Vasara 1 or 2?

dboeren · Post by **dboeren** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:16 pm

I'm considering ordering some PCBs in a couple of weeks, and I'm really interested in trying out Vasara.

Can anyone offer advice on the difference between Vasara 1 and 2, and which one is better? For reference, I am mainly a vertical-scrolling fan with a heavy liking for Cave titles (Dondonpachi, Guwange, Esprade) and also classic Toaplan stuff. I have been out of the hobby a couple of years, so I have not played most of the recent stuff (Ikaruga, Border Down, Progear, Shikigami, Psyvariar).

Any other advice on recent titles to check out is welcome too! I did just order a copy of Shikigami 2 for PS2, and if it works out well I will probably pick up more PS2 titles in the future.

Oh, and if anyone knows a good PCB seller besides coinopexpress, I could use that information too!

Tar-Palantir · Post by **Tar-Palantir** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:48 pm

First of all, to make sure whether Vasara 1/2 is your thing, you could try it out in MAME. I personally recommend it strongly. It's certainly easier than the Cave titles you list, and lifts quite a few elements from other manic shmups, but does it very successfully, and if you like melee attacks, this one is right up your alley.

Of the two, I would definitely say Vasara 2. A more involved chaining system, more sub-bosses, smart bombs replaced by a smart-melee-attack, more historical characters, Japan's answer to Big Gay Al, cooler mech designs and even better Engrish put it above its predecessor.

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:38 pm

I like 1 better. I can't really say why, except it seems less convoluted, more basic. It looks better too IMO. It actually looks slicker and newer than the sequel to me.

Better try them in mame, as someone said above.

Guardians Knight · Post by **Guardians Knight** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:46 pm

i'd go for number 2 it does seem more well balanced, less cheap deaths too which is good if you suffer from joypad breaking hissy-fits when you die.

also i third the call for you to try them in mame first

dboeren · Post by **dboeren** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:59 pm

OK, thanks for the information!

Post by **system11** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:37 pm

It was taken out of mame a while ago for being too new.

As a previous owner of the games, I would recommend Vasara 2 highly above the first - it was one of those rare occasions where the sequel was a quantum leap past the original - turned a fairly standard game into a real work of quality.

Guardians Knight · Post by **Guardians Knight** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:27 pm

you may get into bother for asking that, i'd edit your post quick if i were you

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:41 am

bloodflowers wrote:It was taken out of mame a while ago for being too new.

They recently added it back.

Tar-Palantir · Post by **Tar-Palantir** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:38 am

Also, a lot of Vasara (music, enemies, boss and sub-boss characters) have been reincorporated into Vasara 2, so you're not missing much (except two memorable quotes) if you stick with it.

Zebra Airforce · Post by **Zebra Airforce** » Fri May 16, 2008 10:56 pm

I'd say Vasara 1.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:06 pm

Both Vasara 1 & 2 PCBs are based on their earlier arcade shmup counterparts like Storm Blade, Twin Eagle 2, etc. with the SSV PCB platform:

the top PCB is the motherboard portion

the bottom PCB portion is the actual game board itself.

Odd PCB setup with the SSV platform but that's how it's setup...

Just be sure to have adequate room inside your arcade cab or ample space on a table if using a Supergun setup... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Sat May 17, 2008 12:23 am

As others have suggested, test drive them in MAME if you can. When it comes to "the basics," they play rather similarly, with lots o' melee attacks - the main differences are the characters you can use, the "bomb" system, and the scoring system. The former is more about nailing large bunches of enemies with a single melee attack, while the latter is more about killing lots of enemies with the melee not necessarily all at once, but just without screwing up, to keep a chain of sorts going. Both encourage milking for points, but the latter implements it better and limits it more effectively.

In terms of overall polish I'd have to go with the sequel, though I still consider the first game a favorite along with it.

escadrille · Post by **escadrille** » Sat May 17, 2008 5:35 am

I'm a fan of both of these games, but 2 is more sophisticated and polished in pretty much every way. If you have to pick it only makes sense to go with 2.

worstplayer · Post by **worstplayer** » Sat May 17, 2008 7:35 am

I like 1 more for some reason. I just don't know why. 2 SHOULD be better in all aspects, but i just don't like it. Maybe it's because it's hard to tell which bullets can or can't be reflected.

The Sheep · Post by **The Sheep** » Sat May 17, 2008 8:44 am

I think the artwork of Vasara 2 ist prettier, but I also prefer the first one, gameplay-wise

Kaspal · Post by **Kaspal** » Sat May 17, 2008 5:23 pm

now, thats what i call a thread resurrectin!!.... this thread was dead for 3 years!!!!!!!!!!

clp · Post by **clp** » Sat May 17, 2008 6:25 pm

2 is a seriously steep increase in difficulty over the first thats for sure and 1s hard enough as is in the later stages .

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:10 pm

I totally like 2 better, although 1 is very genuine.
(wtf nonsense resurrection

)