NES Life Force VS FC Salamander

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:52 pm

I remember there was some minor difference (apart from the title) between the Western NES Life Force and Salamander on Famicom. Anybody wanna clear that up quickly, since I forgot what it was.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:53 pm

Aww, I had a table written on my notebook... just wait a sec.

Oh, wait, I didn't read carefully. It's easy: Japanese version: more options possible in two player mode.

Also, sexy crystal clear cartridge.

Also, animated logo screen, and different graphic layout for the powerup bar.

Mortificator · Post by **Mortificator** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:18 pm

Were you going to compare the NES game to the arcade one, Turrican? I'd be interested in reading about the differences if you were.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:20 pm

Mortificator wrote:Were you going to compare the NES game to the arcade one, Turrican? I'd be interested in reading about the differences if you were.

Yep, I was going to ^^;

Lotsa. Apart from the obvious NES-only stages, there are tunes misplaced - and iirc even a tune from Lifeforce arcade.

I wrote it all down so I didn't have to check all the time, and now of course I lost my note

EDIT: retracing my steps:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 113#119113

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:28 pm

Ah, right, the power-up bar was different! Thanks Turrican!

@Mortificator

Now there you asked something really complicated, because there are two different Arcade Life Forces.

US Life Force = Same as JPN Salamander, but with slightly different coloured backgrounds, more voice samples

JPN Life Force = Salamander with the Gradius powerup system and the environs changed to the bio-organic style. Here you're flying through a gigantic space-organism (kidney zone, intestine zone, etc)

NES/FC Life Force/Salamander = sort of a mix between JPN Salamander (stage design) and JPN Life Force (power up system), with some stages and other stuff completely redone (e.g. egyptian boss)

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:37 pm

CIT wrote:Ah, right, the power-up bar was different! Thanks Turrican!

Don't forget the JPN version allows for more "options/multiples" on screen while playing 2P. I think as far as three per player, but I'd have to check.

CIT wrote:NES/FC Life Force/Salamander = sort of a mix between JPN Salamander (stage design) and JPN Life Force (power up system), with some stages and other stuff completely redone (e.g. egyptian boss)

True, and NES/FC has "Thunderbolt" tune from Life Force (JPN Arcade). Which is a plus, imho.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 6:46 am

Turrican wrote:
CIT wrote:Ah, right, the power-up bar was different! Thanks Turrican!
Don't forget the JPN version allows for more "options/multiples" on screen while playing 2P. I think as far as three per player, but I'd have to check.

I think the JP version has 3 multiples in 1 player mode too. I read that it has a picture of the pilot that appears before the end credits that doesn't appear in the US version.

shinsage · Post by **shinsage** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 6:50 am

crazy as it sounds

nes life force is my preferred version of all the incarnations

can't say I like how fast the arcade originals move

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:44 am

Not unusual at all, many ppl prefer the NES version. It's easily the best NES shooter imo (yes, better than Zanac and Recca).

I wanna get the NES/FC version too (used to own it way back when), so that's why I started this thread. Will be ordering a Japanese FC Salamander now. ^^

Kiken · Post by **Kiken** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:55 pm

BrianC wrote:
Turrican wrote:
CIT wrote:Ah, right, the power-up bar was different! Thanks Turrican!
Don't forget the JPN version allows for more "options/multiples" on screen while playing 2P. I think as far as three per player, but I'd have to check.
I think the JP version has 3 multiples in 1 player mode too. I read that it has a picture of the pilot that appears before the end credits that doesn't appear in the US version.

The FC release of Salamander allows for 3 Options on screen at any given time (the NES release of Life Force only allows for 2), regardless of the number of players.

And yes, there is an image of a kneeling pilot during the credits who removes her helmet at the end.

CIT wrote:Not unusual at all, many ppl prefer the NES version. It's easily the best NES shooter imo (yes, better than Zanac and Recca).

I prefer the PC-Engine version, myself. Pretty much the arcade with fewer exploits.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 1:42 pm

Kiken wrote:I prefer the PC-Engine version, myself. Pretty much the arcade with fewer exploits.

I used to own that, but I didn't think it was that special, since I also have the Deluxe Pack. Or is there some extra content I don't know about?

Limbrooke · Post by **Limbrooke** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:40 pm

CIT wrote:US Life Force = Same as JPN Salamander, but with slightly different coloured backgrounds, more voice samples

JPN Life Force = Salamander with the Gradius powerup system and the environs changed to the bio-organic style. Here you're flying through a gigantic space-organism (kidney zone, intestine zone, etc)

NES/FC Life Force/Salamander = sort of a mix between JPN Salamander (stage design) and JPN Life Force (power up system), with some stages and other stuff completely redone (e.g. egyptian boss)

For the SS/PS1 Deluxe Pack is it that only the JPN Life Force Arcade is availible? Otherwise I must say this series is far more confusing than I first thought. Why the hell would they take the US iteration of Salamander and bring it back to Japan under the same name, Life Force, and change the game significantly! I would've assumed they would change it going to the US, although apparently not.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:57 pm

regardless of what version were talking i dont think there is any game with as many ports and variations where they all keep as high quality!?

no matter whichone you play theyre all fantastic games, not a bad feat!, usually atleast one or two of the ports are shite..

ed: this thread made me hope for a salamander 3, konami/treasure did a great job with gradius 5, would be cool if they did something similar with teh salamander franchise (minus the infinte loops shit ofcourse)... is there really a reason why they wouldnt?

Mortificator · Post by **Mortificator** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:21 pm

Limbrooke wrote:Otherwise I must say this series is far more confusing than I first thought.

No series has as confusing, convuluted, and downright stupid a naming system as this. If, for example, you heard someone say "I just played Gradius II" then what game are they talking about? The first MSX Gradius II, which was the first game to bear that name and is called Nemesis II in the West? The remake of that game, called Nemesis '90 Kai? The arcade Gradius II, which is called Vulcan Venture in the West? The other MSX Gradius II, which is kinda like the arcade game and kinda not and is called Nemesis III in the West? The Game Boy Gradius II, which is called Nemesis II in Japan? And none of those games is the actual second game in the Gradius series, which is Salamander. Or Lifeforce. Or the other Lifeforce. Or the other Lifeforce, which is called Salamander in Japan.

aghh die konami die

Anyway, I like the overall style of the arcade Salamander, but the gameplay takes hit because you either know the appropriate trick and beat the stage easily, or get totally slaughtered.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:52 pm

Mortificator wrote:No series has as confusing, convuluted, and downright stupid a naming system as this. If, for example, you heard someone say "I just played Gradius II" then what game are they talking about? The first MSX Gradius II, which was the first game to bear that name and is called Nemesis II in the West? The remake of that game, called Nemesis '90 Kai? The arcade Gradius II, which is called Vulcan Venture in the West? The other MSX Gradius II, which is kinda like the arcade game and kinda not and is called Nemesis III in the West? The Game Boy Gradius II, which is called Nemesis II in Japan? And none of those games is the actual second game in the Gradius series, which is Salamander. Or Lifeforce. Or the other Lifeforce. Or the other Lifeforce, which is called Salamander in Japan.

aghh die konami die

Lol, well it's not that complicated, as long as you use the correct names of the games and stick to the Japanese titles.

Gradius 2 (<- arabic "2"!) - MSX
Gradius II: Gofer No Yabou (<- roman "II"!) - Arcade
Nemesis '90 Kai - X68k
Gofer No Yabou Part II - MSX
Nemesis II - GB

Pretty clear to me!

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:07 am

CIT wrote: Lol, well it's not that complicated, as long as you use the correct names of the games and stick to the Japanese titles.

Gradius 2 (<- arabic "2"!) - MSX
Gradius II: Gofer No Yabou (<- roman "II"!) - Arcade
Nemesis '90 Kai - X68k
Gofer No Yabou Part II - MSX
Nemesis II - GB

Pretty clear to me!

Except that the Japanese titles for the GB games were renamed for the Konami GB collections, even in Japan. Nemesis and Nemesis II were renamed to Gradius and Gradius II for the JP and EU Konami GB Collections for GB b/w and GBC, despite being called Nemesis and Nemesis II for the original stand alone b/w versions in both EU and JP. The US stand alone version of Nemesis II was called Gradius: The Interstellar Assault with no II in the title.

It's not like Gradius in the only series with confusing naming conventions. The Wonder Boy/Adventure Island/Monster World, Eggerland/Adventures of Lolo, and Rockman/Megaman series are just as confusing, if not more so.