After a few credits where samurai followed me down the pit, I came up with this: Have the mad monk return, in abominably necromantic state (face blown off, guts exposed, beard kinda singed), for a simple mid-air battle. Something apropos the heavy air handling - lunges to feint and projectiles to slash while jockeying for the kill. Have him go out in appropriately cathartic fashion, to bring his imperious st1 debut full circle. Later, old-timer!Vanguard wrote:Has anyone mentioned a Saigo no Nindou hack that removes the ninjas from the ninja pit? That would be a good one.
Spoiler
"B... BAKANAAA!" *BLUARGHHH*
"STAY DOWN JIJI-SAN"
Meanwhile, make the ninjas strictly background. The notion of "releasing endlessly" (there's one for the Evocative VGM Titles thread! EDIT: aw crumbs, it's actually a stage name innit!) is creepily cool and depressive. Are these the living dead you've been mowing down all along? Slay an evil ninja, and he'll just samsara his way back to the pit for disgorging upon the world once more? "The desperate fight of Tsukikage" indeed. You must destroy the scourge at its root!
It's rad action gaming cinema, on par with Strider's iconic ouroboros ride. Only with absolutely none of the game design sense. This is why I'll never dismiss Western-developed JP action sequels until I've had hands-on experience with them. Look you irem motherfuckers, you think I'd have let Holy Diver out the door in that state? How much bubble economy coke were you jokers hoovering up during playtesting anyway? You fucking what?!
Also (mentioned this in the scrolling action thread): give the st6-2 jumpslasher samurai a palette and/or headswap. They are easily as deserving of one as the st3 monks, being tactical near-inversions of the groundtypes. Had to laugh when I let a samurai follow me in from what I thought was 6-1... only to have him mirror my giant-dodging hop, realising with horror he was actually a freakishly early 6-2 spawn. Another time I had the brilliant idea of letting two grounders follow me in, to hog the jumpslashers' spots. The game promptly spawned a pair of jumpers anyway.
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A few stage/boss tweaks:
Stages 1 & 2: delete the floor in a few spots, namely the broken wall and the forest beyond the second bridge. Add a little platforming challenge to go with the zako-swatting and powerup nabbing. Not fussed about creating real peril here, or padding the game's taut runtime - just a little early tension, before st3's haunted wilderness cuts the brake lines.
I'd be sad to see st1's water go, though - I love the ripple detail as player and enemies pass through, and it's a naturally effective contrast against the ruined scenery. I'd reshuffle things so the second building with its monks and leaping katanas had a flooded floor. Not like its crawlspace is being used for anything, with the spear lurkers confined to the stage's first half.
Boss 6: a cool "inexorably advancing wall of death" concept - just make the giants spawn in random locations, to foil the camping exploit. Maybe allow kites to spawn in at very low frequency, for a little extra peril.
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Finally, minor quality of life tweak - make the weapon bar go Sword/Shuriken/Sickle/Grenade. The weapon balance is clearly slash/guard vs shoot/kill - quick toggle would facilitate aggressive, risky play. Shoot until you're halfway down death's gullet then slash your way outta there, repeat!
Man, I knew about the track, but didn't realise how darkly electrifying it is in-game. Of course you'll never hear it without deliberately waiting. (for reference - Vamos indeed amigo!)E: Oh yeah and also it should keep playing the ninja pit's music for the final boss instead of switching to the standard boss music. Given how much longer that track is than the pit I suspect that may have been the original intent.
Always a shame when this happens - see also the slap bass artillery barrage of MOON FIGHT (CHRONICLES VER), and the secret rock n' roll odyssey of MOONLIT ARMY.
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Echoing trap from back when Ruldra posted his Art of Fighting 2 No-Miss - wtb Ryuuko no Ken Gaiden: W2RKMF
That's "Walk To The Right KOing Motherfuckers."
Spoiler
Not even a beltscroller, I'm talking VIGILANTE babybee! Actually, I'm talking THE NINJA WARRIORS AGAIN because it better have the grapples, combos, guarding, crowd knockdowns and super attacks that seemingly only TNWA ever bothered to update the classic Spartan X with!
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Metal Slug and Metal Slug X with Metal Slug 3's superior controls.
I love all three, but holy fuck, MS1's HMG sweep is broken (at least on a pad - not sure if it's better on MVS/AES sticks?). And MSX's cockblocking of your attack inputs while turning around isn't fatal, but still jarring in an otherwise buttery-smooth game.
Afterward, give MSX and MS3 the small jump exclusive to MS1.