What's your favorite Salamander game?

Fighter17 · Post by **Fighter17** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 3:08 am

I'm doing what Turrican told me to do.

Pick one and explain why.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 3:51 am

I picked Salamander 2, but it's a close call and I probably couldn't justify the choice under close examination. Salamander 2 is likely to make my top 25 list this year. Incredibly fun.

Acid King · Post by **Acid King** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 5:28 am

US Lifeforce because of the memories... ::wipes tear::

Zach Keene · Post by **Zach Keene** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 7:12 am

Both of the Lifeforce options combine two different games into one option, some of which in turn duplicate other options.

This thread may help. Or not. Konami really made a mess here.

Bydobasher · Post by **Bydobasher** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:00 am

I choose PCE Salamander. I know that at first glance it looks much like the PCB, but the checkpoints give it a very different feel.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 1:37 am

I'm a 2D graphics whore so it's Salamander 2 for me, despite being easy and short. However, I do have fond memories of Life Force. It was my first shooter for the NES and I was surprised to beat it on my 2nd try (with continues).

Bloodreign · Post by **Bloodreign** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 1:49 am

Salamander 1 arcade, play it quite a bit on MAME, enjoy that computers voice, Konami used it a lot. Plus the soundtrack is spiffy, and Aircraft Carrier is a tune in it, just like Gradius.

Plus it's mighty difficult.

MSZ · Post by **MSZ** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 2:32 am

S2 got my vote...

Am I the only one who think S1(arcade) is actually easier than S2? I have a hard time to 1cc S2.

And this is my fav quote from the entire Sala/LF series: "Kidney stone cannot be destoryed!"(stage 2, Life Force arcade)

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 4:22 am

I voted Salamander 2 because of all those wacky bells and whistles... could've used more polish in the top-down levels, though.

Leeram · Post by **Leeram** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 12:24 pm

Arcade Salamander, because it's the best shoot 'em up, ever. If anyone tells you any different, they're wrong.

But most of you knew I was going to say that!

Cheers

Leeram

Post by **Shatterhand** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 3:57 pm

Guess who voted for the MSX one?

Salamander 2 is obviously a better game, and the arcade salamander is awesome (As the PC-Engine also is) - never played too much of the NES versions..

But I voted for the MSX one, just because it's the MSX, and no one is going to vote for it. Also because this brings me lots of memories from my childhood, it was one of the very few games I used to play with my sister (The only other 2 I can remember now are Wiz 'n' Liz and Qwak, both Amiga games), I think it was the 1st game I heard with the SCC sound chip (The WOOOOSH in the ships taking off are awesome), it had a cool storyline...

benstylus · Post by **benstylus** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 4:11 pm

NES Life Force.

That game was the first NES game to wow me with the fancy graphics.

It wowed me so much I used EGAPaint and did pixel perfect recreations of the red and blue ships as well as the king tut boss.

Even today I think it's incredibly fun.

Didn't like the ripple laser in it though... doesn't work too well (although it does work fine in the Salamander Deluxe pack games on Saturn)

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 4:28 pm

Salamander 2. I love the music and the variation in levels; almost reminds me of Gradius V.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:03 pm

By the way, the name of the game is SalAmander, not Salmander!

Just being nit-picky.

Fighter17 · Post by **Fighter17** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:13 pm

Shatterhand wrote:By the way, the name of the game is SalAmander, not Salmander!

Just being nit-picky.

Just shoot me!

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:14 pm

Definitely the NES one for me. Unlike a lot of arcade ports back then, it wasn't just an inferior "we did our best" sort-of-fun effort; in many ways it was a total reinvention. It had an absolutely brilliant atmosphere (at least for the first few levels) that the arcade version didn't quite capture, and I think the NSF format lent the tunes a more mysterious and sometimes melancholic quality. The vertical levels felt well-made (I still haven't gotten used to the odd feel of the arcade vertical levels to this day), and I think the gameplay on the whole was tightened up quite a bit...

For those who think of everything in terms of graphical quality and sound, I'd even argue that the NES version has aged a lot better than any of the arcade games!

Post by **Shatterhand** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:07 pm

Konami of the 80s used to "re-invent" their arcade games for the lesser home systems many times.

Salamander is its biggest classic, but they also did it with Yie-ar Kung fu, not to mention a certain "Akumajou Dracula" game....

Who else voted for the MSX version ??!?!

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:15 pm

Shatterhand wrote:Konami of the 80s used to "re-invent" their arcade games for the lesser home systems many times.

Salamander is its biggest classic, but they also did it with Yie-ar Kung fu, not to mention a certain "Akumajou Dracula" game....

Who else voted for the MSX version ??!?!

You really need to ask?

My first big shmuplove. Dispite the systems limitations it was a FANTASTIC conversion and then some!
I too remember being going to a Dixons store and seeing the game on in a vitrine. I asked a employee to open the cabinet, turn up the VOL. and I was SOLD.
I was blown away at the time by the unbelievable sound quality (for a video game). That AND he fact it was my first and only shmup 1CC (actually 1 LIFE!!!) make this an obvious choice.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:48 pm

Shatterhand wrote: not to mention a certain "Akumajou Dracula" game....

Let us not confuse people into believing that the arcade version came first. There's enough debate as it is whether the FDS or MSX2 version was created earlier.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 11:50 pm

Ganelon wrote:There's enough debate as it is whether the FDS or MSX2 version was created earlier.

No debate at all, just confusion. But any reliable, Japanese source agrees that the MSX2 version came out a month later.

FDS: 26 Sept 1986
MSX2 30 Oct 1986

Of course, being just a month, they were probably developed together.

P.S. oh, and I haven't cast my vote yet... Because it's quite a dilemma. I'm leaning toward the original arcade Salamander, but I must ponder on this.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:48 am

Err, I didn't say which one was released earlier. That argument has been settled for years. It's also no question that they were developed simulatenously.

I specifically used the word created to refer to the fact that nobody on the net is clear on which game was thought of first. On one hand, one game credits the other team for help. On the other, one game uses sprites from the other. Still, there's no hint at all which one was the original or if they were truly envisioned at the same time.

gs68 · Post by **gs68** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:06 am

NES LifeForce, followed closely by Sala 2.

Fuck the arcade versions of Salamander and Life Force (US).

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 10:19 am

Ganelon wrote:I specifically used the word created to refer to the fact that nobody on the net is clear on which game was thought of first. On one hand, one game credits the other team for help. On the other, one game uses sprites from the other. Still, there's no hint at all which one was the original or if they were truly envisioned at the same time.

Right, I just wanted to be sure that you specifically used the word created for a reason, then.

Anyway, I doubt that will be ever solved without even knowing / interviewing the original staff members... And after all, it's not so important really.

metallica_tyler · Post by **metallica_tyler** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:16 pm

I chose he MSX version cause it's the only one I currently own. I used to own the NES Lifeforce but didn't play it that much.

Is the scrolling supposed to be really choppy in the MSX version?

Kiken · Post by **Kiken** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 5:08 pm

Bydobasher wrote:I choose PCE Salamander. I know that at first glance it looks much like the PCB, but the checkpoints give it a very different feel.

Seconded.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 5:15 pm

What do you mean by "choppy?" If you mean that each screen is separated from the other, then yes.

Turrican wrote: Anyway, I doubt that will be ever solved without even knowing / interviewing the original staff members... And after all, it's not so important really.

On the contrary, it's very important. Gradius fans know which Gradius was the first. Thunder Force fans know which Thunder Force was the first. But nobody knows which Castlevania came first. It's important because it'd be interesting to know whether CV was conceived of with a linear gameplay style or a more non-linear adventure style gameplay with more roaming around.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 5:31 pm

Ganelon wrote: On the contrary, it's very important. Gradius fans know which Gradius was the first. Thunder Force fans know which Thunder Force was the first. But nobody knows which Castlevania came first. It's important because it'd be interesting to know whether CV was conceived of with a linear gameplay style or a more non-linear adventure style gameplay with more roaming around.

Well...both gameplay souls coexist in the series since the beginning, this is what the double and almost-simultaneous releases for FDS and MSX2 teach us. I think that it's pretty obvious that the MSX2 is the arranged port, because it lacks the balance of the linear title, and because over the years it was paid less homage, so Konami itself doesn't consider it the origin.

btw, Castlevania didn't invent both genres, of course, so I stand of my opinion that while a release date is important to know, what was the first conceived in the minds of these nameless heroes of programming isn't...

metallica_tyler · Post by **metallica_tyler** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:18 pm

Ganelon wrote:What do you mean by "choppy?" If you mean that each screen is separated from the other, then yes.

I haven't really seriously gotten into it yet but I have gotten used to it now.

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:37 pm

It's important because it'd be interesting to know whether CV was conceived of with a linear gameplay style or a more non-linear adventure style gameplay with more roaming around.

Aye, it's a nice tidbit of information for players like myself (and most people here, I would assume) who like to know the histories of their favourite games and exactly who was responsible for what, but I think you might be over-emphasising the importance of things like this just a wee bit.

Only someone who gets their jollies by constantly correcting, contradicting or being more specific than strangers on internet forums could really talk about this stuff like it were a matter of life and death, because it would only ever become "important" in winning an incredibly petty argument with a less well-informed gamer about whether "true" Castlevania is linear or non-linear.

Then again, I could be barking up the wrong tree. I know you folks aren't like that. Mayhap you chaps have more substantial reasons for placing such weight on these droplets of data?

ST Dragon · Post by **ST Dragon** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 7:07 pm

Life Force (NES) was the shooter that started it all for me.
Flying through a huge rib-cage, fighting against a one eyed brain with tentacles & the kick-ass classic boss music, is just priceless.

The fire stage in Life Force (NES) with those cool crescent sun spouts is by far better than the one seen in Gradius II (NES) imo.

I've only played the US-NES version back then, so I voted for that.
What differences does it have to the JPN version?

shmups.system11.org

What's your favorite Salamander game?

What's your favorite Salmander game?

What's your favorite Salamander game?