained balls. Has a throw that sends your head through the ground.

    The 2 old ladies- Most recalled for from the first Power Instinct game

    The game's control feels kinda sluggish, and although the tag system is kinda cool, and the game has a nice gothic feel sorta, something is missing. Animation is below average. Loading times are KILLER. Even with shortcut on, they're incredibly long. I understand the game has to load up the four character sprites and whatnot, but it's way too long and ruins the rhythm of the enjoyment.

    Still, there are cool ideas like when your teammate or the opponent's teammate is knocked out, they stay lying on the screen. You can actually bend down and chuck them toward your opponent taking off energy -- ace!

    But all in all, after revisiting GoF I don't think it's a quality fighter. Sure, if you're a big fighting fan by all means go for it but keep in mind this game is quirky and not "all that" certainly. It can be had for under $35 last I checked, and I wouldn't pay more than $30 for it....

  13. #53
    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    HANAGUMI TAISEN COLUMNS



    Taking the classic Columns puzzle gameplay, and inserting those infamous Sakura Wars characters, this puzzler is an instant winner.

    This game feels like Puzzle Fighter as in battle each player has a bar. When 3 or more jewels are cleared the bar fills up slowly. Chains really add to the bar, and once filled it presents you with 3 choices:

    1. Level 1 attack
    2. Save and accumulate
    3. Level 1 defense

    You can go up to 3 levels. If on the 3rd level you select the 2nd option, what happens is that the game simply gives you three glowing star-like pieces, that pretty much act like the diamond found in Puzzle Fighter.

    Because of this option to be on the offensive or the defensive, this game leads up to a lot of strategizing and one-up-man-ship. It's really addicting and with the choice of 6 different characters, all each with different strengths and weakness, and attack patterns, this game is flat out wicked fun.

    The debris comes in the form of colored dice. They could be as high as 6 or low as the number 1... and it works just like the counter pieces in Puzzle Fighter. Once count down they unlock and turn into regular jewels. Nice.

    Level 1 defense takes away the bottom 2 rows.

    Level 2 defense takes away the bottom 4 rows.

    Level 3 defense takes away the bottom 6 rows (can be very handy when you're near death)

    And obviously the higher level on offense, the more debris that will be dumped on the opponent's field.

    Game has Story mode, Cinderella mode, 1P Mode with classic (standalone) or puzzle (solve up to 90 different puzzles, ranging from "clear 20 jewels in under a minute" to "clear past this line") and of course the excellent 2 Player Mode. Options you have the choice to change the jewels from classic Columns look to a more modernized look. There is also an Omake mode (AKA art gallery) once you complete the game with a character.

    The characters seem to be all very balanced and the CPU provides a tough but not unfair challenge. Graphics are solid, sound is great and control is right on the money. Hidden characters also abound. Beat the game and be treated to some J-Pop like music. Good stuff.

    Overall this game is ace, ace, ace. Sakura Wars gets a lot of love on the Saturn, and the Japanese often regard to it as the best Saturn game ever, but if you want something you can play and understand, go for Hanagumi Taisen Columns. Shouldn't run ya more than $15, and is an absolute blast to play. It's like Columns meets Puzzle Fighter. Along with Columns Arcade Collection, you'll have all the Columns action you could ever want with these two excellent Saturn games.

    for another review and some pictures go here:

    http://www.shinforce.com/saturn/revi...umiColumns.htm

  14. #54
    Ladd Spencer (Level 17) Captain Wrong's Avatar
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    Can I just tell you this is probably the most awesome thread on this site?

    Seriously. Have some Meseta.

  15. #55
    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    Thanks Captain.

    PRIKURA DAISAKUSEN




    I remember GameFan's December 2000 From The Graveyard write-up of this game. It proclaimed that a handful of Saturn imports were already consistently striking the magical 80+ barrier, and that if you owned PD -- you can consider yourself the most hardcore of hardcore.

    While I don't agree with that last statement I do agree with GameFan's overall feelings on Prikura... this game rocks.




    It only has 5 stages, and true, the game doesn't take long to beat (under half an hour) but the 5 stages are fun while they last with some cool memorable boss tangles. Presented to us by Atlus in 1996, Prikura Daisakusen presents the gamer with 3 character choices. Two girls and a giant bipedal dog-like creature.

    A is to shoot.

    B is to pound.

    C is special.

    Y (or double tap in desired direction) is roll.

    One girl shoots out stars from her magic wand. The other icy-like projectiles. Enemies are all robot-types that flash when hit. When destroyed an animal is left for you to collect and earn points. You can pound enemies, this is a close-range hammer spike, or spiked ball slam, or the dog's giant hand smack. This reveals jewels instead of animals. Also, with the pound button, you can unleash a sweet chain reaction of an enemy hitting another enemy and so on. See how high a combo you can land! It's impressive to see one enemy being taken out resulting in a domino-like effect, and this increases your score.

    Each character has a helper that can evolved up to four stages (at the end of each stage it evolves accordingly) and has multiple paths to take depending on such and such. The helper helps you like how you'd expect... it shoots at the enemies helping you to take them out.

    Also, in some stages there's an icon that when you pick up your character turns into a steroid-pumped character who is invincible and with the simple touch any enemy is instantly destroyed. Nice.




    It is an isometric shooter. You might be wondering how the shooting is. Well, once you hold A... you can move the D-Pad and still remain locked in that position. So don't fret about shooting and not being able to lock in one direction. There are multiple directions to shoot at.

    It's more of a shmup than a platformer because you can't jump. Whereas Steamgash Mash was a platform blaster, I'd catagorized PD as a "Shooter Blast Em Up"... well, all that matters is that it plays damn good. =P

    You'll fight enemies ranging from worm-popping menaces to shield-weilding gun-toting foot soldiers.

    Stage one is typical lightness to get you used to the game.

    Stage two has some cool boxes for you to break open. Boss is a flying airplane of sorts.

    The game really picks up when you battle with stage 3's enormous and impressive fire-breathing snake-like creature, JUDGMENT... after going through his castle lair.




    Then stage 4's boss in the winterland is a giant mechanical crab known as DEATH SCISSOR. You must cross the wintery iceland safely first...

    Finally, the last boss really screams Groove On Fight in the sense that in that game, in one of the backgrounds you'll see a disfigured face. That face... is pretty much like the face of the end boss in Prikura. This vile menace is known simply as the oddly titled FLASH-THE-ALL. You got to deal with his main face and his left and right hands... and oh he enjoys throwing odd projectiles at you along his creepy little ghoul jello-like friends. There's a lot of flashing all right. To get to him though, you'll have to survive his creepy underworld cavern.

    I liked the dog the least. He's too big a target and doesn't have the good mobility of the girls. The girls are fun to use. Special move is same for all the characters. A bunch of fireballs cascade downward from the heavens, damaging everything on screen followed by one single extra large fireball. Classic Streets of Rage special feel, hehe.

    Overall Prikura Daisakusen is an ace game. It can be had for under $50 too, so it's not too bad on the wallet. Don't be fooled by some auctions that end at $60. It can easily be had for $45 or so with a little patience. Hell I got mine for $30. Mind you, Atlus released two versions.

    1. Double Jewel Case with calender

    2. Single Jewel Case without calender

    I bought the latter and the former seems to be more frequently offered on eBay and such. I didn't mind getting the "lesser" version of the two, all I need is the game. :-)

    Overall, it's an excellent title worthy of a place in every Saturn fanatic's library. From the classic flash flash flash of the enemies and bosses, to the cool old school feel, Prikura's a winner.
    And check out those cool J-Pop tunes!

    Good work, Atlus.

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    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    TAITO CHASE HQ AND S.C.I


    no, that's not Isiah Thomas and Dennis Eckersly there!


    Chase H.Q. plus S.C.I. is a bare-bones compilation of Taito's neo-classic arcade racer Chase H.Q. and its immediate sequel Special Criminal Investigation (S.C.I.). It is very bare bones so if you're looking for options and secret modes galore this one is not for you. Mind you also that Chase HQ came out in 1988 with SCI following in 1989. Graphically you can almost expect neither title to win any beauty contests. However, the graphics have that pleasant OutRun touch, and is satisfyingly nostaglic.


    ahh


    In Chase HQ instead of racing laps or clearing check points your goal in each of the 5 stages is to ram a car until its energy is depleted. Each stage the enemy starts far away, and you have 60 seconds to reach it. If you don't, you are asked to continue. Once you reach the enemy car, his energy bar is displayed and the ramming begins. You also have lots of civilian cars on the road. Avoid them and earn bonus points. Crash into them and well, they die. But you live. Ahh the magic of video games.

    In SCI it's the same concept except you have a shotgun partner who fires off shots at enemies. You can still ram cars, but you can shoot too. Game has more hazards and special effects like raining and even yellow flash lightning. Cool stuff. Even an odd section where you're driving on what appears to be water...




    I love the stage where there's 3 buses going across the screen horizontally while you're racing vertically. Hit the bus and live to tell the tale! Again, the magic of video games.

    A is drive.

    B is brake.

    C is turbo boost (you have 3 per stage)

    X is shoot (only in SCI)

    L is lo-gear

    R is hi-gear

    I recommend trying to stay in hi-gear throughout. Sometimes though when it's tight and narrow using L is the better part of discretion. Allow me to comment on the controls now, as some have complained about it in the past. Well when I first played it it was very rough and I ended up crashing a lot or falling off the side of the road. But the more I played it, and the more I learned to switch gears and when to let go of the acceleration button, it suddenly became a much better, tighter experience. Overall I'd say the controls are decent to good, just hang in there and use common sense.

    There are some annoying bends here and there (particularly in SCI) but remember these were arcade games and as such were meant to be somewhat of a quarter muncher. Also, at the same time these games aren't very long. You can beat each game in under 20 minutes... although the last level in SCI is a true bitch.

    I only have been able to beat Chase HQ so far, and I was on my very last continue on the last boss. I needed to ram him one more time... but he sped up and I only had 3 seconds to go. I thought it was over but at the stroke of 0 my car managed to just grace the bumper of the boss and I had defeated the game and was rewarded my cheesey late 80s arcade ending, heh. Good stuff.

    Overall, I started out very iffy on this game, I even questioned selling it or not, but on my 2nd go I had a lot more fun and see it as a keeper. It took me a while to get this game for a good price... I see it usually goes from $30-$40. If you see it in the 20's, and you're this kind of gamer, I say go for it.... but heed my words ONLY if you're this type of gamer.

    It's a nice little retro racing/ramming/shooting experience, ideal for them nostalgic mornings.


    Agent in blue: Ha, now you shut up and take this like a man!
    Agent in red: Where you think YOU goin' punk? See these cuffs? If it ain't rough it ain't right!

  17. #57
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    The game Baroque has been released on multiple platforms so it could just as well fit in this thread as it would the "Top Imports - Sony Playstation" thread. I've been playing with the Saturn version lately and thought I would briefly share some of my impressions with the game and perhaps more importantly, whatever information I could find about it.




    Baroque is a first person survival horror adventure that uses a "Rogue" type style of gameplay of randomly generated levels. The game has a great soundtrack by Masaharu Iwata and very well done sound effects that include the sound of your beating heart and labored breathing that really sets the mood while you play!




    My personal experience is that the amount of reading in Japanese is sufficient enough to be daunting and you really feel like you are missing alot of the game if you can't read the dialogue, but not so much as to become unplayable. There's just too much here that's unique and enjoyable not to at least give it a try.




    I've seen two types of cover art for the Saturn game and both look to have the same back art. I'm not sure if there's any significance to the artwork versions. This is what the artwork on the copy I have looks like.


    The Playstation seems to have gotten a 2nd release of Baroque as well.



    For your consideration - a list of links I've gathered to get a better understanding of the world of "Baroque"

    First one of the better descriptions of the game at Gaming Intelligence....
    http://terror.snm-hgkz.ch/mirrors/ww...e/baroque.html

    A link to gamefaqs for some personal takes on the game.
    http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/satu...ew/574052.html

    Links to Sting's Baroque homepages
    Saturn version - terrible translation but does have some of the artwork.
    http://216.239.39.104/translate_c?hl...26as_qdr%3Dall

    Playstation version - a better translation and layout!
    http://www.sting.co.jp/baroque/menu_e.htm
    There's a link to the games opening at the top of the Playstation page that will play the same intro you'll get in the Saturn version and you can get a taste of some of the great music in the game.

    The best help site I've found is the Diver's guide. It will give you some item charts and a floor list.
    http://216.239.39.104/translate_c?hl...26as_qdr%3Dall

    Masahura Itawa's homepage showing the impressive lists of games he has worked with!
    http://www.cocoebiz.com/iwata/discography/index.shtml

    History of Baroque
    Baroque (Saturn) 1998
    Baroque: Bent Illusion (PS1) 1999
    Baroque Shooting (Windows) 2000
    Baroque Syndrome (PS1) 2000
    Baroque Typing (Windows) 2002
    4/20/2005 Sting announced it finished the development of 'Baroque Online' to be on sale soon. I hope it's in English!

    Baroque Shooting is a nice looking PC shareware shooter that uses the same cast of characters from 'Baroque'. The download is easy to find and playable.


    Books about Baroque:
    "Baroque In A Nutshell" O'Reily
    A direction for Nerve Tower
    Ki-bo Classic Baroque
    I don't have an ISBN for this but I have seen a pic of the cover and it's in English so I've got my hopes up about this one.


    "Baroque World Guidance" for SS
    ISBN4-7973-0642-4 / 2,200 Yen
    Software bank corporation publication division / B5 format / 128 page
    Full-color cover + text full page full colors

    The capture book "Baroque Official Guidebook" for PS
    ISBN4-87719-755-9 / 1,400 Yen
    Corporation honor / A5 format / 144 page
    Full-color cover + text page full color & camaieu

  18. #58
    ServBot (Level 11) Steven's Avatar
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    BLAST WIND





    Blast Wind, like Hyper Duel, is a hard to find and VERY pricey son of a gun. It is a vertical shmup. This game is an oddity in the sense that back in 2002 or so, it used to run for about 30 dollars. These days it's not uncommon to see copies topping out at around 95 bucks. I guess the scarity of this game finally caught up.

    I read a lot of critism on Blast Wind in the past. But there was always a minority who really enjoyed this game. Even though I knew it was going to cost me some odd 70, 80 dollars, I wanted this game badly nonetheless.

    The game opens with a very distinctive intro, you can tell TechnoSoft was going for a different atmosphere. It almost felt like Gun Frontier's odd-ball atmosphere. Pictures of barren wastelands and a couple nude back body shots... very distinct in style.

    You have 2 guns and a bomb. One gun fires ahead and the other fires forward and backward homing style. You also have a helper.

    Stage 1 - Iron Skyscraper
    Boss - Strat Guard

    Stage 2 - City of Night
    Boss - Gamma Ray

    Stage 3 - Atlantiss
    Boss - Sodom

    Stage 4 - Earth Breaker
    Boss - Ostragle

    Stage 5 - Dimension Cave
    Boss - Drad

    Final - Gorn LastBattle
    Boss - Gorn himself

    The stages are nice, especially Dimension Cave with its wicked flowing lava and sharp red hues all over your TV screen. Last stage is impressive too as you fly over a countryscape as horses scurry beneath you. Plenty of towers to blow up and collect goodies from.

    Blast Wind employs a unique system where you can decide which path to take. In each stage, you can go left or right by deciding to press a switch, or not. The result -- different enemy patterns and a different end boss. Pretty good stuff. You definitely want to see (and conquer) all the cool bosses in this game.

    The last boss starts out as a huge ship, but then goes into a 2nd animalistic form. I won't spoil it for you but let's just say it's pretty damn cool.

    Overall I enjoyed Blast Wind. Worth the 80 bucks it goes for? I dunno, but hey if you got the means and are a fan of the genre -- why not. It's a fun, mindless shooter. It comes with TechnoSoft's traditional ace presentational style and possesses some decent tunes.

    IMO not as good as Hyper Duel, but still good.

  19. #59
    Strawberry (Level 2)
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Wrong
    Can I just tell you this is probably the most awesome thread on this site?

    Seriously. Have some Meseta.
    I agree

    (I just sent him 12,000 meseta )

  20. #60
    ServBot (Level 11) Iron Draggon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steven
    TAITO CHASE HQ AND S.C.I


    no, that's not Isiah Thomas and Dennis Eckersly there!
    Just a note for those looking for another opinion on this one, I have a review of this game and several other Saturn racers that probably qualify as "obscure" in this thread:

    http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42216

    More power to you Steven, this is a totally awesome thread!
    You can't run with the big dogs if you pee like a puppy!

    Get BIT!

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