Zanac Hitting Switch (in Japan)

[Sengoku Strider]

Zanac was basically the first Aleste game. After making it, Compile didn't hold the rights to the Zanac name, so when the time for their next STG rolled around they had to come up with something different, and that name turned out to be Aleste. But in Zanac you can see most all the elements the series is known for laid down. It even has a rank system, something I'm not aware of in any other NES/Famicom title.

No, it's not M2. It's part of the G-Mode Archives, which I have never heard of until this moment. Their archives series does contain a title called Love Love Knuckle which looks like this:



...so it's clear this is a list curated by highly cultured individuals.

Anyway. Zanac. https://gmodecorp.com/gmodearchives/zanac/

Translation is mine:

1986年、ゲーム業界にその名を轟かせた名作シューティングゲーム「ZANAC」。
携帯アプリ版となる今作は、隠し要素も含め原作を再現しつつも、 遊びやすさを重視、アレンジを加えたゲームシステムを採用。

更に本作では、G-MODEアーカイブスでの改良により、 より激しく、より滑らかに宙を舞う「Arrange」モード、 当時の懐かしいグラフィックでじっくり楽しめる「Original」モードの2種類を収録。

特殊兵器は8種類。それぞれ特性を生かした攻撃が楽しめ、連続取得で威力が増していきます。
敵からの攻撃弾数が多いためスリル満点。特殊攻撃をうまくつかって最終ボスを倒そう！

In 1986, the STG masterpiece ZANAC made a name for itself in the gaming industry.
This release will be based on the mobile version, and uses game systems which emphasize playability and adds new improvements while reproducing the original, including hidden elements.

Furthermore, thanks to the improvements of the G-MODE archives, there are two types of mode: "Arrange" mode, in which your fighter dances more smoothly yet violently through the air, and "Original" mode, which lets you enjoy with the nostalgic graphics of the time.

There are 8 types of special weapons. Have fun making the best use of each one's characteristics, and their power will increase with continuous pickups. It's a thrilling score chaser because of the huge amount of enemies assaulting you. Make good use of special attacks to defeat the final boss!

タイトル : ZANAC
価格 : 500円（税込）
ジャンル : シューティング
ゲームプレイ人数 : １人
対応機種 : Nintendo SwitchTM
レーティング : IARC 3+
配信予定日 : 2021年1月28日(木)
オンラインランキング対応

Title: ZANAC
Price: 500 yen (Tax included)
Genre: Shooting
Number of players: 1
Compatible with: Nintendo Switch™
Rating: IARC 3+ (IARC = International Age Rating Coalition)
Release Date: Jan 28th 20201 (Thurs)
Supports online ranking

[pablumatic]

This mobile version its based on must have been a far smaller resolution than the original versions of the game. Everything is huge on screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBb1PjritCQ

That "Arrange" mode with the better graphics doesn't help all that much, and it looks like your ship's sprite turns into one of the normal ZANAC enemy ships, but flipped upside down.

Weird little port.

[SuperDeadite]

Looks like its based on the FDS version. As a big Zanac fan, I still say the original MSX1 version is the best of them. Zanac EX (MSX2) is great too, but pure MSX1 og plays the best.

And for shooter history buffs, Zanac is the followup to E.I. another MSX1 game, which also has the change on the fly a.i. difficulty system.

[trap15]

Yesssss, G-Mode continuing their trend of becoming my favorite unsung hero of gaming history.

[reckon luck]

That gameplay looks slowed down? it’s been a while since I played (NES) though

[trap15]

It's a version for Java phones from the early/mid 2000s, it's not going to be fast or smooth by the system limitations.

[MathU]

What's the point when Zanac X Zanac, a set of faithful ports from multiple platforms that isn't based on phone trash, exists?

[trap15]

Preservation of a very obscure otherwise-lost-to-time unique version of a game isn't enough for you?

[MathU]

Emulation fulfills the task of preservation. This just strikes me as a lazy cash grab by publishers who can't access the source code to (or are too lazy or incompetent to adapt) something good made by serious shooter developers (the ones who left Compile to form MileStone).

[BrianC]

Emulation fulfills the task of preservation. This just strikes me as a lazy cash grab by publishers who can't access the source code to (or are too lazy or incompetent to adapt) something good made by serious shooter developers (the ones who left Compile to form MileStone).

It's part of a series of mobile game ports from G-Mode. It has nothing to do with the source code or release of other versions.

[MachineAres 1CC]

At least it's only 500 yen. Paying a cent more for a crappy early 2000s mobile phone port is criminal.

[pegboy]

Preservation of a very obscure otherwise-lost-to-time unique version of a game isn't enough for you?

I've got to agree with you, at least it's something that nobody (at least nobody around here?) has played before. If you want to play Zanac on NES there are a million ways to do that already.

[professor ganson]

As a big Zanac fan, I still say the original MSX1 version is the best of them. Zanac EX (MSX2) is great too, but pure MSX1 og plays the best.

And for shooter history buffs, Zanac is the followup to E.I. another MSX1 game, which also has the change on the fly a.i. difficulty system.

Interesting post. I don't recall much discussion here about which version is best (probably just overlooked it), and I didn't know it was a follow-up to an earlier game. Is the msx1 version among the ones on the Zanac x Zanac collection? Although Zanac is one of my all-time favorite games, I haven't really paid much attention to the variations.

[SuperDeadite]

Zanac X Zanac has the Fami Disk Sys and NES cartridge versions. The actual MSX games are still MSX exclusive afaik.

Zanac MSX1 is a very focused and pure game.
Zanac EX (MSX2) came after the Nintendo versions.

[professor ganson]

Zanac MSX1 is a very focused and pure game.
Zanac EX (MSX2) came after the Nintendo versions.

Cool, you've piqued my interest-- I'll check out some videos of the gameplay.

[gatsu25]

Looks like its based on the FDS version. As a big Zanac fan, I still say the original MSX1 version is the best of them. Zanac EX (MSX2) is great too, but pure MSX1 og plays the best.

I have to agree with the MSX versions being the best. I've put more time into EX though.

I'm actually pretty interested in this. If only because it's the only version of Zanac I know of that I haven't played, and didn't know it existed.

[SuperDeadite]

Zanac MSX1 is a very focused and pure game.
Zanac EX (MSX2) came after the Nintendo versions.

Cool, you've piqued my interest-- I'll check out some videos of the gameplay.

My old 1cc capture on real hardware:
https://youtu.be/NNcdZwWMPQI

[BrianC]

Zanac has a free iPhone version, which is the MSX1 version emulated. It's in a small window, but it does have controller support. I wonder what the deal is with the "2nd version" for MSX1. It's very odd.

[professor ganson]

Great video, thanks. Seems like it has all the charm of the NES version with somewhat less crisp graphics. Seems like it might be a bit more difficult to make out the bullets to be avoided, and so more difficult to play.

[donluca]

Zanac has a free iPhone version, which is the MSX1 version emulated. It's in a small window, but it does have controller support. I wonder what the deal is with the "2nd version" for MSX1. It's very odd.

The 2nd version is basically an arranged mode (or sort of).

I played it and it had different level and enemy layouts but that was about it IIRC.

[SuperDeadite]

The 2nd Version is still kind of a mystery. The source of the ROM is unknown.

[bcass]

The Switch truly has become the home of shovelware.

[donluca]

The 2nd Version is still kind of a mystery. The source of the ROM is unknown.

Is it? I'm under the impression that it was recognized as an official Compile game and the game databases on the web seem to agree about it.

[SuperDeadite]

Yeah, but there has never been evidence of a physical release. If Compile released the ROM directly, when and how did they do so?

[donluca]

You were right, it was a hacked version of the tape which then got converted back to the ROM format:

https://www.msx.org/forum/msx-talk/soft ... ion?page=2

TIL

[amdiggywhut]

Zanac Neo was one of my first 1cc's, super fun game.

[Knightmare]

This is out today, and it's on sale for 390 yen. I really like Zanac so I'll probably pick it up soon. I'm curious about the arrange mode.

[ATTRACTS]

Got this today. I’m a big MSX/NES Zanac fan but this is horrible. Control/input lag and it’s a slow moving slog. Not the Zanac you are wishing for.

[Ms. Tea]

Honestly, I didn't think it's so bad. It's slow but not awful. That said, you definitely gotta keep in mind it's a port of the old phone version. I went in knowing that and expected it to feel like a phone game from 2005, and you know what? It's pretty good for a phone game from 2005. (In general I love the G-Mode Archives series. This stuff is completely inaccessible to 99% of people, and making it available again is really, really great - even when some of the games are kinda janky.)

It's fully localized in English, including the instructions, so I'm guessing this'll be going on the international eshop sometime in the next month or two.

[BrianC]

Not sure if I'll jump on this one, but a few of these actually reached the US and Topolon turned out to be worth the 5 bucks.