Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

[BIL]

Ninja-kun stuff is usually pretty good.

Iga Ninjutsu Den is weird but maybe good? Stages are weirdly long and I'm not at all sure whether I'm doing the right thing.

Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel is pretty sick. You have like a billion moves, including a completely ridiculous air dash that you can control to a shocking degree. Zero's a ninja's ninja. Aero is a pretty cool little series, I wish we got even one more game out of it.

Insert Ninja Master's here? Maybe a meme game, but the production values are completely insane. It's probably no less playable than The Last Blade 2, which everyone worships despite (or maybe because of) having characters like Zantetsu in it. Zantetsu is a ninja of course. He's also completely busted.

I'd count Sasuke, given the name's long association with ninja folklore. AFAIK, the protagonist is indeed a ninja in the Shogun's employ (I guess being referred to by name in the iconic "Sasuke! Protect me from ninja!" while his enemies go by the generic label is a recognition of his prowess and Main Character DNA, haha).

Well, Goemon and friends are all supposed to be ninjas. Some are better at it than others (Yae is like the only one who's actually employed to do ninja things and also seems to be pretty good at her job), but they are still Ninja Video Game Characters. I'd recommend a lot of Goemon games as Good Ninja Video Games.

Yeah, was thinking of Goemon himself there (the historical Robin Hood figure probably having his share of stealthy tricks, I'm sure). Sasuke and Yae tended to be the more avowedly "shinobi" types, but Goemon and Ebisumaru had plenty of the usual lore applied (their tabi boots and mesh chainmail being the most visually obvious).

Ninja Master's is worth a mention just for its attract mode, which really needs the death-drumming Taikos for the full effect, but is still worth GIFfing.

[Despatche]

The production values are completely insane. Also, every character has like five different types of supers, because why not. Also, it's one of the very few weapon fighters in all of existence that actually allow you to sheathe said weapons. I... can't actually think of another game that does this, off-hand. Ninja Master's isn't the only one, surely...

[Sengoku Strider]

and I roooves me some Magician Lord

This is really fucking impressive.

[BIL]

Haha, thanks. The estimable Mr. Mosquito has one up too. I actually wasn't going for No Damage, that was my first completed 1LC. Was like "yeee! I done it! wait what! oh cool!" Magician Lord is a harshly balanced affair - by the time you're going for a No Miss, you'll probably be in the ballpark for a No Damage, certainly if you're sticking with Elta (base Wizard form). Elta's L3 shot demolishes most things with proper pointblank spacing, and its fat hitbox makes swatting zako a snap, too.

Runs implode easily though, especially with his own chunky hitbox. Getting hit decimates your attack power, which means more enemies onscreen, who can quickly take your final hitpoint. The transformations will give you a nice 4HP buffer, but they're highly situational and often more trouble than they're worth. It's both more practical and more enjoyable to stick with Elta's classically high risk/high yield quasi-1HKO game, imo.

(apropos the last few posts, the Shinobi is a good learner form, with his almost Elta-good L3 shot, a still-useful L2 shot, and an excellent jump. And I'd like to do a Musashi run at some point, he's badass. that piercing radial slash could easily support a full game. lack of stopping power was bringing XTREEM memo requirements by Stage 6's opening doggo/catgirl hallway, though)

[Sima Tuna]

In The Hunt may be the meanest game I've ever played.

[BIL]

Good stuff though eh. Just thinking about that jackboot-stomping st2 BGM (JP ver) makes me wanna fire it up. Killer Mr. Heli meets proto-Slug. Incidentally, Slug itself was originally going to be another push-scrolling vehicle action game, until the character element was introduced. Spot the bisected tanker from MS1 st1 in Kaitei's same!

[Sima Tuna]

Oh, it's an amazing game. It may be the most beautiful pixel art game I have seen. Even beating out the notorious (and much-loved by me) Metal Slug. In The Hunt has such a fantastic presentation and it's consistent the whole way through. The part with all the little buildings (it's the same level you see in the credits) with everything destructible? Insane.

Spoiler

But the game is so fucking hard. I had the settings changed to "easy" and still lost an absolute ton of credits feeding through. The parts where you thread the missiles? Asshole game. Some of the boss patterns too, are so thick and your hitbox so big, I have no idea how to even begin to avoid them.

[BIL]

Nice GIF! That whole stage is exceptionally beautiful - both the meticulously detailed town (one of those scenes that becomes legit arcade cinema when observed on replay), and the vast sky and shallow harbor earlier on, with the docklands leading into the residential areas.





Nobody could do natural/industrial contrasts like Nazca.

Spoiler

[Sima Tuna]

I don't think it would be at all revolutionary to suggest that Nazca make the most beautiful pixel art video games of all time, but I do feel In The Hunt has exceptional artistic composition even by their standards. The use of shallow water zones to both squeeze your movement down and accentuate elements above the water result in some absolutely jaw-dropping frames. Each level has something unique going on visually and the bosses are impossibly detailed.

If I can steal a george lucas-ism, rick berman-ism, "every frame is just so detailed, there's so much going on."

At any given time, there are always enemies above and below the water. They're always firing, even when you're protected by the water or a piece of cover. Every section on the screen has movement and activity in it.

Big ups to the design of the Little Yellow Submarine, as well. Like the Slug, your ship is both cute and impossibly loaded with weaponry.

[Bassa-Bassa]

But the game is so fucking hard. I had the settings changed to "easy" and still lost an absolute ton of credits feeding through. The parts where you thread the missiles? Asshole game. Some of the boss patterns too, are so thick and your hitbox so big, I have no idea how to even begin to avoid them.

It requires a different approach than usual. Once you realize you should go step by step, scrolling it little by little (there're sections where it's almost per-pixel scrolling, even), it's not the same beast. The problem is, the action gets too slow this way and the game loses a bit of its hook (and your previous credit-feeding will likely make it worse).

[To Far Away Times]

Nazca's games are almost impossibily detailed. The absolute top tier.

I think the only thing that even approaches it is a few fighting games, Third Strike and Garou have some incredible animation. Third Strike for the fluidity, and Garou for selling the impact on hits.

[Sima Tuna]

Spoiler

Speaking of impossibly detailed games, it's like Huntdown was made just for me. This has to be one of the best modern attempts at a retro 2d run and gun. It's less relentless, contra-style action and more tactical, measured puzzle solving with guns. Huntdown also has one of the best soundtracks around. It's impossible for me to play this one without blasting the sound. The audioscape is so satisfying, particularly the announcer's voice when he says "STASH COLLECTED," the main character's cheesy one-liners ("I like my salsa... chunky") and the "KA-CHACK!" whenever you switch weapons.

All three of the characters are fine, but I think the Arnold ripoff with the metal jaw is my favorite. His default gun is very powerful and good for learning the game. I've discovered that this is one of those games where I prefer a powerful gun to a high fire rate, because when I shoot at enemy, it's usually one of several charging me and I want it dead immediately. With Ana Conda's beretta, you're locked into place using the burst fire. Which has gotten me killed a few times. Mow Man (the robot) and Discount Arnold are a lot easier to stick and move with.

The music in Huntdown is unbelievable. It reminds me of the soundtrack to Deadbolt. Deadbolt was a fine little game, but have you heard its soundtrack? The soundtrack is better than the fucking game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD4E_Ys ... MMprJ_Xf42

Chris is a genius. Anyway, my point is that, as much as I like Huntdown's gameplay (and I love elevator action returns, so I love this also), I think the music and overall audio may be superior to the game. It's amazingly strong.

https://youtu.be/tzQ7lOn1vns?list=PLa5k ... 1s3hRNjI2w

[Stevens]

Huntdown is dope. I have it on the ps4, but have considered buying it on Steam.

Ost is really good.

[mycophobia]

in tmnt4 how tf do you do the pattern with Slash where he zeroes in on you. like he walks slowly towards you and he just follows you vertically and eventually he's in your face and he hits you and you can't outmaneuver him

[mycophobia]

looked at a couple of runs on youtube and it looks like you can jump kick him and he'll guard but he'll get pushed across the screen. so i guess ill try that

[mycophobia]

update it worked once and then he did it again and i missed the jump input and got hit. thank you

[BIL]

Commiserations, sounds like a classic XYZ axis hoedown

I myself am just finishing up along similar lines The essential quality of The Scrolling Action... all is delineated within TEH PARCHMENT



Been a long haul writing everything up, but good goddamn, I love this game more than ever. While the breezy opening two stages aren't suggestive of desert island material... the remainder's bracing volatility, and the handling's balance of lunar grace to body-shredding overkill are, in the annals of white-knuckle one man army scrolling: immortal. The thrill of cheating death over and over, shaving past oblivion on frames and pixels, channeling honed technique through steely reflex and resourcefulness - I've only rarely felt the ideal of Hard Scrolling Action realised so invigoratingly. Your first or fiftieth, a one-life clear will wake you the fuck up. Eminently masterable, uncommonly graceful, infinitely revisitable. Its flaws (Ninja Pit, st6 boss fiasco, st1/2 ez street) are both daft and easily-correctible, but as my ol shumps hero Rob said, perfect games are overrated. (just no Holy Diver input badness, that shit is YURUSAN )



Significantly tightened up my Ninja Pit and last boss guidance, in addition to lots of little things. Finally feels like I can semi-authoritatively advise on that bitch Boney-sama. Just wish I had a name to put to him. "Sokushinbutsu" is what JP Wiki seems to like, but that's really just the general term for a Buddhist mummy. Worth looking up if you dig creepy Eastern ascetic shit. Boney being at the bottom of a deep hole takes on a bit more significance, now.



As the Ninja Pit's rushjob suggests, Saigo seems like one of those games (id's Quake is another) that never nailed down its storyline, with the papers and code differing sharply. Squinting at the JP flyer, it seems to tell the tale of a doomed couple who attempted to flee their ninja clan, only to perish, with their son being raised ignorant of this. Until! NINJA VENGEANCE. So, the little opening vignette gets big "KISAMAAA" energy. OTOH, the game itself never so much as hints at this, or any other backstory, seeming to go with a near-unspoken iteration of the Shiranui legend. So the opening's more "Sup oyaji, imma kill y - oh you sneaky fuck."

TBH I like my action game plots as elliptic as possible, so it suits me fine. Also worth noting that even on those JP arcade papers, the "Ninja Spirit" subtitle is visible, like they hadn't quite made their minds up on the title. Euphony-wise, I prefer Ninja Spirit, and it suits the game's supernatural bent, too. However, "The Last Ninja" is equally apropos the relentlessly doomy, necro-feudal air; what both revisions succinctly eulogise "the desperate fight." (it's my headcanon that the Ghosts, with their Tsuki-matching uniform/palette and similarly under-hand katana, hint at some horrid fate befalling his comrades/clan; perhaps resurrected as monstrous footsoldiers, ala PS2 Shinobi).

I almost wonder if IREM were avoiding a clash with the 1987 PC action/adventure of the same name, haha.

[Randorama]

I recently discovered that Tora e no michi (i.e. the Japanese version of Tiger Road, Capcom's old Shaolin-themed platform/action game) has a second loop.
The first loop is easier than the US default loop, so the second loop is more or less like Tiger Road's only loop, difficulty-wise.

The whole bonus-stage, power-up system is reset once the new loop starts (so, back to the default weapon, no extra tools).

I should be able to nab the 2-loop, 1-CC soon, but boy is this game frustrating...

[wiNteR]

Yeah, I think getting either getting a no-miss (first stage start) or getting a clear starting from (say) the second stage is probably harder than clearing both loops.

I remember watching a video for both loops some years ago. At least, just from looking at it, I couldn't spot any substantial difference.

[mycophobia]

can tmnt4 PLEASE give me the FUCKING RUN INPUT WHEN I ASK FOR IT!!!! i would like more than a 10% success rate on a running attack!!

[BIL]

Doubletap dash inputs suck PP in general tbh 3;

Gotta be buttery-smooth buffered juuust right to not suck, and also let you invert+dash in the same two taps. Otherwise? GET FUCC IMO (■｀w´■)
SUCC THIS FUCC YOU DOUBLE-TAP CUCC (｀w´メ)

[Sima Tuna]

Am I crazy, or is double dragon 4 actually a good game? I had assumed this game was shit based on footage I had seen of it online. Well, now I buy it, boot it up, and... It controls well! It has bland visuals and some boring stage design + some real asshole platforming, but the controls are responsive, move shortcuts are very nice, you have lots of extra unlocks to keep you going and... It's fun! Punching the shit out of guys is fun.

What initially convinced me to not buy this one was assuming that, because they had reused double dragon 2 NES' visuals, they had stolen the control scheme as well. I know some people may like it, but I hate the directional attack control scheme in DD2. It always confuses me and I end up eating enemy attacks because I can't remember which direction does what in a game that goes against all my old beat em up instincts. But DD4 uses the DD1 control scheme, which I love. Only with extra shortcuts for headbutt, roundhouse, backfist (it's shit) and jump. The jump button makes platforming a lot more bearable... Up to a certain point.

https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/02 ... n-4-review

Of course, IGN hated it. Maybe that's a seal of quality. Look, the game looks kinda bad. The visuals are recycled from NES jank. The levels are bland. But the controls are rock fucking solid and the enemies are the same assholes you love to punch in the MOTHERFUCKING FACE.

Punching shit in this game just feels so good!

Spoiler

[BIL]

Ahh, I've been wondering on/off... some key talent behind the scenes on that one. I was mostly scurred on the technical front, input lag/screen tear etc, but I hear it's gotten some decent (and surprisingly recent) patches.

Spoiler

The sparingly expanded combo engine ala DD Advance always looked rad to me. I'm not into comically extended juggles/tickles of Guardian Heroes, but yeah, sure, I'll elbow a motherfucker in the temple TWO TIME on he way to the ground! It'd be rude not to! I'll have to give this one a shot myself.

I get along fine with the Kunio L/R controls, but what does bug me about the otherwise beautiful FC DD2 is the slight delay needed for the code to recognise you've pivoted. If you hit [turn] and [kick] too quickly, you'll end up punching the thin air behind you, while the enemy you wanted to boot in the guts instead feasts on your exposed back. FUCC

This is a major gain for the AC version, where you can turn n' burn as quick as you like. An onlooker might never realise the kick is being preceded by a pivot. Feels good as fuck y'all



DDA amazin btw, look how they massacre this poor chump who's tryna EZ-cheeze the AI (;｀w´;) DOING HIM PROPER EDIT: OMFG DELETED! YOU LOUSY FUCKIN PRICKS IMMA FIND IT AGEEN!

Punching shit in this game just feels so good!

aka THA REAL TECHNOS FEEL

Kishimoto & co, godfathers of BEAT EM TIL THEY CANT EVEN BUST beltscrolling. EDIT: Or fuck, just beltscrolling period.

Spoiler

"NAOHHH STAHP KICKIN MAH NUTSAAAACK" "NAW, BITCH! THEM NUTS STANK! HOL THIS T.O.D. BITCH "

[BrianC]

can tmnt4 PLEASE give me the FUCKING RUN INPUT WHEN I ASK FOR IT!!!! i would like more than a 10% success rate on a running attack!!

That's one thing I like about Hyperstone Heist. The dedicated run button works like it should. With TMNT4, I end up sticking to auto since the run is inconsistent otherwise. There's also a hack available for L/R dash that works well but disables auto dash. The older L/R hack has autorun, but still has input delay.

[Randorama]

wiNteR: I generally think that the game has a rank system that makes sub-sections frustratingly harder if you are over the default number of lives, or survive long enough.
Dropping lives as soon as you extend seems to keep difficulty down, so I am not even bothering with an 1-LC.

I would say that st2 is the most frustrating stage (sub-sections are about swamping you with enemies), but st3 is the real bottleneck.
On st3, you simply don't score many points and the two sub-sections after the mid-boss require a precise pace of progression.
Final stage with all the extra power-ups is, honestly, the easiest stage.

Oh well, I need a good run...

[Sima Tuna]

I unlocked a bunch of characters for story mode in double dragon 4. Game is still fun. Even more fun when you realize most of the extra characters have decently-large movesets. Want to play as Abobo and kill everything? You can. Want to play the generic female enemy with a mohawk? You can. Want to be the dude with two escrima sticks? Go nuts. You can play the entire game as any character. Some characters are OP and others are weak, but they're all available to have fun with. Double Dragon 4 definitely doesn't stand in the way of you and fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5D1wq2l9AQ

I fucking love Abobo's animations.

[it290]

The RoboCop (Data East, Arcade) core just got released for MiSTer so I've been playing a bit of that. How does everyone rate this game? It's obviously based on the Bad Dudes engine but seems significantly more fair, much more so than I remember it being as a kid. There aren't too many basic enemy types to memorize but they come at you fast and quick at times, and damage adds up. I think this could be one for a 1cc run but I'd like to know if anyone else thinks it's worthwhile first. Certainly there's some strategy with the different weapons providing crowd cover but significantly less boss damage in certain situations.

[BIL]

bloodf's a fan of that one, IIRC. Was always interested, on that and its charming rendition of Teh Theme Of Robocop. The FC version was sadly subpar, like most of DECO's ports on that console. Not that FC ports are ever particularly close approximations of contemporary PCBs, but at least with Capcom/Konami/Technos/SNK's in-house stuff you've got a better than average shot at a good time.

In other news, wahooo!



Need a fuckin cig and I don't even smoke. Played some Saigo in ShmupMAME, cos I'm using the in-game font for my section headers, and rather than piece together stage names by hand, I thought I'd just enter + screenshot 'em on the HS table.

Ended up playing a full game, because Saigo is fiendishly efficient, both in runtime and its challenge to even veteran clearers. Got my first 1LC not on ACA or PCB, and some decent R&D for me paper what I'm writing. At least in ShmupMAME 4, there's a big ol' chunk of slowdown missing from Boney-kun. Actually, on ACA and PCB, you'll get a massive hit of slowdown as the Ninja Pit concludes, for little apparent reason. This is my usual cue for transitioning to the attack.

All this to note, my fuckin anti-Boney route (modular! built for on-the-fly customisation! ) held up despite the rather faster, scarier game speed, which saw a ground crawler bolt make me say "oh hell naw" prior to the final corner attack. So I'm quite chuffed, and glad I waited until I knew what was I talking about. (or thought I knew, at least )

And then I closed the goddamn emulator before saving at the HS screen.

[Sima Tuna]

Decided to play some Zero Team. It's a very impressive game. The gameplay is really not any worse than what you would find in the best beat em ups, including those modern ones that get shilled frequently. It reminded me a lot of Fight n Rage's combo system, which I believe is just a modification of Final Fight's. You can really combo the fuck out of people in Zero Team and it feels fucking satisfying. The level design is very strong too. The way you can interact with your environment is top notch stuff. You can grab and throw a ton of objects + your main temporary power up is a missile launcher. Enemy AI is another high point. I think they must make use of scripting, but it's still very clever the way groups of enemies will hurl piles of boxes and other junk at you.

I have to say, I was surprised how awesome this game is. I had heard good things about it, but Seibu are the Raiden guys, right? I wouldn't have expected them to turn out such an amazing brawler. Hamster did a service bringing this to modern consoles. A lot of the games on Arcade Archives are, in my opinion, an acquired taste. But I think you could pop in Zero Team with an average crowd and have a very fun time. It gives me those Knights of the Round vibes.

[BIL]

Everybody loves Zero Team, for good reason. The beater it reminds me most of is actually SOR1, with the snappily responsive combos and efficiently compact sprites. Make me think of that game running on beefier hardware. That wicked eight-way projectile game is all its own though! Other than the forgettable soundtrack, it's got everything a brawler needs and more.

BEEFY HITZ CONFIRMED


And tbh, even the OST's forgivable - it'd be one thing if it were a hot-blooded revengeoner ala DD/SOR, but it's more of a goofy Sentai/Super Rescue joint. DROP THAT TOILET PAPER YOU FUCK :O

Your windshield pooping days are done, SEAGULLMAN!

Spoiler

^^^ homies tearin off in the BG like "AIGHT FUCK THIS"

One thing I particularly like is the back attack - not usually a standout mechanic, but the way you can deck a backstabbing fuck mid-combo without missing a beat is uncommonly smooth.

Boy got knocked tha FUCK out

Spoiler