Let's talk about Pang

[Ed Oscuro]

Welllll, Mitchell is on the cusp of releasing Buster Bros. 5 - PANG Magical Michael (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ-I2vCHOV8) for the DS, video at the link (thanks to GameoverDude of Shmups Forum for the link). I know for a fact that I don't like that art style, but gameplay is where it's at, so let's talk that. What are your thoughts about Pang gameplay?

(Feel free to load up MAME to check out some of the older Pang titles.)

[Flack]

Don't need to -- I have a Buster Bros machine out back. I don't know if Capcom made dedicated cabinets for it or not -- sadly, mine was crammed into an old Joust cabinet.

I love two player co-op games like this. I think I first played this game on the Super Nintendo. Around the time it came out for the PlayStation, our local arcade got it as well.

[Ed Oscuro]

Did you feel that there's anything about the gameplay that puts it ahead of other versus or cooperative games?

To be sure, there aren't tons of cooperative arcade video games, and a lot of those can be squarely categorized in the platformer / shooter / brawler trifecta, so it's variety if nothing else.

To be honest, the Pang gameplay always seemed a decent way to waste some time, but I've got so many other games to go through that feel like a slightly more decent way to waste time, so...I'd rather play on an arcade cabinet than the DS, in any case.

[Drixxel]

Pang / Buster Bros. is one of my go-to games when I'm looking to kill a few minutes. I used to play the Game Boy port quite a bit for that reason, it's a solidly done port but there's something I find highly unappealing about the main character sprite compared to the arcade version - for whatever reason this affects my enjoyment of the game. It's the same with Super Buster Bros., I really don't dig the character art style but the game is otherwise on par with any other Buster Bros. outing. Anyhow, my shallow grievances aside, poppin' deadly bubbles is where it's at.

[kedawa]

I'm actually pretty happy with the art style of the new game, considering how horrible 3 and 4 looked. I still prefer the look of the first two games, though.

[goatdan]

I love Pang. I still remember the first time I saw it, and I thought it was so unique. Later, someone said that it was Asteroids without the same ship movements, but with obsticles and power ups. That's the best definition I've ever heard of the game.

I have on and off looked for one of the JAMMA boards, but haven't ever pulled the trigger. The version of the game that can be found on the PSP has kept me quite satisfied. This does look like an interesting new version though for the DS, I'm pretty sure I'll eventually check it out too...