Power Strike II [Master System]

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Despatche
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Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by Despatche »

Not to be confused with the Game Gear title of the same name.

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Previous thread: 1
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Submit the score from the final screen, NOT the weapon select screen.

This is nominally a European-exclusive (PAL), but it was also released in Brazil (NTSC). The main programmer swears the game is actually meant to be 50Hz, even though it doesn't feel like it in any possible way. Basically, it's the exact opposite of the Tatsujin MD case. 60Hz is technically a handicap now, but play it anyway, because it's better.
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Please post scores in this format:

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DIFFICULTY
NAME - SCORE - STAGE - DETAILS
DETAILS is for what model of console and release of cart/disc, or what emulator and version.
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Rank 2: Normal

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 1. Kollision        - 3,603,470 - ALL - BR MS+BR cart
 2. tinotormed       - 3,516,530 - ALL - MS emulator on PSP
 3. The Coop         - 3,429,460 - ALL
 4. jp               - 3,397,110 - ALL - Some MS
 5. Turrican         - 3,248,480 - ALL - EU MD
 6. Sensato Kurai    - 3,240,440 - ALL - Kega Fusion, EU setting+EU cart
 7. azmun            - 3,224,560 - ALL - EU MD+Everdrive
 8. PlasmaBlooD      - 3,200,430 - ALL
 9. TransatlanticFoe - 3,176,430 - ALL - EU MS2
10. Thunder Force    - 3,153,910 - ALL
11. RiverRaider      - 3,151,270 - ALL
12. KCF              - 3,124,290 - ALL - US MS+EU cart
13. Akraten          - 3,014,370 - ALL - EU MS+EU cart?
14. SFKhoa           -   681,870 -  4 
Last edited by Despatche on Sun Dec 26, 2021 9:15 pm, edited 14 times in total.
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tinotormed
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by tinotormed »

My emu is SMS+ PSP.
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Sensato Kurai
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by Sensato Kurai »

I will be doing other attemps at this game with PAL settings. Although it did seem like the OST ran a bit too fast, I didn't realise the game was supposed to be ran in PAL settings (although it makes sense since I believe it was an European release to begin with). With that in mind, the OST does sounds better in PAL in my opinion...

Sensato Kurai - 3,157,270 - ALL - KEGA FUSION (USA)

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TransatlanticFoe
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by TransatlanticFoe »

I did this run for an SMS forum and it seems a reasonable enough score to post here:

TransatlanticFoe - 3,176,430 - ALL - PAL SMS2

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Could probably do better without several silly deaths, and the stage 3 boss, powering me down.
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Sensato Kurai
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by Sensato Kurai »

Here's my updated score from playing the game with PAL settings. I feel like I could get a 1LC in a couple of runs but since you don't seem to get more points for that, I'll stick with this score. I'm not feeling like milking either...

Also, oddly enough, the score mentionned at the weapon select screen is different than the one metionned in the ending. Is that normal? Which one should I take? I took the ending one...

Video run here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfYTm8NanMQ

Sensato Kurai - 3,240,440 - ALL - KEGA FUSION (PAL)

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Last edited by Sensato Kurai on Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Despatche
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by Despatche »

Oh dear, I have absolutely no idea what's going on there. Ending sounds good.
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Sensato Kurai
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by Sensato Kurai »

Despatche wrote:Oh dear, I have absolutely no idea what's going on there. Ending sounds good.
I might replay the game to see if it does it again...
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AKRATEN
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by AKRATEN »

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Akraten - 3,014,370 - ALL - PAL - SMS
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Despatche
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by Despatche »

Normal, I assume?

Hmm, never aligned Khoa's score right.
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AKRATEN
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by AKRATEN »

Sorry about that.
normal mode.
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Kollision
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by Kollision »

Normal difficulty

Kollision - 3,603,470 - ALL - Tectoy cart

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azmun
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Re: Power Strike II [SMS]

Post by azmun »

After playing for about a month, I'm glad to do a 1CC this afternoon. Game is amazing and good contender for best 8-bit shmup rivaling if not surpassing Famicom's cream of crop (Gradius II, Crisis Force, Recca). It pushes the Master System to its limit, maybe even going beyond what I thought was possible. Granted, this was released in 1993 years after Compile had gain competencies from Gunhed, Musha Aleste and Super Aleste all on 16-bit platforms! Game is technical wonder--incredible detail and number of sprites with barely any hint of slowdown.

For the moderator, please update to include my entry:

azmun - 3,105,770 - all - NTSC (Everdrive Cart)
azmun - 3,224,560 - all - PAL (Everdrive Cart)


I know many argue this game should run in 50hz given it was primarily released in PAL territories. However, I understand the game also came out in Brazil which uses 60hz. Some say the game plays and sounds too fast in 60hz but that is probably conditioning. I say it runs too slow in 50hz. That said, I may update this with a PAL console.

edit: Thank you Despatche for adding my score. In any case, here's an update to my score, this time while playing on a PAL Mega Drive using same Everdrive cart. I improved my score a bit given the knowledge that collecting the same power up yields much higher score and also taking advantage of temporary invincibility upon picking up any power up.

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Last edited by azmun on Sat May 19, 2018 6:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Despatche
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Re: Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by Despatche »

It definitely runs too slow in 50. This game was just meant to be a crazy high octane game from the start. I changed the note about that, recommending that people play this in 60. I didn't know this was released in Brazil, but that gives me a pretty good excuse for the 60 thing.

I hear in Japan, some call it Aleste 3, because it has so many major and minor traits from 1 and 2. Like, the way chips work is basically the same as in 1 and 2. It's funny because 1 was originally a Master System title in the first place; the MSX2 version is an expanded port, call it Aleste+ if you like.

It's really one of Compile's most enjoyable games. It's not filled with bullshit like 1 and 2 are, and it's fun to just shoot at things unlike Musha or something. The GG games are similar, but Power Strike II is still largely better than those.
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azmun
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Re: Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by azmun »

I think Kollision can confirm it was released in Brazil since it seems his play is based on the Tec Toy released in that country. Not only does it play much better and smoother in 60hz, but the screen seems squished or compressed horitonzally in 50hz. Interesting tidbit about what they call this in Japan. Too bad they missed out, but perhaps they didn't care much for it anyway since 16-bit games were in full swing.
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Re: Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by Kollision »

Power Strike II was released in Brazil by Tectoy and runs in glorious 60Hz indeed.

Here's a pic: http://www.kollision.biz/games/masterSy ... e2_Pic.jpg.
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azmun
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Re: Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by azmun »

Got me thinking, if games were truly optimized for PAL then it would not be possible to even run on NTSC. Super Skidmarks for the MD is one such game. In addition, game will not play slow. Graphics will have the correct aspect ratio and not look "widescreen" or "letterbox" so to speak.
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Re: Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by Limbrooke »

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KCF              - 3,124,290 - ALL - US SMS + Euro Cart
Weapon 3, the homing/trace, is a good overall safety weapon and its what allowed me to have better crowd/bullet cancelling control.
'Only a fool trusts his life to a weapon.'
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Herr Schatten
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Re: Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by Herr Schatten »

Since it came up in a discussion on another forum: Apparently, main programmer Takayuki ”Jemini” Hirono has confirmed that the game was made for 50 Hz and that the Brazilian version is not optimized and runs too fast. I copy the links from the other thread below.

https://twitter.com/jeminilog/status/534907788023959552
https://www.mdnomad.com/game/sg_ms/tips/
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Despatche
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Re: Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by Despatche »

God damn it. Literally ruins everything about the game. Never gonna play this at 50Hz, not ever. I'm pretty sure the music was meant for 60Hz at least. It's WAY too slow at 50Hz compared to any other video game that has ever existed that has a soundtrack.

Good God there are just so many things wrong with this I don't even know where to begin. NOTHING about the game suggests it was meant for 50Hz. It's so fundamentally wrong and it hurts so much to have the main guy himself tell us that wrong is right.

I also now refuse to believe what Toaplan said about the Tatsujin MD port, though it's the exact opposite case.
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Despatche
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Re: Power Strike II [Master System]

Post by Despatche »

Aleste Collection forces 50Hz and doesn't seem to have any way of picking 60Hz, despite having the fancy no flicker/slowdown option.

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Damn it, just reading all these tweets again fills me with dread. The implication is that if PS2 was just a normal NTSC game, it'd work like this, and that's extremely gross. Some part of me is glad things turned out the way they did, but then right here you have the fucking programmer himself getting upset over things like Legend of Game Music having PS2 music at 60Hz. This really is the exact opposite of the Tatsujin case, but equally weird and equally dumb. Even the damned Compile extend jingle is slowed down in 50Hz; I'll take Obvious Red Flags for $500, Alex.

That aside, this game is eligible for the potential infinite pattern issue that is not described in detail for any of the games. I'm sure someone will find it, though. Not sure I can rate this game as highly as I used to...

I should probably add a KAITEKI MODE field like for GG Aleste 3, but I'm hesitant to as it's just going to be a blank field for most people, same with the other GG Alestes. GG Aleste 3 is only realistically available through Aleste Collection, and enabling this mode changes GG Aleste 3 far more so than any other game, so it makes more sense there.
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