image fight questions

[professor ganson]

I'm checking this out on the NES and have a few questions:

1. Where's my score? I've played only for a few minutes-- so maybe I'm missing something-- but I don't see the score displayed anywhere. And why no high-score thread here?

2. Was this originally a proper vertical? If so, does the Image Fight/X-Multiply pack have a tate option?

3. More generally, does one version (PCE, NES, PS1, Saturn) stand out as clearly best?

4. Is Image Fight 2 a real improvement over its predecessor?

thanks!

[Xexyz]

I can answer question one for you. Just pause the game and be amazed

[Andi]

I'm checking this out on the NES and have a few questions:

1. Where's my score? I've played only for a few minutes-- so maybe I'm missing something-- but I don't see the score displayed anywhere. And why no high-score thread here?

I'll post if you want to start a high score thread. I've been looking for a reason to play this game.

[Icarus]

I'm checking this out on the NES and have a few questions:

NES? Arcade version is far better. ^_-

1. Where's my score? I've played only for a few minutes-- so maybe I'm missing something-- but I don't see the score displayed anywhere. And why no high-score thread here?

I think you have to pause the game to see your score in the NES version.
And the reason why people don't have a high score thread on here is that its generally regarded as one of the most difficult games ever created.

2. Was this originally a proper vertical? If so, does the Image Fight/X-Multiply pack have a tate option?

Yes, the arcade version was true tate, and the PSX/Saturn double packs have tate option.

3. More generally, does one version (PCE, NES, PS1, Saturn) stand out as clearly best?

The Saturn/PSX ones are close to arcade perfect - I think that the Arcade Gears versions are actually tweakings of the arcade version, as I've noticed different enemy formations appear in the levels - so go for those if you can get them.

4. Is Image Fight 2 a real improvement over its predecessor?

Hell no. Image Fight 2 is a butchering of the original gameplay style. Some like it though.

My arcade version firstloop no-miss clear replay is hosted at super-play.co.uk, right here.

[professor ganson]

Thanks for the very helpful responses. I'd still like to hear more about IF 1 vs. 2 comparisons.

I'd be happy to start up a high-score thread, though I might wait til I can afford to get the Saturn or PS1 version. Obviously, if someone else wants to do it in the meantime, go for it.

A no-miss first-loop clear? Icarus, you explicitly told me one time that you're NOT an expert player. I think I might now have the evidence necessary to refute you on this point.

[Ganelon]

Well, the gameplay is pretty much identical. However, if you 1CC Image Fight II, you get an ending and another ship to play as, whereas the original just loops.

Icarus: What didn't you like about the second game?

[iatneH]

Yeah, Icarus... WTF. I think I said earlier that Image Fight and 1CC don't belong together :p

BTW, how do you launch your options like that..? (I'm playing the PCE version)..

[Twiddle]

I'd like to see images and/or videos of Image Fight 2.

[professor ganson]

I'd like to see images and/or videos of Image Fight 2.

Same here. I'm assuming that there's a significant upgrade with respect to graphics.

[Ghegs]

I'd like to see images and/or videos of Image Fight 2.

Same here. I'm assuming that there's a significant upgrade with respect to graphics.

http://www.classicgaming.com/shmups/rev ... index.html

[professor ganson]

Wow, looks nice enough, but Malc seems to have identified some serious issues. That's a shame.

[Icarus]

Icarus: What didn't you like about the second game?

The graphics interfere with the game too much, bullets are often very hard to see, which is death since they do move pretty quickly.

There are several weapons in the game that are very much useless, which is disappointing as it really affects the balance of the game. At least IF's weapons had some kind of use, and were strategically placed to either assist you (or make your life harder) when you collected them.

The gameplay is far too extreme, even for someone who is used to the gameplay style - there are far too many occurences of 'easy 5sec section' followed by 'instant death attack' or 'trapped unless you know how to avoid it attack'. Unless you have a lot of patience, and don't mind playing the same section over and over (and over) again, this game will frustrate the arse off you.

Plus, the IF style of gameplay doesn't work very well in vertizontal, it definitely needs a true tate screen dimension to work properly. The vertizontal screen dimension makes the game a lot harder to play, as enemies move very quickly, some kamikaze you, and some will just fly through your intended flight direction, causing some very cheap deaths.

All in all, IF2 is a disappointing sequel to a pretty decent (but very difficult) game.

BTW, how do you launch your options like that..? (I'm playing the PCE version)..

Press your Shot and Speed Change buttons simultaneously.

A no-miss first-loop clear? Icarus, you explicitly told me one time that you're NOT an expert player. I think I might now have the evidence necessary to refute you on this point.

I'm not. I just have an affinity for Irem games. ^_-

[Ganelon]

Unless you have a lot of patience, and don't mind playing the same section over and over (and over) again, this game will frustrate the arse off you.

...

I'm not. I just have an affinity for Irem games. ^_-

Come on, these 2 statements juxtapose each other. It sounds strange that you're criticizing Image Fight II for being more of a pain (although I personally think the shorter length makes it a smoother ride than the first) when we know all Irem fans are hardcore masochists.

And don't believe him, ganson. Anybody who can 1CC Image Fight = instant master at classic shooters

[Icarus]

Come on, these 2 statements juxtapose each other. It sounds strange that you're criticizing Image Fight II for being more of a pain (although I personally think the shorter length makes it a smoother ride than the first) when we know all Irem fans are hardcore masochists.

Heh, I realise that it sounds odd. ^_-
I was speaking from the standpoint that if you're used to the "get your arse handed to you over and over until you get it right" style of gameplay, then IF and IF2 will be quite simple. But if you're not a dab hand at memorisation-based shmups, or get frustrated or disillusioned easily by the high difficulty, then IF/IF2 will not be your kind of game.

While IF had the balance of R-Typeish gameplay in a vertical seting pretty much spot on, IF2 messes up everything that makes IF great through bad balance, and poor stage and boss design.

I grew up playing Irem games in the arcade (when there were still some around), so I'm familiar with the masochist style of gameplay. But IF2 is far too irritating, even for me. ^_-

[mulletgeezer]

Image Fight isn't so very hard. As with a lot of shmups from the period, it becomes much easier when you've figured it out - when i was first introduced to the game i had the luxury of watching somebody who'd worked out most of the game, so i managed a 1cc fairly quickly, and i'm no master. The very best part of the game is the penalty stage i think - a hard stage full of enemies and not a single weapon to collect. For the shmupper who enjoys hard restarts this is masochistis bliss.

[Mortificator]

WRISE FROM YOUR GRABE!!

I've been playing this game recently. Maybe you guys can help me understand some of the mechanics.

Arcade-History says that the percentage score at the end of each stage is based on your hit ratio. Is this true? There's also the cryptic comment f the player fails in the mission, they must endure the dreaded 'Penalty Zone'.

I was also wondering if this is the first shooter with free speed select.

[sven666]

the penalty zone is a real bitch, try timing out a boss and youll see (it jumps in between stage 5-6 i think, havent played in a while).

stips you of all your powerups and throws you into the games hardest stage by far.

i tried getting thru it in hopes that it would help my score but never made it =/

game isnt that hard otherwise, a little memorizing for a week or so and youll get thru it withou much hassle.

love the boss that tries to squeeze you against the walls, claustrophobic!!

[MathU]

It's one of those games that derives a lot of its difficulty from enemy health. Your button-mashing finger(s) WILL be a wad of muscle by the time you single credit clear it. I wanna see someone beat it without autofire, as that really does make the game a lot easier. I refuse to use it.

[Klatrymadon]

And the reason why people don't have a high score thread on here is that its generally regarded as one of the most difficult games ever created.

Popularly, yeah, but you've written guides for far more difficult and far more unweildy games, I reckon. It's one of the games that anybody would pick up fairly quickly if only they ignored all of the talk and got stuck into it (like Contra III, which is also popularly seen as one of the hardest games ever made, and which requires about two afternoons of practice to 1CC on 'normal' mode). The same is arguably true of any memory-based game.

I've avoided participating in high score threads for a few years now, but I'm almost tempted to revisit Image Fight just for the purposes of de-mystifying it. I could register again as Joe Bloggs and everything.

(I've always thought that, as people who actually play and beat these things, we should always be trying to work against all of the intimidating, embellishing language that surrounds any game with a modicum of challenge up its sleeve. The "we've never finished it and neither will you, so you might as well not bother" attitude of poor journos and the like...)

[Icarus]

Popularly, yeah, but you've written guides for far more difficult and far more unweildy games, I reckon. It's one of the games that anybody would pick up fairly quickly if only they ignored all of the talk and got stuck into it (like Contra III, which is also popularly seen as one of the hardest games ever made, and which requires about two afternoons of practice to 1CC on 'normal' mode). The same is arguably true of any memory-based game.

I've avoided participating in high score threads for a few years now, but I'm almost tempted to revisit Image Fight just for the purposes of de-mystifying it. I could register again as Joe Bloggs and everything.

(I've always thought that, as people who actually play and beat these things, we should always be trying to work against all of the intimidating, embellishing language that surrounds any game with a modicum of challenge up its sleeve. The "we've never finished it and neither will you, so you might as well not bother" attitude of poor journos and the like...)

First, I wrote that post over two years ago. ^_-

Second, Image Fight is a safespot game through and through. I suspect the reason why people back then thought it was a near-impossible game is because they were unaware of the techniques that were needed to beat the game with - techs that are easy to replicate once understood. I'm curious to know, two and a half years later, if that is still the case.

[Klatrymadon]

Haha, sorry for the bump! I'm sure the people who stuck with it in the arcades in the late 80s understood the techniques required to finish the game, though, even if they didn't quite get there themselves. The mechanics of 'memorisers' have been understood by almost everybody who has a semblance of an interest in shmups for a lot longer than two years, as well, so boo-sucks to anybody perpetuating the previously-mentioned nonsense about Image Fight.

You can all do it, chums!

[TLB]

I went and bought IF and was happy to find it for 3 bucks, until I found out that my idiot little brother broke his NES and then WATCHED ME BUY THE GAME and didn't say anything. I was so excited to play it, too, the fat little...

[Zeether]

Does the Arcade Gears version allow you to map a seperate button for the pod shot? I hate having to press Shot and Speed Change to do it.

[Klatrymadon]

Yeah, mate. I have the Playstation version, which allocates the pod shot a face button by default. I'd assume the Saturn version does the same.

[dave4shmups]

The video quality isn't so hot, but regarding Image Fight II, I did find this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkO8iADC5VA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycSNCnQRKp4

It doesn't look too hard from that video, but looks can be deceiving.

[Icarus]

For those of you curious about the Penalty Zone, I've quickly cooked up a savestate for Wolf 0.106 here. Put it in the "sta" folder, then load it in-game by pressing F7, then 8 on your keyboard.

The easiest way to purposely get to the Penalty Zone is to time out the first and fifth bosses.

I've given the Zone a couple of attempts and can get about halfway through it. It is hardcore, however, and you need to use every trick in the book (including afterburner kills) to get through it. I think sikraiken might have some fun with this mode. ^_-
I have a good feeling that the WR score not only does the milking respawn section in 1-7/2-7, but also goes through the Penalty Zone.

[Leeloo Minaï]

The gameplay is far too extreme, even for someone who is used to the gameplay style - there are far too many occurences of 'easy 5sec section' followed by 'instant death attack' or 'trapped unless you know how to avoid it attack'. Unless you have a lot of patience, and don't mind playing the same section over and over (and over) again, this game will frustrate the arse off you.

After reading this topic and Malc review, i wanted to re-try Image Fight II (my last test was a few years ago and i was disappointed... by the time, i got to love the "Irem touch").

The level design seems to be better adjusted to vertizontal display than first title port... logically, since Image Fight II was created for the PC Engine.

Irem games are known to offer a good amount of safe spots and other tricks which help to survive, which is a great part of the gameplay.
For bosses, if there is no safe spot, find the good weapon ! Some of them (brain, lava boss...) can be killed in a few seconds.
Bullets are not so unavoidable, there is also a very useful shield/absorber weapon at the end of game.

Image Fight II will stay a mis-understood Irem jewel...

[Mortificator]

For those of you curious about the Penalty Zone, I've quickly cooked up a savestate for Wolf 0.106 here. Put it in the "sta" folder, then load it in-game by pressing F7, then 8 on your keyboard.

The easiest way to purposely get to the Penalty Zone is to time out the first and fifth bosses.

I've given the Zone a couple of attempts and can get about halfway through it. It is hardcore, however, and you need to use every trick in the book (including afterburner kills) to get through it. I think sikraiken might have some fun with this mode. ^_-
I have a good feeling that the WR score not only does the milking respawn section in 1-7/2-7, but also goes through the Penalty Zone.

Thanks Icarus! (and everyone else who contributed) I recognize those Penelty Area cannons from that marathon stage in R-Type Final - you know, the one you have to one-life clear? I guess Irem trots them out whenever they want to make gamers cry.

[Pixel_Outlaw]

TOTALLY offtopic, but the name of this game makes me think of two school girls throwing printed JPEGs at each other while making high-pitched squeals of joy.

[spadgy]

TOTALLY offtopic, but the name of this game makes me think of two school girls throwing printed JPEGs at each other while making high-pitched squeals of joy.

I always think of Charlie Sheen (or do I mean Martin?) punching a mirror in Apocalyse Now.

Anyway, if a new hi-score thread does open and a few of you are going to be playing for that thread anytime soon, I'll hunt down a copy. Always nice to be part of an new and active score table.