Banshee (Core Design/Amiga AGA, 1994)

gameoverDude · Post by **gameoverDude** » Sat May 03, 2008 4:41 am

One amazing shmup on the AGA Amiga that I tried out in WinUAE the other day is Banshee. It looks like it has a WWII theme, but it's actually set in an alternate 1999 where technology didn't advance as much as it did.

The detail in this is far more than a 16-bit system could handle. Beside the usual aircraft and tanks, etc. there are some enemy soldiers- who really get cut up into a gory mess by your firepower. In some parts, you have to avoid crashing into a tall building or a bridge. Some impressive weather effects are used to depict cloudy skies (a transparent mass of clouds) and rain.

This one uses 4 floppy disks. It has four stages, but these are longer than average- maybe about double the length of a usual one.

Here's Lemon Amiga's info page on it below:
http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=225

EDIT: Oops, the link was wrong- it originally went to the Turrican page. Thanks to Ceph & it290 for the heads up. Corrected.

it290 · Post by **it290** » Sat May 03, 2008 5:54 am

A pretty decent game, definitely one of the better vertical shooters on the Amiga. It always struck me as sort of a tribute to SWIV as far as the enemy designs and graphics were concerned.

BTW, your link seems to point to the HOL entry for Turrican.

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Sat May 03, 2008 7:00 am

Correct link: http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=225

There's also an Amiga CD32 version, which I decided to buy instead. Much nicer than having to juggle 4 floppies.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:19 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGcgsO_RCLs

Hey, I know the guy who did this longplay :D

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:22 pm

Totally bitmap-brotheresque to the MAX

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:38 pm

Same graphic designer, maybe? Who did this title?

320x240 · Post by **320x240** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:29 pm

As far as I can remeber it was made by a Danish team.

I always wanted Banshee for my CD32 but never got around to buy it. Not that I knew any places where it could be bought in the first place.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Mon May 05, 2008 1:46 pm

The detail in this is far more than a 16-bit system could handle.

AGA Amiga machines were 32-bit , not 16-bit. Those machines were severely underrated, I think they could do a lot more than we ever saw.

I've never played Banshee, but from what I get is usually regarded as good gfx over gameplay, as it's often the case with most Amiga shmups. I should try it someday on emulation

[/quote]

Herr Schatten · Post by **Herr Schatten** » Mon May 05, 2008 1:58 pm

Got it off eBay some time ago, but I only have an A500, so I can't play it.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Mon May 05, 2008 2:11 pm

Played on CD32, and left it rather unimpressed. The graphics are awesome, with plenty of tiny details (think raiden cattle style here). You get to shoot ground infantry which explodes in a bubble of blood and you immediately think to Cannon Fodder. It's very eye-candy and charming.

Powerup system is taken straight from 1942 series. Enemy waves are nothing to marvel at, as you can guess, but at least popcorn enemies go down quickly unlike some other releases of the time. Quite depressing is the lack of music, especially on the CD32 version. (or maybe you're forced to have music or SFX, I don't remember)

I'd rank it certainly lower than SWIV, Sidewinder, Wings of Death, Xenon II, and possibly Frenetic (also by Core).

How does it fare compared to Battle Squadron, Hybris, Lethal Xcess, Deluxe Galaga I couldn't say for sure. Judging from the notoriously bad MD version of Battle Squadron I'd probably rate Banshee a notch above it.

edit: wait, nostalgia goggles removed, Banshee is surely better than Frenetic...

D · Post by D » Mon May 05, 2008 2:22 pm

Check out the back of the box

Take a classic arcade game, add a whole heap of seasoning

Is that supposed to convince consumers of a worthy purchase?

Post by **Shatterhand** » Mon May 05, 2008 2:43 pm

bad MD version of Battle Squadron

Amiga version is much superior. The differences are small, but they make it up for a huge difference, if you know what I mean.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Mon May 05, 2008 2:53 pm

Shatterhand wrote:
bad MD version of Battle Squadron
Amiga version is much superior. The differences are small, but they make it up for a huge difference, if you know what I mean.

I understand perfectly... I just can't write for sure because I lack BS experience on the amiga hardware. Although, considering it's 1989, and considering the hotness of the music... Yeah, BS over Banshee.