RBelmont wrote:A little math shows that if you overclock a Pi3 to about 3.4 GHz you'll start to be competitive with PCs from 2002. And you'll also set your house on fire
Tight aerial swordplay and bravura victory poses throughout.
I like how you give that Jaquio flame the slip at 18:50 - I've blinkered myself into thinking they can be ditched vertically only. Jashin finish was scary! :O Were you intentionally going down to the wire with him, or was that a white-knuckle finish? Good cinema either way.
That flawless running kill at 6:40 is the game's inimitable kinetic snap in a nutshell. Spoiler
This thread makes me want to get some MAME going and play Rastan. I think what blew me away the first time was the paralax, and of course the soundtrack. Damn... why do they not make gems like that no mo.
Now, while we're on the topic -- who wants to discus Rastan Saga 2. Taito US had the right idea by hiding it by reversing the name.
RegalSin wrote:New PowerPuff Girls. They all have evil pornstart eyelashes.
BIL wrote:Tight aerial swordplay and bravura victory poses throughout.
I like how you give that Jaquio flame the slip at 18:50 - I've blinkered myself into thinking they can be ditched vertically only. Jashin finish was scary! :O Were you intentionally going down to the wire with him, or was that a white-knuckle finish? Good cinema either way.
That flawless running kill at 6:40 is the game's inimitable kinetic snap in a nutshell. Spoiler
NG1 jump strike, mechanic/aesthetic perfection.
That final boss battle is 100% authentic terror. I always thought of him as the victory lap after Jaquio. I never thought he had a real chance to end my run, right up until he got me down to my last hit. You can even see how I instantly go from cavalier to cowering at that point.
It's really incredible to think that it came from Zuntata's traditional line up. The authentic pulp-barbarian feel is such a farcry from their usual weird-pop style, yet at the same level of charisma. It really showcases their tremendous range and talent.
RegalSin wrote:Japan an almost perfect society always threatened by outsiders....................
Instead I am stuck in the America's where women rule with an iron crotch, and a man could get arrested for sitting behind a computer too long.
I finally did it! It wasn't clean, it wasn't flashy....but I finally vanquished that damn Jaquio and his 2nd form. It all boiled down to learning the enemy patterns on the last screen of 6-3. Once I was able to make it back to the boss room with full health Jaquio went down like a prom date.
You're playing on an arcade cab?
While Ninja Gaiden is perfectly beatable with arcade controls (did the PC10 version in multiple times), wall climbing with a joystick is a god damn pain.
It's a homemade cabinet with an old TV in it, I do the majority of my gaming with it these days though. I've got a handful of systems and a PC for mame in the bottom, but the only thing hooked up to the control panel right now is the computer. Been debating wiring up some adapters for a system or two to use the sticks, I've been told NES Batman is pretty fun with arcade controls.
I'm just glad I can finally stop having nightmares about fireballs chasing me like eagles LOL
What do you guys think of NG-2? I don't remember much about it other than the level with the wind affecting your jumps, worth my time? I already own it, unfortunately I missed the train on #3...it's pretty pricey these days.
I think NG2 has some objective improvements over NG1.
Most obviously the new wall climbing mechanic works better, and there's a better selection of weapons, and the absolutely awesome shadow clones. The level design is also much more thought through and varied, in a way, much more of a traditional NES platformer than the pretty barebones concepts of the original game. Rather than purely an action game, the level design even offers minor "puzzles" to shake things up, and is occationally spiced up with gimmicks like the darkened area and the wind that you brought up.
Essentially I personally prefer the more simplistic focus of the original game which just sticks with the one thing it does well. I can't blame anyone for preferring the second game though. All three NES titles are absolutely excellent.
NG2 is a good game and worthy sequel at the very least. Tinkers with NG1's near-perfect engine and inevitably screws something up, namely the swordbox which is now outright tiny. Takes a little too much concentration to connect consistently, imo. It's a difference of degree rather than kind though - if you like NG1's speedy, rough n' tumble action, this will deliver. It's also not an entirely unwarranted adjustment, as the subweapons are monstrously more potent with lots more ammo to boot. With two clone shadows in play, you can rake the screen clear of danger with ease undreamed of in the first game (and you'll need to, as enemy patterns are more elaborate with sudden encirclements and ambushes a regular feature).
It's also a much smoother-handling game WRT to walls, with universal EZ climbing and the much-needed ability to launch subweapons while wallbound.
Damage scale is noticeably a bit mild, and the game now gives plentiful score extends, making a 1CC relatively accessible. Sudden death via pitfall is even more rampant than in the first game, though - a 1LC is most definitely in the same wickedly intense ballpark. Not a perfect sequel, but recommended for sure.
NG3 is my current pick for ultimate NES sidescroller (the FC version is enjoyable, but deliberately mild and lacks venom even compared to NG2). The floatier gravity, even thornier enemy patterns and scaled-back (from NG2) firepower make for a slower, trickier iteration of the series - at heart I'm more partial to NG1's explosive simplicity. NG3 is a spectacular technical challenge, however. Another easy recommend.
As an aside, both of these sequels are utterly beautiful productions - it always impresses me how polished they are on that front, while remaining such militantly hardcore action games! Check out the coolly colour-cycling effect on the HUD, that briefly intensifies when Ryu takes damage - I love that. NG3's cinemas are bit chintzy compared to NG2's peak, but in-game it reaches Irem-esque levels of biometallic detail and style, and the parallax backgrounds wouldn't be out of place on the Mega Drive.
NB: the NG3 US/JP region divide is infamous... US damage scale is a bit daft, hammering down penalties more suited to a theoretical second loop. However it also tightens up the relatively loose JP enemy/item layouts. Not an ideal choice - it's worth testing out both to see which you prefer. The SNES/SFC version on the Trilogy cart combines the more exciting US layouts with the sensible JP damage scale, but like the other two ports in the comp it is brutally ugly to see and hear. Expensive too, IIRC. Still worth a mention, it's possibly the objectively best-playing revision.
TLDR: NG NES trilogy started strong as hell, and stayed there before abruptly vanishing into legend. They're varied enough that fans will have their individual favourites, but you won't go wrong with any of 'em. ;-;7
That all sounds pretty awesome, I'll definitely sink some time into it then! NG1 is pretty perfect so I'd doubt the sequels could knock it off it's pedestal in my mind, but just knowing all the games in the trilogy are in the same ballpark makes them well worth the price of admission.
I feel like clearing NG1 is just the tip of the iceberg, feels more like it opened a new door instead of finishing anything off. Time to play the sequels and continue getting better until I'm ready for a 1cc attempt at NG1. The gameplay style of CV+twitch is incredibly addicting, and the approach of infinite continues means the game is only over when you admit defeat which I really like. Definitely in my top 3 NES games, even more so now that I can play it without the looming feeling that I haven't beaten it yet LOL.
Hmm, I may need to give NG3 a try. I abandoned the series after the second; it's a game I can respect, but I don't like it anywhere near as much as the first one. The level gimmicks are just too irritating, the importance of the shadow mechanic always made it feel less improvisational to me, and I never could figure out how to beat NG2 Jaquio. I also don't like the new wall-climb mechanic; I always play 1 pretending that the "climb up one wall" exploit isn't possible, since it's never actually required, and it's more fun to jump between two walls than it is to climb one.
BIL wrote:
NB: the NG3 US/JP region divide is infamous... US damage scale is a bit daft, hammering down penalties more suited to a theoretical second loop. However it also tightens up the relatively loose JP enemy/item layouts. Not an ideal choice - it's worth testing out both to see which you prefer. The SNES/SFC version on the Trilogy cart combines the more exciting US layouts with the sensible JP damage scale, but like the other two ports in the comp it is brutally ugly to see and hear. Expensive too, IIRC. Still worth a mention, it's possibly the objectively best-playing revision.
The Lynx port is missing some parallax like the SNES version, but keeps the higher damage scale and enemy placements of the NES version. Sound is also inferior to NES, but I like the music somewhat better than the SNES music. It's hilarious how the stage intro theme is off key in the Lynx version. Lynx port also tries too hard to downscale the NES graphics to the Lynx resolution. It's thankfully not super expensive since new ones can be found for around 40 dollars with shipping, but it's not outright recommended either (especially since it's on 3DS VC and there are other ways to play the NES version portable).
There's a hack available for the NES NG3 that keeps the US enemy placement, but alters the damage take to be like the JP version and also brings back infinite continues and passwords.
Obscura wrote:Hmm, I may need to give NG3 a try. I abandoned the series after the second; it's a game I can respect, but I don't like it anywhere near as much as the first one. The level gimmicks are just too irritating, the importance of the shadow mechanic always made it feel less improvisational to me, and I never could figure out how to beat NG2 Jaquio. I also don't like the new wall-climb mechanic; I always play 1 pretending that the "climb up one wall" exploit isn't possible, since it's never actually required, and it's more fun to jump between two walls than it is to climb one.
I'm glad I'm not the only person that feels this way about NG2, though I never actually got to Jaquio in 2. Stage gimmicks and shadow clones sorta just made me not care for it. NG1's just so much more focused. I also should try 3, I don't think I've ever played it more than a few seconds.
I know it doesn't fit in this topic, but I also enjoy what I have played of the arcade Ninja Gaiden. Very different game from the others, but it has some satisfying moves like that mid jump throw. Some nice music too. I also like the Lynx port, though it's more toned down than it should be (some of the music loops faster and it's missing a couple stages).
Also, whats with a couple of the ports/conversions of the NES Ninja Gaiden changing the first stage music? It's awesome as is. The remix actually wasn't bad for the PC Engine version, but the first stage music for the SNES version is terrible.
Mechanically the PCE remake is inferior and irrelevant - audiovisually it's a total farce. Compared to the NES's tight, articulate, hammer-driven BGM, the PCE's is tuneless and skittish. Its attempt at parallax scrolling is the ugliest I can recall offhand, and it was released the year after NG3! You can tell they were mimicking the natural limitations of the NES with similarly compact sprites... but there's absolutely no stylistic follow-through. Compare the NES's bounding, body-armoured attack dogs to the PCE's clipart Alsatians.
All of the SFC music is mortifyingly bad. Anemic, tone-deaf, recalling the lamest MIDIs from early fansites. Just embarrassing.
Not to be gratuitously negative here - my disdain is real. I've tried really hard with both the PCE and SFC versions. My wallet was ready, but my faithful nerdböner remained stubbornly soft and floppy like cheese. The best I can say is that the latter's ports seem to play accurately - unlike the superficially more palatable but mechanically off SMB1+2 on Allstars. And as said, its revised NGIII is worth a look if one truly can't abide by either 8-bit version (aka SUPEREASY/SUPERHARD).
I picked up the Game Gear version of NG last weekend after hearing a few people here talk about the Master System game, booted it up last night and it's completely different game.....do'h LOL. At least it was cheap. On a side note my Game Gear seems to be dying , the audio was buzzing really bad and the screen has seen better days.
BIL wrote:
Not to be gratuitously negative here - my disdain is real. I've tried really hard with both the PCE and SFC versions. My wallet was ready, but my faithful nerdböner remained stubbornly soft and floppy like cheese. The best I can say is that the latter's ports seem to play accurately - unlike the superficially more palatable but mechanically off SMB1+2 on Allstars. And as said, its revised NGIII is worth a look if one truly can't abide by either 8-bit version (aka SUPEREASY/SUPERHARD).
and if you have an everdrive N8, the NGIII damage hack lets you play a more balanced version of the game on real hardware with the awesome graphics and music of the NES version. I don't care about infinite continues or passwords, though. I actually have more respect for the Lynx version of NGIII than the SNES or PCE NGs. It feels like the developers tried very hard (perhaps a bit too hard) with that version and at least kept the gameplay intact. I don't feel the graphics are that bad with that version either. They tried too hard to size the NES resolution down to the Lynx, but the animation is intact and it runs at a silky smooth framerate.
I tried the GG version via a SMS hack played on the Mega Everdrive. Odd game, that one. I don't dislike it, but it feels less like NG than the SMS version (which I also have on the everdrive). Strange how side weapons are thrown with down + attack in the GG version.
I played NG2 for a little bit saturday, is it just me or is it really easy compared to the first one? I mean, in my first time playing it I made it all the way to 4-2 without dying once. What the...? Here's a few first impressions;
The enemy movement speed is definitely slower than the first game, I noticed even the eagles seemed to be drenched in molasses (also harder to get them to fly off-screen since they have less momentum at their slower speed). What the...? There were a handful of recycled enemies I was anxiously waiting for them to throw something at me, but here they don't (most notable for me was the enemy I call pumpkin-head). The shadow ninja powerup where copies of you follow you around was kinda cool.....but it makes you feel too strong IMO. What the...? The boss battles were the best part for me, they mix things up and were generally pretty awesome. I definitely noticed the sword hitbox being smaller and more finicky as BIL mentioned, but it wasn't a huge issue (still an issue though). Seems knockback from getting hit was lessened, I got hit several times and took my eyes away from the screen thinking I'd surely be knocked into a pit....but wasn't. The cinematics have taken a step up, but they seem too long and often happen both at the end of an act and then also at the beginning of the next act.....I lost interest in them. Also, what the...?
Ended up dying a couple times on act 5 and getting a game over or two on the 5-3 boss. The boss wasn't incredibly hard or anything, I just didn't feel all that compelled to continue. I looked up a playthrough video just now and noticed there are 7 acts in this one...maybe I need to get to act 7 before I judge it. Chances are it could ramp up significantly by act 7 and give me the challenge I have a newfound craving for.
His bullet rain can indeed be a handful... among the game's very few 3HP hazards, and the sole RNG-driven one.
I've tried really hard with both the PCE and SFC versions. My wallet was ready, but my faithful nerdböner remained stubbornly soft and floppy like cheese. The best I can say is that the latter's ports seem to play accurately - unlike the superficially more palatable but mechanically off SMB1+2 on Allstars. And as said, its revised NGIII is worth a look if one truly can't abide by either 8-bit version (aka SUPEREASY/SUPERHARD).
, the audio was buzzing really bad and the screen has seen better days.
