Taito Legends 2

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed May 23, 2007 3:10 am

I actually think both G-Darius and Raystorm *ARE* the PS1 versions.. but G-Darius doesn't slowdown because somehow it benefits from the superior PS2 hardware.

My memory may be off, but I remember Raystorm running at a higher resolution on Arcades than this...

Himuro · Post by **Himuro** » Wed May 23, 2007 3:12 am

I never had the opportunity to play the arcade version so I can't exactly make a comparison.

The Coop · Post by **The Coop** » Wed May 23, 2007 3:46 am

Yes, I FINALLY got the thing this afternoon. One store in a 200 mile radius got it. Thankfully, it was one of the closer stores. Good thing I called too, as they only received two copies... and one of the employees grabbed the first one.

With my PC version of Taito Legends 2, and now the PS2 version, I can finally enjoy all the games, including a slowdown-lacking G-Darius and Raystorm, and the funky Syvalion. Shame they put the American Bust A Move Again on here though, as the PC version's Puzzle Bobble 2 is benefited from the sickenly sweet dinosaurs, and cute between level cinemas.

And I liked the American intros for TL1 and TL2. The spinning logo smashing the original Space Invaders alien worked I thought

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Wed May 23, 2007 10:09 am

Shatterhand wrote:I actually think both G-Darius and Raystorm *ARE* the PS1 versions.. but G-Darius doesn't slowdown because somehow it benefits from the superior PS2 hardware.

I don't see any particular reason to believe that. With G-Darius at least I can say safely this is not the PS1 version.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed May 23, 2007 12:38 pm

Why? Except for the lack of slowdowns and the "insert coin" stuff, the game is basically the same as the PS1. Though I have never seen the arcade version of G-Darius

In the other hand, I had played Raystorm at arcade, though it was like.. oooh.. 4 years ago, in another town.

For Raystorm, the PS1 had two options.. can't remember the exact names, but I think they were "Original" and "Extra"

Original had enemy placement and graphics like the Arcade. Extra had different enemy placement (It was easier IMO), and some graphics were different (In 1st level, for example, in one mode the setting was bright morning, in the other mode it looked more it was evening).

The Taito Legends version plays like the EXTRA mode of PS1, not like the arcade one.

Actually, when I first heard both Raystorm and G-Darius were exclusive to the PS2 version, the first thing I thought was that they should had been the PS1 versions.

Post by **Ghegs** » Wed May 23, 2007 1:23 pm

Shatterhand wrote:Why? Except for the lack of slowdowns and the "insert coin" stuff, the game is basically the same as the PS1. Though I have never seen the arcade version of G-Darius

One might say the PS1 port is basically the same as the arcade original, except with slowdown and such. Of course they're very similar with only few differences, though important ones, they're the same game, after all.

Himuro · Post by **Himuro** » Wed May 23, 2007 2:55 pm

G Darius doesn't have boss rush mode, for one, so I guess that's one thing you can use to gauge whether it's the psx version or not.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:32 pm

They could just remove the boss rush mode to make it look more "Arcade"

but whatever, not that this is really that important, I don't want to look like I am in a campaign to make everyone believe Raystorm and G-Darius on Taito Legends 2 are the PS1 version or something

Regarding Raystorm, in the PS1 version you even had to "INSERT COINS" (by pressing select), so it's even harder to tell both versions apart.

But like I said, I remember the arcade version being different in some stuff.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:19 pm

Shatterhand wrote:They could just remove the boss rush mode to make it look more "Arcade"

but whatever, not that this is really that important, I don't want to look like I am in a campaign to make everyone believe Raystorm and G-Darius on Taito Legends 2 are the PS1 version or something

Regarding Raystorm, in the PS1 version you even had to "INSERT COINS" (by pressing select), so it's even harder to tell both versions apart.

But like I said, I remember the arcade version being different in some stuff.

The games are ports rather than emulations, so it's not unlikely that they are different in some areas from the arcade. Also, I tried the Arcade Raystorm out and, apparently, the game can be set to two different modes in the dipswitch settings, one of them 1 or 2p, and one of them 1p only. What settings are available under options for the TL2 Raystorm?

DJ Incompetent · Post by **DJ Incompetent** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:33 pm

Shatterhand wrote:Regarding Raystorm, in the PS1 version you even had to "INSERT COINS" (by pressing select), so it's even harder to tell both versions apart.

It's just you.

my PS1 version doesn't

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:39 pm

DJ Incompetent wrote:
Shatterhand wrote:Regarding Raystorm, in the PS1 version you even had to "INSERT COINS" (by pressing select), so it's even harder to tell both versions apart.
It's just you.

my PS1 version doesn't

No, I saw the PSX and PC versions in videos on youtube and they do indeed simulate the inserting of coins. The interesting thing about the PC version is that it appears to be based on the PSX version, but can be run in a resolution closer to the arcade.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed May 23, 2007 8:49 pm

BrianC wrote:
Shatterhand wrote:They could just remove the boss rush mode to make it look more "Arcade"

but whatever, not that this is really that important, I don't want to look like I am in a campaign to make everyone believe Raystorm and G-Darius on Taito Legends 2 are the PS1 version or something

Regarding Raystorm, in the PS1 version you even had to "INSERT COINS" (by pressing select), so it's even harder to tell both versions apart.

But like I said, I remember the arcade version being different in some stuff.
The games are ports rather than emulations, so it's not unlikely that they are different in some areas from the arcade. Also, I tried the Arcade Raystorm out and, apparently, the game can be set to two different modes in the dipswitch settings, one of them 1 or 2p, and one of them 1p only. What settings are available under options for the TL2 Raystorm?

I am at work now, when I get home I'll check it out.

DJ Incompetent · Post by **DJ Incompetent** » Wed May 23, 2007 10:06 pm

BrianC wrote:
DJ Incompetent wrote:
Shatterhand wrote:Regarding Raystorm, in the PS1 version you even had to "INSERT COINS" (by pressing select), so it's even harder to tell both versions apart.
It's just you.

my PS1 version doesn't
No, I saw the PSX and PC versions in videos on youtube and they do indeed simulate the inserting of coins.

Hm. It's just me.

yay for Working Designs.

Any of you guys around Garden City find this? None of the GSs in my area have received any. (look for a spare copy I can pick up?).

Shopping online? What's that?!

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu May 24, 2007 2:00 am

Oh damn, I forgot my Taito Legends 2 is with a friend.

So I won't be able to check it right now.

kccttzj · Post by **kccttzj** » Thu May 24, 2007 2:08 am

DJ Incompetent wrote:Any of you guys around Garden City find this? None of the GSs in my area have received any. (look for a spare copy I can pick up?).

Nope. Checked all the Game Stop/EB Games stores in the Westland area and all they had were what was pre-ordered.

Shearie · Post by **Shearie** » Thu May 24, 2007 4:01 am

I have a problem with the Metal Black game. It says in the instructions that when your beam level is at max, if you hold down the MAX Beam button you'll have a converging beam and when you let go you'll have a spreading beam, but it doesn't matter if I hold down the button or not, the same thing happens where it starts off converging, then it spreads, and at the very end it's converging again. Is it supposed to be like that?

Maybe not all of the games are software ports after all because after playing Darius Gaiden a little more, I've noticed that there's tons of slowdown where as G Darius seems to have none whatsoever, although I'm not sure if the arcade version of Darius Gaiden has slowdown the same as it does here.

shinsage · Post by **shinsage** » Thu May 24, 2007 4:16 am

Shearie wrote:I have a problem with the Metal Black game. It says in the instructions that when your beam level is at max, if you hold down the MAX Beam button you'll have a converging beam and when you let go you'll have a spreading beam, but it doesn't matter if I hold down the button or not, the same thing happens where it starts off converging, then it spreads, and at the very end it's converging again. Is it supposed to be like that?

Are you doing that when you fight a boss?
When the boss shoots its own hyperbeam then the two energies are fighting each other and the craziness happens.
It's been months since I've played MB but I'm fairly certain it shouldn't spread unless you're doing it while a boss is shooting its own.

Shearie · Post by **Shearie** » Thu May 24, 2007 4:26 am

I'm talking about when I'm not fighting a boss.

TKGB_Mental_Gear · Post by **TKGB_Mental_Gear** » Thu May 24, 2007 4:29 am

What? Is it out NOW? Damn, I wish I had a job to get some cash.

Shearie · Post by **Shearie** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:22 am

Just fired up MAME for the first time in a long while to test out the Metal Black MAX Beam thing and it works perfectly on MAME so that small aspect of it is screwed up on the TL2 version.

Shearie · Post by **Shearie** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:47 am

Just tried out the first couple of levels of Darius Gaiden on MAME and there is no slowdown whereas the TL2 version has tons of it.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Thu May 24, 2007 12:44 pm

Shearie wrote:I have a problem with the Metal Black game. It says in the instructions that when your beam level is at max, if you hold down the MAX Beam button you'll have a converging beam and when you let go you'll have a spreading beam, but it doesn't matter if I hold down the button or not, the same thing happens where it starts off converging, then it spreads, and at the very end it's converging again. Is it supposed to be like that?

Maybe not all of the games are software ports after all because after playing Darius Gaiden a little more, I've noticed that there's tons of slowdown where as G Darius seems to have none whatsoever, although I'm not sure if the arcade version of Darius Gaiden has slowdown the same as it does here.

ugh. It sounds like the problems with the PAL version are still there after all.

Does the beam work correctly in Metal Black when you tap instead of hold the button down? Does Hat Trick Hero still have a problem with the controls?

Here's the forum topic at empire about the games with slowdown and the Football/Soccer Champ/Hat Trick Hero bug.

Edit: The US version of Tatio Legends 2 apparently uses the name Hat Trick Hero for Football Champ.

CecilMcW00t · Post by **CecilMcW00t** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:03 pm

Ahh jeez I'm sorry. I should've been more thorough in my tests. With the way I use the beam in Metal Black, I didn't realize they screwed it up. Then I put in Taito Memories and realized that it is indeed broken in TL2. I honestly don't notice the slowdown in Darius Gaiden though. But I guess if you are used to the PCB or MAME like most of you are, you'd notice. Once again, I'm sorry guys.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:30 pm

CecilMcW00t wrote:Ahh jeez I'm sorry. I should've been more thorough in my tests. With the way I use the beam in Metal Black, I didn't realize they screwed it up. Then I put in Taito Memories and realized that it is indeed broken in TL2. I honestly don't notice the slowdown in Darius Gaiden though. But I guess if you are used to the PCB or MAME like most of you are, you'd notice. Once again, I'm sorry guys.

So Taito Memories Metal Black doesn't have the beam problem? I wonder how the US/EU TL2 versions got stuck with it since they are supposedly based on the same code. I'm also curious if the games that play slower than the arcade play at the same speed for TL2 US, TL2 EU, and Taito Memories.

Limbrooke · Post by **Limbrooke** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:11 pm

So what exactly is the beam issue?
I couldn't find my PAL PS2 TL2 so I gave TL2 PC a go and I didn't find any issue with the laser. Only noticable difference is the focused(hold bomb) laser looks as if it's being repelled, like in a boss fight, otherwise it still does damage the same and you can spread and focus by holding and releasing bomb.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:15 pm

Limbrooke wrote:So what exactly is the beam issue?
I couldn't find my PAL PS2 TL2 so I gave TL2 PC a go and I didn't find any issue with the laser. Only noticable difference is the focused(hold bomb) laser looks as if it's being repelled, like in a boss fight, otherwise it still does damage the same and you can spread and focus by holding and releasing bomb.

The issues only apply to the PS2 version. The PS2 version is different from the Xbox/PC version. Here are some details on why the PS2 and Xbox/PC versions are different.

I'm wondering about the speed and Hat Trick Hero issues in TL2 PS2 and if the issues also affect the versions in Taito Memories PS2, which supposedly uses the same code. The forum with info on slowed down games and other issues can be found here.

This post, which is only a few posts up, pretty much describes the beam issue:

Shearie wrote:I have a problem with the Metal Black game. It says in the instructions that when your beam level is at max, if you hold down the MAX Beam button you'll have a converging beam and when you let go you'll have a spreading beam, but it doesn't matter if I hold down the button or not, the same thing happens where it starts off converging, then it spreads, and at the very end it's converging again.

Shearie · Post by **Shearie** » Thu May 24, 2007 7:52 pm

In all honesty, the beam issue is barely even a problem because it still works the same when countering the boss's MAX Beam and that's the important part. I have more of a problem with the Darius Gaiden slowdown because I just really hate slowdown in general and DG is one of my favorite shmups, but it's not as bad as the G Darius PS1 slowdown and I don't like playing games on my laptop so I can tolerate it.

Shearie · Post by **Shearie** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:02 pm

I wonder how the US/EU TL2 versions got stuck with it since they are supposedly based on the same code. I'm also curious if the games that play slower than the arcade play at the same speed for TL2 US, TL2 EU, and Taito Memories.

I'm also wondering this but sadly, I can't test it with my copy of Taito Memories since my modded PS2 can't read burned DVDs anymore.

CecilMcW00t · Post by **CecilMcW00t** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:14 am

Yes, the beams work correctly in Taito Memories (let go of button for spread, hold for focus). I will check and see if Darius Gaiden runs at a better frame rate on it as well. Are there any other games you guys want me to compare?

Also, WTF @ Bust-A-Move Again? There are no characters and music is missing. You have two disembodied hands controlling the arrow. Why didn't they just use the localized Bust-A-Move 2?

Bloodreign · Post by **Bloodreign** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:33 am

Now I know for sure we need a Taito Legends 3, but I'm afraid if they include Bubble Memories or Bubble Symphony, as well as the rest of the Puzzle Bobble games, they'll change the characters to a hand and a wheel.

Seriously though, the only way to remedy the PB 2 fiasco is to release a third volume, add all 4 of the arcade games in, plus the last Bubble Bobble titles (hey Japan got them on Taito Memories 2 Gekkan and Joukan respectively), and the rest of the Taito Memories games we didn't get on the first two collections.