twinkle star sprite games

[professor ganson]

What interesting differences are there between the neo geo cd game, the dc game, and the latest PS2 incarnation?

Which do people like best?

If you have the latest PS2 game, are the neo geo and dc versions superfluous (apart from the end of merely collecting)?

thanks!

[BulletMagnet]

You forgot the Saturn version.

I own the aforementioned and the PS2 version, never played the others...IIRC, the Saturn has 2 modes ("Arcade" and "Saturn") which play pretty much the same, except that the latter has one or two extra/exclusive stages/characters. A bonus fanart disc is also included. If memory serves, the DC version is pretty much a straightforward port of the NG original, though it gives you the option of turning off all the slowdown (there's at least a bit of it in the other versions.

The PS2 remake ("La Petite Princesse") has 3D graphics and some different characters, but plays almost exactly the same as the previous games. You can unlock the original NG version (plus a few other things), but it's not very good looking and plagued with a LOT of slowdown (I'm not tech-savvy enough to say exactly what they did to it to mess it up). It also has an online feature, but unfortunately that's pretty much a moot point for most of us here.

In any event, I do like TSS (it's one of my top 25), so I don't mind owning 2 "versions" of it, but since they play so similarly I suggest you try it out in MAME or some such thing to see just how much you like it before you look at buying more than one port/version/whatever. In any event, each port has its own good and bad points, but I don't recall any of them being totally panned, so if you can afford them (it tends to be a semi-pricey game) you shouldn't be able to go too far wrong.

[Fenrir]

I've only got the NTSC/J DC version. It's a nice version, but there is no wondrous animated intro like on the Saturn version, sadly.
One remarkable thing is that you can choose between the DC-version game and the NeoGeo-version game. That is - if you want slowdowns or not. Unlike BulletMagnet's PS2 game, on the DC you can immediately choose whether to play NG or DC.
Fact is that Slowdowns on NeoGeo are sometimes strumental and help with the game, while the DC version is really too smooth and a tad more challenging. Apart from that, it's nothing more than a good port. There are no extras, no bonus levels, no bonus CDs, no hires graphics - just a straightforward port.
I'd go for the NeoGeo CD if I had to choose.

[Kiken]

You guys forgot to mention that the DC version actually includes 3 game-speed modes (68000 at 10 MHz, Neo-Geo, and DC) as well as 3 different soundtrack options (ROM, Hi-Def ROM, Neo-CD).

The Neo-CD version includes an art gallery and features an arranged OST.

The Saturn version has the aforementioned animated intro, as well as an extra character and stage.

The PS2 game is a sequel to the Neo-Geo original and features a predominantly new cast (although a few classics return from the original), a slightly slower overall game speed, lower difficulty, polygonal graphics, an art gallery (which includes the Saturn animated intro) and the original MVS/AES ROM of Twinkle Star Sprites.

[professor ganson]

Thanks for the responses. It sounds like I'm pretty well set with the PS2 game, though I might get the DC version sometime if I can find it at a good price.

[ResOGlas]

Obviously the MVS version gets my vote (sorry suckers, it doesn't run so well on MAME ).

The PS2 version is a cool update as well.

[RoninBuddha]

just to add, the Saturn version has some transparency effects.

[DC906270]

whats this game like for 1 player action? i always was put off by the "vs" aspect of the game, like it was only designed for 2 players?
i play most games 1 player, as my friends are not really interested/not very skilled in the games dept.

[BulletMagnet]

As you might expect, as a 1P game you play against the computer...IIRC your only 1P choices are usually a "story" mode (you can only play as the "main" char but you get story sequences between stages) or "free" mode (play as anyone, but no real story). Every character gets a different ending, and there's the usual difficulty adjust in the Options menu if the computer's challenge (or lack thereof) isn't to your liking, not to mention you can always try for a higher score. When you get right down to it, though, when you play 1P in TSS, you're basically playing 2P against the computer. Again, if you can, try it out before plunking down the cash, to see if that gameplay style clicks with you.