New direct-to-TV controllers

[Ghegs]

From NCSX:

Bandai started preorders late last week for four self-contained TV game boxes which plug directly into a television by way of composite A/V. In addition to the original coin-op versions of each game, a new and updated version is included for a fresh rehash. Pricing is set at Y3500 or US$39 NCS.

1) Namco Nostalgia #1 - Xevious and Mappy
2) Namco Nostalgia #2 - Dragon Buster and Gaplus
3) Taito Nostalgia #1 - Legend of Dark and The Gold Castle
4) Taito Nostalgia #2 - Slap Fight and Monsters

The controller looks quite horrible. But hey, Slap Fight. I wonder how the updated versions play.

[Dylan1CC]

OK first of all, TV Game modules are simple 'n sweet. I love 'em. Secondly, there's built in screen. I assume that means I can also play the games without need for a TV. Otherwise it makes no sense. They do look kinda wonky too.

edit: Oh yeah, and arranged versions too? Now I am sold. I think I will pick one of these up when I finally get around to ordering Taito Memories 1 next month.

[Shatterhand]

Are you sure there's a built-in screen? I think that's just a sticker on it, not a screen.

[Dylan1CC]

Are you sure there's a built-in screen? I think that's just a sticker on it, not a screen.

[SAM]

Does it got Tate mode? And may be RGB output?

BAM!!! (A firepan has hit SAM in the head, it seems someone want the black to stay silence)

Err... Okay, at least allow me to mod it with Seimetsu Stick and Sanwa Buttons...

****************************************

Kiki KaiKai & Slap Fight pad is quite attracting to me. Any information on the arranged mode?

[dave4shmups]

From NCSX:

Bandai started preorders late last week for four self-contained TV game boxes which plug directly into a television by way of composite A/V. In addition to the original coin-op versions of each game, a new and updated version is included for a fresh rehash. Pricing is set at Y3500 or US$39 NCS.

1) Namco Nostalgia #1 - Xevious and Mappy
2) Namco Nostalgia #2 - Dragon Buster and Gaplus
3) Taito Nostalgia #1 - Legend of Dark and The Gold Castle
4) Taito Nostalgia #2 - Slap Fight and Monsters

The controller looks quite horrible. But hey, Slap Fight. I wonder how the updated versions play.

Agreed about Slap Fight; I love the MD port, but it's ridiculously expensive to pick up, so i will definately pick up the Slap Fight game box.

I just wonder when these will show up at NCSX and Play-Asia, as I don't know any Japanese, so ordering from Bandai's site isn't an option for me.

And what the heck is Monsters?? I couldn't find any listing for a game by that name on either Gamefaqs, or KLOV.

[Brian]

NCSX is getting them sometime in March.

[SAM]

And what the heck is Monsters?? I couldn't find any listing for a game by that name on either Gamefaqs, or KLOV.

It's acrade version of Kiki KaiKai a.k.a. Pocky & Rocky. Don't know why NCX call it Monsters... I guess they just don't know that game.

[Neo Rasa]

The sound emulation on these things is generally awful, I love them just the same though.

How has SNK not gotten on board with this? Something with P.O.W., SAR, Sky Soldiers, Ikari Warriors, etc. on it would sell like crazy.

[dave4shmups]

The sound emulation on these things is generally awful, I love them just the same though.

How has SNK not gotten on board with this? Something with P.O.W., SAR, Sky Soldiers, Ikari Warriors, etc. on it would sell like crazy.

SNK Classics Collection has been "TBA" on IGN for longer then even Xyanide. It's beyond ridiculous; SNK are waffling around with one of the greatest back catalogues of arcade games ever; meanwhile there's an arcade perfect port of Ikari Warriors for Japanese cell phones.

Thanks for the info on "Monsters", Sam-well if it's Pocky and Rocky, then I am even more excited for the Slap Fight controller!

[Ganelon]

Um, SNK never announced a classics collection. They said they considered having a collection and IGN took that consideration as gospel as the idiots they sometimes are. Yeah, SNK is sitting on a boatload of classics but at least Fatal Fury and World Heroes collections are coming sometime up in the future; just be patient. The NeoGeo Online Collection intro in PS2 Garou showed a lot of fighters such as the World Heroes and Ninja Masters' so the future looks bright.

[dave4shmups]

Um, SNK never announced a classics collection. They said they considered having a collection and IGN took that consideration as gospel as the idiots they sometimes are. Yeah, SNK is sitting on a boatload of classics but at least Fatal Fury and World Heroes collections are coming sometime up in the future; just be patient. The NeoGeo Online Collection intro in PS2 Garou showed a lot of fighters such as the World Heroes and Ninja Masters' so the future looks bright.

Idiots?? I asked the "SNK Answer Man" on SNK-P's US site about this collection and it was definately planned; SNK wouldn't even release it on the XBOX just because they couldn't set the price that they wanted. I'm dead serious, PM me and I'll give you the guy's email address. Or look at this thread:

http://forum.shmups.com/forum/viewtopic ... k+classics

@Brian, thanks for that info on NSCX! I can't wait!

[Ganelon]

Um yeah. You don't need to give me SNK Answer Man's email since I already have it, along with SNK Answer Man 2's email. I said that they considered the collection, which you confirmed. However, did SNK ever announce the collection?

No (BTW, SNK Answer Man does mention things that aren't exactly public SNK information). There was never a definitive games list for the collection (at least to my knowledge; I'd love to be proved wrong on this point though). On the other hand, stuff like the upcoming Fatal Fury and World Heroes Collection have already been mentioned on SNK's Neo Geo Freak website, likely long before they'll ever be released.

Therefore, materializing this collection as IGN did is just as dumb as making a listing for, say, Lunar 3, just because Vic said he'd localize it in the US.

[dave4shmups]

Um yeah. You don't need to give me SNK Answer Man's email since I already have it, along with SNK Answer Man 2's email. I said that they considered the collection, which you confirmed. However, did SNK ever announce the collection?

No (BTW, SNK Answer Man does mention things that aren't exactly public SNK information). There was never a definitive games list for the collection (at least to my knowledge; I'd love to be proved wrong on this point though). On the other hand, stuff like the upcoming Fatal Fury and World Heroes Collection have already been mentioned on SNK's Neo Geo Freak website, likely long before they'll ever be released.

Therefore, materializing this collection as IGN did is just as dumb as making a listing for, say, Lunar 3, just because Vic said he'd localize it in the US.

OK Ganelon, now I see where you're coming from. Still, I wish SNK would give us a collection of arcade ports of some of their old shmups, like Pre-historic Isle, and borderliners, like Ikari Warriors. IMO, we already have enough 2D SNK fighters out there. If IGN was being dumb, SNK is being equally dumb by not releasing these games, which have a much wider appeal.

[dave4shmups]

Has anyone recieved any of these controllers yet? If so, how do they feel, and are the games on them true conversions of the arcade originals?

[Dylan1CC]

^^^^

Yeah, I am curious as well. Very interested in these, have had this thread bookmarked in fact.

[SAM]

Anyone see them avaliable from elsewhere? (Other than NCSX)

Postage from NCSX to my island is real costly.

[DJ Incompetent]

It was either bring this back or create a needless third thread.

I've been trying to track down Taito/Namco Nostalgias. NCSX is still the only place that gives you the order form. They haven't updated the link since the March 2006 preorders, so I'm skeptic on if this even valid anymore. I've been looking for these on ebay, play-asia, and a crapload of Bandai and Namco sites. Found nothing.

Capcom Plug & Play 3-in-1 TV Game, feat.

- 1942
- Ghosts 'n' Goblins
- Commando



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakks_TV_Games

I've already seen one at Toys-R-Us in Hong Kong.

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-8y- ... -1da2.html
This is the only place I've found that. I've checked the US retailer usual suspects and ebay. Nothing.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... =plug+play here's that whole thread.

I stumbled into this along the way.


Geigeki seems to be what it is called. It probably isn't worth the plastic it's molded on, but I've been looking around for anything else shmup plug-'n-play. I got a fat "out of print" from play-asia on this Geigeki thing.
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-8y- ... 0-2v7.html

It bothers me when it says "For JPN/Asian systems only" A US guy shouldn't worry though since the format is NTSC, correct? Is there a possibility importing a plug-n-play thing may not work or even screw up the US tv it's hooked onto?


Anyway, it's not really kosher with my party people to take a console on vacation or to various hotels. It is ok to bring a single controller that operates as the console. Nanostray can't cut it all the time when I'm out of town.
Therefore, it's been awhile since the first wave of these Plug-'n-Play TV games came out. Has anything else shmup noteworty come out since 2005? More importantly, has anybody found a reliable working source for obtaining Plug-'n'Play games?

[dave4shmups]

It was either bring this back or create a needless third thread.

I've been trying to track down Taito/Namco Nostalgias. NCSX is still the only place that gives you the order form. They haven't updated the link since the March 2006 preorders, so I'm skeptic on if this even valid anymore. I've been looking for these on ebay, play-asia, and a crapload of Bandai and Namco sites. Found nothing.

Capcom Plug & Play 3-in-1 TV Game, feat.

- 1942
- Ghosts 'n' Goblins
- Commando



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakks_TV_Games

I've already seen one at Toys-R-Us in Hong Kong.

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-8y- ... -1da2.html
This is the only place I've found that. I've checked the US retailer usual suspects and ebay. Nothing.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... =plug+play here's that whole thread.

I stumbled into this along the way.


Geigeki seems to be what it is called. It probably isn't worth the plastic it's molded on, but I've been looking around for anything else shmup plug-'n-play. I got a fat "out of print" from play-asia on this Geigeki thing.
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-8y- ... 0-2v7.html

It bothers me when it says "For JPN/Asian systems only" A US guy shouldn't worry though since the format is NTSC, correct? Is there a possibility importing a plug-n-play thing may not work or even screw up the US tv it's hooked onto?


Anyway, it's not really kosher with my party people to take a console on vacation or to various hotels. It is ok to bring a single controller that operates as the console. Nanostray can't cut it all the time when I'm out of town.
Therefore, it's been awhile since the first wave of these Plug-'n-Play TV games came out. Has anything else shmup noteworty come out since 2005? More importantly, has anybody found a reliable working source for obtaining Plug-'n'Play games?

I dunno, I downloaded the videos from Play-Asia of Geigeki, and it looks pretty sweet! Nothing groundbreaking, but still a solid effort.

I intend to email NCSX to see if they've gotten any feedback on those Bandai controllers, regarding the quality of the emulation. Because if it's good, Slap Fight is pretty stinkin' expensive, so it would be worth purchasing for that game alone.

[welcometoyourdoom]

Now I want to see an SNK TV game with a rotary joystick and all the appropriate games. Guerilla War, Ikari Warriors I-III, Search And Rescue, and Time Soldiers to start with. Or maybe (unlikely) some Data East love with Heavy Barrel and Midnight Resistance? THAT would rock.

[FRO]

Now I want to see an SNK TV game with a rotary joystick and all the appropriate games. Guerilla War, Ikari Warriors I-III, Search And Rescue, and Time Soldiers to start with. Or maybe (unlikely) some Data East love with Heavy Barrel and Midnight Resistance? THAT would rock.

I'd pay good money for a QUALITY TV-game that had Heavy Barrel w/ the appropriate controls. Good money.

[welcometoyourdoom]

Now I want to see an SNK TV game with a rotary joystick and all the appropriate games. Guerilla War, Ikari Warriors I-III, Search And Rescue, and Time Soldiers to start with. Or maybe (unlikely) some Data East love with Heavy Barrel and Midnight Resistance? THAT would rock.

I'd pay good money for a QUALITY TV-game that had Heavy Barrel w/ the appropriate controls. Good money.

EXACTLY. You know where I'm coming from.

[elvis]

And may be RGB output?

at least allow me to mod it with Seimetsu Stick and Sanwa Buttons...

Hacking your own controllers for it and RGB out would be a trivial excercise. These aren't made from cutting edge electronics. Open one up and see for yourself.

[DJ Incompetent]

Hacking your own controllers for it and RGB out would be a trivial excercise. These aren't made from cutting edge electronics. Open one up and see for yourself.

That brings up more curiosity, doesn't it. Is there any kind of industry standard as to how games are loaded into the controller console? Meaning, is it possible to take a plug-n-play tv unit and somehow get a game of your choice on it?

[louisg]

Or maybe (unlikely) some Data East love with Heavy Barrel and Midnight Resistance? THAT would rock.

YES! That would be great. Heavy Barrel is one of my all-time favorites.

[elvis]

That brings up more curiosity, doesn't it. Is there any kind of industry standard as to how games are loaded into the controller console? Meaning, is it possible to take a plug-n-play tv unit and somehow get a game of your choice on it?

That depends on the system used internally. Some of these systems use basic MegaDrive/Genesis internals. So technically speaking, with a few flash-rom chips and some soldering knowhow you could technically load in any game you liked.

For the ones that are more arcade like (say a Z80 or M68K onboard, and maybe some basic emulation/simulation circuitry), then you'd be limited to using games that ran on identical boards only. And even then, the games are usually hacked in some way and probably woulnd't work 100%.

Definitely not an easy process, either way.

RGB out on the other hand is trivial. Most of these systems output RGB to a Y/C converter chip, and then out to an RCA jack for your TV. Hijacking the RGB data is a matter of tracing the data path back before the converter chip and soldering 4 wires onto the board. Just like hacking RGB out of a Genesis or similar early home console. GamesX.com has plenty of guides to give you the gist of it.

[DJ Incompetent]

Sounds spirit-crushing. Thank you very much for your advice.

I'll come here first if I ever get a plug play thingie and take a shot.