Chorensha 68k ver1.10 on X68000 Mini -> new ending

[Icarus]

So I received and unboxed an X68000 Mini Early Access Kit yesterday on stream, and played through the entirety of the new version of Chorensha 68k to see what it's like.
It's essentially just an updated release of the original X68k version with new backgrounds, some new enemy and boss sprites, and changes to the sound effects here and there.

However, at the end of the game, there's a new little surprise that appears.



You can see the whole sequence here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1798328880
It's just a simple fly-by, but maybe it is hinting at something more, either already in-game and needing unlocking, or coming in the future elsewhere. Pretty neat nevertheless.

[blazinglazers69]

Had no idea this was a thing. Awesome.

[Steven]

I wanted one of these but they were way too expensive for me. In one of the more recent BEEP mail magazines they advertised some kind of X68000 Z dev tools specifically for shooting games, for that matter. Here it is if you want to make something and can't program: https://www.beep-shop.com/ec/products/detail/32244

[SuperDeadite]

I wanted one of these but they were way too expensive for me. In one of the more recent BEEP mail magazines they advertised some kind of X68000 Z dev tools specifically for shooting games, for that matter. Here it is if you want to make something and can't program: https://www.beep-shop.com/ec/products/detail/32244

It's a port of Shooting68K. Which was a "make your own shooter" software. It is rather limited, but it was used to make Valist Leznalt (a rather "meh" shooter) by the man that would later create the Trouble Witches series. It's brothers Shooting Towns and Super Shooting Towns (for FM Towns naturally), seemed to sell better. (X68K version was only sold in Takeru machines). The "Best 10" games of Shooting Towns were officially released on by Fujitsu on CD in the "Excellent 10" collection.

As for the X68K Mini, I am waiting to see how it develops. I have seen one Japanese dude wire up a cable to the UART port and hack his own MIDI driver, but the fact that this system still has no USB-MIDI or HDD support (It can only run floppy images currently) makes me feel it's better to wait for the official launch.

[Zeether]

Supposedly the Windows version will be getting this as an update soon too, but...I ALMOST want to drop on the X68k mini just because it's a novel idea

[To Far Away Times]

Other than some GUI elements, looking at that screen shot I couldn't even tell that was ChoRenSha.

All that space inbetween and a new shot type... I wonder if there's plans for some more content.

[copy-paster]

Looks like Yosshin has released the game's ver1.10 ROM for free, Get it while it's still hot.

You need to use emulator for it though, currently testing with XM6 TypeG and it's running fine so far although the screen is off-center to the left (you can readjust on the settings' display mode though). I think it will run on any up-to-date X68K emulators, but still I hope this would be released on Windows too.

[To Far Away Times]

I see there's a "replay utility" option now in the menu now.

Previous versions of the game only saved your highest scoring replay.

[Lemnear]

Why there's so much "reverence" for this game
I thought that was older judging on the graphic...instead is a 1995 game.

[Steven]

Why there's so much "reverence" for this game

Because it's fucking amazing

Well, now that I suddenly remembered that I have a fake X68000 (the MiSTer), I guess I will try this new ROM. I haven't played this game for several years now, I think, so it will be nice to play it again. This was more or less the only game that I was able to get working on the MiSTer, too, which made me sad, but at least this one worked.

[Lemnear]

Because it's fucking amazing
.

I was thinking about it just reading the Top 25, and , what are the characteristics that makes a game "universally" amazing?.
(this is a complex question)

[copy-paster]

Simple but amazing gameplay, fun attack patterns, fun scoring system (best one in my opinion!) and memorable OSTs to boot. Have you atleast tried the game first? Or are you turned off because it's a 1995 game?

[Lemnear]

Simple but amazing gameplay, fun attack patterns, fun scoring system (best one in my opinion!) and memorable OSTs to boot. Have you atleast tried the game first? Or are you turned off because it's a 1995 game?

Not yet.
And i don't know anything about the X68000...i've seen it today in the other topic for the first time
But the game got a very high spot on the Annual Top 25 of the forum, so i asking...since most of them are a "jump-leap" in the genre.
I was surprised that was released in 1995, looks a bit...older than a 1995 game probably now with the latest patch looks better!

[Ebbo]

Not much to add to copy-paster's points - sometimes you just need to get the basics so, so right. Cho Ren Sha feels deceptively modern despite its age and its gameplay style fills an interesting niche between old-school Toaplan and more contemporary Cave sensibilities. Until recently, the Windows port of the original X68000 version was also freely available on the developer's website (although it should be relatively easy to track down from a web archive) and it runs on a toaster. All that adds up into a very approachable game even for newcomers.

[PerishedFraud ឵឵]

It also has based music

[Steven]

Well, I downloaded the ROM and put it on the MiSTer and the MiSTer's X68000 core does not accept .xdf files. Considering the core's eternal beta/WIP status, this doesn't really surprise me. I'll figure out how to convert it to something the MiSTer core does like later, I guess, or just give up and wait for the X68000 Z.

[Lemnear]

Not much to add to copy-paster's points - sometimes you just need to get the basics so, so right. Cho Ren Sha feels deceptively modern despite its age and its gameplay style fills an interesting niche between old-school Toaplan and more contemporary Cave sensibilities. Until recently, the Windows port of the original X68000 version was also freely available on the developer's website (although it should be relatively easy to track down from a web archive) and it runs on a toaster. All that adds up into a very approachable game even for newcomers.

I thought that niche was already filled by Batsugun before...since is the "first" bullet hell (right?)
Wait a second....you worked on ZeroRanger?

It also has based music

This is how to $ell a game!!!
There are other games where the music and the screen events are synchronized? i like that kind of synesthesia.

[Steven]

Not much to add to copy-paster's points - sometimes you just need to get the basics so, so right. Cho Ren Sha feels deceptively modern despite its age and its gameplay style fills an interesting niche between old-school Toaplan and more contemporary Cave sensibilities. Until recently, the Windows port of the original X68000 version was also freely available on the developer's website (although it should be relatively easy to track down from a web archive) and it runs on a toaster. All that adds up into a very approachable game even for newcomers.

I thought that niche was already filled by Batsugun before...since is the "first" bullet hell (right?)

V-V did it before Batsugun

Spoiler

and V-V is also a better game

[Lemnear]

I thought that niche was already filled by Batsugun before...since is the "first" bullet hell (right?)

V-V did it before Batsugun

Spoiler

and V-V is also a better game

What V-V is ?

Other than some GUI elements, looking at that screen shot I couldn't even tell that was ChoRenSha.
.

When i saw Cho Ren Sha 68K on YT, looked more "spacey" that this screenshot.

[Steven]

I thought that niche was already filled by Batsugun before...since is the "first" bullet hell (right?)

V-V did it before Batsugun

Spoiler

and V-V is also a better game

What V-V is ?

V-V is one of the coolest and best Toaplan games that nobody talks about. It's kind of like a semi-bullet hell version of Slap Fight, which is also one of the coolest and best Toaplan games that nobody talks about except me. There is a Mega Drive version of V-V, but it's nowhere near as awesome as the arcade version.

[Lemnear]

What V-V is ?

V-V is one of the coolest and best Toaplan games that nobody talks about. It's kind of like a semi-bullet hell version of Slap Fight, which is also one of the coolest and best Toaplan games that nobody talks about except me. There is a Mega Drive version of V-V, but it's nowhere near as awesome as the arcade version.

Oh i've found it but under this name:

Spoiler

Grind Stormer.

Never seen before.

[Steven]

V-V and Grind Stormer are definitely not the same game, as they play quite differently. You can input a code on V-V's title screen to turn it into V-V Bomber Ver., which makes it basically Grind Stormer, although I am not sure if they are 100% identical or not. I definitely do not like Grind Stormer/V-V Bomber Ver. as much as V-V.

Fortunately V-V is pretty great, so go play it however you can. It's difficult, though, like every Toaplan game that isn't Slap Fight, Out Zone, and Vimana... but this is getting super off-topic, so we'd better stop here lol

[SuperDeadite]

Well, I downloaded the ROM and put it on the MiSTer and the MiSTer's X68000 core does not accept .xdf files. Considering the core's eternal beta/WIP status, this doesn't really surprise me. I'll figure out how to convert it to something the MiSTer core does like later, I guess, or just give up and wait for the X68000 Z.

Mister doesn't support xdf files? Then what the hell does it use? Lol.

[Steven]

Well, I downloaded the ROM and put it on the MiSTer and the MiSTer's X68000 core does not accept .xdf files. Considering the core's eternal beta/WIP status, this doesn't really surprise me. I'll figure out how to convert it to something the MiSTer core does like later, I guess, or just give up and wait for the X68000 Z.

Mister doesn't support xdf files? Then what the hell does it use? Lol.

.hdf and .d88. That's about it. If you are disappointed in the X68000 Z, you should check out the MiSTer's X68000 core. Basically nothing works properly and a lot of stuff is unplayable for various reasons like simply not loading at all or not having the button that you need to press to get past the title screen.

CRS68k 1.01 works, for example, but it has frequent minor audio problems with various sound effects, Asuka 120% runs ridiculously slowly, Kyuukyoku Tiger can't get past the title screen and displays fucked up graphics in the attract mode, and other stuff just gives an error when you put the disk image in the virtual drive and doesn't go any further than that. I'd love to try this new CRS68k 1.10 version, but I have yet to find a way to convert the disk image to .hdf or whatever.

It's all open source, so anyone can just go make it perfect if they wanted to, but it seems that nobody that knows how to do it wants to.

[SuperDeadite]

Well, I downloaded the ROM and put it on the MiSTer and the MiSTer's X68000 core does not accept .xdf files. Considering the core's eternal beta/WIP status, this doesn't really surprise me. I'll figure out how to convert it to something the MiSTer core does like later, I guess, or just give up and wait for the X68000 Z.

Mister doesn't support xdf files? Then what the hell does it use? Lol.

.hdf and .d88. That's about it. If you are disappointed in the X68000 Z, you should check out the MiSTer's X68000 core. Basically nothing works properly and a lot of stuff is unplayable for various reasons like simply not loading at all or not having the button that you need to press to get past the title screen.

CRS68k 1.01 works, for example, but it has frequent minor audio problems with various sound effects, Asuka 120% runs ridiculously slowly, Kyuukyoku Tiger can't get past the title screen and displays fucked up graphics in the attract mode, and other stuff just gives an error when you put the disk image in the virtual drive and doesn't go any further than that. I'd love to try this new CRS68k 1.10 version, but I have yet to find a way to convert the disk image to .hdf or whatever.

It's all open source, so anyone can just go make it perfect if they wanted to, but it seems that nobody that knows how to do it wants to.

.d88 is a very generic format that accepts just about any type of image. Should be easy enough to convert .d88 to xdf (2hd). The Mister is one of those machines that never quite made sense to me. If I am going to emulate, I am as well just use a normal computer. The Z has potential, but it's clear that Zuiki is going to milk the X68000 for all it's worth. So, unless you really want to have a shelf full of these, best to wait until the final version (XVI or 030) comes out.

[copy-paster]

Might as well get the cheapest 10-20 year old PC and uninstall anything but XM6 TypeG and make it as close as the real thing interface-wise, and voila you have X68000 Cope Edition.

Based on the other people addressing complains about other X68K emulators (no midi support, lack of savestate support, etc.) nothing beats XM6 yet, it will run any game I throw in so far.

[Bassa-Bassa]

The Mister is one of those machines that never quite made sense to me. If I am going to emulate, I am as well just use a normal computer.

Good luck emulating properly stuff as transcendental as CPS/CPS2 without a Mister, whichever the computer you use. Just to name a couple. Emulating on Windows computers with (Groovy) Mame is essential for many games/systems and will always be due to Mister's limitations, but for many others you need a Mister given the abandoned status of many of the former's drivers.

X68000 Z's potential is... not great, judging by the previous Zuiki minis, which used the same ARM processor. It's indeed much smaller than Mister's, which can replicate the computer's odd video modes without sacrificing latency or visual fidelity. There's a problem with the X68000 on Mister - zero nostalgia coupled with zero culture. Mortal Kombat or the Jaguar will always get more priority unless the device gets much more popular in Japan. The current X68000 core is basically useless.

[Steven]

Screw it, I should just go buy a real X68000. BEEP should have a few, along with disk drive emulators and new PSUs and whatever other parts I might need. I even have a game to feed it, too: Cotton.

[jd213]

This freeware program should allow you to convert the file to .d88: https://www.vector.co.jp/soft/dl/win95/ ... 51106.html
Going to try this out later, haven't gotten around to playing much of Chorensha on the MiSTer.

Definitely a shame that the X68000 core is unfinished, the Japanese guy working on it seems to have moved on to Towns stuff going by his blog : http://fpga8801.seesaa.net/

[Lander]

I suppose that puts Cho Ren Sha at the top of the retroactive rug-pull scoreboard with an impressive 28 years, narrowly beating out Twin Peaks Season 3's 26 to take the top spot. Well played

So are we going to talk about the ring-shattering implications this has on the deep, textured, and previously-nonexistent CRS68k lore?

I'm cool with the idea that it could be a teaser, since GRG68k is a rad thought, but what if it was a fever dream in the mind of a 1940s air force pilot the whole time?
Or a post-post-future future whose physics somehow hinge on building WW2 throwback aircraft that inexplicably transmogrify into sleek starfighters upon crossing the Unreality Even Horizon