Fantasy Zone II DX (Sega Ages, JP PS2)

[BrianC]

It's odd that Super Fantasy Zone has all its text in Japanese, yet the Japanese MegaDrive version that I own has the text in English. I wonder why they changed it.

All the text? From what I tried, the MD Super Fantasy Zone is one of those games with both the JP and English built in, but I only noticed JP text in the intro when played in Japanese mode. The menus and status info were still in English.

Poor wording on my part.

It's not a big issue or anything, it just seemed odd since my Japanese cart is completely in English in-game, while this PS2 collection has the opening (and ending/other areas?) in Japanese. I haven't tinkered with all the various options in the games yet, so I don't know if there's a menu option to change the language in the PS2 collection for SFZ. But it's just something I noticed and wondered about.

No prob, that's how I feel about my wording. I was saying that the game seems to be one of those carts that has everything in English when playing on a US Genesis or switched JP MD in English mode and plays in Japanese on a JP MD and US Genesis switched to Japanese. Gens seems to confirm this, but I don't have the actual cart to try out. I tried out various other carts on my switched Genesis like Gaiares, Quackshot, and Forgotten Worlds that have both lanuages on the cart, though.

I like it when games do this since it's fun seeing how the games are different in different region modes. I like setting the region to JP to play the harder versions of Truxton and Fire Shark. I like the alternate title screens for those games too.

It would be neat if the version on the collection had the option to change the language. Even if it doesn't, it is still loaded with good stuff. I liked the demo of the FZ II remake and that one sounds especially cool. Too bad it doesn't have the X68000 FZ with the Space Harrier level.

[The Coop]

All the text? From what I tried, the MD Super Fantasy Zone is one of those games with both the JP and English built in, but I only noticed JP text in the intro when played in Japanese mode. The menus and status info were still in English.

Poor wording on my part.

It's not a big issue or anything, it just seemed odd since my Japanese cart is completely in English in-game, while this PS2 collection has the opening (and ending/other areas?) in Japanese. I haven't tinkered with all the various options in the games yet, so I don't know if there's a menu option to change the language in the PS2 collection for SFZ. But it's just something I noticed and wondered about.

No prob, that's how I feel about my wording. I was saying that the game seems to be one of those carts that has everything in English when playing on a US Genesis or switched JP MD in English mode and plays in Japanese on a JP MD and US Genesis switched to Japanese. Gens seems to confirm this, but I don't have the actual cart to try out. I tried out various other carts on my switched Genesis like Gaiares, Quackshot, and Forgotten Worlds that have both lanuages on the cart, though.

I like it when games do this since it's fun seeing how the games are different in different region modes. I like setting the region to JP to play the harder versions of Truxton and Fire Shark. I like the alternate title screens for those games too.

It would be neat if the version on the collection had the option to change the language. Even if it doesn't, it is still loaded with good stuff. I liked the demo of the FZ II remake and that one sounds especially cool. Too bad it doesn't have the X68000 FZ with the Space Harrier level.

Ah. I understand what you were getting at now.

As for the X68000 version, I guess Sega couldn't get the rights to include it (or they didn't like it for one reason or another). It's cool that they included Fantasy Zone Neo Classic though.

[professor ganson]

I'm really impressed that Sega would take an old 8-bit Master System game, Fantasy Zone II, which was also an 8-bit arcade game on their System-E board, and remake it into a 16-bit game.

Not for the 16-bit Mega Drive/Genesis, but much more impressively, for the 16-bit System 16! (via PS2 emulation).

They also had it running on an actual System16 board for arcades. Apparently it's a System 16 or 16B with extended RAM and that's discribed as 'System 16C'.





from the smspower.org thread:

Horii from M2 defined the System 16 Board with extended RAM as "System 16C" on FZCC's manual.

Seriously, when has Sega ever done anything this cool ?

Sega could've easily just given Fantasy Zone II a 3D makeover like they did with the original FZ on PS2, but they chose to do something more meaningful, they made FZII as if it was 1987, 1988 or 1989 on their workhorse 16-bit arcade platform.

This makes me want Sega to take other old 8-bit & 16-bit arcade & console games, remake them as System 16 or Super-Scaler games. And also make System 16 or SuperScaler sequels to existing 16-bit arcade games.

Take the best SMS and MD/Gen games, remake them in higher quality!

And I wouldn't mind sequels to Golden Axe, Altered Beast, Shinobi, Shadow Dancer, Alien Syndrome AfterBurner, Thunder Blade,
Galaxy Force. etc.

If we even get just ONE more quality game in the same fashion Sega did FZII on System 16, I'll be thrilled.

Great post.

[gigadrive32]

It would've been interesting to see a mock Mega Drive port of this FZII added on as yet another extra.

I was thinking the same thing a few weeks ago.

I'd like to see the Megadrive E-SWAT sequel (IMO, it should've been called E-SWAT II) get a similar upgrade. This one is actually better than the arcade E-SWAT in some ways.

Yeah I'll gladly accept an upgraded System 16 version of the Megadrive E-SWAT, and also a System 16 upgrade of Revenge of Shinobi.

As well as a System 18 version of Megadrive Shadow Dancer which I liked more than the different and technically-superior Shadow Dancer.

[Elixir]

Can someone tell me if the LE's really worth it? Or whether I'm better off just getting the regular version.

[Koa Zo]

Can someone tell me if the LE's really worth it? Or whether I'm better off just getting the regular version.

LE?, probably not.
The OST is very comprehensive and seems to include all FZ musics even from Virtua Striker 4 and some other oddities.
But that can be purchased separately anyhow, so then you're paying like $50 for the music box. Play Asia says the Music Box shipped Oct 17, but I've yet to receive it yet, so can't comment on how quality it is.

I paid a pretty penny for the Sega Ages System 16 DX pack with the mini USB mouse, and while it is a neat package, the USB mouse is pretty junky with like the crapiest plastic and cord possible (it works fine but seems like it will break easily if ever mishandled), and the metal display box arrived dented and abused from PlayAsia (the outer shipping box was perfect so damage occurred before shipped). So I'm half expecting to receive the music box only to find it is damaged or some crap...

Anyhow, I thought the Fantasy Zone ebTen DX Package was sold out. Where were you planning on purchasing it from?

[gameoverDude]

No prob, that's how I feel about my wording. I was saying that the game seems to be one of those carts that has everything in English when playing on a US Genesis or switched JP MD in English mode and plays in Japanese on a JP MD and US Genesis switched to Japanese. Gens seems to confirm this, but I don't have the actual cart to try out. I tried out various other carts on my switched Genesis like Gaiares, Quackshot, and Forgotten Worlds that have both lanuages on the cart, though.

I like it when games do this since it's fun seeing how the games are different in different region modes. I like setting the region to JP to play the harder versions of Truxton and Fire Shark. I like the alternate title screens for those games too.

It would be neat if the version on the collection had the option to change the language. Even if it doesn't, it is still loaded with good stuff. I liked the demo of the FZ II remake and that one sounds especially cool. Too bad it doesn't have the X68000 FZ with the Space Harrier level.

That must be why the Genesis Truxton and FS ports seem a tad easy (I never tried them with Japanese region settings myself). On the arcade PCB, Truxton is actually tougher than Truxton II IMO- the Genesis cart is easier.

I did try Japan region settings with Forgotten Worlds, which doesn't change any except for the cut-scene text being in Japanese. The difficulty is still watered down from the arcade on that one.

A couple more games that need overhauled are Super Thunder Blade and Space Harrier II. A better idea would be to try these two out as Y-Board titles, so they can be pushed a bit beyond the arcade originals. One thing I miss in STB is the top-down scenes from the first part of the stages (which you get in the arcade and even the SMS versions, albeit without the altitude change in the latter case).

[BrianC]

That must be why the Genesis Truxton and FS ports seem a tad easy (I never tried them with Japanese region settings myself). On the arcade PCB, Truxton is actually tougher than Truxton II IMO- the Genesis cart is easier.

I did try Japan region settings with Forgotten Worlds, which doesn't change any except for the cut-scene text being in Japanese. The difficulty is still watered down from the arcade on that one.

Truxton and Fire Shark are definitely harder on the JP setting, but still seem easier than the arcade. I don't get the toned down difficulty for English mode.

The shop text is in Japanese for Forgotten Worlds too. I didn't mention anything about that one being harder on JP, just it playing in both Japanese and English. I had a hard time telling if there was a difference in difficulty between JP and EN modes for that one. There seemed to be slightly more enemies on the JP, but it was hard to tell since the game is still much easier than the arcade in either mode.

[yojo!]

Regarding the beautifully awesome Truxton;If you want something on par with the arcade (even harder IMO) try the PCE version...

[Koa Zo]

The Music Box arrived today, and I can pretty much say that buying the LE was the biggest waste of money I've ever made toward videogaming.

A big complaint is that there is no switch on the music box, like how typically a box is wound and only starts playing when the lid is raised or some other switch is triggered. With this Fantasy Zone Complete Collection music box once it is wound, it will play until unwound (a full wind-up has a duration of about 2min45sec). The tune is a 20 second loop of the main theme, and is, in and of itself, very nice.

The box is sturdy and made of dense particle-board wood, with simple lapped over joints at the corners, rather than mitered or dove-tailed. The drab poop-brown paint was applied very lightly, or adequate primer wasn't used, as the particle-board wood can be seen through the paint at the bottom edges of the lid and on some of the corners of the box. The dark brown Fantasy Zone logo looks fine, though is also quite drab.
The lid hinge has the appearance of brass, and mine already has slight corrosion appearing on one small area, and also a stained fingerprint (from the person who assembled it?). The hinge has a small bit of play allowing the lid to shift side to side. When the lid is open it stands vertically and can not flop all the way open (a good thing). A crystal clear piece of plastic with painted gold frame perimeter allows view of the mechanism.

It is kinda charming when the lid is open and you see that drum slowly rotating with those nubs twanging the stiff metal fingers and as each one snaps the consecutive chimes string together into the warm familiar tune.

I have to wonder about the very drab appearance of the box? Was there some intended juxtaposition of this simple dirt-brown box playing such a lovely tune?

Anyhow. Just thought I'd share that with ya'll, in case anyone was wondering.
After missing out on the Panzer Dragoon music box, I had to roll the dice on this one. But, all in all, the OST and music box weren't worth the extra $90. The 4-disc OST runs about $50 by itself, so the music box cost me like $40. Oh, well. I should also mention (and this is rather obvious), the OST isn't exactly something you can listen to start to finish.

Earlier in the thread someone posted about the absence of the X68k Fantasy Zone on the PS2 game collection. It should be noted the OST does include one track from X68k version (remixed title or end song?, I don't know)
Listening to it now, quite infectious really.

Maybe I should go play some FZ Neo Classic on the J-PS2!
Now there's an idea

[05pro]

http://ages.sega.jp/vol33/secret.html

Sega's updated their page to include the 'secrets' of the collection.

Would someone mind translating as it looks like there's a whole load of soundtests for earleir games along with a time attack mode and new art.

Thanks.

[Fudoh]

You can read about all the included secrets (in english) here:
http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewtopi ... f36c532cfe

The soundtest is nice indeed. It works for a lot of Ages titles as long as you have a save file on your memory card.

[05pro]

Excellent!! Thanks for the link.

[cools]

I *need* that PCB.