Whoa!! Raiden III News for the U.S...

[scrilla4rella]

My PS1 Namco (grey and yellow) arcade stick works like a charm. Too bad it doesn't work with the Taito collection. A stick is pretty much required for this one.

I am enjoying this realease. I guess I was expecting the worse form what I read about the import over here. I find myself playing it as much as my other new shooter, Dangun Feveron. I do wish there was more city levels like in DX and 1&2.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For our international shmuppers do own the original Taito Type X or X+ PC tower setup along with a HDD copy of Raiden III, my question is this:

On the PS2 Raiden III port, which Tate option closely mimics the original arcade version in terms of proper vertical screen size -- either "Arcade 1" or "Arcade 2" Tate setting?

And what are the requirements for unlocking both "locked" options (Art Gallery & Boss Rush Mode) in the USA PS2 port of Raiden III?

Also, I've noticed that after playing with the USA PS2 version of Raiden III for a while, the "intial" credit number increased from two to three.

So does that mean with more gameplay time, the intial number of Raiden III"s credits will increase (similiar to how more gameplay time increases the intial credits to eventually unlock 'Free Play' mode in both DC & GC iterations of Ikaruga)?

Thanks in advance with your informative answers, fellow shmup-o's... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BrianC]

IGN review up. It reminds me of their top 10s and their Wii VC Gradius III review. http://ps2.ign.com/articles/783/783072p1.html

Here are some comments from it and comments on the comments:

Raiden III, a UFO Interactive port of the Japanese arcade title, captures the top-down, 2D excitement of the game's cabinet days and adds some PS2 depth, but it fails to make itself a must buy for arcade fanboys-- even though you can turn your TV on its side for the full arcade-screen experience..

It's odd how the reviewer calls it a UFO Interactive port considering how they only published the game and the developer of the game is listed on the page. Also, the reviewer claims that the game captures the excitement of the original, but never explains why. He doesn't make a comparison with the original either. He seems to have a lack of respect for arcades, telling from the fanboy comment and this intro:

When I think of arcades, my mind wanders to weekends wasted in the game room at Yogi Bear Jellystone Park in northern Illinois. These sojourns away from my consoles and basement were meant to foster family ties, but they inevitably ended with me and a handful of friends pumping quarters into Spy Hunter and Golden Axe machines.

Ah, the arcade -- expensive and frustratingly difficult.

It sounds simplistic, and it is, but when you first get your hands on the classic arcade gameplay in Raiden III, you'll have a blast. Add a buddy to take on the world together, and you've got a good time ahead of you.

Sadly, that excitement only lasts for seven levels. Sure, there are seven difficulties for you to fool around with, but once you beat the game you're granted unlimited continues, and that sucks out the challenge of the higher difficulties. The game adds Score Attack (play individual levels and try to set the high score), Boss Rush (face off against all seven bosses in a row) and a gallery, but how many times do you want to watch your saved runs and look at level artwork?

Yet another complaint about unlimited continues. The comment about the extras is a bit odd. Replay value isn't exactly important for art galleries and saved runs aren't only there for you to watch yourself.

The next shortcoming in this short title is collision detection. Some enemy fire will destroy you upon contact and other stuff will just glide over your plane.

I'm guessing that he mistook the hit box of the game for a problem with collision detection?

Edit: I didn't comment on the rating comments. Here goes:

They're nothing to go crazy about, but that's part of the game's charm -- it's what an arcade flier should look like.

An arcade "flier" should look like nothing to go crazy about? Interesting how he calls it a "flier" and not a "shooter".

(about the sound)It's the bleeps and bloops you'd expect from an arcade game.

Not very informative at all. Bleeps and bloops? I haven't expected those from arcade games since the 2600 days.

It's fun to seek and destroy, but when the screen fills with enemies and their shots start going through you, you forget about collecting power-ups and dwell on just making it to the end of the level.

Yet another comment on the "collision detection". Interesting how he doesn't mention the "collision detection" in the paragraph that says how exciting the game is.

Unless you're a high-score setting nut, seven levels just aren't enough to keep you happy with your purchase. Even Score Attack and Boss Rush can only go so long without getting boring.

Telling from the earlier comment and this one, it sounds like the reviewer isn't big on high scores. He also talks about high score setting as if there is something wrong with it, which there isn't. Seven levels can be enough, depending on how well designed they are and their length. The reviewer describes Score Attack and Boss Rush as getting boring with multiple plays, but with no detailed reason that says why.

[Krooze L-Roy]

Am I the only one who thinks the music in the second level sounds like a wacky remix of one of the Castlevania themes?


I probably am, huh?

[CMoon]

IGN Review> More evidence of the distinct crowd of gamers who do not relish their arcade days, and who I assume feel that video games came into their own with the appearance of Final Fantasy 7.

I remember Strider 2 getting a review like this when it first came out. 'The game is too short' (even though Strider 1 is actually shorter) and 'ruined by multiple continues'. The idea of limiting continues is like advanced calculus to these guys (not just IGN reviewers mind you.)

What I really can't imagine is how they felt, using all those continues plowing through the 7 levels of Raiden 3. When you are continuously getting spanked, is it really fun continuing 200 times? And clearly seeing the game over screen after using those 200 continues means there is no point of ever replaying it.

All that bitching aside, I don't really disagree with their score though. In the world of shmups, this is a pretty meh one. Plenty of other great ps2 shmups I'd have rather seen come over.

[ktownhero]

I got this in the mail from Amazon yesterday. Here is my review:

"Slow ship, fast bullets."

Kind of annoying.

[Belmont]

Am I the only one who thinks the music in the second level sounds like a wacky remix of one of the Castlevania themes?


I probably am, huh?

THANK YOU! my wife was in total denial that lvl 2 sounds like a remix of "vampire killer" the lvl 1 song from castlevania 1....also found in a ton of other castlevania games. Im glad that someone else noticed this as well.

Anyways i just got this game in the mail yesterday and i actually HATE it for starters. Well hate is a harsh word but i cant stand that you move like a slug and the bullets wizz at mac 10. I also cant stand the power up system. Every time i die i have to either use a bomb or die again just to get the power ups that i want. I think the game will grow on me but it is so frusterating to die in this game. I guess im just used to cave shmups where the power ups dont change every second. And it never fails that whenever i try to get a blue power it turns green at the last second.....arg. Double mode is the one saving grace of this game. I am totally adicted to that. There is something so challenging about controlling 2 ships at once. I have put way more time in double mode then solo so far and i think it will stay that way.

[JusteZero]

Am I the only one who thinks the music in the second level sounds like a wacky remix of one of the Castlevania themes?


I probably am, huh?

I noticed that right away too. Maybe its an homage, afterall one of the songs on the R3 soundtrack is titled 'dawn of sorrow'.
Maybe someone at Moss is a Castlevania nut...........

[LSU]

Well, whoever packs the manuals into the cases needs to be a bit more careful. I opened my new, sealed copy and the manual was already all creased up. I'll have to see if I can exchange it for one that doesn't already look well used, oh well.

[PFG 9000]

Yeah, I noticed the Vampire Killer similarity as soon as I saw the level 2 gameplay video. I don't think it's intentional though.

[thesuperkillerxxx]

Well, whoever packs the manuals into the cases needs to be a bit more careful. I opened my new, sealed copy and the manual was already all creased up. I'll have to see if I can exchange it for one that doesn't already look well used, oh well.

I picked up my copy today at gamestop today, and I didn't even pre-order. I did pre-order R-type Final and Gradius V, so that may have triggered my store to get one in. They only had one, and I didn't see a store display either.

Opened it up and my manual was creased just like you describe.

Now I just need to buy a copy of Radio Allergy or whatever the hell it is called.

[Regulus]

Oh, damn, I wish I had money right now.

[futurebiblehero]

Am I the only one who thinks the music in the second level sounds like a wacky remix of one of the Castlevania themes?


I probably am, huh?

More than that, I've always wondered what's up with Journey at the Game Over screen.

[moonblood]

http://shootthecore.blogspot.com/2007/0 ... humor.html

funny

[FRO]

http://shootthecore.blogspot.com/2007/0 ... humor.html

funny

If someone would have actually read the manual, they would have realized that the "Fire" button is the way to go. I mean, there are lots of other PS1 & PS2 games that don't use X as the main action button, so you'd think that someone working in a game store would have learned that by now.

In any event, I just got mine last night & I have to say I'm impressed so far. The manual was nicely done with color photos & good layouts. Granted, the game itself doesn't scale the heights that Raiden II did, but I still rather enjoyed it & I'm looking forward to many late nights yelling at the TV

[stoneroses]

As I love the old Raidens, I am having a ton of fun with this. I have always heard so many bad things but I am really digging it.

Oh, if anyone is on the fence, this sucker is rather rare already and would pick it up soon. Other than eBay, I had a hell of a time finding a place to buy it online. There were no copies in stores by me at all. And this was just a few days after it came out.

[Fighter17]

http://shootthecore.blogspot.com/2007/0 ... humor.html

funny

If someone would have actually read the manual, they would have realized that the "Fire" button is the way to go. I mean, there are lots of other PS1 & PS2 games that don't use X as the main action button, so you'd think that someone working in a game store would have learned that by now.

In any event, I just got mine last night & I have to say I'm impressed so far. The manual was nicely done with color photos & good layouts. Granted, the game itself doesn't scale the heights that Raiden II did, but I still rather enjoyed it & I'm looking forward to many late nights yelling at the TV

Funny becaue Metal Gear Solid 2 has the same button config. It only took me a second to realize it was stwiched around.

[Acid King]

I bought it today. It's very mediocre.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I bought it today. It's very mediocre.

For Acid King,

Surely the original Type X arcade version of Raiden III isn't mediocre, right? ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Sensato Kurai]

Got Raiden III last week-end. I'm enjoying it so far. I wasn't expecting a lot from that game, (I've got something against the Type-X visuals I guess) and I must say I don't find it bad at all. Note that the only other Raidens I played are the first two ones. The Flash Shot multiplier system adds a little risk factor to it, even though I guess it's rather natural, when aproaching mastery of a shmup, to shoot everything up as soon as it comes out anyway.

Although far from being amazing, the visuals are not that bad to my tastes and I found the music to be rather interesting. Nice package too, with color booklet as previously mentionned (even the extra french booklet is in full color, this doesn't happen often). Plus, cover artwork is ok on that one

[Damocles]

I finally got around to visiting my girlfriend yesterday, though it came in on Monday. Yeah...a woman that will order a shmup for you. She's a keeper. Anyway, I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It's a throwback...but it's still Raiden. I'm not quite sure why people are so hard on the game. The patterns are straight up old-school Raiden. Maybe because it doesn't do anything new or different? Love the radar missiles, btw. I'm only up to level 5, so things may change in the coming levels.

It's Raiden...there's not much more to say.

[shinsage]

Picked it up on a whim today, had very low expectations and am LOVING it right now.

The music is fantastic, it has a very cornishly retro sound to it.

Graphics as expected are fugly (yay Taito Type X) but at least it's smooth.

As it is, I'm having more fun with this than any Cave game I've played.

[hikarutilmitt]

Anyone still wanting it in the US might do well to get it from Wal-Mart, since it's $20 there instead of $30.

Also, is anyone else's copy a CD-ROM while the case and DISC ITSELF say it's a DVD-ROM?

[fixjuxa]

Anyone still wanting it in the US might do well to get it from Wal-Mart, since it's $20 there instead of $30.

Also, is anyone else's copy a CD-ROM while the case and DISC ITSELF say it's a DVD-ROM?

Yeah, I saw a bunch of copies at my local Wal-Mart the other day as well. They weren't even in the case but on an endcap with a bunch of older, and admittingly crappy, budget titles.

[shinsage]

Anyone still wanting it in the US might do well to get it from Wal-Mart, since it's $20 there instead of $30.

Awesome.
Now if only you posted that before I bought it.

[hikarutilmitt]

Haha, sorry. I knew about it maybe Monday at the earliest, so I dunno how much that would've helped. I was just surprised to even see it there, let alone for $20.

Which leaves me with trying to get Taito Legends 2, The Red Star and eventually Radirgy.

[Thunder Force]

Started using the newly released US version of Raiden III on a recent model slimline PS2, and the disc is making a horrible loud vibrating/whirring/buzzing sound for several seconds while spinning during loading screens (it's back to normal during gameplay itself though) - anyone else having this occur?

[DJ Incompetent]

yes. Mine was too. The power no longer works, but it may have been fallout from my recent basement floodings. Unable to verify. I've had this silver slimline less than a month.

Received my 9th PS2 from stores last night. What a sad day to be a consumer...

[captain ahar]

found a copy at a local gamestop over the weekend, and i must say i am not so taken in by it. i'm quite happy i didn't end up importing it. its alright, but it lacks that oomph that the previous ones had.

also in regards to that ign review someone needs to make a shooter with 200 fully featured levels and send it to the reviewer so he can't complain about "level replay value" any more.

[shinsage]

Started using the newly released US version of Raiden III on a recent model slimline PS2, and the disc is making a horrible loud vibrating/whirring/buzzing sound for several seconds while spinning during loading screens (it's back to normal during gameplay itself though) - anyone else having this occur?

This happens to me as well, except I have a launch fatty PS2.