Splatterhouse series / スプラッターハウス Supurattāhausu

[SuperDeadite]

III is a lot of good ideas, but stuck together poorly imo. And the gameplay is different enough it feels more like a spinoff then part of the main series. Also maybe I'm crazy, but I quite prefer the very simple story of the first 2 games. 3 gets way more complicated then it needs too. 1 and 2 are arcade horror games, 3 is a console horror game. I'm an arcade gamer at heart.

[BIL]

So you're not so into the third? I thought it was meant to be the best of the series? It's the only time BIL and HG101 have ever agreed on something so I figured the stars were aligned.

Don't make me call my attorney

I like SH3(JP) a lot, as a competent console beltscroller with a killer aesthetic. But like I said I've next to no experience with the first two. I could never call it the best of the series, considering that - it would be asstalking of HG101 standards!

[SuperDeadite]

I don't think I've ever agreed with HG101. Their Rayxanber review makes IGN look like the New York Times. But even just looking at facts alone, they are often way off base. Their Cotton article claims that X68000 Cotton is a straight port of the arcade game, even though it's nothing of the sort. It has totally unique boss fights for one thing, lol.

[BIL]

HG101.

Since Taroumaru feels like it was designed to be an arcade game, you can forget about it being properly balanced, because enemies attack in huge numbers and the bosses litter the screen with tiny projectiles.

LOL.

[Stealthlurker]

Speaking of Splatterhouse...





.

[Skykid]

HG101.


LOL.

/thread.

[drauch]

HG101 does certainly fuck up quite a bit, but I still like 'em just for mentioning a lot of shit nobody cares about, and at least attempting to compare ports most people haven't dicked with.

Splatterhouse 3 certainly has the aesthetic and atmosphere down for the horror film and macabre lover, and with the alternate paths and multiple endings, I think it's far and away the best game of the series. I can see the classic sidescroller arcade argument, but I feel like 3 is--err, was--the swan song of the series. The music, story, atmosphere, and the arsenal of attacks at your disposal make it such a memorable game for me. I love the first two (and Graffiti), but not having that stiff leg jump is such a relief.

[EmperorIng]

I'm playing through the first Splatterhouse now, also to get myself in the Halloween mood. I have problems with the mirror hallway, and the necessary slide-kick maneuver to quickly deal with the dopplegangers. I can't get the button combination down nor the timing. Unless there's an easier way to deal with them.

Is there any way to feasibly beat the chainsaw guy without the two shotguns trick? It seems impossible!

[Skykid]

I'm playing through the first Splatterhouse now, also to get myself in the Halloween mood. I have problems with the mirror hallway, and the necessary slide-kick maneuver to quickly deal with the dopplegangers. I can't get the button combination down nor the timing. Unless there's an easier way to deal with them.

Is there any way to feasibly beat the chainsaw guy without the two shotguns trick? It seems impossible!

Just learn the two shotguns trick, it's really easy. I couldn't figure out any other way of reliably beating him otherwise, but I pulled it off after conceding a couple of hits once or twice.

The mirror Ricks I tend to lay two snappy punches on the second they step out and get in line. If you only land one, they tend to get knocked back a little, and I finish with two flying kicks - staying in the air usually works well if you have some distance. I've also done a flying kick to start with and finished with two punches, but the previous method is my favourite.

Enjoy, it's a fun clear, and remember whenever given the opportunity, always go up, up, up!

[SuperDeadite]

I always like to go down and fight the Necromancer. Love his funky music and it's nowhere else in the game.

[Skykid]

I always like to go down and fight the Necromancer. Love his funky music and it's nowhere else in the game.

What the heck is with that part, sometimes it gets stuck and doesn't scroll to the ladder at the end of the room. I can't seem to kill the Necromancer when that happens either, thought it might be buggy?

[SuperDeadite]

Huh? The Necromancer is a mini-boss. It stops scrolling and you must kill him to advance.. I've never had any bugs occur there on my PCB nor Towns machines, I've never played it on a Marty though.

[Skykid]

Huh? The Necromancer is a mini-boss. It stops scrolling and you must kill him to advance.. I've never had any bugs occur there on my PCB nor Towns machines, I've never played it on a Marty though.

For real? On the Towns I stood there kicking him for eternity and he didn't die. Other times the screen suddenly scrolls right - often before I had even one crack at him - and lets me exit the room.

[SuperDeadite]

Wacky. Never seen that, and I've played my Towns version through a few times on the Fresh (486) and my UX20 (386).

Might have to dust off the old Car Marty and see what happens. Marties are weird machines, they tend to have odd bugs in places, such as the infamous screen tearing in Chase HQ which happens on all Marties, but not on any of the PCs.

The Marty works as a good gateway into the Towns world, but let's be honest, it's a cheap piece of shit and always was. When the Marty was released, the Towns PCs had already moved on to the 486s. And the Marty is a 386SX, while even the original 1989 Towns was a 386DX. Not to mention the lack of RGB, RAM, HDD, MIDI, and lots of other stuff. The Marty sold like crap for a reason, anyone back then who wanted to run FM Towns software knew the Marty was a bad deal and bought a PC.

[EmperorIng]

Just learn the two shotguns trick, it's really easy. I couldn't figure out any other way of reliably beating him otherwise, but I pulled it off after conceding a couple of hits once or twice.

The mirror Ricks I tend to lay two snappy punches on the second they step out and get in line. If you only land one, they tend to get knocked back a little, and I finish with two flying kicks - staying in the air usually works well if you have some distance. I've also done a flying kick to start with and finished with two punches, but the previous method is my favourite.

Enjoy, it's a fun clear, and remember whenever given the opportunity, always go up, up, up!

The game pounds into your head the punishment for going down - I would think it a natural association!

And don't get me wrong, I never not use the two-shotgun trick. I'm curious though if a reliable strategy exists without it. It seems to me one of those credit-munching aspects of the game that separates splatter scrubs from splatter men.

Thanks for the tips on the mirror men - though I sometimes take a hit here and there, it's a much more consistent crossing.

[MJR]

You can kill the chainsaw guy with 3-4 sliding kicks.

I used to be able to 1-credit the whole game with no weapons (I own the PCB so I've played it a bit)

I have listed some playing tricks (like how to deal with chainsaw guy) here: http://splatterhouse.kontek.net/shaccodes.html

[EmperorIng]

Wow, so there's a hidden enemy during the final boss fight? That's pretty cool.

[MJR]

Wow, so there's a hidden enemy during the final boss fight? That's pretty cool.

It's more like time counter, if you idle too long in screens (and if the wall of mist does not slam on you), the blue orb, or many, will finish you.

[EmperorIng]

I managed a two-credit clear just now, with the bubble stage cutting my run short. That might not have ended things if I didn't have a stupid death to the stage 1 boss.

That hemorrhoid stage though... it's a royal pain in the ass. Those random bubbles can screw you over if you aren't careful.

The only sore spots for me then are the Jennifer fight (still a stupid hit here and there), the bubbles, and the final boss's random rock spam.

[Skykid]

Keep going, you'll get it. Tonight is the night!

[MJR]

That hemorrhoid stage though... it's a royal pain in the ass. Those random bubbles can screw you over if you aren't careful.

The only sore spots for me then are the Jennifer fight (still a stupid hit here and there), the bubbles, and the final boss's random rock spam.

Hemorrhoid stage - run as fast to the bubbles as you can, and finish them, when you meet the brain, run close to it and start alternating rapidly between punch and kick, ignore the other bubbles unless they come within your hitting range and just keep at it.

Jennifer. The last attack pattern is a bitch, you can theoretically hit a punch between her small jumps but you will probably get slashed. If you managed to no-miss until that point, then just ignore her attacks and keep punching or try sliding punch - she should die before she can waste you. Or if you are low on hearts, take some distance and try to lure her into huge jump, then run underneath her to hit her toe as she lands.

Final boss - get as close to him and ignore rocks if you have full set of hearts, they can only hit you two-three times. Hands are very easy to avoid, just jump as they swing down and they won't hit you while you are on the air. If you are low on hearts, there is only one rock that can hit you, make a small move to avoid it and then go back and hit the face.

This game is so based on memorization that once you learn the patterns, you can beat this game with your eyes closed.

Hope this helps.

[Pretas]

Those aren't hemorrhoids, they're eggs that grow into embryos after being embedded in the wall of a giant uterus. It's where all the Deadman grunt enemies are born. The stage is called "The Womb."

The boss could be a placenta or something, but it's also the heart of the mansion, as the place comes down in flames after you beat it.

[drauch]

Started playing Splatterhouse 3 again, US version. I sadly don't have the manual, and for some reason I'm having an awful time finding out Rick's special moves. How do you do the pile driver and the gut attack? I could never pull it off when I owned the manual in the 90s, and for some reason every strategy guide or forum I find people just don't know how to do it, or completely omit the pile driver.

[BIL]

Just fired up TEH ROMZ to refresh my memory.

US Monster Rick's Hentai Tentacles: away, towards, away + attack. Same command as US Normal Rick's BREAKIN' 2 Roundhouse, but unlike that you *have* to input "away" first. "L,R,L" and "R,L,R" aren't interchangeable. The game is strict about the directional inputs, too - if you hit a diagonal, the sequence will be cancelled.

Monster Rick Izuna Drop: Same as in JP: hold down and hit jump while you've got a monster grabbed. Once Rick and the victim go airborne you don't need to do anything else.

edit: if by Gut Attack you meant Monster Rick's body blow executed from a grapple - that's hold down and hit attack.

In the US version, Hentai Tentacles don't cost any meter. Wipes off a mighty chunk in JP. It is a lot more annoying to do in US, though. In JP, for both its roundhouse and tentacles you simply hit attack + jump, Final Fight-style, or you can keep one depressed and hit the other.

[drauch]

Awesome! I knew BIL would come through for me. Thanks buddy.

Man, replaying it, the US roundhouse is so broken, just like you said. Like, it makes me feel dirty to use it. What is that, like 5 seconds of invincibility on that thing? I'm finding it is sort of a pain to pull off though when I'm using it for crowd control purposes. Seems like you really have to pull your fingers off the D-pad to execute it properly, otherwise if you keep it depressed and just move back and forth it seems fairly difficult to pull off when you really need it. I may dust off my shitty genesis stick and see if that gives me more control; plus, I really prefer such an interface with beat 'em ups, anyhow. Can't wait to pile drive the Boreworm into mush!

[Austin]

I suppose I have an odd preference when it comes to Splatterhouse.

For one, I think Part III is a great game. This is regardless of whether it's in regards to the JP or US version of it. Yes, I suppose the US one is broken in certain regards, but who says you *have* to use that move to progress? It's not really even necessary with how the game is set up. I have always played (rather successfully) with the typical punches and throws. Splatterhouse 3 also offered scares and an overall level of creepiness that far surpassed the original two games. I suppose that is another reason why it has stuck with me well enough over the years. *note: This was actually the first one I experienced in the series, so I have a soft spot for it

Love the first and second games, by the way. Although I have to say, I probably enjoy the second one more. Maybe that's because I could finish it consistently, whereas the first, I only completed it once or twice via the Turbo Graphx-16 version. Who knows.

Am I the only one that likes the modern re-imagining of the series? I thought the 2010 Splatterhouse was awesome. However, I definitely share the same sentiments as the Happy Video Game Nerd mentioned earlier in this thread. It started off shitty, but by the end once I had everything figured out, it was an incredible game. I had an absolute blast going through the game two more times on the subsequent difficulty levels after knowing what I was doing.

[MJR]

I suppose I have an odd preference when it comes to Splatterhouse.

Am I the only one that likes the modern re-imagining of the series? I thought the 2010 Splatterhouse was awesome. However, I definitely share the same sentiments as the Happy Video Game Nerd mentioned earlier in this thread. It started off shitty, but by the end once I had everything figured out, it was an incredible game. I had an absolute blast going through the game two more times on the subsequent difficulty levels after knowing what I was doing.

No, I liked it too. But it did have some issues, thats why I didn't love it quite as much as the old games. The biggest favour that the game did to me was that it introduced me to ASG (band who did the end credit song).

Splatterhouse 3 is probably the only game I never bothered to play, but I guess I have to give it a spin some day, since it has got so much love here.

[stryc9]

Any tips on how to beat the Evil One (Stage 5 Boss) without chewing through seven or eight lives? I had ten lives in stock when I arrived, which he proceeded to remove from me by way of those eye bolts.

He's hard to hit, but I figured a pattern, it just involves the jump kick so I'm doing fuck all damage each cycle. Is there any reliable way to grab this bastard? He's leaving me with only two lives for the mask battle, which admittedly doesn't seem too bad comparatively.

Anyone? Preferably BIL?

[BIL]

Is there any reliable way to grab this bastard?

Yup, absolutely - though the whole fight is more of a "feel" thing than a strict pattern, it's possible to consistently trap him. Basically you want him to jump, then be where he lands, ready to grab (he has no flying attacks and is totally vulnerable upon landing). He'll reliably jump in a few circumstances, my two favoured ones being when you're standing over him after a knockdown, and when you're far enough away that he's well offscreen.

My ideal process is to immediately floor him with a flying attack up close, then stand over his body. He'll leap away from you upon recovering - walk after him, then immediately perform a backwards jump (takes a little practice) as he lands. He'll leap right along with you, setting up a perfect grab opportunity. Perform chokex2+izuna drop for big damage, and begin the cycle anew by standing over him.

If you get stranded in his projectile firing zone, you can use specials to close in on him, with rationing of course... also, as with other large enemies (like the st1 boss type), you can abuse blockstun by launching a flying attack from in deep, then grabbing him upon landing.

Although my JP Game Master one-life run is much sloppier than I'd like, it shows the gist of what I mean. You can see me try to set up the jump cycle early on, but I'm too slow with the reverse jump and get floored by a punch - but since he's retreating while I'm down, he hits the offscreen distance limit and jumps in anyway.

I've had much better runs where I completely dominate him with this method, but I was a bit nervy here and blew more than one grab opportunity. As you can see just before the kill, it's also possible to flat-out dodge through his projectiles and close in for a grab, but it's tough.

NB: it's absolutely imperative that you finish the battle with lots of meter for the pose-off showdown! Flex those pecs!

[stryc9]

OK thanks BIL, I checked out the vid and I see what you're doing, although it has to be said you have a bit of a supernatural talent for knowing when to go for the grab - I'm pretty sure I saw you catch him as he changed forms, I'll definitely have to try to emulate a bit of this on my next run.

Great scrolling beat 'em up, it took me this long to really appreciate it.