Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

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6t8k
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Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by 6t8k »

So at ESP Ra.De. / M2 ShotTriggers christmas party on Dec 07, 2019, M2 announced that they had acquired licenses for most Toaplan games, and plan to bring them to consoles beginning in 2020.
They mentioned that aside from STG, they also want to port Wardner no Mori and Get Star.

At this time we don't know yet if these will receive the overall scope and treatment of a ShotTriggers release, or how games will be split up or combined across standalone releases.

Sources:
[1] https://twitter.com/okunari/status/1203212104087437312
[2] https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?p=1390270#p1390270

Personally I think that's phenomenal news -

News, opinions & general discussion ahoy!
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BIL
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by BIL »

Grand news!

My #1 want is Out Zone, I've been a soundtrack poseur for way too long. :cool: :lol: Also my run/gun bias is strong. Boots on the ground, bodies underground, naw mean Image

Of the older stuff, I'm hoping for a bang-on Hishouzame. It's one of those quintessential 80s titles that unlike Gradius, R-Type, Darius or Xevious has stubbornly dodged an arcade-comparable home version until now. I'd like to think Toaplan Shooting Battle Vol.2 was gonna be the Shark disc to Vol.1's Tiger.

(as noted in the ESPRade thread, VING made a good effort with the FM Towns one, but I can't enjoy it with the crop leaving a chunk of upscreen playfield active - Toaplan's own MD stuff had the right idea, the crop is the new "edge of the world")

I'm glad to see Wardner get some love. It's an odd little "walk n' gun" thing, and its MD conversion is AFAIK pretty close (see also Snow Bros), but I've an affection for genre-adjacent efforts from legendary STG devs.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Jonpachi »

It's kinda creepy almost for me personally, because among the most regretful things I've ever sold, ESPRADE and OUTZONE are up at the top of a short, heart-breaking list. It's been a great resurgence for shmups in the last few years, and it's so fun to be excited for the future!
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6t8k
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by 6t8k »

BIL:
I cite: "Smartphone version of Snow Brothers coming soon!" :mrgreen:

Out Zone must absolutely get a port. :!: It's one of their absolute best and most unique games, and received no port to date in any capacity whatsoever.

Hishouzame / Flying Shark / Sky Shark is a prominent candidate as well, for the reasons you pointed out.

I'm also looking forward to V-V / Grind Stormer; the game is such a rush with it's gritty, badass audiovisual character and thrilling (proto-danmaku?) patterns!
The MD is doing its best to let the port shine but understandably it just can't match the original.

Also, just the thought of it, they could choose to supplement the arcade originals by including their past ports, some of which are arguably even an overall better game, like Hellfire and Zero Wing for example.
---> alright, I'm out, seen it all :lol:
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Gamer707b »

Awesome news!! Please make Batsugun a reality. I have wanted it forever on the Saturn, but just can't bring myself to spend that kind of cash. A nice, quality and official product with M2's attention to detail would be amazing.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Sumez »

Physical console version of Pipi & Bibis finally. LRG exclusive coming 2021
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by GFoyle »

Like I wrote int the ESPrade thread, this news is like dream come true. Truxton was one of the first games I ever have played back in the eighties and second shmup I have ever played, right after Dragon Spirit and I have fond memories of that from my childhood, including looking up to older kids playing it and discussing with friends who was the fastest button smasher (no auto-fire). Took me almost 30 years to find the genre again after that though...

and with M2 doing these, it couldn't get any better.

I'm expecting something in the style of Sega Ages, that they are going to release these one by one with decent amount of features, like save states, but without going over the top as in the shot trigger releases. Collections like the Darius one would have been great too, but I think they would have hinted that if they would have been thinking taking that route.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Marc »

Super news. Flying Shark, Snow Bros 1&2 and Batsugun would all be instant purchases for me. Slightly concerned what price point they might aim for, but we'll see.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by XtraSmiley »

I'm excited, I just hope we actually get physical releases and in English, but will buy regardless.

I hope of course, future compatible with PS5/XB1-2 as well.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Sumez »

Marc wrote:Snow Bros 1&2
Good excuse to make the MegaDrive version more accessible also.

I'm completely onboard for V-V and Batsugun also.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by llaoyllakcuf »

Best gaming news I've heard this year! Toaplan is by far my favorite shmup developer, and due to poor emulation back in the early 2000s was one of the major driving forces that got me into PCBs in the first place.

I will be picking up every title that gets ported on release, for both prosperity and to support Tatsujin Co. and M2.

Although I own the arcade boards for nearly all of their shooters (don't have Batsugun SP, only normal) I'm more than happy to have an accurate home conversion of these classics for modern consoles.

Also I've never played several of their non-shmups like Get Star, Wardner no Mori, Horror Story, Dash Yarou, etc. so looking forward to those too :mrgreen:
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Queen Charlene »

Batsugun plz
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by FRO »

Yeah, this is fantastic news! As I mentioned on Twitter, having available ports of some of the games that either never got them (Ghox, Vimana, Outzone, FixEight, Dogyuun), or where the ports are not readily available (Tatsujin Oh) on a common platform. It would be cool to have arcade versions of Same3 and Hishouzame, and others. I hope they can get the licensing stuff figured out, so get stuff like Tiger-Heli, Kyuukyoku Tiger, and other games licensed by Taito. Same for the Romstar published titles.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by pablumatic »

Retro-bit the classic game publisher is going to be reprinting Toaplan console games and now M2 gets a shot at their arcade titles. Glad this is finally happening. Especially new arcade ports.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Xyga »

Toaflan is harmony.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Martinov »

I'm hoping they put the games on compilations, much like the Psikyo Switch releases.

Do we know what formats they will be supporting? I'm kind of concerned at this stage of the PS4's lifecycle they'll just go and release these titles on PS5 instead.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by FRO »

Martinov wrote:I'm hoping they put the games on compilations, much like the Psikyo Switch releases.

Do we know what formats they will be supporting? I'm kind of concerned at this stage of the PS4's lifecycle they'll just go and release these titles on PS5 instead.
Good question. Honestly, it would be nice if they'd go multi-format. I can't imagine any of the games are taxing enough to not run on all current consoles, and though I don't know how much experience they have, it would make sense to go PC as well.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by OmegaFlareX »

List of Toaplan games that have yet to receive any kind of home port (not counting Asia-region gray-market stuff):

Performan
Get Star
Outzone
Vimana
Teki Paki
Pipi & Bibis
Ghox
Dogyuun
FixEight
Knuckle Bash
Snow Bros. 2
The mahjong games (there are three apparently - Jong-Oh, Jong-Kyou, Mahjong Sisters)

I'd say OutZone, Dogyuun, Vimana, and Knuckle Bash are the ones I'd be most interested in. Maybe Get Star too.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by mikejmoffitt »

I'd like to see some love for Dash Yarou / Rally Bike, which was published under Taito license.
Image
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by FabulousVioletGuy »

Dogyuun with the issues ironed out would be real nice.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Jeneki »

There's quite a few Toaplan games I'd like to spend more time with, and this is a good excuse. I rarely get hyped but this'll do it for me.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by heli »

Queen Charlene wrote:Batsugun plz
Yes please!
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by pcb_revival »

Historic value.

Genkai Chousen Distopia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvr6tV6YcCA
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by FRO »

Who owns the rights to Kyuukyoku Tiger II? It would be cool to see that one given the treatment as well, since it was in development before Toaplan shuttered their operation. Would that be Taito, or Naxat at this point?
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by cocoron »

Great news,
if Tatsujin Oh and Batsugun would be available for Switch in future, I'll finally buy one than no matter what region.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by 6t8k »

pcb_revival wrote:Genkai Chousen Distopia.
Oh wow, thanks for posting that relic! Until now I thought the only public imagery existing consisted of two screenshots or something.
Seeing the video upload date, this must be new indeed. Edit: read the video description; yep, this is new. Pretty awesome.

FRO: Good question...

This page from TATSUJIN Inc. web presence suggests that they indeed do not have the rights ("We can handle a number of titles [...] Available titles:" [GT]). My guess would be that M2 would have to get the license from Taito, but I don't know if they actually did that (so far).
The recent news are only speaking of TATSUJIN Inc.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Queen Charlene »

Martinov wrote:I'm hoping they put the games on compilations, much like the Psikyo Switch releases.

Do we know what formats they will be supporting? I'm kind of concerned at this stage of the PS4's lifecycle they'll just go and release these titles on PS5 instead.
personally, i wouldn't be concerned -- some companies are still releasing PS3 ports of their games. i'm sure PS4 will be supported for years to come.

hell, if anything, PS4 might actually turn into the retro console of the future with all of these ports of classic games that are starting to show up. i honestly would be pretty happy with that, it would actually give me a reason to use my PS4 as something other than a Tekken machine :lol:
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Jonpachi »

Queen Charlene wrote:
Martinov wrote:I'm hoping they put the games on compilations, much like the Psikyo Switch releases.

Do we know what formats they will be supporting? I'm kind of concerned at this stage of the PS4's lifecycle they'll just go and release these titles on PS5 instead.
personally, i wouldn't be concerned -- some companies are still releasing PS3 ports of their games. i'm sure PS4 will be supported for years to come.

hell, if anything, PS4 might actually turn into the retro console of the future with all of these ports of classic games that are starting to show up. i honestly would be pretty happy with that, it would actually give me a reason to use my PS4 as something other than a Tekken machine :lol:
Yes, there's no way they'd go PS5 and skip PS4 or Switch. These games are so niche they have to go after the biggest user base, and PS5 won't have that for a while to come.
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by Despatche »

6t8k wrote:This page from TATSUJIN Inc. web presence suggests that they indeed do not have the rights ("We can handle a number of titles [...] Available titles:" [GT]). My guess would be that M2 would have to get the license from Taito, but I don't know if they actually did that (so far).
The recent news are only speaking of TATSUJIN Inc.
I'm not really sure what happened, but the story seems to go like this:

-At some point the rights to at least most of these games ended up at that "new" Toaplan founded by the original Toaplan's CEO or whatever. It used to be called Arena and did non-game things. A few years back it renamed itself Toaplan and licensed out the music to SuperSweep to do that giant Toaplan Shooting Chronicle album. Or something.

-More recently a company called Tatsujin has appeared and seemingly has gained control over all that old IP. They still talk to the new Toaplan about... something legal-related... but they also seem to actually administrate all this IP now. This is probably why Game Tengoku credits both Tatsujin and Toaplan.

-This is really key because Masahiro Yuge, one of the main Toaplan staff members, is behind Tatsujin (the company... as well as the game, of course). If I remember right this company has even expressed an interest in making new games, possibly using things like the Game Tengoku cameo and these M2 ports as an interest check.

-With the Tatsujin ship appearing in that Game Tengoku remaster, it's very likely Tatsujin owns all the Taito stuff too... and Toaplan may always have always owned the actual IP before, at least to an extent. Taito seemingly owned the rights only to distribute arcade versions at one point, as the home versions of Toaplan games pretty much never credit Taito.

-Kyukyoku Tiger II even specifically says "Taito (arcade game only)" in its copyright info. Does that mean Takumi owned the Tiger IP at one point? They took it over to Naxat to do the home port with seemingly no issue. Just like all the older Toaplan ports, Taito isn't credited at all in the home port of Tiger II, not on the packaging or in-game (maybe they're still in the credits or something).
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Re: Toaplan games getting console ports by M2 in 2020

Post by BIL »

The saga of Toaplan IP rights would make a cracking first-year contract law problem question. Image

There's a great Uemura/Yuge interview translated at Gamengai (Toaplan Forever), which I unfortunately can't seem to link to ATM... anyway, they talk about Banpresto & co. nailing Toaplan Shooting Battle Vol.1 and Batsugun, then going "holy fuck we're gonna get sued" and running for the hills. :lol: Heartbreaker. Image

Relieved to see they're apparently in good hands - for now! (can't get too complacent!)
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