Hopping into the PC-Engine market

jp · Post by jp » Tue May 24, 2005 5:40 am

Why is the word "Playstation" in this thread? I... I really don't understand that. I really really don't. Lets not go off topic and into "drivel land", lets just stay with the classics mkay?

At any rate, if Sapphire comes through, huzzah. I've already bought an Arcade Card Duo, so there really isn't any reason for me not to get it, especially since so many seem to be likening it to Radiant Silvergun and swearing by its gameplay/graphics. *shrugs*

Unlike a lot o' folks, I don't judge games based on price. I feel fairly certain I'd dislike Darius Alpha if a copy landed in my lap simply because I'm not a big fan of Darius. At the same time, I love Taromaru and I've loved it since I paid $80 for it several years back. With Sapphire, if I love it, great, one more great shmup I can play. If I hate it, fine, I can slap it on a shelf and feel special or something.

Edit:
Can't seem to find Kiaiden 00 anywhere... though I shall keep looking. I've found 3 copies of Sylphia though, all a bit pricey for a purchase alongside Sapphire.

Bar81 · Post by **Bar81** » Tue May 24, 2005 10:31 am

Thanks for the cookie, PaCrappa. Yum

I'll have to check out Fray Xak Gaiden as I've admittedly overlooked that one.

And jp, Sylphia has always been expensive as it's print run wasn't that large and it's one of those games that never seems to come with a spinecard. Without spinecard mint it should run around $150, and with spinecard mint it runs anywhere from $225-260. I picked up a new one for about $320 at the height of the easy money dot.com days because (a) I was flush with the $$$ and (b) I had to check to see if the game came with a registration card (the collector in me

) In case you're wondering, it doesn't. Such a great shmup.

btw, you missed a minty and complete Kiaidan 00 on ebay two weeks ago that is now in my collection

It doesn't come up that often in any condition so hop on it if you see it, especially if it's mint and complete.

ST Dragon · Post by **ST Dragon** » Tue May 24, 2005 12:12 pm

The absolute game list for the NEC PCE line of consoles imo:

PC-Engine / TurboGrafX-16
==========================

1941 Counter Attack (SGX)
Aero Blasters
After Burner II
Air Zonk
Aldynes (SGX)
Bonk's Adventure
Bonk's Revenge
Bonk 3 - Bonk's Big Adventure
Blazing Lazers - Gunhed
Coryoon Child of Dragon
Dai Makai Mura (SGX)
Detana!! Twinbee
Gradius
Heavy Unit
Hyperdyne Sidearms (J)
Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu (U)
Kyuukyoku Tiger
Legendary Axe, The (U)
Liquid Kids (J)
Magical Chase
Neutopia II (U)
New Adventure Island (U)
Ninja Gaiden (J)
Ninja Spirit (U)
Operation Wolf (J)
Parodius (J)
Parasol Stars (U)
Raiden
R-Type Complete
Rabio Lepus Special (J)
Salamander
Shinobi
Soldier Blade (U)
Splatterhouse
Street Fighter II
Strip Fighter II
Super Star Soldier
Tatsujin - Truxton
Tenseiryu Saint Dragon (J)
Tiger Road
Tiger Shark (J) - Daisenpuu (J)
Turrican
Valkyrie no Densetsu
Wonderboy in Monsterland (J)

PCE DUO
=========
Ai Chou aniki
Akumajyou Dracula X - chi no rondo (j)
Bonk 3 - Bonk's Big Adventure CD (u)
Chou Aniki (j)
Cotton - Fantastic Night Dreams (u)
Gate of Thunder (j)
Gradius II - Gofer No Yabou (j)
Kaze Kiri - Ninja Action (J)
Lords of Thunder (u)
Macross 2036 (j)
R-Type Complete CD (J)
Sapphire - Ginga Fukei Densetsu (j)
Shadow of the Beast (u)
Spriggan Serei Senshi - Summer Carnival '91 (J)
Super Darius 2 (j)
Super Raiden (J)
The Legend of Xanadu
The Legend of Xanadu II
Valis Series
Zero Wing

PaCrappa · Post by **PaCrappa** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:48 pm

The Sony Playstation was mentioned because some folks believe that you need an oldass system with some fancy RAM card to play Mad Stalker and Strider. I was just pointing out that there is a slightly cheaper and much more playable way to play those two games.

Pa

jp · Post by jp » Tue May 24, 2005 6:18 pm

Ah, gotcha Bar81. I imagine if I do get Sylphia I'll just snag it from VGI.

And thanks for the list ST Dragon. ^_^

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Tue May 24, 2005 6:36 pm

Remember to try some of the more expensive titles out first!

jp · Post by jp » Tue May 24, 2005 6:43 pm

SheSaidDutch wrote:Remember to try some of the more expensive titles out first!

Apparently thats whats going to wind up happening.

I'll wind up buying 2 games for the next 2 paychecks (Sapphire and Sylphia).

Its funny because I was going into the PC-Engine market hoping to escape the expensive Saturn collecting (which is kind of ironic given that I already own most everything that is expensive on the Saturn

)

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Tue May 24, 2005 6:53 pm

jp wrote:
SheSaidDutch wrote:Remember to try some of the more expensive titles out first!

Apparently thats whats going to wind up happening.

I'll wind up buying 2 games for the next 2 paychecks (Sapphire and Sylphia).

Its funny because I was going into the PC-Engine market hoping to escape the expensive Saturn collecting (which is kind of ironic given that I already own most everything that is expensive on the Saturn )

Heh only another 12 more titles for the Saturn then (you could pretend those are the expensive ones, So you dont feel guilty about owning those games)

jp · Post by jp » Tue May 24, 2005 6:58 pm

Why would I feel guilty about owning cheap games? 0_o

PaCrappa · Post by **PaCrappa** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:16 pm

Dude, GOOD FUCKING CALL on the Sylphia. That is easily the best vertical scroller on the system. Hats off to you.

Pa

jp · Post by jp » Tue May 24, 2005 8:01 pm

PaCrappa wrote:Dude, GOOD FUCKING CALL on the Sylphia. That is easily the best vertical scroller on the system. Hats off to you.

Pa

Me?

Um, yeah, kind of hard to avoid it with all the praise thats getting thrown around about here.

So how is the difficulty of Sylphia?

PaCrappa · Post by **PaCrappa** » Tue May 24, 2005 8:09 pm

Yeah you! It's not the hardest game ever. It's just beautiful, well done and fun. I have yet to 1CC it but I can't be too far off I think.

Pa

jp · Post by jp » Tue May 24, 2005 8:10 pm

Shweet.

Guess I'll have to see how my paycheck looks. Maybe I can squeeze it and Sapphire in at the same time. Not likely though. Especially since I'll be getting it from VGI... *sigh*

ST Dragon · Post by **ST Dragon** » Tue May 24, 2005 9:20 pm

Sylphia.
I downloaded an ISO+mp3 image of Sylphia some months ago, but I didn't burn onto CD because I didn't know if it was any good, hence it's been in my HD ever since.

I guess I'll have to try it out.

The music tracks sound good.
Especially track 09 is pure techno!

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Tue May 24, 2005 11:57 pm

I'll have to remember to avoid the PCE Strider then. Hrm. *goes to beat up his sources*

I wouldn't compare Sapphire to Silvergun in any way except that both are rare and expensive. They don't play anything alike.

Hehe, Fray Xak Gaiden, that game is great indeed. Xak 1&2 and Xak 3 are decent, but Fray is the best of the series by far. Hats off to you for even knowing what that game is.

Oh yeah, one more random thought: Don't buy Metamor Jupiter. It's startlingly mediocre. It doesn't come nearly as cheap as a lot of the other mediocre games either.

jp · Post by jp » Wed May 25, 2005 4:26 am

What type of games are the Xak games?

Also, what all RPGs got released in the US? I know Ys 1 + 2 did... anything else?

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Wed May 25, 2005 5:29 am

Xak 1&2 are on one disc, Xak 3 is a separate release, as is Fray. They're all action RPGs ported from the PC, much like Ys. Fray is the best out of the bunch (much more cartoony and Zelda-like) but they're all pretty good. Xak 1&2 is really cheap, but Xak 3 is pretty pricey, as is Fray, unfortunately.

English RPGs and action RPGs:

Ys 1&2
Ys 3
Dragon Slayer
Order of the Griffon
Neutopia 1
Neutopia 2
Cosmic Fantasy 2
Exile
Exile: Wicked Phenomenon
Double Dunegons

Dungeon Explorer 1 and 2 are -almost- RPG-ish, but they're more like fleshed-out Gauntlet games. Really good though.

There are TONS of Japanese RPGs too if you're interested.

jp · Post by jp » Wed May 25, 2005 5:35 am

So I need to be fluent in nihongo to play the Xak games then?

Anyways, I've been needing a good RPG to sink my teeth into lately. Been awhile since I've played a good 16-bit RPG. May have to check up on Ys.

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Wed May 25, 2005 5:41 am

Ys Book 1&2 is one of my favorite games ever. I've played so many versions of Ys that I've lost count. Some people don't like the "run into enemies" combat, but I think it's quite fun.

If you don't have a FAQ... I don't think the Xak games would be too playable. Fray is a lot more visually oriented, but I'm still iffy whether it'd be fun without a guide if can't read Japanese.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Wed May 25, 2005 5:48 am

Xak 3 has been translated and there's a patch around that will let you play it in english, after you rip, patch, and burn to CD. Right on your PCE/TG16.

http://home.earthlink.net/~nlivaditis/xakiii/index.html

And I think he's doing the same for Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys.

jp · Post by jp » Wed May 25, 2005 5:50 am

Hmmm... you may have to explain to me how this works.

After I purchase a legit copy anyways.

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Wed May 25, 2005 5:57 am

Neat. I didn't know someone translated Xak... props to em' though. Ys IV for the PCE is better than the SFC version anyway, so that's a plus too!

Import away JP!

ST Dragon · Post by **ST Dragon** » Wed May 25, 2005 9:04 am

Are the battles in Fray real time action like Zelda III or are they turn-based like Final Fantasy? Also how are the graphics & music compared to Zelda III?

OmegaFlareX · Post by **OmegaFlareX** » Wed May 25, 2005 3:25 pm

Specineff wrote:And I think he's doing the same for Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys.

Yup, all the in-game text has been translated. The voice-overs are still in Japanese, but the patch comes with a .txt file with full translations for those.

Once you buy your legit copy, if you don't feel like ripping it yourself, there's a pre-patched version out there if you know where to look.

Fucking Dragon Slayer. I've lost no less than 6 auctions for that game because I'm not willing to pay more than $35 for a used/fair-condition/no-map copy. If my Duo could read CDrs, I'd totally download and burn that bitch.

Palmer Eldritch · Post by **Palmer Eldritch** » Wed May 25, 2005 7:05 pm

Cthulhu wrote: I wouldn't compare Sapphire to Silvergun in any way except that both are rare and expensive. They don't play anything alike.

That´s not entirely true.
They have very similar scenarios, ie battling the enemy throughout different timezones, and they´re both pretty heavy on the amount of bosses thrown at you.
Also the cartoon-like (anime?) intermissions is a shared trait.

All of which prompted me to ask in another thread if anybody knew whether or not some of the same people had worked on both.
Sapphire is Hudson and RSG is Treasure, but the former came out three years prior to the latter, so it is entirely possible.

--Michael

jp · Post by jp » Wed May 25, 2005 11:43 pm

I guess one has to get a modded Dup in order to place CD-Rs... ah well.

Of course, apparently my Duo get sent via Airmail... despite the fact that I paid FIFTY-FUCKING-FIVE dollars for shipping... so I'll let you guys know how I like it NEXT WEEK... if that.

OmegaFlareX · Post by **OmegaFlareX** » Thu May 26, 2005 12:31 am

jp wrote:I guess one has to get a modded Dup in order to place CD-Rs... ah well.

Not true. It's possible to get them to work, but you need a proper format for the disc image, the correct burning software, and a compatible burner. Apparently, I'm missing one or more of those aspects, because even though my pirated shit plays fine using MagicEngine, my Duo just won't load it. The other guys at the site that deals with PCE backups don't have this problem.

I'm thinking of buying some expensive TrueSilver CDRs to see if they'll work, but I've already spent a bunch of money on different kinds of CDRs with no success. The moral of the story? Just buy legit copies. It's easier.

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Thu May 26, 2005 4:46 am

Palmer Eldritch wrote:
Cthulhu wrote: I wouldn't compare Sapphire to Silvergun in any way except that both are rare and expensive. They don't play anything alike.
That´s not entirely true.
They have very similar scenarios, ie battling the enemy throughout different timezones, and they´re both pretty heavy on the amount of bosses thrown at you.
Also the cartoon-like (anime?) intermissions is a shared trait.

All of which prompted me to ask in another thread if anybody knew whether or not some of the same people had worked on both.
Sapphire is Hudson and RSG is Treasure, but the former came out three years prior to the latter, so it is entirely possible.

Hrm, good points. I guess I was thinking about them in terms of play alone, not theme. You're right about the time travel themes and the anime feel. Sapphire was -definitely- going for that (just look at the cover).

Yeah, both do have a lot of bosses too. The effect of time travel in RSG is pretty minimal though, as you still mostly fight ships and such, but in Sapphire you end up fighting golems and dragons... unless I'm really getting forgetful, there weren't any of those in RSG.

Palmer Eldritch · Post by **Palmer Eldritch** » Thu May 26, 2005 7:19 am

Cthulhu wrote:Yeah, both do have a lot of bosses too. The effect of time travel in RSG is pretty minimal though, as you still mostly fight ships and such, but in Sapphire you end up fighting golems and dragons... unless I'm really getting forgetful, there weren't any of those in RSG.

I remember vividly the first time I encountered that absolutely HUGE red dragon in Sapphire. Utterly awesome.
The time-span in which you travel in RSG is much larger, I believe, but there be no dragons

jp · Post by jp » Thu May 26, 2005 4:16 pm

Palmer Eldritch wrote: The time-span in which you travel in RSG is much larger, I believe, but there be no dragons

From the end of time to the beginning in RS...

At any rate, hopefully I'll be playing Sapphire this time in 2 weeks.