Densha de Go! (series)

[Obiwanshinobi]

What Densha de Go! games are most accessible if you can't read Japanese?

[Frenetic]

If you have a PS2 or PC, check out Densha de Go Final! It's IMHO, the best in the series because it is a bit more forgiving and has more arcade style routes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-DD5ECHbHQ

Plus there is a nice museum mode where you can view video routes and close ups of trains.

It's really relaxing to do a short night time route after playing some shmups.

--F

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I've never played any of these but, how can you screw up in that game anyway? It's not like you have to steer the train or something.

[Pretas]

Relevant listening.

There are specialized DdG train controllers out there; I know the Wii got one.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I've never played any of these but, how can you screw up in that game anyway? It's not like you have to steer the train or something.

I guess your goals are:

a) make it in time and

b) stop the train at point where passengers can get on it.

Train being much heavier than car, it takes longer to gain momentum and longer to lose it, so it takes the knowledge where you should move at what speed as well as pretty exact execution.

[ZacharyB]

In addition to what Obiwanshinobi said, the player needs precise control of the brake and accelerator. Brake too early or late and time is deducted as punishment. The player also isn't allowed to abuse the controls.

The challenge is based on the prompt train schedules and smooth train operation in Japan.

I also just remembered that the arcade cabinets had cool custom controls that looked like the lever used to control real trains.

[KAI]

Didn't know there was a DDG thread here, sweet!. I've been playing this series like crazy since last year.
IMO the arcade games (DDG1-3 and Ganbare Untenshi!) are far superior than the piss easy console games released on PS2 (those 1 hour-long lines on DDG Pro 2 and Final are ridiculous).

Densha de Go! Professional Shiyo (PSX/PC) is the game you need to play if want to get into this series, includes all the railroads from the first games (DDG1,DDGEX,DDG2 and DDG2 3000 Bandai), new courses and trains, and the judge system isn't as strict as in the original games (even clearing the normal courses was hard a hell).

The Game Center CX episode about the game it's hilarious and also a perfect introduction to understand it's mechanics.

[KAI]

Posting this pic full of native res screenshots to celebrate (?) the 20th anniversary of the franchise.

Spoiler

[ryu]

Oh god why do I like those aesthetics

I need help

[Ji-L87]

I really like DDG 2 on the PS1. Even bought one of those small hand-held DDG controllers. It's not helping me actually perform well in the game, but it's strangely relaxing.

How is the Dreamcast version?

Densha de Go! Professional Shiyo (PSX/PC) is the game you need to play if want to get into this series...

Cool! Which version is recommended in this case? PC or PS1? I'm guessing PS1 because of the cool peripherals?


Oh, and one last thing?
What's the deal with the horn, how and when should it be used? I feel I usually lose points on this one.

[KAI]

Which version is recommended in this case? PC or PS1? I'm guessing PS1 because of the cool peripherals?

It depends, the PC version it's just a port of de PSX game, but runs at 60fps. Sadly the PC port has a weird graphic bug every time you get a bonus sign (the game loads and drop frames), and the low res assets look kinda bad. The PC version can be a pain in the ass to install and config if you don't know a little of japanese.
You have official peripherals for PC as well, there are at least 5 usb controllers iirc.

How is the Dreamcast version?

It's a good port of DDG2 2000 Bandai, much better than the PSX port of DDG2 vanilla. I recommend playing the PC port if you can, it's arcade perfect and it runs and looks gorgeous.

What's the deal with the horn, how and when should it be used?

In order to get bonus points, you need to use it every time you:
*cross a bridge or crossroad
*get into a tunnel
*see workers on the railroad
*accelerate out of a station or reach a station (this bonus is specific to some lines, stations and trains)

Also, you get a penalty if you don't horn when the X shaped sign pops up on the screen.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Is Densha de Go better than Train Simulator?

[KAI]

Far better, some of the Train Simulator games even borrow the user interface and mechanics from Densha de Go.
The repetitive videos and original game mechanics of TS can be pretty boring compared to the arcadeness and awesome graphics of DDG.

[KAI]

After 16 years of absence, Densha de Go! is coming back to arcades for it's 20th anniversary!!

http://denshadego.net

http://www.famitsu.com/news/201608/08112900.html
http://www.famitsu.com/news/201608/08112828.html


Dat Yamanote line dedicated cab <3



The game doesn't seem to have any kind of scoring system
Looks more like a hardware showoff than a real arcade game like the older games on the series.

[wgogh]

Just found out one of those. Maybe it works on the PC with the adaptator

Spoiler

Not as good as the arcade controls, i guess, but it can be interesting
(The same guy was selling a 3-buttons Virtua Fighter arcade stick that would be perfect for shmups, they were placed like [ :. o ] )

[lilmanjs]

Totally cool to see this thread. Been addicted to Densha De Go! Professional 2. Since I don't know Japanese, and this is really my first in the series I've spent a lot of time with, to unlock routes, you need to complete all in a region and line first? Or are there no lines to unlock?

[Obiwanshinobi]

Still haven't played any DdG! game myself, but am I glad the thread is of some use to anybody here. I'd been eyeing up some Saturn version some time ago. Eventually didn't buy it. Am I drunk.

[KAI]

Totally cool to see this thread. Been addicted to Densha De Go! Professional 2. Since I don't know Japanese, and this is really my first in the series I've spent a lot of time with, to unlock routes, you need to complete all in a region and line first? Or are there no lines to unlock?

Pro2 has only 5 lines (Shonan-Shinjuku Line, Tsurumi Line, Kosei Line, Seto-Ohashi Line, Nagasaki Main Line and Sasebo Line). The only thing you can unlock in that game are different trains, which only change the diagram of the lines, not the routes. AFAIK, you just need to play a lot to unlock them.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I want to play this game while listening to this song.

https://youtu.be/5gEdQ5KpY8Y

[Teufel_in_Blau]

Try better listening to some Rei Harakami. He works very well with those games as background music, imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGsbHG9b-aU

[lilmanjs]

Try better listening to some Rei Harakami. He works very well with those games as background music, imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGsbHG9b-aU

Damn that is so true, but for the best, Trace of Red Curb is perfect for listening to while playing. Those little melodies at the stops are catchy in Professional 2 though. How do you know Rei Harakami music works well? Just watch this video and you know why its perfect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQTBoi2oguE

[KAI]

holyshit Taito is releasing a plug and play DDG controller with a wide version of DDG Final on it!!

Densha de ＧＯ! ＰＬＵＧ ＆ ＰＬＡＹ





I'm getting one of these for sure!

[Immryr]

Cool! I might get one of these. I've never played a ddg game before, is there a decent primer anywhere, both on how to play and just generally how to navigate the games if you don't speak Japanese?

[BIL]

zomg great thread bookmarked. One of those oddball JP series I've meant to check out for ages.

[KAI]

is there a decent primer anywhere, both on how to play and just generally how to navigate the games if you don't speak Japanese?

Here's the manual of DDG1 translated in english. Except for a couple of mechanics introduced in the sequels, all the games share the same basis.

[Ghegs]

Oh that's pretty cool. HDMI too. If the price isn't too bad, I'll get one. Might be of interest to the Rolling Start crowd as well.

[KAI]

I was just thinking about making a DDG thread there too Ghegs.
My friends laugh every time I say this, but all that braking, accelerating and railroad memorization make this game feel like some kind of racing game hybrid with scoring system. Pretty sure that's why I got hooked into them almost instantly.

[WelshMegalodon]

some kind of racing game hybrid

[lilmanjs]

I totally need that when it is released, plug & play. It has been a little while, but I got back into professional 2 last night. Oddly enough, Rei Harakami and Yoshinori Sunahara make for good music to listen to while playing. Still hard as heck and I still pretty much suck, but I'm having loads of fun again.

[MX7]

Kind of tempted for the novelty but 14,800円 is a bit steep consodering it would essentially be a conversation piece. Watching videos of this is making me miss Japan