need opinions on what to get

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:01 am

zanac x zanac, espgaluda, or DoDonPachi Dai-Ou-Jou....
I'm trying to decide between these. I'd like to here some suggestions and also why. I also want to know how different DOJ is from Dodonpachi, I have DDP all ready but i do love it and can deal with more. Did it get a large face lift in DOJ ect?

zinger · Post by **zinger** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:24 am

If you're still enjoying DDP I'd stick with it until you grow tired of it, that way you'll get some results, hopefully.

I think Neo Zanac is a really shitty game, like most Compile shooters, but I'm sure a lot of forum members will tell you otherwise.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:45 pm

Zanac X Zanac - Great game if you love old school shmups. If you're a big fan of the Aleste games or PC Engine Shooters, you can't not get this. The only thing negative about it, ist that some of the weapons are really lame, so you usually end up only using one or two. Easy game to 1CC, but really fun and quite challenging once you start building chains over 600-700. The music is totally sweet as well.

Espgaluda - IMO this is the very best Cave shooter, plus the port is super excellent as well. Generally not as difficult as other Cave games, but the scoring system takes some time to learn. Basically you collect gems by shooting stuff, then those gems enable you to perform an instant temporary sex-change. In this mode all on-screen bullets of a killed enemy will turn into gold nuggets. Once you've figured out the best ways to exploit this system it feels like playing a slot machine and constantly winning. Superb game that will always have you coming back for more.

Dodonpachi Daioujou - It's like Dodonpachi but on steroids. The difficulty in later stages gets pretty crazy, and the difficulty of the scoring system is totally nuts and will require split second timing for you to maintain your chain. The graphics and designs are a lot cooler than Dodonpachi and the other addition is the Hyper, a sort of semi-bomb thingy that makes your shot huge and racks up your combo counter. Great game, but you might wanna try something a little more different now.

Anyway, what game to get?

ESPGALUDA!

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:21 pm

I'm more or less with CIT, I'd recommend Galuda. DOJ is good too and ZXZ is...okay, but if you've already got DDP I'd say you ought to try Galuda and diversify a bit.

EDIT: As was said, it's one of Cave's easier titles on the whole, but seeing as the port includes a tough Arrange mode that shouldn't be too much of an issue either.

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:57 pm

Check out the replays on super-play.co.uk for both Cave games; I guess seing a whole run will make your decision a lot more easier. If I had the money for a jap PS2 AND a new TV I would go for Espgaluda, that game has mouthwatering patterns and seems to be really enjoyable. I remember that Icycalm wrote a review of Galuda claiming that Cave reached a dead end with making harder and harder shmups, and that Espgaluda was trying to be more accessible. The gameplay in DOJ seems to be A LOT more stricter. When even hardcore players are moaning about the difficulty, than thats saying something!

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:04 pm

visually how does DOJ compare to DDP?

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:15 pm

About the same, maybe uglier.

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:32 pm

on a side note I also was wondering about sonic wings special.. how is it? keep in mind I really enjoy the striker series... is this one look as good as the arcade special or any better than the 1st 3 games?

zinger · Post by **zinger** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:34 pm

Strider77 wrote:visually how does DOJ compare to DDP?

It's not pixelperfect like DDP, it looks more like ESPrade, but a lot more colorful and alive. I think it looks much better and more varied than DDP. Same goes for the music, by Manabu Namiki (also includes arranged version).

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:18 pm

DOJ reminds me much of Ketsui graphicwise (even tough JUN worked on DOJ but not on Ketsui IIRC), and both have Namiki soundtracks, which adds a lot to the atmosphere. The repeated soundtracks in DDP always annoyed me a bit. (DOJ and Ketsui impressions only come from replays, and boy, I am so sick of having to say this - I watch replays of those games religiously). Aside from that, you`ll instantly see that this is a DDP sequel (similar bullets, similar sound effects).

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:30 pm

Strider77 wrote:on a side note I also was wondering about sonic wings special.. how is it?

bland crap

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:02 pm

Strider77 wrote:on a side note I also was wondering about sonic wings special.. how is it? keep in mind I really enjoy the striker series... is this one look as good as the arcade special or any better than the 1st 3 games?

It's kind of a "The Best of Sonic Wings" compilation with stages and characters from all previous games plus some new shit. Similar to Strikers, but kind of sluggish and not as good looking. Not a must-have or must-play by any means but not total crap either. Can be had for peanuts as well.
All in all you're probably better off getting some other Psikyo game, like Dragon Blaze, though. Unless you really love fighter aircraft or something.

rib · Post by **rib** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:34 pm

if you did grow up with 16bit shmups get zanac neo.
if you like it if a shmups has a awesome soundtrack get zanac neo.
if you like allways fair and still very challenging gameplay get zanac neo. (dont know any latelly released shmup with this high level of "my fault" gameplay)
if you like maniac shmups get doj, still the best maniac i know and yet hard its gameplay feels much more fair than for example mushi's.
the whole gameplay has reached perfection in this last part of the series.

dont have espgaluda but every cave lover will recommend you this game and it on my to get list as well.

howmuchkeefe · Post by **howmuchkeefe** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:36 pm

Whatever you do, don't get herpes. It isn't as fun as it looks in the commercials.

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 11:38 pm

I really enjoy all three of the games you mention, and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them either. Zanac Neo is quite overpriced--I mean, I like the game and all, but don't see it worth the money I paid for it (maybe I should sell it???)

DOJ and Galuda are both top notch cave shooters--perhaps among their very best actually. Galuda is rather accessible, though gets tough quickly, while DOJ is their hard-as-nails masterpiece that starts fucking hard and stays that way. DOJ is sort of the ultimate work out for shmup fans and while I feel like it is offputting at first, I might ultimately have put more time into this (because it IS a monster) than many other cave shmups.

Any way you go though, you can't go wrong.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 1:26 am

Espgaluda is the most popular here of the games you mentioned, but is my least favorite of the three.

Zanac Neo is the least popular, but is my personal favorite of the three.

DDP DOJ is really challenging, and it's rather nice to look at.

SAM · Post by **SAM** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:34 am

Get them all!!!

All of them are must have.

If you don't got the money, sell somthing.

Or start saving money and buy them one by one.

The only excluse of not having these PS2/PS games, is that you already own the PCBs.