Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Anything from run & guns to modern RPGs, what else do you play?
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BIL
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

Herr Schatten wrote:My favourite part, apart from the hilariously inane ramblings of the main bad guy, is how the zako enemies just seem to mind their own business until the player strolls along, then reluctantly get up and wearily shuffle towards their doom.
Funny coincidence with Saboten Bombers' similarly blue dude doin' his yanki zuwari on that very page! I might start a running tally of non-brawlers with enemies that do this when they've got a spare moment. :mrgreen: (non-brawlers, because the list would immediately be deluged by a couple dozen Kunios at minimum - and Burning Fight!)

Ruefully enough, the very last pack of yankis, at the bottom of 7-1's tower, are actually dangerous - I always spawn them by scooting down the ladder, before retreating back up and carpet-bombing their position. Wondered if I was being over-cautious, but I just watched ExMos and Pasky's clears, and they do the same. Bizarrely difficult to disembark the ladder without taking a bump from the bone-idle plonkers! I wonder if that was intentional, haha... hard to tell, with ML's mean hitboxes. Image
BryanM wrote:
BIL wrote:I think it'd have worked better to treat the alternate forms as limited-use subweapons, on the C button. Maybe make them desirable enough to go exploring for.
What?! You want more hitpoints, and more attack power?! What greed.
Oh no, I was thinking more parity with Elta. The way things are, there's a handful of situations where the other forms are useful - Dragon cooks the last boss's nutsack and brussels sprouts nicely. Samurai pierces st2 boss's shield before he can reach his nastier phase. Raijin's aura fends off st5 boss's thorny bubbles. But in all except the first (where you're forced to pick a form), the loss of Elta's all-purpose shot is so costly that I, CIT, ExMos, Pasky and ben.shinobi (to name the clears I'm aware of) end up going without. I'd probably use Elta for the final boss, too, if I could.

It's like a Rockman where not only is P best, but you're prevented from switching back to it without taking damage (and thus downgrading your P). So you simply don't use the other weapons. (I'm sure there's at least two Rockmans like this out there, tormenting his fanbase - those poor bastards Image) From this viewpoint, it'd probably be simpler to make Elta less useful. But tbh, I'd rather have a game with a single good, strong weapon, than (quoth Rob, re: Axelay's Round Vulcan) a bunch of weak shit. :cool: (take it easy Axelay fans, I like Needle Lazor and Multiple Missile too :shock:)

The other forms do hold some interest for challenge runs. Mulling over a Samurai clear, because his orbital piercing projectile is unique and rad, and I could see his lack of pointblank creating some interesting problems! Raijin is an interesting character too, with his upped mobility and aura attack - though he's so damn weak, it gets old tickling bosses (I want to torch Azathoth's thorny nutsack and impressive shaft, not tickle them!). Dragon seems like an ordeal (can't hit crawling enemies without downshot?!) but I do have a shameless flamethrower fetish. Ninja is pretty much Slightly Better Elta (st1-2) / Significantly Worse Elta (remainder), not too interesting, while the Water dudes just aren't fun.

In fact, they are... Euroshumpy D: (■`ω´■)

There's quite a bit to play around with here, now I think about it. Also a nice assortment of unique enemies/midbosses you don't see without going off-path. It's not entirely successful, outside of score-chasing, but still nice to have around.
As it's been over a decade since I've played this one, I only have any recollection of the dragon and ninja forms, and vaguely think there might be a samurai form. So while I'm sitting here saying to myself "eh, the water forms can't be that bad" why the hell didn't I ever use them if that were the case? A bit of wasted effort on their part, to make these harder to get powerups undesirable, I'd agree.
Water Dudes are easy to get once you hit stage 5 (can't recall if it's possible to get them earlier) - after the tunnel full of stabby skeltens, there's a pair of chests with a blue sphere apiece. Assuming you've stuck to Elta's starting kit (red sphere), the first will get you Water Knight, second will get you Water Man. Or whatever he's called, ugh. Their attacks bring to mind Castlevania's holy water (an unassuming short-ranged arc that erupts into hellacious DPS), and might initially seem good vs Frog Guys. Just doesn't work though, got no DPS to speak of.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Udderdude »

BIL wrote:Got a Magician Lord no-damage clear recorded. A punishing but very controllable game - nice tight runtime, too, a concise Commando Mage blast.
Silly rabbit, bunnyhopping is for FPS.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

BAD RABBIT STYLE :cool: Usagi no Ken wa Muteki Da Image Imma cock the glock and hop-hop til they all drop Image

edit: Oh heck no :shock: LE SAMOURAI IST DER GUT VERNICHTUNG Image Look at this GETSU FUUMA DEN II: NEO JIGOKU BOOGALOO slaying. Shing! :o

His slash works absolutely nothing like Elta and Ninja's conventional projectiles. You're limited to one per swing, so pointblanking is out. Instead, you do damage by ensuring the target eats as much of the returning arc as possible - rather like the classic CV cross. Zako merely nicked by badly-positioned swipes will be slaughtered en masse with proper technique. I'd love to see this character with a charge shot - hold the button to unsheath with XTREEM head-loppin' Iaido POWWA. Still, very cool.

Now, he is much trickier to use than Elta/Ninja, which is again, kinda fatal for a powerup. And he's gone in a couple hits, so you best know the ropes sonny, or you gon tap. Image HOWEVER, that's great for a post-game character! Mistakes outta miracles, that's how we do. Into, outta, whatever. Image

I somewhat take back what I said about Ninja being Elta Again. I'd forgotten about his vaulting jump, he's a jumpy boy! Pretty fun.

Spoiler
Image


U SEE THEM GRAFX (◎ω◎;) Still a handsome game, art staff had an eye for ethereal vistas.

Oh, you can get Water Knight (Oh Water Knight~ <-LMAO) in stage 2. He stinks there, too! Wouldn't surprise me if you can get his Water Pal sooner than st5, too, but again, don't bother!
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BryanM »

You got me to play Magician Lord again, and I hate it. I hate it so much. How dare they trick me into playing their game with wizards aliens and catgirls.

Also bummed to confirm that you can't beat Ghouls N' Ghosts using just the sword.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

Magician Lord is a very hateful game. Image :wink: Have you played El Viento? (MD) Kinda rough-edged, because Wolfteam, but a much more likable exercise in Lovecraftian Scrolling Action.

Image
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BryanM »

I watched a longplay that suggests the raijin is good, you've already at the tippity edge of the freakin' screen so the loss of range is negligible, and being able to hit multiple things at once as well as diagonally up is strong.

Just need to know exactly how everything will move. Reminds me of that old design adage: a good PvP game has doubleblind features, but a good PvE game allows reactive play.

A game that hasn't been talked about on this forum much at all is Demon's World. A happy, jaunty little game with cowboy ghosts and such. The player's avatars are based on the Ghostbusters guys. The difficulty is on the low end, so it's not a huge investment to get started.
BIL wrote:Have you played El Viento?
No but I'm bored enough to give it a try.

The first stage has a noisy background, but it's not as eye melting as Stargazer. Right off the bat, I like how you can move faster than a slug and your character stays in the middle of the screen, radical design innovations that we can't take for granted these days it seems. Also like how ladders are just scenery and aren't really ladders because fuck ladders. They've only ever been done well in mario games.

I also like the special shot system - a gauge with a limited number of uses that quickly replenishes. It's exactly the sort of thing I felt megaman games should use - hated limited shots in those things even if enemies dropped enough recharge items to go infinite. (A secret is that Diablo clones should have their mana recharge in ~12 seconds as well.)

Skip code, makes learning the game and replays more fun. Respecting the players time, very novel... Not granting new spells if it's used, very naughty. Reminds me of the barebones features of early games on a new console back then, where it's too much to spare 1 kb on a few IF statements. At least they invested some ROM on a visible continue option on the title screen~

.... gigantic pixelated ATARI squids scare the fuck out of me...

ok, they were decent enough to gimme the water spell later, I take back what I said earlier I think? Edit from the future: no I don't (insert angry face.jpg)

... stupid rocks on the ground I have to slowly kill, minus 5,000 points...

.. c'mon, if I have to water a spot on the ground I expect to harvest some turnips and give some of them to the red head inventor girl at the toolshop. Why doesn't every harvest moon game have a red headed inventor girl? Did you know that Rune Factory 4 has an elf lady who cosplays as a detective, and she's not a dateable NPC, despite being best girl?

I feel like spike factory levels are pretty barren, and this is one long spike factory level. In Squaresoft's Nameless Game 2, they added a spikey platformer subgame to it. I guess maybe to evoke a kind of I Wanna Be The Guy aesthetic. Kinda feel like if everything's a spike, nothing is tho... They had like a $2 download title based on it, DsiWare. And a mobile game that included some levels like that...

.... webnovel idea: I was isekai'd as the manager of a video game factory, and now I spend all my time manufacturing spikes. Video game economies are weird...

.... these goddamn bats, I don't liek them...

ok, if the game's going to give up now I am too.

While doing finishing research on the game, came across the only comment it at the GameFAQs forum. It reads a lot like an internet comment from 1999, but it was posted only a short 10 years ago!
Something fishy is going on here with this game. As a veteran old school gamer who scours garage sales and thrift stores anywhere and everywhere, I came across a copy of this obscure game in the original box. The cover shows a beautiful albeit strangely dressed young woman with a bust so large that it looks like its about ready to break out of her skimpy little outfit. Okay...so one...it was obviously intended for young men (heck if you look close enough, you can even see the outline of her nipples...erm...what kind of a game is this again?)
(As a scientist I had to observe the data for myself - his claims are fake news.)

The King in Yellow showing up is spurious for a platformer with two (2) factory levels with deadly garbage and spikes in them. Some of the best lovecraftian games push their genres into weird places, a meta kind of unease. Cthulhu Wars. Cultist Simulator. Etc.

Overall, they could have done better.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

ML's screen centering is fine for the most part, I think. Maybe a bit biased to the incoming edge, but not debilitatingly so. I'm hypersensitive to bad camera tracking, shit makes my teeth hurt. No idea what other platforms allow it, but you can enable wider res on all ACA NeoGeo stuff for a bit more visibility (some games actually use it on hardware, EG Metal Slug 4 - many don't, some will even show you things you're not meant to see!).

For stuff diagonally above you, the simplest tack is Elta's straight L3 shot (simple is always best in Magician Lord). Its hitbox is tall, so unlovely situations like st7's mid-air Meatball Mania are defused handily. Works great in st3 as well, both the raft and the bridge, which impel you into hordes of overhead (and underfoot) zako.

Tragically, everyone who is not Elta/Ninja hits a wall in stage 6: a wall made of catgirls and doggos. Both enemies have meaty HP, and killing them cleanly enough to avoid damage, but quickly enough to avoid timer-spawned Meatball Ambush, requires carefully-plotted, perfectly-executed routine. Not ideal, as previously mentioned! I'm gonna give a Samurai 1LC a go this weekend, then maybe Raijin, and mayyybe Dragon - but holy fuck, even Sammy's got a hard time here. Though infernally compelling! Striding down the hallway slicing all comers without missing a step is wicked cool. Remember, kids! A sword is a WEAPON FOR KILLING Image

Even with the Super Actually Good Bros Elta & Ninja, ML is about as improv-friendly as a bomb defusal in a room full of mozzies. :cool: You gotta deal with unscheduled annoyances, but the job at hand is stable and murderously unforgiving. I'm tentatively okay with that sort of game, provided the matured run is sufficiently aggressive and finessed. Not everything has to be immortally volatile like Daimakaimura or Saigo no Nindou, or feature bursts of RNG terror like Contra III - but a more static game has to be rewarding to tear into, once you know its layout. At this point, it's an assault course - as long as I can show off, I'm good.

"Boss Rush?" I think you mean Boss Massacre. Image

If it's something like Haunted Castle, where learned play = your shitty character hides from hordes of pigeons and bats while hobbling along, like a glorified carnival wire game, I'm probably not going to bother. Haunted Castle itself gets a minor pass here, since perfect play means not just longer life, but more ammunition. Unfortunately, all that ammo goes into the time freeze, which is the game's only decent weapon, so we're forced to play the most shameful trump card for any action game: Killer Soundtrack ♫ Image Second-worst game I've bought in a decade, after ACA: Athena. 3;

EDIT: God damn it, I forgot the most important thing when posting about Magician Lord!

Spoiler
Image


That's better! (all credit to hzt for best post on forum)

TACTICAL ACTION DOSSIER VOL.99: The st4 midboss's summoned ghouls won't deliberately bump into you - rather, they're hardcoded to attempt a high vault overhead. It's technically possible for their massive hitbox to clip your own, but it's just an accident, they ain't mean it. 3;

THEY DOIN THEY BEST W/WHAT THEY HABE 3:
Spoiler
Image

Gad DAMN (◎ω◎;)

ALSO HOLY FUCK :shock: :lol: NOW THAT IS SPRITE-PUSHIN 24BIT POWWAAA
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by FinalBaton »

Ahhhh Wolfteam. Everyone's favourite artsy and edgy heroin-addict cousin.

That studio's got a charming brand of jank.

I ordered some flashcart as it happens, I'll try that one first on my GEN/MD gaming. you sold meon it BIRRU, it looks very snappy and an interesting R2RKMF. despite the overall weirdness. I member watching your playthrough and there seemed to be good potential for solid destruction.
-FM Synth & Black Metal-
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Marc »

Flicking through MAME on the Wii U last night, and came across Trio The Punch. What in actual hell is this? :shock:
XBL & Switch: mjparker77 / PSN: BellyFullOfHell
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

Oldschool DECO meme game feat. Karnov and Colonel Sanders. ;3 Tried it out myself recently, seemed alright. I like the bitesized stage/boss structure, and the ninja character has cool run/jump mechanics. Looking forward to the upcoming ACA release, though I can't deny I'd chuck it out for Wolf Fang in a second. Onward and upward. :cool:
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Bloodreign »

https://youtu.be/A3iuulEeQl8

Looks like that old Famicom game that kicked ass, Getsu Fuma Den is getting a sequel on Switch and Steam. I do remember the original game had good pacing, and like Genpei Toumaden, an old woman that would laugh at you (in Genpei's case at least). Still looks like lots of slicing and dicing while running to the right, but in the original, you did go left too.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by CIT »

Congrats on the Magician Lord clear, BIL! Glad to see this game get more love. Its controls and combat can be confounding at first, some of its design choices perplexing, and its nugatory mermen baffling, but the mystique of its world building, and its audiovisual sublimity combined with the fuck-you challenge make it a true R2RKMF classic in my book. Once you know what you're doing it does become an assault course extravaganza, as you say, but there are always enough meatballs waiting to spawn around the corner to keep you on your toes. ;)

Too bad we never got see Magician Lord 2 on Neo Geo Pocket Color. I think using the transformations for skill gating in a metroidvania type game would've really redeemed the mechanic.
BIL wrote:TACTICAL ACTION DOSSIER VOL.99: The st4 midboss's summoned ghouls won't deliberately bump into you - rather, they're hardcoded to attempt a high vault overhead. It's technically possible for their massive hitbox to clip your own, but it's just an accident, they ain't mean it. 3;
Holy crap, I never knew that! :shock:
BIL wrote:For stuff diagonally above you, the simplest tack is Elta's straight L3 shot (simple is always best in Magician Lord). Its hitbox is tall, so unlovely situations like st7's mid-air Meatball Mania are defused handily. Works great in st3 as well, both the raft and the bridge, which impel you into hordes of overhead (and underfoot) zako.
Oh, but simple is always best in Magician Lord. Check TACTICAL ACTION DOSSIER VOL. 100: "Don't jump on the bridge, just walk and shoot straight ahead with Lv3."Image
Last edited by CIT on Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BrianC »

Bloodreign wrote:https://youtu.be/A3iuulEeQl8

Looks like that old Famicom game that kicked ass, Getsu Fuma Den is getting a sequel on Switch and Steam. I do remember the original game had good pacing, and like Genpei Toumaden, an old woman that would laugh at you (in Genpei's case at least). Still looks like lots of slicing and dicing while running to the right, but in the original, you did go left too.
The similarities between the games can't be a coincidence. I wonder if there was a common staff member. Even the jump sound effect is similar.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by CIT »

BrianC wrote:The similarities between the games can't be a coincidence.
Getsu Fuma Den was basically just Konami's straight up Genpei Touma Den rip-off and cash-in, hence the similarities. As far as I know there was no staff overlap. :)
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Hazuki »

Bloodreign wrote:https://youtu.be/A3iuulEeQl8

Looks like that old Famicom game that kicked ass, Getsu Fuma Den is getting a sequel on Switch and Steam. I do remember the original game had good pacing, and like Genpei Toumaden, an old woman that would laugh at you (in Genpei's case at least). Still looks like lots of slicing and dicing while running to the right, but in the original, you did go left too.
Oh gods, I'm so excited! Getsu Fuuma Den was one of my favorites on FC.

I hope this game will sell like hell so Konami will consider making more REAL games with their IPs.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

I wonder who's developing the new Getsu Fuuma? Hideki Kamiya once said it's the Konami IP he'd most like to work on... wishful thinking on my part. :3 Maybe the new (and reportedly friggin hardcore, per Sumez, Necronopticus & co) Makaimura will prompt a few more of these surprise revivals.
CIT wrote:Congrats on the Magician Lord clear, BIL! Glad to see this game get more love.
Thanks! It was your clear + review that encouraged me to give it another go, neatly illustrating Marc's post from a page back. :smile: It was especially satisfying given the absolute thrashing the game handed me back in the day. :lol:
Too bad we never got see Magician Lord 2 on Neo Geo Pocket Color. I think using the transformations for skill gating in a metroidvania type game would've really redeemed the mechanic.
Those sprites are so cute Image As to be expected from NGPC! Looks like a playable st5 miniboss (Axe Knight)? And a werewolf and robot, too, plus much cooler Poseidon and Raijin, opposite an equally badass Shinobi.
CIT wrote:
BIL wrote:TACTICAL ACTION DOSSIER VOL.99: The st4 midboss's summoned ghouls won't deliberately bump into you - rather, they're hardcoded to attempt a high vault overhead. It's technically possible for their massive hitbox to clip your own, but it's just an accident, they ain't mean it. 3;
Holy crap, I never knew that! :shock:
Discovered by accident while figuring out a decent Samurai takedown. ^__^
CIT wrote:
BIL wrote:For stuff diagonally above you, the simplest tack is Elta's straight L3 shot (simple is always best in Magician Lord). Its hitbox is tall, so unlovely situations like st7's mid-air Meatball Mania are defused handily. Works great in st3 as well, both the raft and the bridge, which impel you into hordes of overhead (and underfoot) zako.
Oh, but simple is always best in Magician Lord. Check TACTICAL ACTION DOSSIER VOL. 100: "Don't jump on the bridge, just walk and shoot straight ahead with Lv3."Image
Great intel, I'd never have had the nerve to try that. :mrgreen:
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Bloodreign »

BIL wrote:I wonder who's developing the new Getsu Fuuma? Hideki Kamiya once said it's the Konami IP he'd most like to work on... wishful thinking on my part. :3 Maybe the new (and reportedly friggin hardcore, per Sumez, Necronopticus & co) Makaimura will prompt a few more of these surprise revivals.
A little Indie company called Guru Guru (reminds me of anime I once watch, Magical Guru Guru).
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BrianC »

Frisky Tom is todays AA, with an E rating. I have a version of it in the Nichibutsu collection for SFC. Pretty fun game, though slightly naughty (though there is no actual nudity, at least in the SFC version).
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

Aha, I was wondering where I'd heard the Frisky Tom name before. TBH, I'm kinda lukewarm on Nichibutsu, with the exceptions of Moon Cresta and Terra Cresta. I actually like them better than their Namco inspirations Galaxian and Xevious. Can't say how any play at high level, but I prefer Nichibutsu's aggressive patterns and quick, well-armed ships. Quite fond of the FC versions of Terra Cresta, Magmax, and Seicross, too.

Of their considerable further catalogue on ACA, it's probably Holy Warrior Amaterasu/Soldier Girl Amazon I'm most interested in - very cool vehicle-jacking mechanic. I love how you can steal swift bikes and monster tanks alike. Has a touch of AC Contra aim lag, sadly - not enough to turn me off entirely. Cosmo Police Galivan seems interesting, but I can't quite believe you hold [up] to aim upwards... AND to jump? Seems crazy. High-level replays look admirably batshit, though. Seems like a breakneck body-rammer. Bit of a rainy day dev for me.

I hope Ninja Emaki shows up. Never played it, but it looks so rad. I love that oldschool Kamui ninja styling, ala Kage and Saigo.

---

Speaking of laggy aiming! Bagged another early Neo run/gun no-miss with Cyber-Lip.

Image

One of the easier arcade no-misses I've managed, though not lacking in pace. The production exudes run/gun vigour - it's just a shame the code's not more polished. The awkward scroll lock, and worse, the busted [up/down] input (either can shunt you forward, straight into death) must've stung for early AES adopters - 1990's FC Super Contra sporting airtight handling at equal intensity. The free-switching arsenal sounds fun - and is, once mastered - but will annoy initially, constantly arming the latest pickup. As usual with one-way cycling, you'll need to learn those taps.

All this said: Cyber-Lip's foibles aren't hard to work around, and its action is sharply responsive and plentiful. Delivers on crowd-mowing mayhem, precision sniping, and simple yet nervy boss duels. I had to figure out countermeasures for the third and fourth, both of whom have nasty deathtraps - see video notes for those. Actually, I'll just CTRL+V 'em in here!
  • It seems holding [UP + A] during the stage clear sequence, and into the elevator, will avoid the sewer stages every time. I forgot to do this after stage 2, so this run doesn't dodge quite all of 'em. They're not all that bad tbh, despite being cast as the game's "Penalty Stage." Trickiest thing is getting 100% shootdown ratio. :cool:
  • The third boss's body-ram attack, if immediately followed by a shot, will leave you with nowhere to go. To prevent this, unload on him immediately with Auto. At worst, his eye will detach, and you'll have to duel a bit - regardless, he'll die fast. He doesn't seem to use his body-ram when assailed thus. For some reason, Grenade and Bazooka don't do nearly as much damage to him as other bosses.
  • I got lucky with an instant Cyber-Lip fight at the Boss Rush. AFAIK, the room shuffling is random. I might be wrong there, though.
Spoiler
Image


You can obliterate the fifth boss in much shorter order than I do, simply by keeping up a grenade barrage after taking out the nearmost ceiling turret. I got nervous. :oops: Likewise the sixth, with more aggressive Auto use. His Big Boi Bomba was making me uneasy. :mrgreen:

The coding scuffs aside, my biggest complaint is the fourth stage's elevator, and the sixth's climb. Both feel a bit under-populated at ground level, though they at least put plenty of priority snipe targets up top.

Spoiler
Image


A likeable run/gun that'd instantly climb up a notch with better playtesting.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BrianC »

The interesting with Frisky Tom is that it has two versions of the game that play vastly different. AFAIK, most ports are based on the newer version. Those darn red mice in the new version. Blink and one will kill you. They like to attack you right after they spawn. Also, be sure to set the game to three lives in the new version. Getting game over with a single hit from a red mouse is not fun.

Interesting, the collection on SNES also has two versions, a "domestic" version that plays similar to the later version in ACA without the red rats and an "over sea" version with the red rats. The older version in the Arcade Archives version plays a bit different from both.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by WelshMegalodon »

Thought this would be of some interest to the people here. As Bassa-Bassa and a few others pointed out last year, all emulated releases of Contra AC fail to correctly emulate the game logic that determines the paths of the rolling mines in Stage 2. This was just fixed in MAME.

https://mametesters.org/view.php?id=5725

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=395&v=awHTp6hYXcI&
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Finite Continues? Ain't that some shit.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

BrianC wrote:The interesting with Frisky Tom is that it has two versions of the game that play vastly different. AFAIK, most ports are based on the newer version. Those darn red mice in the new version. Blink and one will kill you. They like to attack you right after they spawn. Also, be sure to set the game to three lives in the new version. Getting game over with a single hit from a red mouse is not fun.

Interesting, the collection on SNES also has two versions, a "domestic" version that plays similar to the later version in ACA without the red rats and an "over sea" version with the red rats. The older version in the Arcade Archives version plays a bit different from both.
Good info! I'm slowly but surely coming around to a few of their earlier titles (Crazy Climber seems likeable... and if nothing else, its sequel has some charming pixel art). Will probably grab a bunch of them on ACA when I've cleared out my current kill list. I do like Frisky Tom's unusual layout - I'd assumed it was a maze chaser, pleasantly surprised by the side-on perspective.
WelshMegalodon wrote:Thought this would be of some interest to the people here. As Bassa-Bassa and a few others pointed out last year, all emulated releases of Contra AC fail to correctly emulate the game logic that determines the paths of the rolling mines in Stage 2. This was just fixed in MAME.
Fine catch, I was looking at that just this morning. A historic development! :mrgreen: It's a tiny detail, but it has disproportionate impact, with AC Contra being such a short game. Strictly speaking, decent play doesn't have to dodge the mines at all. BIRU RIZER's guns are just too strong! Still, the pressure of all those bullets and the odd mine rushing straight at you is aesthetically invaluable.

NB the sole exception to the broken earlier emulations - Gotch's Arcade Archives: Contra (2016). When Jonny2x4 mentioned ACA was the first, licensed or otherwise, to actually get Contra right (even M2's didn't), I figured Hamster must've sorted themselves out, after the Oretachi Gesen fiasco. That series' version of Contra is boned, too.

Related, fellow Oretachi+ACA pick Akumajou Dracula/Haunted Castle updated recently, adding its US and European revs. From a glance at the manual, the Euro version doesn't play that differently - but US has its infamous, hilarious 2HKOs, making JP look like a holiday camp. Bats do 2HP, a seemingly minor change; Boney-kun and his ZOMBI pal do half your friggin lifebar! Have a fun

Image

AFAIK, as hideously clunky as Haunted Castle is, you can technically no-hit it... so mastering a perfect JP 2-ALL, then popping over to US might be a Hard Corps JP/US situation. Image This assuming the game's stage layouts remain identical, ofc.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Mortificator »

BIL wrote:The production exudes run/gun vigour - it's just a shame the code's not more polished. The awkward scroll lock, and worse, the busted [up/down] input (either can shunt you forward, straight into death) must've stung for early AES adopters - 1990's FC Super Contra sporting airtight handling at equal intensity. The free-switching arsenal sounds fun - and is, once mastered - but will annoy initially, constantly arming the latest pickup. As usual with one-way cycling, you'll need to learn those taps.

All this said: Cyber-Lip's foibles aren't hard to work around, and its action is sharply responsive and plentiful. Delivers on crowd-mowing mayhem, precision sniping, and simple yet nervy boss duels.
Congrats on the clear! I haven't given too many credits to Cyber-Lip, but I like that bright & chonky look that SNK drifted away from as the '90s wore on. Top Hunter had a similar feel (though Roddy & Cathy never had to deal with the PTSD of killing someone that had just been evilly reprogrammed).
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

Thanks! Top Hunter's been on my rainy day list for a while. I picked it up sight unseen, expecting a straightforward run/gun - was pleasantly surprised at the more tactile action. Reminds me a bit of the grapple-informed sidescrollers HAL and Treasure were making around then. Read later on that it and Last Resort were the Neo games with the most former IREM staff outside of Nazca's, certainly explains the nice graphics.

Been enjoying the early Neo stuff. Was gonna move onto Raguy next - seems pretty impressive. Controls are tight, visuals are vibrant and charming, pacing is brisk. But, being an incorrigible lover of militaristic carnage, I decided to go Back To The Hell with NAM-1975. It's a game I've put some time on, but never really gotten to grips with, as recently as a year and change ago.

Image

I remembered the random ambush bosses being insanely difficult - happy to see they're tough but reasonable, as is the game at large. There are four, attached to the first, second, third and fourth stages, with a 20% encounter rate. The first is a simple matter of dashing to the screen edge, waiting to the last moment, then dodge-rolling straight through his bullets and claws (too early, and you'll be snatched). The second should be blown up cab-first - it'll open fire if you destroy the trailer instead. The trailer's an easy kill on its own. The third is a simple rhythm game, I no-missed it blind first go. Speedkill the middle roller with grenades to create a nice breathing niche.

The fourth is visually overwhelming - the trick is, the boss itself's not targeting you, merely carpet-bombing in a static pattern. He and his supports are easily defeated by a simple right/left/right rolling pattern. Helluva rush every time. Image

That last point brings me to my favourite element - the selection and interplay of aimed, static, and "fuzzy" attacks. Some enemies' tracking is ruthlessly tight, others tangibly struggle to keep up with a moving player, still others have an unnerving mixup of potshots and lethal snipes - you'll often be facing some or all at once. Your dash maneuver is lightning-quick, making improv surprisingly viable when paired with the dodge roll. The roll is terrifyingly punishable on recovery, but also quite rangey, a good balance of freedom and accountability.

While the utilitarian vistas don't excel, the machine designs rock, and characters are superbly animated - ghastly death throes boosting the NAMsploitative air. Player and enemy alike collapse plaintively, incendiaries leaving red-hot ashes lost in the wind. Apart from the audibly bone-crushing fates dealt by the monstrous ambush mechs, most striking is the ghastly WMD kill. These fuckers' warheads are most definitely ready to rock. :shock:

(puking.wav intensifies)
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A small ray of light is found in one CHRIS HELPER, who will intrepidly machinegun your foes while the recoil makes her big ass bounce. Image

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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Star Lurker »

MAME fixed the 3D stages in Contra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awHTp6hYXcI
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

Bout god damn time Image :wink:
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Udderdude »

A+ Improvement.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by BIL »

My fuckin TV died, right when I was gonna NAM it home for the no-miss :evil: Killer game. :cool: Of the Neo's launch-year titles, so far, it's the one I think shows the most consistent excellence. I only wish the stages were a little more charismatic - Brown Dock, Brown City, Blue Sky, Green Airfield and Grey Factory never really pop. The finale's nighttime jungle is cool, though. Doesn't help that the player and enemies are so far apart, and stages are so wide-open - no chance for a sense of proximity, let alone nightmarish green hell.

This said - whatever tension NAM lacks atmospherically, it's recouped by smart, relentless enemy pressure. Stages will swiftly plunge into hell, if not aggressively battled from start to finish. I particularly like the interplay of zako rifles and grenadiers, the game's lynchpin mixup. Shots are lethal, but harshly limited to their conical firezones. Conversely, grenades arc slowly, and can be shot down - but will connect from anywhere onscreen. There's an excellent sense of unit cohesion, each covering the other's blind spots as the player carves through. Into these simmering mixups are peppered regular speedkill emergencies, heavy troops and vehicles that'll upheave dominant play if not swiftly crushed. It's a classically strong, disciplined action game, ironically just a bit short on launch-era bombast.

I get the feeling Guevara's art staff worked on this, with the shit-eatingly taunting bosses. :lol:

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Anyhoo, I used this morning's GAYMETIME to continue my 2020 index sweep. I liek to Notepad++ a big batch, then whack 'em all in. Up to June currently, got a ton of stuff to add already! Gonna do 2019 next, then 2018, and so on. Should've taken this methodical approach to begin with, but I'm a lazy bastard. Image

Re Magician Lord, CIT's post-1CC comment jumped out at me, as I'd had very similar experiences with the st5 midboss, not mentioned in my writeup.
CIT wrote:Also refined my stage 5 axe guardian strategy. Very unreadable pattern and definitely the mini-boss that took the longest to really get to grips with.
This fight became a lot less fraught, once I'd noticed a couple things. First and most important is, he's got only two responses to being shot (randomly selected): he'll either chuck his axe, or leap forward, executing a chop upon landing. Previously, I couldn't tell if he was even reacting to my shots, or if he was just relentlessly advancing while tossing out attacks. Much easier once I knew I was in the driver's seat! The heart of good hardcore is to gain control. :mrgreen:

For the former, I hop over the axe towards him, with a neutral hop dodging its return, shooting him as he catches it. For the latter, I back out of his dropzone, then hammer him during his swing - he's wide open then.

The tricky thing is, of course, he's advancing on you during these attacks. This can get nervy once your back's to the wall. In my current run's rematch, I screwed up by not instantly firing on him, inviting just this scenario. A mid-height hop will buy you time to react, here. In this case, he threw the axe - had he leapt, I would've pivoted back and underneath him. His jump's height and forward range wastes lots of time, and he's forced to chop upon landing, so it's relatively easy to get clear of him and reset your footing.

A deceptively finessed game, Magician Lord. Stuff that looks basic on paper (and on video) is a lot nervier in practice, on account of those wickedly unforgiving hitboxes.

He's a lot more vulnerable in the st5 encounter, since (like all OG midboss fights) you can nail him while he's offscreen - which in his case will potentially rack up a ton of damage, if he elects to throw his axe at you.

Annoyingly, hitting the st3 midboss this way will cause him to teleport onscreen, right in your face. So I let him amble in before beginning my anti-fishman onslaught. 3:

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Incidentally, I was amused to see similar Deep One-esque enemy designs, as well as st4's optional flying knight midboss, and st5's Frog Knights, in ADK's later Crossed Swords (same director as ML; very similar anime-influenced Western dark fantasy air). A game I'd been wary of, not being at all into Punch Out-style memorisation. I like those games on an aesthetic level, but I feel straitjacketed by them, and with the NES entry being clearable blindfolded - all respect to master-level players, but it's the opposite of the volatility I enjoy. When my beloved Real Boss Rush Simulator Alien Soldier was compared to Punch Out, I had no choice but to nerdfight with regrettable vengeance. Image

As always, Pasky's 1CC proved instructive. The trick is to zone outside of enemy striking range, pre-empting their combo bullshit entirely. Game opens up a lot, played thus. It's inherently repetitive, and rather long by arcade standards - but I like the destructive groove, and the dark fantasy aesthetic is superb. Great brooding OST, and tons of grim panache - the way those winged knights come screaming into the battlefield is scintillating. The dark forests are exactly what I wish NAM had gone for! I'm gonna probably jump into this one later in the year.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Sumez »

Played through Rocket Knight Adventures just yesterday. That's definitely a game that's been sitting around on my shelf, near the top of the stack of shame, for way more than a few years, rarely played past the first stage of the game.
The enticement was a high score competition, so the approach was not the best way to play the game - like with many other home releases, scoring in this game just means finding the most effective exploit and then repeating it over and over. But after having rolled well over a million points I ended up playing the rest of the game as intended.
At that point I'd worked up enough extra lives to never even lose half of them, so while it was technically a 1CC, it was not a very honorable one, and I'd definitely love to go back to this game in the future. At least we were playing on the "Very Hard" difficulty (hilariously called "Normal" in the US release), which seemed to make the boss fights fairly challenging until you get a rhythm down for them.

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I've played the SNES sequel more than a few times, and I like it a lot, although the mere thought of the robot suit fight near the end of it is usually enough to make me not want to play it again. A really sad sore spot on an otherwise magnificent game.

Finally pouring more time into the first game, it's honestly more similar to the SNES game than I'd imagined given its reputation. It definitely does remind me a lot of Hard Corps, which is unsurprising given it's directed by Nakazato himself. But the similarities are in tone and structure moreso than gameplay though, with each stage being split into rather short bursts of action, each with its own individual gimmick, which makes the platforming segments feel more at home next to the plethora of boss fights.
Everyone's favourite VG website, HG101, coined the term "event rush" for this type of game, which I actually like a lot. It's the biggest difference between this and the SNES game with its larger and more "open" stages, but for an arcade mindset it definitely makes the game easier to embrace, so I can see why a lot of people favor this one.

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It manages to remain solidly playable for the entirety of its relatively long running time, too, even when flirting with gimmick ideas that seem like they might not work too well. The shooter segments aren't great, but short enough to never feel annoying. There's a giant robot suit fight in this one too, but it is easy and predictable enough to not ruin anything. And surprisingly there's a mine cart chase sequence that doesn't rely on memorization.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Post by Marc »

Never played the MD game. Played through the SNES game at the time, but going back to it in the last few years, the scrolling irritated the living daylights out of me.
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