Taito Legends 2

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 4:08 pm

G-Darius PS1 = Welcome to slowdown city.

Dunno about the PC version, but the PS1 is not just "full of slowdown", it is at a permanent slowdown.. sometimes it slow, sometimes it's extremely slow, and sometimes it's amazingly slow. The speed keeps changing all the time.. only when the screen is really empty, the game does a "fastup" and runs at the proper speed, but those moments usually don't last for more than 2 seconds.

It's still a very enjoyable game (God knows how many times I've finished it), but very far from the real arcade experience. Also, playing it for too long will make you too soft, as when you get back to the arcade version (Or the TL2 version for the matter), you will be brutally killed by the difficulty raise you get by playing the game at the proper speed.

dial911 · Post by **dial911** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:48 pm

Hey mates, have a question...

How is the Elevator Action Returns port in this compilation?

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:29 pm

dial911 wrote:Hey mates, have a question...

How is the Elevator Action Returns port in this compilation?

It still plays well, but it has added slowdown that isn't in the original. The machine gun doesn't have rapid fire by holding the button down like it should either. The slowdown is especially noticeable on stage 3.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:35 pm

what?

I don't think I even played the TL2 version, as I own the Saturn version and have finished it like a dozen of times.

But how fucked up is this compiltation? The machine gun does NOT auto-fire?

I only got it to play G-Darius and Cleopatra's Fortune, so I guess I'm alright

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:15 pm

Shatterhand wrote:what?

I don't think I even played the TL2 version, as I own the Saturn version and have finished it like a dozen of times.

But how fucked up is this compiltation? The machine gun does NOT auto-fire?

I mentioned the input glitches earlier in this thread. Metal Black's max laser can't be focused like it should and Football Champ/Hat Trick Hero doesn't notice when you hold the buttons down. The other games, aside from EA2, which was mentioned, don't have the input issues. The JP Memories counterparts don't have them either. Darius Gaiden and Elevator Action Returns have slowdown, but I heard it may have been a carry over from the JP Taito Memories (I heard conflicting reports on Darius Gaiden, though).

The US TL2 PS2 has an issue specific to that version. Instead of the US Bust-A-Move 2 with Bub and Bob, the butchered BAM Again version was used. To make matters worse, the developers just shoehorned that version into the collection without using the correct sound engine. The sound is way off and music sometimes doesn't play at all.

It was mentioned before, but for clarification, the EU Xbox and EU/US PC versions of Taito Legends 2 use completely different code and have none of the issues of the PS2 Taito Legends 2. They also have Bubble Symphony, Rayforce, Pop 'n Pop, and Cadash instead of Balloon Bomber, G-Darius, Raystorm, and Syvalion, though the US PC packaging was botched and neglects to mention the exclusive games (though they are there). From what I heard, the US TL2 still has Star Force too. ugh.

I was not disappointed with the collection, though. At least half of the ports turned out well (I want to say most, but I'm saying half to be safe) and G-Darius is one of the best, if not the best, home versions available.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:25 pm

It was a rethorical question, I've read the thread, and I just am surprised for the amount of games with glitches. Heh

I didn't know about the machine gun glitch

Thanx for the info anyway

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:04 pm

How does Metal Black's laser malfunction exactly?

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 6:08 pm

Pirate1019 wrote:How does Metal Black's laser malfunction exactly?

Normally the laser will stay focused directly forward if you hold down the button. If you release it energy will cover the screen. In TL2 it starts off fine, but it won't stay focused.

louisg · Post by **louisg** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:52 pm

Damocles wrote: Normally the laser will stay focused directly forward if you hold down the button. If you release it energy will cover the screen. In TL2 it starts off fine, but it won't stay focused.

Hey, check out Metal Black (World) in MAME-- I think they might have removed that function way back when. Either that or I just didn't hold down the button =)

Louis

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:02 pm

I think I noticed that problem. After you released the button to spread the fire, it wouldn't refocus if the button was pressed down again.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:30 pm

I tried Metal Black (world) in MAME. The max laser worked like it was supposed to. It was straight when the button was held down, lightening bolts when the button was released, and back to straight when the button was pressed and held again.

One odd thing I noticed with Taito Legends 2 US is that the version of Majestic Twelve doesn't have the stage select like the Majestic Twelve in MAME. Instead, like the Super Space Invaders '91 in MAME, there is no stage select and the levels go in a specific order. The intro for Majestic Twelve in TL2 US still has the MJ-12. The title screen still says Majestic Twelve The Space Invaders Part Four too. As far as I can tell, there was no dip switch for the stage select either.

BIL · Post by **BIL** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:13 am

A shame about that Metal Black beam glitch... I need the refocus ability to survive that awful bum rush at the end of stage 5. Maybe it'll teach me some mad skillz. >_>

Lawfer · Post by **Lawfer** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:10 pm

Wait, in the US version of Taito Legends 2 there is only a glitched version of Metal Black and Darius Gaiden?

What happened to G-Darius, Ray Storm and Rayforce?

Also how does the US version of Darius Gaiden in Taito Legend 2 runs?

DJ Incompetent · Post by **DJ Incompetent** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:55 pm

Lawfer wrote:Wait, in the US version of Taito Legends 2 there is only a glitched version of Metal Black and Darius Gaiden?

What happened to G-Darius, Ray Storm and Rayforce?

Also how does the US version of Darius Gaiden in Taito Legend 2 runs?

G-Darius is fine, Raystorm is fine, Rayforce is out, Darius Gaiden is fine 'cept BGM fucks up once in awhile after boss fight. Then the 3 other games...

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 5:57 pm

DJ Incompetent wrote:Darius Gaiden is fine 'cept BGM fucks up once in awhile after boss fight..

As was said before, that's not the only problem with Darius Gaiden. Massive slowdown in some areas. Check out Area E, which I know for sure didn't slowdown that much in the original, and the boss fight with Neon Light Illusion to see how bad it can get. I heard the PSX version also has slowdown. Any chance it's actually the same slowdown?

Lawfer · Post by **Lawfer** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:29 pm

BrianC wrote:
DJ Incompetent wrote:Darius Gaiden is fine 'cept BGM fucks up once in awhile after boss fight..
As was said before, that's not the only problem with Darius Gaiden. Massive slowdown in some areas. Check out Area E, which I know for sure didn't slowdown that much in the original, and the boss fight with Neon Light Illusion to see how bad it can get. I heard the PSX version also has slowdown. Any chance it's actually the same slowdown?

Does the EUR PS2 version of Taito Legends Darius Gaiden suffer from the same problem?

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:05 am

Lawfer wrote:
BrianC wrote:
DJ Incompetent wrote:Darius Gaiden is fine 'cept BGM fucks up once in awhile after boss fight..
As was said before, that's not the only problem with Darius Gaiden. Massive slowdown in some areas. Check out Area E, which I know for sure didn't slowdown that much in the original, and the boss fight with Neon Light Illusion to see how bad it can get. I heard the PSX version also has slowdown. Any chance it's actually the same slowdown?
Does the EUR PS2 version of Taito Legends Darius Gaiden suffer from the same problem?

Yes, there are even posts about it earlier in this thread.

Lawfer · Post by **Lawfer** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:08 am

BrianC wrote:
Lawfer wrote:Yes, there are even posts about it earlier in this thread.

Yes somewhere in those 13 pages of this thread lol. But thanks though. I'll pick up the US version then.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:10 am

Lawfer wrote:
BrianC wrote:
Lawfer wrote:Yes, there are even posts about it earlier in this thread.
Yes somewhere in those 13 pages of this thread lol. But thanks though. I'll pick up the US version then.

Yeah. The EU Taito Legends 2 PS2 (not Xbox or PC) version has all the same glitches as the US one and probably even runs a few games slower. However, the one thing it does have that the US one doesn't is a non-butchered Puzzle Bobble 2. Good thing that game has plenty of non butchered versions that are cheap and easy to find.

Lawfer · Post by **Lawfer** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:15 am

BrianC wrote:Yeah. The EU PS2 (not Xbox or PC) version has all the same glitches as the US one and probably even runs a few games slower. However, the one thing it does have that the US one doesn't is a non-butchered Puzzle Bobble 2. Good thing that game has plenty of non butchered versions that are cheap and easy to find.

Lol I am mainly buying this thing for the 3-4 shmups it is offering, other then that I won't even be touching any of the other games.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:30 am

Lawfer wrote:
BrianC wrote:Yeah. The EU PS2 (not Xbox or PC) version has all the same glitches as the US one and probably even runs a few games slower. However, the one thing it does have that the US one doesn't is a non-butchered Puzzle Bobble 2. Good thing that game has plenty of non butchered versions that are cheap and easy to find.
Lol I am mainly buying this thing for the 3-4 shmups it is offering, other then that I won't even be touching any of the other games.

Quite a few of the non-shmups are worth touching, though. While the collection has some nice shmups, I'm not sure if I recommend getting it only for them, especially since a couple have emulation issues. G-Darius is the best port of it available, though.

TKGB_Mental_Gear · Post by **TKGB_Mental_Gear** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 7:03 pm

I just recieved my copy of Taito Legends 2. It's a nice little collection but I wish the PS2 version had Bubble Symphony.

OH well, at least it has two other crossover games. Anyways, I read this game was suppose to have game info, flyers, and an interview. Doesn't it have it?

MJR · Post by **MJR** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:55 pm

Taito memories 2 gekan and joukan have bubble memories and bubble symphony.. go get them both

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:14 pm

TKGB_Mental_Gear wrote:I just recieved my copy of Taito Legends 2. It's a nice little collection but I wish the PS2 version had Bubble Symphony.

OH well, at least it has two other crossover games. Anyways, I read this game was suppose to have game info, flyers, and an interview. Doesn't it have it?

The PC version is out in the US and has Bubble Symphony, despite Destineer botching the packaging....again. It still has the stupid Star Force DRM thing too. The PS2 version of TL2 doesn't have flyers or interviews, though it does have some game hints.

MJR wrote:Taito memories 2 gekan and joukan have bubble memories and bubble symphony.. go get them both

Knowing Taito's track record, I'm skeptical about the quality, though the videos suggest that it's better quality emulation than Taito Legends 2.

G-Darius is 20% faster than the original in TL2 and Memories, not Darius Gaiden. Darius Gadien has slowdown not in the original in the PS2 Taito Memories and Taito Legends 2.

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:30 pm

BrianC wrote: G-Darius is 20% faster than the original in TL2 and Memories.

Really? I thought this was the one thing not screwed up?

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:41 am

CMoon wrote:
BrianC wrote: G-Darius is 20% faster than the original in TL2 and Memories.
Really? I thought this was the one thing not screwed up?

I don't know for sure. I'm going by what I read here and how the number seems to make more sense for G-Darius, which plays smoothly and has no slowdown, compared to Darius Gaiden which most definitely has slowdown not in the original. I got the number from MJR in this topic. He said he compared to the PCB, but I don't know for sure if the number is accurate. The topic in the first link suggests that MJR got G-Darius and Darius Gaiden mixed up. Considering how the G-Darius in TL2 seems to be the PSX version with the slowdown removed and not the arcade version, it's no surprise that the arcade speed is different.

This is what bloodflowers said about the arcade G-Darius, which makes me think the PS2 version is a sped up port, or maybe simply one with the slowdown removed:

The arcade PCB slows down like a bitch too, which isn't very surprising given that it's just a PSX on a board. The later revision (there are two) is supposed to have slightly less slowdown - I have that one and it's still dreadful, although it doesn't feel /quite/ as bad as the ports.

MJR · Post by **MJR** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:33 am

I did get g-darius and darius gaiden mixed up, yeah. I have played lot of PCB version in the 90's, and lots and lots of taito legends version. When I got taito memories version, it felt faster. I have no hard data to back up my claim though, so I cant prove it.

either way, both taito legends and taito memories versions of darius gaiden are fine in my books. but I wouldn't compete for score until I got the PCB.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:49 am

MJR wrote: either way, both taito legends and taito memories versions of darius gaiden are fine in my books. but I wouldn't compete for score until I got the PCB.

What's wrong with the Saturn version for score? While the PS2 version still plays well, I am a bit disappointed with the slowdown, especially since it's not so minor in areas like Zone E or the boss fight with Neon Light Illusion. Would anyone mind checking the PSX version to see if it slows down in these places too?

MJR · Post by **MJR** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:09 am

I can't speak for saturn or psx versions because I've never seen them

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:32 am

MJR wrote:I can't speak for saturn or psx versions because I've never seen them

That came off rather snarky. When you only mentioned the PCB, it suggested that you thought the Saturn version wasn't valid for score. Also, the question about the PSX version of Darius Gaiden was worded to suggest that it was aimed at everyone.

From what I read here on the shmups forum, the Saturn version is a very good port with very little slowdown. I heard the PSX version has quite a bit of slowdown and isn't as good as the Saturn version. What I'm trying to find out is if the version of Darius Gaiden in Taito Memories and Taito Legends 2 is actually the PSX version.

HERE is one of the old topics I dug up using the search engine.