Rob's 91-95 arcade countdown: hidden gem search.
#30 Gallop - Armed Police Unit (Irem, 1991)
I'll give this game some credit for originality, but that is about it. Basically a memorizer where you speed up the screen as you venture into the right half. The game encourages you to race through and finish as quickly as possible but I ignored that for the sake of surviving through one play. I can almost see how this would be an interesting challenge for the right type of person (Viewpoint #1 fan). Gave up by: 4th or 5th boss. The one that forces you into a space the size of your hitbox, with quickly regenerating gunpods coating the interior.
(Missing something obvious there? Seems like bullshit to me.)
#29 War of Aero (Allumer, 1993)
The memorization hell of Rezon meets its match in vertical form. Apparently this is to Image Fight as Rezon is to R-Type. Speeding through diagonal tunnels with crisscrossing lasers, dodging series of moving blocks, squeezing through narrow corridors while dodging bullets from multiple locations, and more! Had to give up by level 6. That is with savestates, which make the checkpoint distances less repetitive.
I'll give this game some credit for originality, but that is about it. Basically a memorizer where you speed up the screen as you venture into the right half. The game encourages you to race through and finish as quickly as possible but I ignored that for the sake of surviving through one play. I can almost see how this would be an interesting challenge for the right type of person (Viewpoint #1 fan). Gave up by: 4th or 5th boss. The one that forces you into a space the size of your hitbox, with quickly regenerating gunpods coating the interior.
(Missing something obvious there? Seems like bullshit to me.)
#29 War of Aero (Allumer, 1993)
The memorization hell of Rezon meets its match in vertical form. Apparently this is to Image Fight as Rezon is to R-Type. Speeding through diagonal tunnels with crisscrossing lasers, dodging series of moving blocks, squeezing through narrow corridors while dodging bullets from multiple locations, and more! Had to give up by level 6. That is with savestates, which make the checkpoint distances less repetitive.
Last edited by Rob on Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
#28 Tatsujin-Oh (Toaplan, 1992)
Another great looking late Toaplan game. Maybe you catch a single bullet near the end of level 3 - now experience a heavy dose of rank in reverse. Make a mistake and watch the difficulty climb 1000%. Toaplan was too retarded to give you more than one item carrier in many locations. What comes out of the item carrier? Random. Could be a very much-needed speed increase, but then left at "can barely destroy shit" power level. Thanks. Keep your finger ready on the (panic) bomb button, you'll need those to make it to the next item carrier. It's already annoying enough to have to clear every boss on one life.
Screen 1: the beauty of Tatsujin-Oh checkpoints.
Another great looking late Toaplan game. Maybe you catch a single bullet near the end of level 3 - now experience a heavy dose of rank in reverse. Make a mistake and watch the difficulty climb 1000%. Toaplan was too retarded to give you more than one item carrier in many locations. What comes out of the item carrier? Random. Could be a very much-needed speed increase, but then left at "can barely destroy shit" power level. Thanks. Keep your finger ready on the (panic) bomb button, you'll need those to make it to the next item carrier. It's already annoying enough to have to clear every boss on one life.
Screen 1: the beauty of Tatsujin-Oh checkpoints.
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Zebra Airforce
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MathU wrote:I think Gallop is an excellent memorizer. It's great fun once you get good at it. I can understand it leaving bad first impressions, however.
Also, I wouldn't say that my impression of it was bad or it would have appeared much lower than #30. I'll rephrase it.
Problem: not being able to see more than a few ship lengths into the distance. Racing games are made for 3D and some visible warning of things to come. It seems like it would be an interesting challenge for people who really really like memorizers.
To make this game work better it would need either A.) a button to accelerate or B.) Darius-like multiple screen setup.
Well, like I said, it's an excellent memorizer. You get quite a rush when you speed through those levels, but you'll probably hate it if you don't like memorizers. You pretty much have to have memorized exactly what's coming coming up if you want to score well in it.
Last edited by MathU on Thu Sep 20, 2007 4:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Of course, that's just an opinion.
Always seeking netplay fans to play emulated arcade games with.
Always seeking netplay fans to play emulated arcade games with.
Countdown isn't over yet.
#27 Fire Barrel (Irem, 1993)
Some serious emulation troubles, but still playable and through the slat in the center of the screen I can tell that the graphics are pretty nice as well! The "music" was, I think, the sound of a credit being inserted over and over like a malfunctioning machine. I still enjoyed the game = sign of quality. A competent Raiden imitation with a killer anti-sniper weapon choice (screen 2).
#27 Fire Barrel (Irem, 1993)
Some serious emulation troubles, but still playable and through the slat in the center of the screen I can tell that the graphics are pretty nice as well! The "music" was, I think, the sound of a credit being inserted over and over like a malfunctioning machine. I still enjoyed the game = sign of quality. A competent Raiden imitation with a killer anti-sniper weapon choice (screen 2).
And its too easy.Rob wrote: #27 Fire Barrel (Irem, 1993)
center of the screen I can tell that the graphics are pretty nice as well! The "music" was, I think, the sound of a credit being inserted over and over like a malfunctioning machine. I still enjoyed the game = sign of quality. A competent Raiden imitation with a killer anti-sniper weapon choice (screen 2).
The music is actually quite nice, I own the PCB. Gameplay is oldschool.Rob wrote: #27 Fire Barrel (Irem, 1993)
The "music" was, I think, the sound of a credit being inserted over and over like a malfunctioning machine. I still enjoyed the game = sign of quality. A competent Raiden imitation with a killer anti-sniper weapon choice (screen 2).
rtw
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#26 Zing Zing Zip (Allumer, 1992)
The screenshots make it look simple and boring like most of the other Toaplan-Seibu followers. Wait, it mostly is, but it pushes out a quarter to twice as many bullets. Mostly by increasing the speed. It's almost as if Allumer knew where the genre was heading, though it still has many outdated attributes like sweeping back and forth from single aimed shots, dead space between sections, and obstacles left over from War of Aero. The black-and-white stage is a cool novelty, especially since you can see the bullets! But the #1 nuisance are the seasick wobbling patterns and power ups actively distancing themselves from you. Also has a zany atmosphere with frequent sound effects that would be more at home in something like Toejam & Earl. And how about sticking to a bullet size above whatever that is in the third screen.
The screenshots make it look simple and boring like most of the other Toaplan-Seibu followers. Wait, it mostly is, but it pushes out a quarter to twice as many bullets. Mostly by increasing the speed. It's almost as if Allumer knew where the genre was heading, though it still has many outdated attributes like sweeping back and forth from single aimed shots, dead space between sections, and obstacles left over from War of Aero. The black-and-white stage is a cool novelty, especially since you can see the bullets! But the #1 nuisance are the seasick wobbling patterns and power ups actively distancing themselves from you. Also has a zany atmosphere with frequent sound effects that would be more at home in something like Toejam & Earl. And how about sticking to a bullet size above whatever that is in the third screen.
Last edited by Rob on Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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splitblkribbon
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#25 Mad Shark (Allumer, 1993)
A shameless and successful (as in doesn't feel like a cheap imitation) ripoff of Raiden, even down to the little car speeding along an overpass. The power ups are the same, the power up carriers are the same. It is almost interchangeable and I do enjoy Raiden. Maybe a little easier. Adds bonus items with rapidly alternating values (max 10,000 pts.).
A shameless and successful (as in doesn't feel like a cheap imitation) ripoff of Raiden, even down to the little car speeding along an overpass. The power ups are the same, the power up carriers are the same. It is almost interchangeable and I do enjoy Raiden. Maybe a little easier. Adds bonus items with rapidly alternating values (max 10,000 pts.).
Haha yeah.... i don't think it's a bad game.... the only con that after stage 5 game is getting too hard for anyone except masters of oldschool shmupsRob wrote:Did you get what you wanted?
I enjoy playing through itZenodyne R - My 2nd Steam Shmup
The game desperately needs a hack that 1) removes check points and 2) takes you down only one notch in power level when you die.Rob wrote:#28 Tatsujin-Oh (Toaplan, 1992)
Rob really hits it right on the nail here since Toaplan both knew how to make great games and then kill them off at the same time.
On the other hand, it isn't like Toaplan invented this sort of agony *cough*Gradius*cough*
#24 3 Wonders: Chariot (Capcom, 1991)
As it is one of three games on the PCB it's no surprise that there's not much to this game. Acquire little options that form a sometimes useful bullet blocking tail and when the tail is filled up you can also launch a charge attack that is opposite to your regular shot (wide shot = concentrated shot and vice versa). The bosses often have similar sorts of attacks, mini-bullet patterns and lasers/arrows/etc. mixing it up. Not a lot of variety, not much challenge, but a solid game with nice cartoony style and decent music.
#23 In the Hunt (Irem, 1993)
One of the nicest looking shooters I've ever seen. Incredibly detailed. The graphics, pacing and action reminds me a lot of Metal Slug. Slow submarine, slow rate of fire, lots of big obstacles I have no patience to avoid. Just not my style of game, but the quality is more than evident and I think I may have found a boss to rival Dust Dragon.
19 credits ch-ching
As it is one of three games on the PCB it's no surprise that there's not much to this game. Acquire little options that form a sometimes useful bullet blocking tail and when the tail is filled up you can also launch a charge attack that is opposite to your regular shot (wide shot = concentrated shot and vice versa). The bosses often have similar sorts of attacks, mini-bullet patterns and lasers/arrows/etc. mixing it up. Not a lot of variety, not much challenge, but a solid game with nice cartoony style and decent music.
#23 In the Hunt (Irem, 1993)
One of the nicest looking shooters I've ever seen. Incredibly detailed. The graphics, pacing and action reminds me a lot of Metal Slug. Slow submarine, slow rate of fire, lots of big obstacles I have no patience to avoid. Just not my style of game, but the quality is more than evident and I think I may have found a boss to rival Dust Dragon.
19 credits ch-ching
Wasn't In the Hunt done by the same team who did Metal Slug or something? I know I'd heard that they did some sprite rips straight from some of the Slug games... So... *shrugs*
I might have to give that one a try. I'd probably hate it without auto-fire (I can't stand Metal Slug carpel tunnel BS), but I STILL love Metal Slug a lot =)
I might have to give that one a try. I'd probably hate it without auto-fire (I can't stand Metal Slug carpel tunnel BS), but I STILL love Metal Slug a lot =)
