Trying to find the name of a game.

[oranda]

Hello all. Tim from indiegames.com recommended I post here to try to find the name of a certain shmup I played in 2004 in an arcade in Osaka, Japan, and then again last year. I thought it was Dodonpachi from the screenshots, but when I downloaded the rom to check the bomb mechanism was all wrong.

The game I played had this particular smart bomb that when activated, would quickly suck all enemy bullets onscreen towards your ship in a tightening spiral pattern (which I think turned blue as it got closer to your ship), and then as soon as all of the bullets had been absorbed it would send this powerful shockwave out that would deal serious damage to almost everything on the screen.

Other than that, I can't remember anything concrete enough about the game to provide any solid clues aside from the fact that it looked like Dodonpachi stylistically and was vertically scrolling. If anybody knows of any games that might fit the description, I would be very appreciative. I'll know it if I see it, so any potential names and or screenshots would be great!

[sven666]

sounds like it could be mars matrix.. only game i can think of that works somewhat like what youve described.

[oranda]

sounds like it could be mars matrix.. only game i can think of that works somewhat like what youve described.

Perfect, that's it exactly. I think my memories are a little muddled up, as the bomb for this game is exactly the way I remember it but I rememer the title screen for Dodonpachi perfectly, so I think I had the games mixed up in my head. Thanks for the help!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For oranda,

That Mars Matrix game that you played was running on a Capcom CPS-2 hardware setup with support for 8-way digital joystick and single "action" button (that does three seperate functions depending on fast or slow one presses it).

MM running on arcade hardware is truly an impressive shmup title running at a silky smooth 60 frames-per-second framerate. Can't miss the cool trademarked Takumi-stylized scatterfire as it has it in spades... ^_~

Plus, you can play MM on the Dreamcast console in either NTSC-J or NTSC-USA formats (with even more additional "bonus" MM gaming content compared to the original arcade PCB version) if you don't have access to a Supergun or a Japanese arcade cabinet. The DC version of MM still retains the one single button layout scheme found on the arcade version for posterity as well seperate buttons for each function for easier gameplay.

Plan on spending anywhere from $50.00 to $100.00 USD for a Japanese or USA region CPS-2 board of Mars Matrix is the norm these days (which if you were to ask me is a pretty cheap bargin these days if you got the burning desire/itch to play MM in it's original arcade incarnation)...

Capcom and Takumi should allow a Japanese toy or model manufacturer the exclusive rights to make both MM Ka-1 and Ka-2 fightercraft into a kick-ass transformable fightercraft toy. It can be done with such excellent Japanese craftmanship and exacting eye for details with a combination of die-cast metal and ABS/PVC plastic parts would only ensure that it would be a world-class variable toy (much better than a static plastic model kit, of course). Wouldn't you want something like this? I know I would..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Ed Oscuro]

MM running on arcade hardware is truly an impressive shmup title running at a silky smooth 60 frames-per-second framerate.

It's even more amazing running in MAME without any dropped frames ^_~

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It's even more amazing running in MAME without any dropped frames ^_~

And let's not forget that it's cool to play the MM CPS-2 Rom on a PSP running NJ's CPS2PSP emulator...priceless. Sure, given the fact that the CPS2PSP emu is nothing more than a highly modified Mame emulator geared towards playing only the CPS-2 roms for the PSP gaming format. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[ROBOTRON]

Hmmm...I thought DC's port of MM was pretty darn good.

[Ed Oscuro]

It's even more amazing running in MAME without any dropped frames ^_~

And let's not forget that it's cool to play the MM CPS-2 Rom on a PSP running NJ's CPS2PSP emulator...priceless. ^_~

I'd rather play on something with a square screen, but you've got a point there.

Who needs a PSP, anyway? I emulate it with my mind. Impressive!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Lol, you crack me up, Ed... ^_~