Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

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Lawfer
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Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Lawfer »

Doesnt seem that way?
Iori Branford
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Iori Branford »

All I can confirm are floppies of an early version at Comiket.
http://shmuplations.com/chorensha68k/
Chorensha author wrote: 1995
Release ChoRenSha68k v.010, sold as a doujin game at Comiket.

...

Selling Doujin Games at Comiket

ChoRenSha68k was first sold as doujin software at Comiket. At that time Comiket was held at Harumi Wharf. You saw very little Windows software: instead, it was a hodgepodge of different Japanese computers from previous generations. The X68000 started to take over at Comiket in the late 90s. To distribute our games, we still were using 1MB floppy discs instead of CDs.
As for getting one of them? Pffffttt...HAH, HAH, HAH, HAAAAAAaaaaaa.
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Lawfer
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Lawfer »

Iori Branford wrote:As for getting one of them? Pffffttt...HAH, HAH, HAH, HAAAAAAaaaaaa.
Yeah, theres no way. Even Comiket stuff from few years ago are impossible to come by, so a kinda sort of famous game like Cho Ren Sha, yeah no way. One might pop up one day, but be ready for it to have an extremely high asking price.

Thanks for the info though, I remember searching for that years ago and finding no traces of a physical release.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by SuperDeadite »

Chorensha was sold in a variety of ways over the years, here's a pic of my Chorensha v1.0 CD. Besides the game, it also includes a ton of extras such as MDX music files, BM68 data files (beat mania clone for X68K computers), a few random videos, and actual CD audio tracks as well so you can play it in a regular cd player too.

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manatworks
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by manatworks »

SuperDeadite wrote:BM68 data files (beat mania clone for X68K computers)
ZOMG!!11!!oneone share plz!!! :lol:
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Doctor Butler
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Doctor Butler »

SuperDeadite wrote:here's a pic of my Chorensha v1.0 CD.
So, how long did you have that lying around? And where'd you get it?
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by SuperDeadite »

Doctor Butler wrote:
SuperDeadite wrote:here's a pic of my Chorensha v1.0 CD.
So, how long did you have that lying around? And where'd you get it?
I honestly don't remember how long I've had it now ( a year or 2?), it was included in a lot I got off yahoo.
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Lawfer
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Lawfer »

SuperDeadite wrote:
Doctor Butler wrote:
SuperDeadite wrote:here's a pic of my Chorensha v1.0 CD.
So, how long did you have that lying around? And where'd you get it?
I honestly don't remember how long I've had it now ( a year or 2?), it was included in a lot I got off yahoo.
This is a gane for Windows, not for the X68000?
SuperDeadite
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by SuperDeadite »

No, this is the X68000 version. In the later years, doujin groups often used CD-Rs to sell their games due to the much larger storage capabilities. A few games even support true redbook music.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by CStarFlare »

manatworks wrote:
SuperDeadite wrote:BM68 data files (beat mania clone for X68K computers)
ZOMG!!11!!oneone share plz!!! :lol:
But seriously, that is incredible :o
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uroko-sakanabito
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

The Game CD posted here is not Cho Ren Sha, its Chobi Ren Sha released by FUMI (RIP)
(But it looks like the regular game is also included on some versions. Yosshin had no problem with it because around that time he was planning to put the game for free on his website)

Currently talking with Yosshin about what to do with the files on the CD.

Its a Cho Ren Sha Parody version fighting evil Windows 98 enemys :-)
Thats also why the CD contains videos of the Windows 98 street release.

PS; The only real ChoRenSha release by Yosshin is on 5,25" floppy.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Buffi »

Recently got a v1.00 x68000 floppy.
Noticed that the README on that has release history of times this was released. This is also available for 1.01 which is publicly dumped already.

TL;DR:
- v 0.10: Comiket 48 - 150 units sold
- v 0.25: Comiket 49 - 240 units sold
- v 0.35: Comiket 50 - 400 units sold
- v 0.37: Osaka Pasoke 49 - 30 units sold
- v 0.45: Comiket 51 - 420 units sold
- v 0.46: Comiket 51 - Bugfix release
- v 0.60: Comiket 52 - 520 units sold
- v 0.61: 1997 9/6 Osaka Pasoke
- v 1.00: Comiket 53: 500 units sold
- v 1.01: Comiket 53: Bugfix version

The floppy has no label or anything, and only comes with a poorly photocopied piece of paper:
http://img.buffis.com/crs/chorensha1.jpg

Fairly sure this one is legit though, since I can not find any public dumps of v1.00. I'll dump this soonish probably.
http://img.buffis.com/crs/chorensha2.jpg
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

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SuperDeadite
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by SuperDeadite »

Bassa-Bassa wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 8:28 pm Image
That piece of shit is a bootleg made without permission. The game and art are both considered stolen by their respective creators.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by ryu »

Buffi wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:44 pm Recently got a v1.00 x68000 floppy.
Wild! How did you get your hands on that?
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Buffi »

ryu wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 10:17 pm
Buffi wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:44 pm Recently got a v1.00 x68000 floppy.
Wild! How did you get your hands on that?
Ebay of all places. Paid 160usd + shipping, so not cheap for just a floppy + piece of paper.
Would be extrememly easy to pass of fakes as real, considering the packaging is literally just a piece of copied paper in addition to the floppy, but seller looked very legit, and since this revision is undumped, should be real.
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Koa Zo
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Koa Zo »

uroko-sakanabito wrote: Sun Sep 26, 2021 2:39 pm
PS; The only real ChoRenSha release by Yosshin is on 5,25" floppy.
The 2003 CHO REN SHA 68K ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACKS -COMPLETE EDITION- published by Denkai Laboratory had a Windows version on the CD-ROM that was included.
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uroko-sakanabito
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

Srsly? Have to check :D

EDIT:

Checked
DLOC 1 (Has some ChobiRenSha bonus tracks WTF?)
DLOC 2
DLOC 3
DLOC 4
all audio only

DLOC 5 has some MDX files but no game
Also checked for hidden files and folders - nothing

DLOC 14 is some doujin release and also has no game files

Are there more OSTs?
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uroko-sakanabito
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

Buffi wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:44 pm Recently got a v1.00 x68000 floppy.
Noticed that the README on that has release history of times this was released. This is also available for 1.01 which is publicly dumped already.

TL;DR:
- v 0.10: Comiket 48 - 150 units sold
- v 0.25: Comiket 49 - 240 units sold
- v 0.35: Comiket 50 - 400 units sold
- v 0.37: Osaka Pasoke 49 - 30 units sold
- v 0.45: Comiket 51 - 420 units sold
- v 0.46: Comiket 51 - Bugfix release
- v 0.60: Comiket 52 - 520 units sold
- v 0.61: 1997 9/6 Osaka Pasoke
- v 1.00: Comiket 53: 500 units sold
- v 1.01: Comiket 53: Bugfix version

The floppy has no label or anything, and only comes with a poorly photocopied piece of paper:
http://img.buffis.com/crs/chorensha1.jpg

Fairly sure this one is legit though, since I can not find any public dumps of v1.00. I'll dump this soonish probably.
http://img.buffis.com/crs/chorensha2.jpg
Strange, i dumped 0.35 (Now Printing! Screen) and 1.00 years ago.
I am pretty sure most of the Facebook x68000 group and NFG has the files.
Also dumped ChoBiRenSha but FamiBe did ask me not to release it.
He also thinks most of the 1.00 and 1.01 ones out there are fakes.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Buffi »

uroko-sakanabito wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:17 am Strange, i dumped 0.35 (Now Printing! Screen) and 1.00 years ago.
I am pretty sure most of the Facebook x68000 group and NFG has the files.
Also dumped ChoBiRenSha but FamiBe did ask me not to release it.
He also thinks most of the 1.00 and 1.01 ones out there are fakes.
Yeah I was a bit surprised I could not find 1.00 anywhere really. Looked around NFG for it, and cant find nothing.
The largest collection I've seen of doujin stuff has:
- v0.10
- v0.35
- v0.45
- v1.01

... and v1.10 is of course available also.
Have not been able to locate a public dump of 1.00, but I can find references to a dump existing so I guess it must be around somewhere :)

https://mame.spludlow.co.uk/Software.as ... horensa100

And don't get me wrong, a majority of the chorensha disks that are floating around are definitely fake, but they're typically not really trying to pass them off as real either (like https://www.ebay.com/itm/352825339066 )

In this case, got it off a seller which is selling a large amount of other doujin stuff which clearly is legit, it's a revision that at least seems unusual and the disk type and whatnot matches so I'm going to trust that it's legit :)
( seller for reference, has some dank stuff: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_dkr=1& ... nkw=x68000 )
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uroko-sakanabito
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

Rule no1 when it comes to Doujin: Never trust anyone selling Takeru diskettes for 100 dollars :lol:
(Same for Surugaya btw)

The idea of rewriting this stuff is like 15 years old now, same for the ChoRenSha repros.
I discussed this in 2017/18 with Yosshin on Twitter and back then everything 1.00 was fake.
(His words, i send him like every auction found over years)
And don't get me wrong, a majority of the chorensha disks that are floating around are definitely fake, but they're typically not really trying to pass them off as real either (like https://www.ebay.com/itm/352825339066 )
Lol, no they just copy the cover and write the disk with some Win98 computer and xfloppy.
Its a money printing machine and i have seen at least 50 plus on yahoo / mercari all 1.0 - exactly your cover.

My bet is this ebay seller got his from Mercari, a well known Doujin bootlegger did sell them there.
He also sells the MKai MSX Doujin repros and rewritten Takeru stuff.
Last edited by uroko-sakanabito on Mon Feb 26, 2024 2:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

Bassa-Bassa wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 8:28 pm Image
...and funfact:
The guy that made this piece of crap also was very public about bootlegging the Doujin version.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Buffi »

uroko-sakanabito wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 1:35 pm Rule no1 when it comes to Doujin: Never trust anyone selling Takeru diskettes for 100 dollars :lol:
(Same for Surugaya btw)

The idea of rewriting this stuff is like 15 years old now, same for the ChoRenSha repros.
I discussed this in 2017/18 with Yosshin on Twitter and back then everything 1.00 was fake.
(His words, i send him like every auction found over years)
And don't get me wrong, a majority of the chorensha disks that are floating around are definitely fake, but they're typically not really trying to pass them off as real either (like https://www.ebay.com/itm/352825339066 )
Lol, no they just copy the cover and write the disk with some Win98 computer and xfloppy.
Its a money printing machine and i have seen at least 50 plus on yahoo / mercari all 1.0 - exactly your cover.

My bet is this ebay seller got his from Mercari, a well known Doujin bootlegger did sell them there.
He also sells the MKai MSX Doujin repros and rewritten Takeru stuff.
Yeah it's definitely a case of it being pretty much impossible to 100% tell if Chorensha's are legit, since there's not much in terms of packaging.

Regarding Takeru and this seller, I'm a little confused what exactly you are talking about because yeah I mean, rewriting them might be possible, but his more expensive listings seem to mostly also include the additional documentation for them:
like see second pictures in: https://www.ebay.com/itm/385440665485 https://www.ebay.com/itm/385440667243

... and then there's a bulk of like 12 Takeru disks for 125$ sold separately, that he'd clearly rewrite if he was interested in doing that.

That in addition to not historically selling any other Chorensha that I can find looking in his history :)

... and also selling some other clearly legit stuff that seems fairly rare. So like... buy the seller. This one looks pretty good.

In terms of "all of the ones around being fake"... I yossin released 500 of 1.0, which is obviously not a lot, but it's still a fairly sizeable count. If the count was for Cave PCB's, it would be considered a fairly common one ;)
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uroko-sakanabito
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

There are imo only two ways to get a 100% legit copy:

Go for ChoBiRenSha CD, its undumped and contains 1.0 or ask Yosshin on Twitter if he could sign you a cover.
He is a very nice guy and did send me my own custom one after we chattet for a bit.
He also did it for other people.

BTW: I don´t wanna discuss this ebay guy any further, all his prices are bullshit and he is simply ripping off people new to the Doujin stuff.

and getting Cave stuff is easy, you only need money :lol:
Lot of the collectors are more investors and sell if its enough money.

The Doujin hunt can drive you insane sometimes.
Guided MS, lol :P
looking at you @SuperDeadite! release it! :D
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Bassa-Bassa »

uroko-sakanabito wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 1:50 pm
Bassa-Bassa wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 8:28 pm Image
...and funfact:
The guy that made this piece of crap also was very public about bootlegging the Doujin version.
Not sure I follow. Which Doujin version? The only non-doujin version (as in sold officially) is the one sold with/for the X68000Z, and even that was distributed freely on the internet simultaneously by the author.


uroko-sakanabito wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 2:34 pm He is a very nice guy and did send me my own custom one after we chattet for a bit.
Did you ever ask him what would take to have him developing another game? Or why did he stop there, for that matter.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

The x68000z version was only included in the 68.000yen bundle and never sold with others.
Its version 1.10 and was released on his homepage
https://yosshin4004.github.io/x68k/crs6 ... index.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA7rmtCva60
Runs very bad on the x68000z system but fine on og hardware.

He always said something "new" is in the making and i guess it was 1.10.
No idea if there will be more.

I don´t have Twitter anymore so only email contact from time to time.
Last edited by uroko-sakanabito on Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Buffi »

The ending of 1.10 definitely teases something new, but I guess we'll see if someone ends up happening.
Digging the new sprites of 1.10 though, and yeah, runs well on actual x68000's. Havent tried the mini-console.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

I was pretty shocked that ChoRenSha was bundled with this piece of crap x68000z.
Only bought it for this reason and its like the worst way to experience x68000 games.
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by Buffi »

Mini consoles in general are typically sortof bad emulation boxes, so not super surprising that happened here as well.

Some are better than others, some are awful (Astro City minis). Havent tried the x68000 one, but cool that it led to a new release of CRS
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uroko-sakanabito
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Re: Was there ever any physical release of Cho Ren Sha?

Post by uroko-sakanabito »

True, in the end the x68000 scene got a huge boost from it even if the hardware is a bit underwhelming.
Also no idea if the updates fixed it, stopped with the release one and it was still not great :P
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