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

[BIL]

Wait, what's different about the timeout from the "official" death, besides the re-apperance of the cat? I just confirmed that when you kill the boss, you still get the amazing sequence of psychedelic effects (with the Earth splitting in half, which somehow I missed the first few times playing through...), but it rolls credits right after.

Looking at them side-by-side, there's the rapid-fire explosion SFX and BGM skipping, with the BG transitions likewise firing off without interval. The starting black space (1) flashes negative (2), then instantly dissolves to red (3), heralding the dinosaur fossils - but before they can appear, the forest/wall (4) slams in from the right, and then it's over. The BGs still follow their intended sequence, unlike the characters; all this commotion causes the cavemen and soldiers to never show up, with Menme (normally last) hogging the spotlight, until the boss finally dies and we cut to the usual ending sequence.

Basically, it's not one timeout, but several back-to-back.

The last BG reached is the rushing steel wall, preceded by forest (a very Gun Frontier st2-looking one)... so much stuff going on, when you really look and aren't dealing with masses of invasive tentacles, haha.

Given the sequence appears to be a condensed history of life on earth (dinosaurs -> cavemen -> modern man), you might say spacetime gets folded and condensed until all that remains is Cat.

[Skyknight]

To clarify, I'm pretty sure the ending isn't showing Earth bisected, but Nemesis (and the "baby universe"--"spawn/offshoot universe"???--causing the whole mess with it). I had quite a few Thoughts (tm) about the story here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=68126

Still, I hadn't considered that the background for the Omega Zone might signify time compression (even with the song for the stage named "Time"!). Junior's already busy preparing its feast...but is it the universe on the whole, or "just" the Solar System for now?

[BIL]

I was thinking about your thread while replaying MB tonight In particular, Apartheid's awesomely-titled theme "Visitor" takes on an additional meaning. There's obviously the sinister aspect of an alien invader, but also the notion of Nemesis itself's arrival. "A companion star..." to quote the intro text. Maybe it's more of a family visit than it first appears.

I was only really kidding about the compression thing, with the timeout causing the sequence to rapid-fire; but I do read the sequence as some kind of memorial, the story of life on a planet... maybe ours, maybe theirs. I like the latter interpretation, suggesting maybe the invaders aren't just random fish/lizard things, but perhaps an impossibly far-flung humanity, a doppelganger race whose own world came to ruin, necessitating a move on ours; the alien as our shape to come. Or maybe life simply took a different course there. Mammals supreme here, others dominating elsewhere.

"Time," that's an excellent catch for the final stage's BGM. (something YACK and co clearly wanted you to notice, with the lovely in-game tracknames) Do you hear footsteps in its opening section? I always interpreted them as that (an old VGM buddy suggested it might be the knocking on a door). They really jumped out at me during tonight's credit. A potent symbol of journey, or progress (or "progress," in the final battle's rueful glimpse of clubs becomng guns becoming bombers)... the intro also prominently showcases the pilot running like a bat out of hell, haha. Walking and bipedalism itself is of course easily associated with evolved life, what came out of the oceans, like the one seen in the ending, in a place looking very much like st1's piteously parched former seabed.

Maybe this union saw balance restored. Like all good cosmic horror/fantasy, there's obviously a lot of deliberate ellipsis here; still fun to ponder while snooping through soundtrack liner notes and the like.

[Klatrymadon]

This is all fascinating stuff, folks - despite the tune's title I'd never really thought about the backgrounds used during the final battle in terms of a literal passage or distortion of time. I'd always read the images of human history and struggle as projections by Omega Zone, perhaps intended in judgement.

On a less interesting note, have they changed up the scanline filter options on this port? They don't seem to line up with the pixels and the image is darker and more smeary than usual...

[BIL]

I'll have to take a look tonight - it's almost muscle memory for me at this point with new ACA titles, to nix the wallpaper and filters at first bootup. (the former because I love nothing more than a solid black BG for my 4:3 classics; the latter a combination of crisp n' crunchy pixel love, and a withering neurotic paranoia re: even 1ms of potential image processing lag )

Regarding the input lag discussion a page back, I can't comment on Switch, but I know Hamster claimed ACA ImageFight featured only one additional frame over the PCB; AFAIK, the best you can do without getting into runback, which isn't without its own complications. This was while previewing it and ACA Saigo no Nindou to Masahiko Ishida, the games' composer and a dab hand himself.

Having compared ACA Saigo directly to the M72 board a couple years back, I could believe it. It's every bit as crisply responsive, and arse-clenchingly intense - yet fair, and flexible - on PS4. Whatever input latency is present, I doubt it's humanly perceptible. Comments in more recent years, like Trigon's world record holder Tsuiimaru giving the PS4 ACA release his endorsement, after 1-ALLing it at release, and similar from TZW_Guile and other arcade veteran playtesters/advisers, make me think they've kept to that standard.

Again, as said a page back, it's ultimately an article of faith, but I don't think I'm too far out on a limb here. As said, no idea about the Switch versions.

EDIT: well I know she seems to like it, and I like her hoodie very much indeed, so that's all good.

[Klatrymadon]

I managed to screw up my first run anyway, but man, if you have even a vague knowledge of the stage layouts, 30hz autofire makes the whole game a piece of piss. Just melts through everything before anything has a chance to become a problem, including the st4 bubbles that can usually really slow you down. I thought working back up to the 1CC would take a while but it feels about two runs away...

[hamfighterx]

I like her hoodie very much indeed, so that's all good.

Ohhh that hoodie is incredible, I want it.

[Rastan78]

@BIL, TZW was saying on Twitter that both he and WIZ couldn't detect any extra delay on PS4 so he tested it and came up with 0.5f over the PCB. He said the PS4 version is faster than the PCB upscaled to an LCD.

[BIL]

I managed to screw up my first run anyway, but man, if you have even a vague knowledge of the stage layouts, 30hz autofire makes the whole game a piece of piss. Just melts through everything before anything has a chance to become a problem, including the st4 bubbles that can usually really slow you down. I thought working back up to the 1CC would take a while but it feels about two runs away...

Haaa, I know. I think of 'it like roids - if you're a random noob who don't lift, they'll merely shrink yer jaffers! If you're a diehard struggler, you'll see TEH MAD GAINZ - but you'll still contend with nasty side-effects, AKA... Autofirer's Guilt

Ohhh that hoodie is incredible, I want it.

Yeah! Was just thinking last night during the credits roll, what a sharp design the Black Fly's insignia is. Tsenba-san is a true auteur. Could go right on the back of a bomber jacket, albeit it'd look kinda sinister as opposed to the usual eagles, hawks, etc.

@BIL, TZW was saying on Twitter that both he and WIZ couldn't detect any extra delay on PS4 so he tested it and came up with 0.5f over the PCB. He said the PS4 version is faster than the PCB upscaled to an LCD.

Very, very interesting data, cheers! That would definitely jive with my layman's impression of M72 vs ACA Saigo. This is why I'm such a big fan of ACA... M2 are the kings of super deluxe boutique releases, without question; but it's so good having a second outfit covering more obscure titles with the same passion for arcade gaming, which input response is at the heart of.

[StrzxgvNuvWvfld]

On a less interesting note, have they changed up the scanline filter options on this port? They don't seem to line up with the pixels and the image is darker and more smeary than usual...

I came here to see if anyone else had found this. At first I thought they'd gone with a sharper filter (which I'd be very much in favour of), but there's actually just an odd anti-aliasing effect and the scanlines are terrible! They aren't remotely uniform. I can only hope it's a bug and it'll be patched out. Out of interest, what are you playing on? Wondering if affects all versions. I'm on the PS5.

[Klatrymadon]

Glad someone noticed! I'm playing on a PS4 Pro - it'd be interesting to know if Switch players are seeing the same changes.

[jehu]

Bagged the Metal Black 1CC with the rest of the Hamster-inspired swarm of black flies. I tried to make an event out of it, which I always find more enjoyable. Thanks to the STG Weekly team for putting together the fun episode on Tane's 700k run, to BIL for the guide and a few indispensable tips, and Zuntata for the superb -The First- arrange album.

I might try to join the ranks of the no-autofire pumpers-no-dumpers club. The default fire-rate accentuates elements of the stage design that are rendered trivial with the 30hz slaughter beam. (Ex. After a dozen times reducing the caterpillar to mush before he could get his little head on the screen, I wanted to know what the devious crawly thing would do if I left him alone for once. Imagine my surprise. Turns into a tense little shootout when you have to repel the flashing bowling ball bullets to get to him in time. And these little moments are everywhere. It's bad when you feel physical pity for the desperately flailing appendages of the digital dung beetle. Why does his trusty ball of shit seem to evaporate before his very eyes? Captures the feeling of trying to fight off an intruder in a dream land, only to realize the hammer in your hand is nothing but a rubber chicken.)

And when you get a taste for Taito shooters, only more Taito shooters quench the thirst. Ran through the familiar top-half routes of Gaiden for a few more clears. Played through RayStorm stage two on the mobile port to hear 'Aquarium'. For me, the usual.

News to no one but: Taito was fucking on one in the 90s, damn.

[BIL]

Haha, Mr. Caterpillar is definitely among the most wronged by 30hz.

Lament for The Caterpillar 3;

I'm tempted to go for a non-auto 1CC this weekend, or maybe earlier, just to enjoy those design subtleties - like annihilating Gishiin's sisyphean poop-boulders with rapid L3 beams, balanced not to fry the industrious little bastard himself before accruing mad gains! It's worth noting that even manual fire is pretty generous, provided you keep a nice easy rhythm so the burst fire maintains pressure. Pump don't pound, lads! Also gotta chance me arm @ Amazo looping, probably the game's most dangerous sequence.

I got a good feeling we'll see more F2 gems like Thunder Fox and Grid Seeker (aka PROJECT STORM HAMMER - arrange album THE DICTATOR OF JUSTICE is fuckin bangin ) before long, given how resoundingly well MB turned out. Granted, I thought the same for IREM M72 and M92, but Taito have proven themselves at least a degree or two closer to Hamster than other ACA signatories.

And there's M2's RAY'Z BOX in the pipeline too! It's been a strange wonderful time for righting ancient home release wrongs, and not-quite-rights.

EDIT: Blimey, Grid Seeker is F3? Guess that'll be a bit further-off then. Still it's exactly the dark horse I expect we'll see if/when that board arrives.

[Rastan78]

Sure Metal Black and Gun Frontier are ok I guess. We all know the Senba F1/F2 trilogy will not be complete without the timeless masterpiece that is Dino Rex.

[Skyknight]

With that username, I'd think you'd be hankering more for Rastan 3 where that timeframe is concerned.

[jehu]

I know the autofire debate is long settled, but I never feel quite settled with it myself. I use it, and - if scoring - I'd definitely use it. But these Taito autofire clears never quite feel like a job done and buried.

If you're toe-to-toeing with Gishiin without fear of the feces guillotine in your heart, are you really engaging with Senba's dark, mature themes?

If the only threat to you is a pocketful of loose screws, are you sure you're fighting Amazo - and not his cousin, the part-time Home Depot sales associate Lameo? Aside from the 30 cents of stainless steel flat fillisters, what's so metal about fighting him?

If resisting Apartheid makes you feel less like Nelson Mandela and more like Rachael Dolezal, are you really the black fly and not just some code-switching gnat?

----

I cannot wait for Ray'z. I wish they'd have crossover with the Ray'z Music Collection and have all the alt. soundtracks on disc as arranges. That's probably one wish that'll end up confined to my wet dreams, though.

For awhile, I think you could accuse the VG industry - broadly speaking - of not respecting its own history enough. I think we're seeing that change, and I'm here for it if high-quality ACA releases like MB and deluxe Arcade collections like M2 Darius, Toaplan, and Ray'z are the symptoms. Bring on the Criterion Collection-ization of our hobby.

---

Also, yes. We'll all feel a deep hole in our hearts until we're making questionable inferences about clay figures and throwing T-Rexs off of waterfalls. The current-gen Taito Memories collections will hopefully continue after the first - though it, by all indications, sold poorly.

[Sumez]

Big fucking news everyone!

Tetris the (fucking) Grand Master 1 has been announced for an ACA release on the 1st of December.

Not only is a home port of an arcade TGM game a super elusive cryptoid that no one had ever dared continue to hope for, this also seriously opens the door for Hamster emulating newer hardware, providing the emulation on this release is decent.
TGM1 is a 1998 game based on Playstation hardware, which is notoriously janky even in mame. If Hamster makes it work I'd love to see other PS1 based games that haven't even been in mame, such as Mr Driller G! And of course F3 emulation would still be hella cool.

[BIL]

Oh man. I had to check if it was April 1st, not that it's your style to joke about matters of such import! That is, indeed, amazing news, and a beyond day 1 get. Beautiful. I've been thinking something interesting might be on the horizon, now that they've secured a solid rack of Namco essentials.

Ha, I wonder if ACA Chaos Heat might be a possibility.

[Steven]

That's awesome. I'd love to see Hamster get some later stuff out. If they can get PS1-based hardware running on ACA, I'd love to see them get F3 or Toaplan V2 running. I doubt we'll ever see ST-V, but that won't stop me from dreaming and hoping for that as well.

[CRP]

Wondering if anyone here has wiki editing skills and feel like spend some time fixig gaplus page.
I noticed that gaplus wiki didnt meantion at all that its been released on ACA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaplus

[Jonpachi]

Wondering if anyone here has wiki editing skills and feel like spend some time fixig gaplus page.
I noticed that gaplus wiki didnt meantion at all that its been released on ACA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaplus

The one person who's ever looked up the wiki page for Gaplus looking to outsource the wiki update to Gaplus.

[velo]

Baraduke is high on my most-wanted list.

Just wanted to quote myself in celebration. Thankfully the arcade version had a stage select so I can't even gripe about the Hamster save state situation. I like these goofy games where a jet pack astronaut fights cartoon horrors: Section Z, Atomic Robokid, Abadox, maybe Mutant Night.

I'm intrigued by this similarly-themed Pang/Buster Bros inspired game called Bug Butcher, it looks well-received: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3507 ... id=4489106

[EmperorIng]

Whoa, TGM? I could have sworn you were shitting us. I suspect it's going to be delayed to hell and back (looking at you Angel Eyes), but that's exciting.

[Udderdude]

There's a hack to run TGM on original PlayStation hardware .. but it's a massive pain to get running. https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/5607/

[BIL]

Whoa, TGM? I could have sworn you were shitting us. I suspect it's going to be delayed to hell and back (looking at you Angel Eyes), but that's exciting.

Going by the wiki, it seems Mihara was talking of a home port this time last year; I wonder if it's been cooking away since then. At any rate, AA never had a release date (nor did the even more delayed Ganbare Ginkun, which has probably set an ACA record by now ), so Dec 2 seems reasonable.

[Skyknight]

They’re honoring the past, too. Looks like this week is Galaxian.

Even if most people probably see it now as “just” a bridge between Space Invaders and Galaga. >>;;;;;

EDIT: Interestingly, neither Galaga is in ACA yet either, even though Gaplus is. I now expect one or both to be ready by Christmas...

[velo]

They’re honoring the past, too. Looks like this week is Galaxian.

Even if most people probably see it now as “just” a bridge between Space Invaders and Galaga. >>;;;;;

EDIT: Interestingly, neither Galaga is in ACA yet either, even though Gaplus is. I now expect one or both to be ready by Christmas...

Galaxian will be the single oldest AA game so far.

[Skyknight]

That seems to be the idea--their first 1970s game.

No Space Invaders yet, though...

[CRP]

The one person who's ever looked up the wiki page for Gaplus looking to outsource the wiki update to Gaplus.

Your post gave me a good laugh, thanks but proboly true aswell. Ended up on gaplus while looking up galaxian wiki btw.

Whoa, TGM? I could have sworn you were shitting us. I suspect it's going to be delayed to hell and back (looking at you Angel Eyes), but that's exciting.

Doubt they would announce it one week ahead if its not ready. I think Hamster said a couple of months back that they wont announce any game before they are ready to avoid long wait till it gets released.

[m.sniffles.esq]

They’re honoring the past, too. Looks like this week is Galaxian.

Even if most people probably see it now as “just” a bridge between Space Invaders and Galaga

Honestly, I was more excited about this than Metal Black...