@#$&! Jackal

[jcheatle]

So I picked this out of my pile and started playing it extensively this week for the first time in years. I used to play through cooperatively all the time with a friend of mine who had it. Anyway, the game is deceptively easy for the most part through 5 of the 6 stages.

But is anybody with me in saying that stage 6 is one of the toughest "final" stages around? Or at least on the NES? Dang it, I played that game through 3 different times today, made it to the last stage without continuing then lost it all real fast.

But then, that's the NES I know and love... just the right balance between ease of gameplay and outright challenge that keeps you coming back for more humiliation. And, by God, if I can beat Contra without dying, I can beat Jackal on my own. :D

Tomorrow, tomorrow... the sun will come out tomorrow...

Show Jackal some love. Peace.

[Neo Rasa]

Jackal was a cool port. The first run is pretty easy though now that I'm older. The last stage even isn't that tough as long as you take your time. I used to be able to one life both loops of it.

Today I'd probably get my ass kicked at it.

[Dire 51]

Jackal = great. One of the best games Konami ever produced.

[MachineGex]

I just played this game last night for the first time in years. Who has the spy cam in my house? Very fun, reminds me of "Heavy Barrel" on wheels. I'm gonna play another game tonight and see if someone has started a thread about it, then I will know "big brother" is watching. @_@

[Neo Rasa]

I see you like Castlevania!

[Captain Wrong]

I always hated that chainsaw song.

[Neo Rasa]

Oh, meant to say, the game's difficulty scales up and down based on how powered up your weapon is. So if you want an easier time just stick with the normal grenade.

Oddly the normal grenade is a little better for the final boss due to its movement pattern than the rockets.

[Lord Contaminous]

I've owned and mastered that game since I was in 2nd grade.

[MegaDrive20XX]

Jackal = great. One of the best games Konami ever produced.

Damn straight, solid soundtrack too!

[Dire 51]

Jackal = great. One of the best games Konami ever produced.

Damn straight, solid soundtrack too!

Oh yes. Definitely one of the best soundtracks Konami ever came up with.

[Lord Contaminous]

Y'all know we (the USofA) scored a point on Japan on this game right?
Famicom Disk System version is terrible. The stages on the FDS scroll straight up. All those extra features you saw such as the bridge in stage 1, the long alternate route through the temple ruins in stage 2, the stage clear cut scenes etc, all US exclusives.

[rbudrick]

Y'all know we (the USofA) scored a point on Japan on this game right?
Famicom Disk System version is terrible. The stages on the FDS scroll straight up. All those extra features you saw such as the bridge in stage 1, the long alternate route through the temple ruins in stage 2, the stage clear cut scenes etc, all US exclusives

Yes, very strange. Interestingly, they got the far better Contra.

Jackal is a very solid game I was quite fond of as a kid. It has an excellent soundtrack that you can peg as Konami music from a mile away.

I remember being a kid and getting to the last boss many times and getting VERY pissed when I couldn't beat it. I finally figured out that 4 bullets are equal to a grenade and fired away with both weapons at once. I nailed the bastard the first time I tried that. TOUGH last boss!!

The game has that "perfect" level of difficulty that Konami was so famous for fine-tuning their games to. Their games were games that kept you coming back because you thought you MIGHT make it just a little bit further, and you often did, but you got your ass kicked a whole lot too. Jackal is the perfect example of this.

-Rob

[jcheatle]

Well, the game tormented me throughout the week but today, I put the damn thing to rest. I kept getting to the final boss and dying repeatedly. Then I realized that I could hide on the far left up against the wall, creep out to fire and wear him down. The far edge became essentially a "safe" spot. So yeah, add Jackal to my list of completed games. Woo hoo.

As far as U.S. versus Japan releases, I didn't realize they differed so much. Contra in particular intrigues me as it's one of my favorite games of all time, and I can't imagine it being the lesser of the two versions.

[Dire 51]

Continuing the love for Jackal here. :D

There's a friend of mine who is not a gamer at all (he's played a lot, don't get me wrong, he's just not into them like we are). However, he thinks Jackal is one of the greatest games ever made. In fact, he got his old NES back just to play Jackal again.

[Ed Oscuro]

I kinda kick myself from time to time for not picking up two FDS games when I had the chance - Miracle of Alumana, and this game. Both were new, though, so they'd just sit on my shelf. I've got the flyer for the game, however, and a copy of the NES cart (I'll have to see about getting a complete copy). Just downloaded the FDS image, and I'm stuck at "Insert side B..."

Anyway, Jackal is great. It's strange that it's so simple, with really pretty short levels (even on the enhanced NES cartridge), not much variety to the music or gameplay, and the jeep's handling really doesn't make any sense when you think about it (it's basically Commando, without the insane bullet dodging, a wider playfield, and less flicker) - but it's still good. Like Contra, the NES version's graphics are more endearing. I'm not aware of the game being reissued in Japan for cartridge, which means that gamers there kinda got screwed outta the better version of a classic game.

Also, does anybody know what the deal is with the machine gun being rotary? Far as I know only a bootleg of the arcade game allows that, but it seems it must've been programmed in and then never taken advantage of. What the hell @ the fear of unusual or dual joystick setups.

[Lord Contaminous]

Here it is. The full version of the Jackal box cover.

http://www.gamengai.com/bonus/chirashi/arcade/tokushubutaijackal.jpg

[Mr. Wardner]

This is one of my favorite games that I used to play all the time growing up. I have the arcade board now and keep it in my cocktail cabinet for some intense 2-player action!
http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=J&game_id=8218

[Ed Oscuro]

Here it is. The full version of the Jackal box cover.
Huh? I thought it never got a cartridge release.

Furthermore, that's the arcade flyer (the FDS flyer looks far different).

[njiska]

Ah Jackal, god that takes me back. I too suffer for battlefield flashbacks to the glorious days of old. Me and my friends deeply engrossed in all out chaos and war fair.

Much like Contra it seems to be one of those games that should be a solid contender for greatest co-op game of all time.

It's also one of the few NES games that with music that i'l always remember. Da da da-da-da-da da da da.

I'd kill for a nice complete copy.

[InsaneDavid]

Just downloaded the FDS image, and I'm stuck at "Insert side B..."

It varies between emulators so you may need to check the docs but there should be a command to "Eject Disk" and then "Insert Side 1B" or something similar somewhere. On the Dreamcast it should be L Trigger + A then toggle to 1B.

[Lord Contaminous]

Here it is. The full version of the Jackal box cover.
Huh? I thought it never got a cartridge release.

Furthermore, that's the arcade flyer (the FDS flyer looks far different).

I know, I meant the arcade flyer is the full version of the American Jackal NES cover sans the silver lining that Konami used on their boxes.

http://www.rarevids.com/pictures/nes/Jackal.jpghttp://www.gamengai.com/bonus/chirashi/arcade/tokushubutaijackal.jpg