Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforce IV

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Jonpachi
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Jonpachi »

It's shitty the original Genesis Mini shipped with that 3-button controller, but games that originally supported 6 button input (like EC) still do so. Just need any of the available 6-button options and you're GTG.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by BrianC »

Sega CD EC is different and arguably a much better game. Not sure why Starblade was omitted from the western mini either since it was released in the US and the JP version doesn't have any language barrier.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Rob »

m.sniffles.esq wrote:"This is not at all representative of popular--or even good--titles for the Genesis. In fact, I think they just drew names from a hat"
I think some included titles are confusing but for the most part it shows that whoever made the picks knew their stuff (Elemental Master, Ranger X, Granada, Atomic Runner, etc.). Makes it a little more disappointing that some stuff was left off of both, like MUSHA (U.S. version), Rocket Knight Adventures and El Viento. A large percentage of the best games are on 1 & 2 though. Aside from the barely there Sega CD selection (especially Lunar omissions) and pointless BK3 censoring I'm really happy with #2.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by BrianC »

The Zuntata Drama mode in Ninjawarriors Sega CD is worth checking out. Voices are in English. For some odd reason, Daddy Mulk is referred to as "Daddy Mark".
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by m.sniffles.esq »

I think some included titles are confusing but for the most part it shows that whoever made the picks knew their stuf

Okay, I'll admit to reading that a least four times before deciding it was a joke. Because for a second (or three) I thought you were honestly paying complement to Sega for having a deep knowledge and understanding of Sega

I never claimed I was as quick as I used to be...
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Rob
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Rob »

I don't think M2 is Sega. Care was definitely put into the game selection, emulation and presentation.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Turrican »

Yeah, it's easy to forget just how bad these things can derail. Even among the Sega's own catalogue, plenty of duds were carefully avoided. Among the western side things, the EA selection is razor sharp (basically any other choice, save for Road Rash II already on the Mini 1, would have been for the worse). In the end having to complain only about the abysmal Clayfighter and Sewer Shark on a selection of sixty is a very good outcome.

It's also something to put this thing on mainstream Amazon worldwide with a selection of eight solid shmups (Dennin Aleste, Elemental Master, Fantasy Zone, Hellfire, Silpheed, Thunderforce IV, Truxton, Viewpoint). When is the last time that you got your paws on such quantity without having to import a korean language compilation from Play-Asia or shelling some hundred bucks to Limited Run for the complimentary swag?

We tend to take these things for granted, but to me a package with eight shmups out of sixty titles isn't something that was either a given or a requirement. it definitely doesn't strike as a crowd pleasing choice: the amount of pre-Sonic titles included (1989 and 1990 software) is also something worth commending.

About the pads, yeah they kinda screwed both times (fighting games in the first one are basically unplayable: but the second time they give you only one pad which for the genre is almost as bad as halving the buttons). Luckily the Retrobit stuff is affordable and top quality.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by BrianC »

Clayfighter isn't the best addition, especially since it's a janky SNES port, but I also heard some fun can be had with it because of its janky brokenness. Also, the mini does have the Genesis port of Fatal Fury 2, which has combos exclusive to that version.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by m.sniffles.esq »

I don't think M2 is Sega. Care was definitely put into the game selection, emulation and presentation.

Oh, you were serious??

Uh, M2 is a third-party vendor. They'll emulate, they'll present, but they have to be provided materials to emulate and present. They then deliver the emulated and presented materials back to the first party for whatever means of distribution (in this case Sega, and their plug and play mini console), and are (usually*) paid a flat fee for their services

tl;dr there's a 0% chance M2 had anything to do curation. Like none.

*there have been rare occasions where a first party has been cash strapped and therefore a 'points' system is implemented. But for obvious reasons, these cases are less than idea, and usually not done.

---

Clayfighter isn't the best addition, especially since it's a janky SNES port

Making it's inclusion triple strange in that's it's an inferior (and kind of busted) version of a mediocre game.

Boy, that M2 sure moves in mysterious ways...
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Rob »

Whoever picked Lightening Force out of a hat with the condition that it includes a mode with the slowdown cleaned up is a bro.
Turrican wrote:the EA selection is razor sharp (basically any other choice, save for Road Rash II already on the Mini 1, would have been for the worse)
I love the Road Rash 1 soundtrack, but maybe that's just me.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Turrican »

Rob wrote:Whoever picked Lightening Force out of a hat with the condition that it includes a mode with the slowdown cleaned up is a bro.
Is the slowdown fixing noticeable? Didn't they remove slowdown even in the Saturn compilation many years ago? Has someone tried to compare all these versions?

Road Rash and SoR are definitely some #1 that we did miss. Still, I've seen stranger things (like the Japanese Mini 1 without the first Sonic. Really.)
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by BulletMagnet »

Turrican wrote:Still, I've seen stranger things (like the Japanese Mini 1 without the first Sonic. Really.)
If you turned your ear in the general direction of Japan and listened carefully in the months leading up to release, you could faintly hear a collective shout of "Dammit, we are NOT porting this thing AGAIN!"

Sonic Origins was their eventual revenge. :P
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Rob »

Turrican wrote:Is the slowdown fixing noticeable? Didn't they remove slowdown even in the Saturn compilation many years ago? Has someone tried to compare all these versions?
It is. I haven't played through the entire game yet (with the highspeed mode), but the traditional chugging slowdown is only present during the bullet spam from the midboss of (default) stage 2. As for the Gold Pack TF4, I never played those but it looks like they did.

It is weird that the first Streets of Rage is not on there.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by hamfighterx »

Turrican wrote:In the end having to complain only about the abysmal Clayfighter and Sewer Shark on a selection of sixty is a very good outcome.
While it's certainly not a great game, I think Sewer Shark should get a pass due to being memorable. I mean, it was a pack-in game with the Sega CD model 2 in the US, so it does have some nostalgia value for many players - I'll bet there are more NA players in the target demographic for the Mini 2 who know "Dogmeat" better than you might expect!

It also has some historical value as a great time capsule of the early 90s FMV game trend that was a really major piece of the Sega CD's history. Night Trap could have arguably filled that role by itself, but if you're looking for a second example, Sewer Shark is the fairly obvious choice.

As for actually playing the game, I'm of the opinion that you can absolutely enjoy it in a campy, kitchy, b-movie/kusoge kind of way.
BrianC wrote:Not sure why Starblade was omitted from the western mini either since it was released in the US and the JP version doesn't have any language barrier.
Yeah, this was the biggest omission to me on the NA machine. Really the only Japan-exclusive title that made me a little sad to cancel my JP Mega Drive Mini 2 (and actually ended up with me buying a copy of the Mega CD game lol). Otherwise, the Genesis 2 regional exclusive list is so much more appealing to me.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by cj iwakura »

Turrican wrote:Yeah, it's easy to forget just how bad these things can derail. Even among the Sega's own catalogue, plenty of duds were carefully avoided. Among the western side things, the EA selection is razor sharp (basically any other choice, save for Road Rash II already on the Mini 1, would have been for the worse). In the end having to complain only about the abysmal Clayfighter and Sewer Shark on a selection of sixty is a very good outcome.
I think Sewer Shark has aged very well, especially the amazing OST. I'm more confused about glaring Sega CD inclusions like Eternal Champions: Challenge from the Dark Side and some of the other 'good' FMV games like Double Switch and Corpse Killer.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by BydoR9 »

I debated whether or not to buy the (European) mini 2 before it was released (£105 more than a bit strong!), but I had the preorder set-up just in case.

When it came down the the wire before launch, I thought f!@k it! just buy it! At the very least it will be the best way to play the corrected Truxton and a speed corrected Thunderforce IV (Switch version aside) since the original carts I had where sold way back in the 90s anyway.

I'm glad I bought it now as you cannot buy it new for that price anymore. I've got the mini 1 already, which I've hacked with Project Lunar, so I could stick Bare Knuckle 3 on, SoR1, Rocket Knight etc on it anyway - got the best of both worlds now.

Only thing is :oops: my missus says that she wants "NO MORE CONSOLES IN THE HOUSE!" So I keep the mini 2 hidden in the same case that I bought for the mini 1! :wink:
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Turrican »

BydoR9 wrote: Only thing is :oops: my missus says that she wants "NO MORE CONSOLES IN THE HOUSE!" So I keep the mini 2 hidden in the same case that I bought for the mini 1! :wink:
Aww, try to explain to her that the Mini 2 Is smaller than several controllers out there... :wink:
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Jonpachi wrote:It's shitty the original Genesis Mini shipped with that 3-button controller, but games that originally supported 6 button input (like EC) still do so. Just need any of the available 6-button options and you're GTG.
The JPN region Mega Drive Mini W bundled set (that was released back in 2019) came with two of the 6-button endowed controllers indeed. I've noticed that the USA region Sega Genesis Mini 2 does come with a proper 5v 2amp rated psu included (whereas with the JPN region Mega Drive Mini W set, no psu was provided whatsoever and you had to furnish your own to power it up -- go figure).

On the Virtua Racing title within the Genesis Mini 2 setup, what's the framerate running at? Seems a bit choppy (or is that how it usually runs on a real MD/Genesis console setup)? I do recall Sega of America selling brand new copies of Sega Genesis Virtua Racing for a whopping unheard of MSRP $99.99 usd back in 1994-1995 at retail. Whoa, talk about insane sticker price shock for a lone Genesis racing title at that point in time.

The Sega Ages port of Virtua Racing on the Switch is the one to play for the perfect look and feel of that groundbreaking polygonal stylized racing title for 1992. I used to head on down to my local Putt-Putt Golf Funworks game center and play the twin deluxe sit-down cabinet version of Virtua Racing at four tokens per credit back in 1992-1994 -- that was the "uber" arcade racing title/experience to play back in those days (until Sega's Daytona USA arcade racer came along).

In terms of the actual size of the Genesis Mini 2 compared to the original MD/Genesis Mini 1, it's definitely smaller for sure -- it almost feels like that it could be such a cool prize to try to score in one of those modern-day prize claw machine cabinets at the local family entertainment gaming center nowadays (not that anyone is stocking such prize claw cabs with 'em to give away -- it'd be nice for a change of pace though).

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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by hamfighterx »

I'm partial to the excellent 32X Virtua Racing Deluxe myself, but yeah, the Sega Ages Switch port is great.

I'm not intending to advocate for a MD Mini 3 with 32X games, at least I don't think I am? But then again, Virtua Racing Deluxe, Knuckles Chaotix, Kolibri, Tempo, Metal Head... maybe I am?
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Steven »

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks Chaotix is super terrible, except for its rad music. Fortunately it has a sound test! That's about all of the positive things I can think of about that game, though.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by BrianC »

Steven wrote:Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks Chaotix is super terrible, except for its rad music. Fortunately it has a sound test! That's about all of the positive things I can think of about that game, though.
The Special Stages are pretty neat too.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by Turrican »

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:On the Virtua Racing title within the Genesis Mini 2 setup, what's the framerate running at? Seems a bit choppy (or is that how it usually runs on a real MD/Genesis console setup)?
The Mini 2 has a fundamentally different approach to the first Mini. On the Mini 1, all the PAL versions of the games were made to run at 60hz, while retaining their other european qualities. So for example, you have the UK Landstalker localization or the Spanish Thor, but they all run at the same speed as their US counterparts, which are also present, btw.

On the Mini 2 a good chunk of the European versions are presented at 50hz, and that includes Virtua Racing as well as Soleil, Robo Aleste and several others.

So while changing language settings in the first Mini was a matter of curiosity (or to play Puyo), on the European Mini 2 changing to Traditional Chinese or Korean becomes pretty much a requirement.
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Re: Genesis/Megadrive Mini II - Silpheed Sega CD,Thunderforc

Post by BrianC »

Turrican wrote:
PC Engine Fan X! wrote:On the Virtua Racing title within the Genesis Mini 2 setup, what's the framerate running at? Seems a bit choppy (or is that how it usually runs on a real MD/Genesis console setup)?
The Mini 2 has a fundamentally different approach to the first Mini. On the Mini 1, all the PAL versions of the games were made to run at 60hz, while retaining their other european qualities. So for example, you have the UK Landstalker localization or the Spanish Thor, but they all run at the same speed as their US counterparts, which are also present, btw.

On the Mini 2 a good chunk of the European versions are presented at 50hz, and that includes Virtua Racing as well as Soleil, Robo Aleste and several others.

So while changing language settings in the first Mini was a matter of curiosity (or to play Puyo), on the European Mini 2 changing to Traditional Chinese or Korean becomes pretty much a requirement.
Also, Sonic CD plays in 50 Hz if you choose to play it in English mode on the US Genesis Mini 2 using the original soundtrack (switching to Japanese plays the JP version instead).
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