I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

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pablumatic
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by pablumatic »

Assault is so fun. I bought Namco Museum Volume 4 specifically to play it. I even managed to make do with the Playstation control layout and 1CC it. Guess I'll be playing it some more soon.
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Sima Tuna
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Sima Tuna »

Assault looks interesting. I like SNK's "Tank" so why not this?
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Fingolfin »

Koa Zo wrote:Assault coming up soon on September 29!
Not only is this awesome in and of itself, this gives us a little more hope we might see Metal Hawk! (which I've never played)

As for Assault, I'm wondering how well the control will mesh with the standard pads. Frenetic dual 4-way tank-grip action doesn't translate well to dual analog thumb sticks - at least for me.
Namco Museum Volume 4 on PS1 could be enjoyed with Sony's behemoth SCPH-1110 Analog Joystick - albeit not 4-way, but proper grip, triggers, and swing angle to get frisky with your dodging, rolling and wheelie-bomb-cancel techniques.
It would be pretty rad to make a dual 4-way tank-stick set-up for this Hamster release.
Agreed!

https://edladdin.com/Super-Twin-78-ec-1-002.htm

Ask Ed? :mrgreen:

This 2600, 400-800 etc & 7800 compatible dual stick is a beast and blast for the games that best take advantage of two paired CX40s: amazing control for twin stick shooting games such as Robotron 2084 & Space Dungeon.

IIRC m.sniffles.esq brought up the issues with Qix and using an 8+ way arcade stick back when Qix was released on AA.

Games like Pac-Man & Ms. Pac Man that used 4 ways like Suzo-Happ and the like BITD are hard for me to play; muscle memory doesn’t allow for 8+ way, regardless of restrictor gates, etc

Control mapping helps significantly with 4 way - 8 way differences but just ain’t the same on this end.

I’d like a true arcade trackball and arcade spinner as well. :wink:
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Rastan78
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Rastan78 »

@Fingolfin, you probably already know this, but Seimitsu sticks are great for setting up 4 or even 2 way movement. They can be easily installed in most JP style housings from Hori, Qanba etc. The extra guide on a stick like the LS-32 or LS-40 can be repositioned by just unscrewing and reattaching in the desired way. This is probably the easiest way to get an arcade authentic setup that allows for 4 way games to be played correctly.
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EmperorIng
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by EmperorIng »

Sturmvogel Prime wrote:Hamster has confirmed the next Namco title: The Return of Ishtar.
https://twitter.com/Shino4know/status/1 ... 44/photo/1
This port is pretty rich in features, moreso than its predecessor Tower of Druaga.

Ishtar is really a dungeon crawler that you played in the arcade and is mind boggling in how big/complex it is. Hamster included a 30 page manual with the release! You control two characters in a series of mazes filled with ultra aggro monsters, one hit and you're dead, you have like 20 spells you can cycle through. All while having a second character run around (or staying put) and attacking enemies physically... It's pretty crazy and perhaps overly ambitious for an 80s arcade game.

The port offers many bug fixes (all optional)*, a display for enemy health (a godsend), a map (complete with a per-floor strategy guide), enemy spell weakness guides (part of that manual), control schemes similar to the Namco Museum vol 4 port (controlling player 2 with the right analog stick), on top of everything usually found in an ACA release.

I am glad they really pulled out all the stops for these two Druaga games. This is by far the best release of Return of Ishtar, making Namco Vol. 4 obsolete in that respect. At this point, Vol 5 might only be kept for an English translation of Valkryie no Densetsu.

*I -think- if I understand one of the game options correctly that an option is present to fix a bug that made it impossible to beat the game without dying once, hence why you never found anything less than a 2CC when you looked up videos online. But I need to confirm that.
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BIL
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BIL »

ASSAULT! Aww hell yeah. All love to the maze chaser canon, and Druaga/Ishtar's admirably uncompromising coinop ARPGs, but ultimately I'm here to blow shit up ala Dragon Saber. Image Assault is an immortal classic of topdown tanking seek & destroy. Wicked funk-tribal Hosoe BGM, palpably rumbling heavy-metal handling, unbridled destruction with monster detonations and chain-kills galore. Really hits its stride in stage 3's odyssey down-river, some Apocalypse Now shit Image

As I thought, they're making the most of the oldschool PS1 Namco Museum set - and justifiably so, with there being so many iconic works in there. Bosconian and Pole Position please. Image I hope, as they clear out the venerable PS1 Museum ranks, we'll see further ventures into the late 80s and early 90s - most definitely METAL HAWK, to second Koa Zo! I've never played it either, purely by choice... it looks like exactly the "Assault, but in an attack chopper" spiritual sequel I always wanted. Something for later, haha.
Koa Zo wrote:It would be pretty rad to make a dual 4-way tank-stick set-up for this Hamster release.
Shades of this custom beauty (for X68000 Libble Rabble, also in fine dual-stick form on ACA). :mrgreen: Image

Image

Rolling Thunder 2, Splatterhouse, NebulasRay, Fighter/Attacker, and at a stretch... I'd kill for StarBlade. In nice form on Tekken 5's PS2 disc, but I can never turn down the convenience, bullseye accuracy, and frequently invaluable accoutrements (Pistol Daimyou and Gun Frontier's transformative custom autofires, Druaga's onboard strategy guide) of ACA.
pablumatic wrote:Assault is so fun. I bought Namco Museum Volume 4 specifically to play it. I even managed to make do with the Playstation control layout and 1CC it. Guess I'll be playing it some more soon.
Ha, me too on both counts. I bet they'll have a nice fat range of config options for this one, but at the same time, I'm a pad vet - s'all good. :cool:
Sima Tuna wrote:Assault looks interesting. I like SNK's "Tank" so why not this?
An instant recommendation for sure - just like Tank, it's roving seek/destroy par excellence. The discrete stages are more expressly segmented, compared to Tank's epic contiguous map, but they're no less hardcore when it comes to sending you far from home and surrounded by foes.

Just like Tank's hybrid of rotary turret and point/shoot MG, it has a considerably idiosyncratic take on controlling the subgenre-defining metal beast, each mighty tread operated independently. It's a snap to pick up, and gives the game an inimitably heavy-as-fuuuuck heft, with just the right balance of death-defying agility. You will believe a tank can fly, and barrel-roll, and rear up on its treads like some biblically nuke-chucking iron beast. :mrgreen: Goddamn, I'm happy to see this one again.

GET ON THE READY LINE! Image GET HOT GOD DAMMIT Image

Image

TANK CONTROLS AND YOU Image
Spoiler
Image

EmperorIng wrote:
Sturmvogel Prime wrote:Hamster has confirmed the next Namco title: The Return of Ishtar.
https://twitter.com/Shino4know/status/1 ... 44/photo/1
This port is pretty rich in features, moreso than its predecessor Tower of Druaga.
Superb postage, many thanks! I'm way behind this month, got a whole bunch of recent ACA stuff to browse over the weekend. I was hoping (reasonably confident, but you never know :mrgreen:) they'd match NM Vol.4's dual-play setup! That manual sounds intense, too - it was obvious from Druaga's customarily simple-yet-effective floor-by-floor strategy guide, these guys understand the communal spirit around these two games, even moreso than the typical JP game center mega-hits.
jehu wrote:
BIL wrote:
I've scoured the Arcade Archives releases for games I might have missed, and somehow I've always managed to overlook Heroic Episode.

Glad you turned me on to it, looks like a cool under-discussed Irem gem.
I hope you like it! It's an odd little gem, imo, from that period right before R-Type hit and changed their image forever. Actually shares the inimitable "boss KO" sample with Kaiketsu Yanchamaru aka Kid Niki, haha. After fiercely creative stuff like Moon Patrol (another must-have) and Spartan X, and right before R-Type inaugurated yet another subgenre, it's kinda comfort-foody getting a hybrid Commando-meets-Xevious from them.

Earns extra cred from me for its august Hellenic stylings, a small but rarefied group also featuring Legendary Wings and (hopefully soon to reach ACA) Phelios. :cool: Image
BurlyHeart wrote:
BIL wrote:goodness
Wow amazing post BIL, thank you so much. I will do my due diligence and research all the games mentioned. Cybattler is looking like a must though.

Cheers again to all, I genuinely appreciate it.
Always welcome bud! I love how this thread turned out, there's so much to recommend. I was gonna say, Gemini Wing's another sure bet. I only played it relatively recently, was thoroughly impressed by the simple, sharp action and truly odd GunBall/Bringer system. METAL_YUHKI's OST is a stealth killer too; starts off agreeably sunny, before unleashing a one-two masterclass in baroque diabolique; staggeringly good dark fantasy BGM :shock: No surprise he'd later feature on Dracula X: Rondo's landmark OST.

(also gotta mention what I want to believe is a Black Sabbath nod, with st2 creepy outro ambience a dead-ringer for E5150 off Mob Rules. The man loved his Sab! See AC Ninja Gaiden's famous "Iron Man" cover, and its less famous, but just as audacious st1 sound-alike of homegrown JP metal legends Anthem - "Shadow Soldier?" Nah bro, that's BOUND. 2. BREAAAAAAK! Image)
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Sturmvogel Prime
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Sturmvogel Prime »

BIL wrote:Image
This one is one hell of a surprise.
Fan of Transformers, Shmups and Anime-styled Girls. You're teamed up with the right pilot!
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BIL
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BIL »

Honestly, I'm not surprised - stoked AF that it's confirmed, but unsurprised. I always thought they'd spend their first year with Namco leaning hard on the PS1 Museum lineup. Just makes sense - tried and tested balance of marquee names and odd (but agreeable) lesser-knowns. I fully expect to see Bosconian, Baraduke, and Pole Position within the next year, too.

Metal Hawk, now that'd blow me socks off :cool:

Of course we've seen quite a few total outliers as well, like Pistol Daimyou and Mirai Ninja, which I hope will pick up pace as the proven crowd-pleasers file in.

I wonder if this'll include the Assault Plus revision, like NMv4 did, too. Not all that bothered either way though, the OG rev rocks plenty hard enough.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BrianC »

I was happy to play Assault on an actual machine with those twin sticks. Fun game.
Fingolfin
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Fingolfin »

Rastan78 wrote:@Fingolfin, you probably already know this, but Seimitsu sticks are great for setting up 4 or even 2 way movement. They can be easily installed in most JP style housings from Hori, Qanba etc. The extra guide on a stick like the LS-32 or LS-40 can be repositioned by just unscrewing and reattaching in the desired way. This is probably the easiest way to get an arcade authentic setup that allows for 4 way games to be played correctly.
Thanks much Rastan78: that’s very helpful!


Assault used to kick my ass, but if it’s a tank game and/or has an interesting, dynamic controller, it must be tried/played! :D


Battlezone >> VOOT and beyond…. :mrgreen:n


Edits revisions re: answers found and cleaning up
Fingolfin
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Fingolfin »

Just realized that in addition to Darius, Star Force / Mega Force hasn’t had a PS4 PSN NA Aca Arcade Archives release; as is the case w/ Darius it’s been available for PS4 on the JP PSN for many years.

Not sure if this has been brought up here previously but for such a standout Tekhan arcade shooter from 1984 this seems odd.


Sturmvogel Prime and hamfighterx brought up Darius coming soon on October 6 and that made me think of this (weeks later).


Would be great to see 1992 Final Star Force show up in AA too.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

Fingolfin wrote:
Rastan78 wrote:@Fingolfin, you probably already know this, but Seimitsu sticks are great for setting up 4 or even 2 way movement. They can be easily installed in most JP style housings from Hori, Qanba etc. The extra guide on a stick like the LS-32 or LS-40 can be repositioned by just unscrewing and reattaching in the desired way. This is probably the easiest way to get an arcade authentic setup that allows for 4 way games to be played correctly.
Thanks much Rastan78: that’s very helpful!
Seconding this, I've got a few Seimitsu sticks and they came with 4-way gates that were easy to unscrew. Just takes a couple minutes to pop it open, remove the screws, turn the gate, and screw it back in.

Because I'm kinda lazy about doing that though and I rarely play 4-way games, I tend to use octo gates for my controls I use for 4-way games. It allows you to hit the 4 directions more precisely, while still being able to play 8-way games, a nice compromise if you don't want to switch constantly.
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Rastan78
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Rastan78 »

The only controller I can think of that allows for instant switching of 4 to 8 way stick movement is the arcade stick thay came out along with the Egret 2 mini. There's a dial on the bottom that you simply turn. They're relatively cheap and still available. Pretty sure you can use them on PC easily, but idk about Switch or PS4 with an adapter for playing ACA games?

A while back Hori previewed a concept for a modular controller designed specifically for ACA where you could swap out a trackball, dual stick setup etc. I guess we'll see if it's actually still in the works and sees the light of day.

@Roo, yeah it's easy enough to swap the guide, but hard enough that if you don't really play a lot of 4-way games it's not totally worth swapping on the fly. I guess that makes sense since these sticks were designed for commercial use in an arcade where you wouldn't be swapping games out every single day. The Sanwa JLF square gate also rotates to be 4-way and without a screwdriver. You pop off the whole restrictor plate assembly (the clear part) and turn the inner square gate 45 degrees. Pretty easy though somehow slightly more tedious than just breaking out a screw driver on the Seimitsus.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Fingolfin »

Thank you for your thoughts on 4 way (vs 8 way) arcade sticks BareKnuckleRoo and Rastan78!

Gonna have to think about best ways to achieve 4 way control: will probably start w/ the swapped out diamond/square gates I have and seeing how well that’ll work. 8 ways are much more versatile but for Pac-Man, Ms. Pac Man, Qix, etc 4 ways feel much more natural and comfortable.


Depending on which time zone PSN store (Japanese vs European or North American) Assault out now (JPN PSN) or coming soon/tomorrow! :mrgreen:


“Here in my tank, I feel safest of all…It's the only way to live in tanks….” :D

https://youtu.be/Im3JzxlatUs Gary Numan “Cars”

Nothing like a 4 keyboard, drums and vocalist band! Classic late 70’s / early 80’s.


Perhaps a touch of the ol’ Doctor Who Theme in that arrangement and video?

https://youtu.be/BDOu9LR45t8


Edit/update: Default control setup for Assault is twin sticks for movement!
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

Honestly, if you don't want to stick with an 8 way square or octo gate as a compromise, the other option is to get a cheap separate stick and designate that your 4-way stick. Use whichever one as needed for games. That way you don't have to fuss with swapping the gate.

Buying a separate stick just so you don't have to swap the gates regularly as an option obviously depends on how much space you have to store a second stick! In your case, trying out an octagonal gate seems like the most economical option first to see if you like that as a compromise solution and if you don't they don't cost much.

I've got a vert cabinet where I've got a 4-way stick on the left and an 8-way octo gate on the right. The only games that get played on it are 4-way games with cooperative play (so player 1 has a better setup) and a shmup that plays best in single player, where 2P side plays identical to 1P side. So if I'm playing Pac-Man/Dig-Dug arrangement I can use P1 Side as well as coop, and if I'm shmupping I play on P2 side.
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BIL
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BIL »

Out now in JP! Seems like it's just Assault (Namco Museum Vol.4 ported both it and its upgrade Assault Plus), but tbh, that's plenty. This is one of the most inventive yet utterly hardcore topdown tankers ever. There is an Early and Later version, but AFAIK it's a simple bugfix RE the timer bonus; still, nice to have.

Control config is simple yet effective, as to be expected of Hamster. There's Type A, the arcade-accurate scheme with each tread occupying a stick, as well as the pad and face buttons if you prefer, and wheelie/roll executed via pulling the sticks apart, or moving them unidirectionally, respectively. Good autofire options too.

There's also a Type B which uses more conventional point-n-go movement, with a [wheelie/roll] button held in conjunction with [down] or [left/right] to execute. Very reminiscent of their excellent Ikari & co LS-30 configs. As there, I suggest sticking with the AC style; there's a learning curve, but it'll pay off with smoother integration of the vital wheelie and roll commands.

In truth, the tactical disadvantage of the simpler controls is far less stark than in SNK's games, with their brutal loss of precision stationary sniping. However, there's also a decided aesthetic charm I think is worth chasing a little, even if you ultimately go with Type B; maneuvers like slamming down from the devastating but lethally immobile wheelie by rushing the sticks back together, or hauling them laterally for an emergency roll, or cranking up and down while hosing crowds (Image), have a tactile, physical sense that's rare in games of any sort, let alone pixel-perfectly hardcore STGs. With muscle memory established, it's a rewardingly smooth experience, the sticks and triggers working in seamless concert.

Enemies are subtly dozier than your average topdown opposition, a little slower to attack. It's a concession to the control scheme that I'd say pays off richly. There's a much greater emphasis on piloting a heavy machine here, compared other subgenre leaders like the lightning-quick Granada, or even SNK's relatively conservative TANK; your enemies likewise have to move a bit more deliberately than the topdown shooting norm. While maneuverable foes certainly exist, most rely on their all-too-easily disorientating 360' threat to box players in, with just a couple of overlapping attacks enough to put you on the back foot. The 3:4 aspect and below-center placement of your tank would've likely proven irritating in a less considerately-designed game; here it feels just right, with your six a notable blind spot demanding vigilance, but deft piloting making evasion and counterattack a relative breeze.

The most commonly-seen enemy bullets being destructible is another smart concession, here; with enough skill and guts, you can blast straight through some pretty nasty flak, though doing so at the cost of situational awareness remains quickly lethal. Outflanking is an uncommonly powerful tack here; with the tricky lateral movement, it's all too easy to get overwhelmed head-on; learning to swerve aggressively out of enemy fire-zones and into their open sides is key.

The "trampoline" launcher panels' being globally limited to three uses per stage is an excellent touch. They're a fascinating mechanic in themselves, with their gifting a fleeting bird's eye view of the current stage, in addition to letting you nuke tricky spots well in advance of arrival; treating them as preciously scarce "bombs" was absolutely the right call.

As with ACA Libble Rabble, being able to use the face buttons as the right tread should make wiring up a custom 2x four-way rig a snap for hobbyists. :cool:

After the classily SFX-only opening stage (feel that rumble!), beefeh sound a double-must for stage 3. Shinji Hosoe's war drums and keening guitars are apocalyptic. Gentlemanly restrained in Spirit/Saber, busted all over the shop for Assault. Image
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Udderdude »

Assault is pretty cool, even though I'm terrible at it and never got good enough with the controls .. lol.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BIL »

Spent yesterday evening re-learning my macro rollin', and also why exactly it's a good idea to clear out those loitering zako, despite the onboard GPS loudly losing its shit when you wander off-course. :mrgreen:

While I like how snappy the GPS is, particularly with the constant timer pressure - you'll know very quickly whether you're on the right track - the SFX is a little obnoxious; I could almost go for an ACA Gunnail-style alarm toggle. Game's hectic enough without all that racket! OTOH, just like the "player airdropped in" SFX, it's got that decidedly zappy 80s Namco zing to it, easily tolerated.

Speaking of SFX, the trampoline launch is downright eerily reminiscent of Brad Fiedel's later T-1000 Theme from the Terminator 2 OST. :o Neato, adds an extra bit of METAL MALEVOLENCE Image

Loved the GROBDA reference in the HS table, that's another (in addition to Bosconian, Baraduke and Pole Position) we'll see before long, I'm sure. :cool: WTB more STG spinoffs starring sniper tanks.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by velo »

Some Taito games are on sale now:

Front Line
Pirate Pete
The Ninja Warriors
Time Tunnel
Typhoon Gal
Puzzle Bobble
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BIL »

Nice, gonna have to give Time Tunnel and Typhoon Gal second looks. Never tried the first, but the concept didn't really grab me at a glance. TG has incredible personality, Technos-esque, but I'm always a little wary of 1v1-geared fighting games lest they turn out to be overly AI pattern-reliant. The few stages I saw in 1CCs seemed pretty freeform, though. I liked those battles versus entire rival schools too. Surprised the title character apparently sank without a trace, at least I never seemed to see this one mentioned in Taito lore. Cute and distinctive, particularly by mid-80s brawler standards, without sacrificing a karateka's spartan aesthetic. Maybe that last bit is why, haha. I guess SFIII's Makoto would be the nearest relatively modern equivalent.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Jeneki »

Assault is super cool, especially lobbing grenades.

I got to try it once in an arcade setting, but I was travelling so that was the only one I saw for the longest time. It wasn't until 15 or so later that I was able to rediscover the name, until then it was "that screen rotation tank game".
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velo
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by velo »

BIL wrote:Nice, gonna have to give Time Tunnel and Typhoon Gal second looks. Never tried the first, but the concept didn't really grab me at a glance. TG has incredible personality, Technos-esque, but I'm always a little wary of 1v1-geared fighting games lest they turn out to be overly AI pattern-reliant. The few stages I saw in 1CCs seemed pretty freeform, though. I liked those battles versus entire rival schools too. Surprised the title character apparently sank without a trace, at least I never seemed to see this one mentioned in Taito lore. Cute and distinctive, particularly by mid-80s brawler standards, without sacrificing a karateka's spartan aesthetic. Maybe that last bit is why, haha. I guess SFIII's Makoto would be the nearest relatively modern equivalent.
I'm counting on you guys to sort out these obscure games for me. I'll probably grab Ninja Warriors and Puzzle Bobble. I love the NW remake(s) but the original is a tough nut to crack for me... appears to require very strict rote memorization and possibly slavish YouTube-copying. I'm dead on level 2. Puzzle Bobble I can always stand to have more of, but as much PB2 and other versions I've played, I don't remember even trying the original.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Jeneki »

Ninja Warriors arcade, for the most part I needed to use very specific strategies to beat the boss characters; If you don't know what to do, your game ends. Otherwise the basic scrolling and slashing is doable without memorizing enemy positions.

The biggest road block is the time limit on the final stage. Even if you know the optimal path to follow, it's very close and forces you to take some big risks to complete on time.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Ah yes, I recall playing the Atari Games version of Assault at a local pizza joint back in 1989 (in what was known as a "street location" for the various local arcade distros back in the day) -- each gaming session cost me a quarter. Atari Games had the exclusive rights to sell & distribute Assault to arcade distributors and arcades in the USA. Was cool to play it for the zooming/scaling EFX alone + plus that dedicated twin stick setup alone was quite something to behold. Plus the unmistakable silky-smooth BGM tunes being piped in true stereo was quite something. The actual Atari released Assault upright cabinet was cool to look at as well. Years later, I'd see the occasional Atari Assault upright cab shown at the once-a-year California Extreme show and tried it out for ol' times' sake. Exactly how I remember all those years of playing it back in 1989 indeed.

There's no comparison between playing on a real Assault cab when it's the real deal (but at least it's playable on the PSX and now on the Switch). Cool to learn that it's running the jamma powered Namco System 2 arcade pcb setup.

Here's an original Namco System 2 powered Assault pcb up for sale (not my auction anyways): https://www.ebay.com/itm/294969039048?h ... BMlp2WsPFg

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Last edited by PC Engine Fan X! on Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:14 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Koa Zo »

pablumatic wrote:Assault is so fun. I bought Namco Museum Volume 4 specifically to play it. I even managed to make do with the Playstation control layout and 1CC it. Guess I'll be playing it some more soon.
Namco Museum Vol.4 astonished me – just the fact that it existed – and was essentially the killer app that led me to buy a Playstation.
I hadn’t been following current gaming at all around that time.
While making a random visit with an acquaintance of my older brother – like barely knew this guy anyway and hadn’t seen him in 10 years at that point – so that guy’s girlfriend was there playing PS1, and she had some rental games, one of which being Namco Museum Vol.4! That and Raiden Project sealed the deal – I had to get a Playstation! Just that one evening, trying to show-off, that original Sony pad did a number on my thumbs trying to plow my way into the stages like I used to in the arcade.

Later I would find out about the PlayStation Analog Joystick (SCPH-1110) – again unbelievable – what a controller! The first one I acquired was from the original Bookmans store in Mesa Arizona – for $8!

1CC Assault with a stock PS1 pad is no easy feat – that’s some fine fingerwork!

Rapid tapping of the shoulder buttons starts to fatigue my hands and throw off my grip.
Was rapid fire available on the PS1 release? It never even dawned on me that there would be rapid fire on this AA release.

After so many years of playing the arcade with those tank-grip triggers, the rhythm of firing shots has become integral to the experience. Often tapping and slapping those trigger buttons in beat with the music – the dodge and shuck and jive of swinging the arcade grips left and right, toward and apart from each other, forward and reverse etc, in conjunction with rhythmic pinpoint sniper shots or frenzied bullet spray as your tank is spinning or roll-strafing – all of that produced one hell of a physical experience. The cabinet at times could literally rock back and forth during heated play on upper levels. All the while Shinji Hosoe’s tunes just screaming out of the cabinet like no other game in the arcade up to that time.

A lot needs to be said about arcade games at that time. I’m not the one to say it. But hot damn what a showpiece of hardware!
I would love to hear stories from the development team.
It was this game that introduced me to hardware scaling and rotation – or rather visa versa. (of course I had seen and played with it in the Sega Super Scalers, but I didn’t recognize the significance) Game magazines had started revealing details of the SFC and of course they were making a big deal of the scaling and rotation. I didn’t get it, like I’d already seen rotation on my Genesis in Marvel Land. The one other kid in my whole school who also read videogame magazines told me to go check out this game in the basement arcade at our local shopping mall – Assault – he was surprised I didn’t already know about it.
Wow!
And that music! Bill has already expressed it better than I ever could – this shit made me a diehard Shinji Hosoe fan for life – and also started me on my way to collecting OST CDs. The design choice to have no music on the opening level functions so brilliantly toward building the intensity of the experience, it gives us a chance to hear the subtleties of the SFX, (the engine sounds of the tank, the cracking of tree trunks, etc) and again reflects how top-notch the overall production and planning and presentation were!

If I could type better I would ramble on and on. I’ll spare ya’ll

Bill that is a lovely Little Rabble stick! Little Rabble has quite a history of dedicated controllers, which always gives me the idea that I need to appreciate the game more – but I’ve yet to dive in and find the appeal.
I’ve never made a custom controller before, but I sure did order a broken PS4 joystick and a couple sets of arcade tank-grip joysticks as soon as this was announced for PS4. We’ll see what I come up with!

I’ve only put a couple hours on the PS4 release so far, having trouble with slip-ups on the thumb sticks, but still enjoying it immensely. It wasn’t until reading Bill’s post that rapid-fire even dawned on me. Seems a bit like cheating, but as I see most others on the high-score and caravan tables are using it, I might as well get used to it. I’m gunning for that #1 spot on both lists.
Ice Beam
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by Ice Beam »

Koa Zo wrote:I’m gunning for that #1 spot on both lists.
Go for it!
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BIL
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BIL »

Great post Koa. :smile: You were always my main reference for Assault BITD, I picked up Namco Museum Vol.4 immediately after seeing it had your approval. ACA leaderboards usually include an [on/off] note to signify autofire use, so it should be a snap to see who's got the top non-auto score. I'm playing with 15hz on R1, and manual on L1 for precise taps. It's definitely a mental load off, being able to simply hold the sticks in "roll" position while hosing down crowds.

...imagine seeing a tank doing this IRL, barrel-rolling down a street with elegantly economic yet inevitably earth-shaking violence, hosing down the block with its guns. :shock: Cracks me up. :lol: The design (visible on the awesome AC flyer a few posts up) is pretty ingenious - looks like the cockpit is a gyro-stabilised (and undoubtedly shock-dampened) sphere, so the pilot isn't getting tossed about like drawers in the dryer.

I'm always impressed at the graphical detail of each tread's movement, perfectly matched to L/R stick input, kicking up dust as you rev up from standstill, etc. Just the violent shudder as you mightily truck over craters and smouldering enemy wreckage imparts a sense of weight and power - shame they couldn't rig up rumble for this outing, though a subwoofer is a nice substitute. :cool:

Also surprised - and to be honest, glad - that the tank's orientation isn't a concern. I could see a puzzle-action game taking the silver/blue sides and running with it, but here, it's just a neat little visual flourish that makes it easy to confirm your roll. I'd forgotten how precise the mechanic was - not only can you cancel or stall a roll, it's frequently a lifesaving detail.
velo wrote:I'm counting on you guys to sort out these obscure games for me. I'll probably grab Ninja Warriors and Puzzle Bobble. I love the NW remake(s) but the original is a tough nut to crack for me... appears to require very strict rote memorization and possibly slavish YouTube-copying. I'm dead on level 2. Puzzle Bobble I can always stand to have more of, but as much PB2 and other versions I've played, I don't remember even trying the original.
I imagine the licensing might complicate things (as with too many great 70s through 00s arcade games), but it's a shame Spartan X aka Kung Fu Master hasn't shown up. That's the game I always think of when struggling to recommend The Ninja Warriors... which I like, but the slower pace is a tougher sell. (ACA Vigilante, effectively Spartan's sequel, is quite good, but again lacks that elemental, Moon Patrol-esque purity).

Natsume's TNWA/OA transcend Irem and Taito alike, imo - unifying the decades of beltscroller innovation kicked off by Kunio (combos, grapples, crowd knockdowns, command moves, super attacks, desperation moves... plus the OG's blocking, superjumps and projectiles) with the inescapable 2D pressure of Spartan, creating a new and all too rare subgenre: the sidescrolling beat 'em up. (that label gets thrown at stuff like Spartan in casual circles, but the total absence of beater physicality makes it impossible for me to concur) One of those rare instances where a remake not only equals but comprehensively outmodes the original, like the enjoyable 1950s The Thing versus John Carpenter's 1982 landmark.

Cracking movie that. Games I mean. You know. Image

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Speaking of sidescrolling combat, I'd love to see Taito's Thunder Fox make an appearance. Plays like an exceptionally smooth hybrid of Spartan's walk n' slash with Rolling Thunder's tactical gunplay, all in a hilariously deadpan AHNULDesque style. Image The MD version is unfortunately dire, don't pick it up expecting anything like Darius II's superb conversion, sadly. Now this is the stuff:

SAFETY FIRST KIDS Image
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CRP
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by CRP »

Namco's Toy Pop from '86 is coming to Arcade Archives on Oct 13th. Help dolls Pino & Acha rescue their friends from Majyo's castle. 44 stages (toy boxes) await where you need to know which enemies are vulnerable to each weapon type. Masterpiece
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BIL
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by BIL »

Oho, nice. Somehow I don't think I ever even booted that one up, on PS1. I was in my EDGYBOI THA KILLA phase. :oops: :cool: Always had a solid rep among trusted peeps here, looking forward to it.
velo
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Re: I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

Post by velo »

Jeneki wrote:Ninja Warriors arcade, for the most part I needed to use very specific strategies to beat the boss characters; If you don't know what to do, your game ends. Otherwise the basic scrolling and slashing is doable without memorizing enemy positions.

The biggest road block is the time limit on the final stage. Even if you know the optimal path to follow, it's very close and forces you to take some big risks to complete on time.
Always encouraging/discouraging to hear that my crushing impossible difficulties can be solved w/ a bit of elbow grease. :| The mix of jumpkicks/duck attacks starts frustrating me real quick... but, it's probably on me for letting myself get trapped crouching under gunfire instead of handling projectile guys responsibly.
BIL wrote: I imagine the licensing might complicate things (as with too many great 70s through 00s arcade games), but it's a shame Spartan X aka Kung Fu Master hasn't shown up. That's the game I always think of when struggling to recommend The Ninja Warriors... which I like, but the slower pace is a tougher sell. (ACA Vigilante, effectively Spartan's sequel, is quite good, but again lacks that elemental, Moon Patrol-esque purity).
I would liken TNW to Legend of Kage except with concrete boots. (or a very heavy Terminator I should say)
I'd buy Spartan X if they can bother to sell it to me. It's a fun one and I never did save the girl.
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