Recommendations on a System

[TLDragoon]

I've considered importing a Japanese system for a few years now, but I've never gotten around to it either due to the price or not being able to make up my mind. Sometime within the next month or so, I'm going to take the plunge, but I can't quite decide.

My first 2 choices are between a PS2 and a Saturn. Both have an assortment of games that I'm interested in, but I've got a couple of questions.

1. As far as Gradius goes, which one would have the best port (I like it on the PSP and all, but it's hard for me to justify playing it at home when I'm sitting in front of a 46" TV)?

2. What controllers/sticks would I need to look for?

Any other suggestions, information, or debates would be greatly appreciated.

My 3rd choice is a PC Engine Duo. I've looked at prices and see that they're usually a little more to a lot more than PS2's I've looked at from Play Asia. It was initially my first choice until I looked more at the PS2 and Saturn's selections. They seemed to have more things that jumped out at me, but I'm always open to persuasion.

The Dreamcast is also an option, but I don't have a strong desire either way for it.

My last choices would be either a Famicom or Super Famicom, but these are really far off my radar at the moment. The only reason I'm bothering to mention them is because I already have imports for them (Dragon Quest games that I bought primarily for collecting purposes).

The new consoles are fair game as well, but the PS1/2 compatible PS3 is pretty much out of my price range for the time being.

Also, I'm not considering modding a US console I already have. I'd rather buy a completely new console outright than risk screwing it up and having to re-buy it.

And I think I'm correct on this, but a Japanese console doesn't need a power converter to work in the US does it?

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated (including references to other threads, but I'm also looking for some fresh perspectives).

Thanks in advance!

[No_not_like_Quake]

Duo, IMO. Good pads, good sticks and an awesome port of Gradius and Parodius. Plus all the CD and SCD (and ACD, I suppose, never tried any of those games) stuff.

[trivial]

It seems wasteful to import a Saturn when it's so easy (electronically) to change region. It's just a few solder points, though you have to dig for them a little. I haven't regretted leaving out a switch, and $9 was at risk.

[Ed Oscuro]

awesome port of Gradius and Parodius.

bah, not much of a selling point considering those games were ported to PSX and Saturn (i'm pretty sure nearly every version of them too)

I would go for Duo because of caravanz

[overkill55]

Gee, not too surprising which I picked

You'd need either a Japanese Virtua Stick or a Hori Fighting Stick SS as well

[Ed Oscuro]

You'd need either a Japanese Virtua Stick or a Hori Fighting Stick SS as well

shmuppers might as well get used to the idea of getting a proper arcade controller (of course the Saturn does better than most)

me, I'm being stubborn

[gs68]

For many, the Saturn's stock controller is good enough; it has a very reputable D-pad and a flexible button layout (the 3-by-2 layout that you may know from the Street Fighter series).

Hell, even the American Saturn controller works pretty well for me.

[gray117]

... everyone has their favourites.

Depends which games you really fancy is the answer... ... Of course key, to this is whether you have an aching urge for a particular game or not...
And then how far you want to get into the system (some combinations can prove a little expensive - eg. you'd have to really want it to go neogeo aes blazing star, rather than neogeo mvs...)

In my opinion this is more of an emotional question than a technical question. You'll probably end up paying more for games than the base system anyway.

The big technical question - the controller - really doesn't matter too much as long as your a bit selective about which converter you use - and ofc I am assuming you have either a pad/stick you like (if not; that is a whole seperate discussion - currently my main stick is ps2 based seimitsu stick since i found good adapters generally available for it)

If you like it neat and straight, without any fussing with converters and stuff, then I agree with above comments that pce and saturn joypads do feel nice and offer something a bit different.

Which leads me back to the original thought here - the emotional appeal of the system.

If you like the real old school appeal then go pc engine. It is one of the most fasincating little pieces of hardware.

If you like a more mordern nod then go saturn. It's got beef and a well documented history with shmups.

The longer answer to this is because I have found these - in combination with system, game and artwork/appearance - to be the most pleasing imports; combining not only the 'getting what i wanted' feeling, but also 'this feels different from what I could get over here' feeling.

The others are all great but, in my opinion, don't offer as much different as the pce and saturn as systems.

As ever, the choice is yours

[kengou]

If you like Cave at all I think you need to get a PS2. Some of Cave's finest games are on there.

[moozooh]

I say PS2. Lots of good ports, nice exclusives, backward compatible with PS1.
And what's also good about it, you can also have tons of good games beside shmups. :)

Importing DC is useless since almost none of the games are region-locked, iirc.

[Kiken]

Importing DC is useless since almost none of the games are region-locked, iirc.

You recall incorrectly. All DC games are region-locked.

And I think I'm correct on this, but a Japanese console doesn't need a power converter to work in the US does it?

You are correct. Same TV system, pretty much the same power supply. You will not require any sort of step-up/step-down converter.


The general concensus is for a J-PS2, which is certainly a good piece of hardware to have. I would rank a J-Saturn right behind it though. Used J-Saturns are pretty abundant and relatively cheap. You ought to consider it for a future purchase.

[gennss]

and the DC games that are region locked can be taken care of with a boot disc. (didn't stop me though, I'm lazy).

Most good DC games were ported I believe.

From what I've read... PCE or Saturn imo.

[Kiken]

Most good DC games were ported I believe.

DC exclusives:

Giga Wing
Giga Wing 2
Mars Matrix
GunSpike
Zero Gunner 2
Border Down
Under Defeat


Those that aren't exclusive:
Trizeal (PS2)
Chaos Field (PS2, GC, Wii)
Radirgy (PS2, GC, Wii)
Karous (Wii)
Trigger Heart Exelica (XBLA*, PS2)
Ikaruga (GC, XBLA*)
Gunbird 2 (PS2*)
Bakuretsu Muteki Bangaio (N64**)
Twinkle Star Sprites (Neo-Geo, Neo-Geo CD, Saturn, PS2)
Psyvariar 2 (PS2, Xbox)
Shikigami No Shiro 2 (PS2, GC, Xbox, PC, PS2)

*These aren't straight ports and features gameplay alterations/modification from the original
**Is a port from the N64 but had much of the scoring/bonus system changed as well as the focus on using the missile attack

[MR_Soren]

I'd go with the PS2 because you'll have access to all PS1 and PS2 shmups (and many other games) plus joysticks are readily available.

[Shatterhand]

I say PS2. Lots of good ports, nice exclusives, backward compatible with PS1.
And what's also good about it, you can also have tons of good games beside shmups.

this.

[ROBOTRON]

I'd go with the PS2 because you'll have access to all PS1 and PS2 shmups (and many other games) plus joysticks are readily available.

What he said.n Secondly I would recommend Saturn, DC or TG16.

[TLDragoon]

Thanks everyone for your comments so far

I've got another question. Which version of the Saturn would be best to get? I've noticed the standard version of the console and the Victor-V version. Is one functionally better than the other, or is just aesthetics and that a different company produced it?

[yojo!]

I'll go for the PS2 just for the Capcom and Taito retro collections alone.

[innerpattern]

Thanks for starting this thread...I've been having the same debate with myself lately and this is very helpful.
I'm torn between the PS2 or Duo. I've already got a modded HRAP2 so it'll probably be PS2. I've also wanted to play some of the PS2 games other than shmups for awhile.

DC is a great system as well but I've already had my share of fun with it.

[Matsunaga]

All you need to mod your Saturn is a cartridge, the ps2 is the way to go.

[Bloodreign]

I voted Saturn, but forgot how easy it is to play imports on the thing (hello Action Replay 4MB Cart), go for an import PSX, because if you want to play Gradius Deluxe Pack or Gradius Gaiden, there will be slowdown in parts of Gradius 2 and stage 7 of Gaiden. Toaplan Shooting Battle 1 won't run well either, or at all on a PS 2.

Though PS 2 in Japan did get 4 nice volumes of Taito Memories goodness.

[Super Laydock]

I'm torn between the PS2 or Duo.

Which basically comes down to the question what you like best.
Old school (Duo for sure!) or Danmaku/modern stuff (obvious win for PS2).

Answer that question for yourself and you´ll know what to get.

DC would be an option but is way easy to play imports on any region Dreamcast to warrant buying an important one.

[TLDragoon]

Well, I don't own a US Saturn, so modding one wouldn't save me near as much money as if I did.

I am leaning more towards the Saturn now, but I'm not dead-set on it as I've got a week or so before I get around to making a purchase (need to wait and see if this month has any "surprises" left in it )

[BulletMagnet]

As Bloodreign said, playing imports on a US Saturn is a cinch, so if you're going to get an import console to avoid potential hassle I'd vote PS2. Of course, both are great shmupping systems so you kinda win either way, heh heh.

[TLDragoon]

It's not the hassle, but the savings of modding would be nominal compared to if I already owned a US console (total savings look to be around $30 or less in some cases). I'll continue pricing in the mean time, and if I can't make up my mind, I'll just go with the PS2

[Momijitsuki]

If you like Cave at all I think you need to get a PS2. Some of Cave's finest games are on there.

I agree. I plan on getting one myself so I can play ESPgaluda, Mushihime-sama, and Dai-Ou-Jou. =D

[MA7]

PS2
Gradius Gaiden
Gradius V

plus-
Cave stuff
R-Type games
Raiden games

Easy decision.

AND a Saturn if you've got the cash

[TLDragoon]

Well, I made my decision Thursday night. I took one last look over the game selection in the Xenocide files to see if anything would jump out at me to swing my vote, and Friday I went on Play-Asia and purchased a...

Saturn

At the end of the day, it fit a little more closely to what I was looking for--there were a couple more games on it that I was interested in, and it's an older system, which is the reason why I initially began looking at importing. That reason alone probably would have bumped the PC-E over the PS2 (that and the fact that I've got a nice backlog of US PS2 games that I haven't even gotten to--blasted 50 hour RPG's )

Depending on how smoothly this goes, I'll definitely look at importing another console in the future.

Thanks again everyone!

[Ed Oscuro]

PSX / Saturn sux because you have to have PRECISE KNOWLEDGE of which of the ports is good and which is crap

at least they would've if this was 2000 or earlier and that knowledge wasn't widely known (and if MAME didn't provide semi-ready comparisons)

As it is, MAME today offers a better alternative in some cases. Saturn and PSX feel, to me, too much like port machines, even though both have a fair share of original non-port shmups (oddly, more PSX originals and "exclusives" like Raiden Project or DX come to mind).

But I still think they're great consoles.

[Elixir]

Basically get a PS2. It's a gateway into the best Cave shmups, as well as having IIDX, Pop'n Music, and the most actively played fighters (MB, GG, AH).

There's also the Super Robot Wars stuff but I imported one and barely touched it.