Muchi Muchi Pork or ESPGaluda II

thamasha69 · Post by **thamasha69** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:06 am

I have been researching and saving for months to hopefully pick up one of these games. I only own 3 pcb's at the moment - ESPRa.de, Bakraid, and 19XX - Initially my heart was set on Espgaluda II (I have Espgaluda for PS2) and *love* 'Ra.de so I figured it would sit nice in my collection. However, at times, I enjoy Raizing style gameplay (Bakraid is my 1st and only 1CC). After studying MMP videos and strat guides, I felt that perhaps I would have more fun with it. As ESPRa.de and Bakraid are some of my favorites, MMP seems like it could be a nice middle ground, albeit more modern - I would get Raizing style play w/ B-shot attack I have heard akin to secondary shot in ESPRa.de.

Which of these is the more difficult game? I do not consider myself a good player in the slightest bit, but I cannot get enough. Can MMP be played for survival as well as score ala Bakraid? Or is controlling rank a major aspect for survival alone? I am being very cautious as to which game I choose as it will be the most expensive pcb (by far) I will buy. It will probably be the last one I buy for a long while as well.

I am leaning more towards Muchi Pork at the moment, but everytime I watch an ESP2 video I get second thoughts

Thanks.

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:45 am

MMP is more about scoring over survival. As in, you can 1cc it within a week of having it. I've yet to play Galuda 2, but it appears to be a mix between scoring and survival, just like the original. If you're looking for a survival game, I don't recommend either, since neither were made for survival in mind. MMP pretty much revolves around controlling rank, milking bosses, that sort of thing. Galuda's more about bullet eating and proportioning your gems.

MMP's bomb system is a lot like Ibara in the sense that it's like a lifebar, and once you run out, so does the bomb. You can use it whenever you pick up pigs and you're rewarded for bombing as much as possible, which increases the gold count rapidly. I found the secondary shot in MMP pretty annoying actually, since it "switches over" to that mode and requires you to press your main shot in order to get out of it.

I haven't actually played Galuda 2 but it looks pretty fun and I'm fairly confident that it's a harder game.

cadpipe · Post by **cadpipe** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 11:59 am

I have both game and from what you say i think mmp is the way to go.They are both fantastic games however espgaluda 2 is quite a hard game and so is the scoring(much harder than espgaluda)+ mmp is just so much fun right from the start with a easy scoring system or its just as much fun playing for survival(espgaluda 2 is all about scoring).Hope that helps but thants just my opinion.

Good luck!

Jockel · Post by **Jockel** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:38 pm

cadpipe wrote:I have both game and from what you say i think mmp is the way to go.They are both fantastic games however espgaluda 2 is quite a hard game and so is the scoring(much harder than espgaluda)+ mmp is just so much fun right from the start with a easy scoring system or its just as much fun playing for survival(espgaluda 2 is all about scoring).Hope that helps but thants just my opinion.

Good luck!

i agree.
while espgaluda 2 is in my opinion the better game, it's also harder.
muchi muchi is a blast to play and a lot of fun, whereas espgaluda 2 is more for the highscore-obsessed in you. if you can breeze through the galuda 1 arrange mode, you should be up for the challenge. if not, consider mmp.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:48 pm

MMP definetly, galuda 2 isnt very fun at all imo

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 5:25 pm

sven666 wrote:MMP definetly, galuda 2 isnt very fun at all imo

ESPGaluda II isn't very fun only if you don't enjoy pleasure. It sports probably the most complex scoring system Cave has ever conceived, though, so be ready for that if you want to play for score. Also, as others have said, there is a huge difficulty jump from ESPGaluda to ESPGaluda II.

Muchi Muchi Pork is loads of fun, too, and hilarious to boot. My main criticism is that some of the scoring techniques are really obnoxious; see: intentionally suiciding all your extra lives and using all of your bombs on bosses. It's a great game, though, and greater if you ignore some of these lame scoring aspects. POKU GURAINDA!

I'd go for ESPGaluda II, but that's just me. You can't really go wrong here, I think. Your call.

Joe T. · Post by **Joe T.** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:03 pm

I like them both quite a bit. The deal breaker is obviously the learning curve. I liked MMP right away where as Galuda 2 I thought was just ok until I got the scoring down. Now I love it. You really can't go wrong with either though I think. I'd also have to mention that Muchi Muchi Pork does look very nice, but ESPGaluda 2 is one of the best looking arcade games I've ever seen.

Post by **Dave_K.** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:19 pm

Necronopticous wrote:My main criticism is that some of the scoring techniques are really obnoxious; see: intentionally suiciding all your extra lives and using all of your bombs on bosses. It's a great game, though, and greater if you ignore some of these lame scoring aspects.

Wow, out of context that sounds like you are describing Battle Bakraid. Since Bakraid is the awesome, I think you just convinced me to buy MMP over Futari as my next purchase!

bucklemyshoe · Post by **bucklemyshoe** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:03 pm

I haven't played either but I would go with ESP Galuda II because ESP Galuda I is one of my favorite games.

Dragoforce · Post by **Dragoforce** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:32 am

I only played a few credits on Espgaluda II, but I didn't like i very much. The scoring system was too complicated for my taste. It's a lot harder than it's prequel as well, which doesn't have to be a bad although it's not as newbie friendly as Espgaluda.

MMP i've never played. But the horrible food-theme puts me at off. A lot.

Dandy J · Post by **Dandy J** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:30 am

i cant even stand to watch videos of mmp so i would say espg2

thamasha69 · Post by **thamasha69** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:39 am

Wow, thanks guys for all the input. It has further swayed my decision towards MMP. I want a game that is easy to pick up and play...easy to get the hang of initially, and good for a quick romp if I am looking for a fun run. Thereafter, having learned the techniques, I can focus on scoring. That is what I like about Bakraid. I can breeze through some areas, yet there is soo much more depth if you want to delve deeper.

Is controlling rank a huge aspect in the game when not playing for score...or can you push through w/ standard shooting techniques lol - *dodging bullets*, not purposely suiciding to control rank and then worrying about scoring to get those extends - sometimes I just want to not worry about that and have fun. More simply, how rank heavy is it? I like Battle Garegga, but sometimes I feel things get out of hand. Bakraid seemed to tone it down and that's why I love it.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:08 am

i think teh rank in MMP is based pretty much on your score?

if you ignore meddaling and just go for the 1CC its pretty easy, it does get pretty fierce once you get the hang of the scoring tho, its definetly more of a pick-up-and-play game than galuda 2.

Gwyrgyn Blood · Post by **Gwyrgyn Blood** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:20 pm

It's reasonably possible to beat MMP without dieing so rank control is not that huge of an issue.

zlk · Post by **zlk** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:32 pm

I guess I live in an alternate universe where Espgaluda 2 is easier than MMP. I am always stunned by people who talk about how easy MMP is. Maybe my pcb is different. To me, finishing the 1st loop of MMP on one man is about as reasonable as getting to Ketsui's special round.

Gwyrgyn Blood · Post by **Gwyrgyn Blood** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:46 pm

By 'reasonably possible' I don't mean it's easy, I mean it's within reason to actually do, something that is not true of games like Ibara.

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:17 pm

Aren't there some stupid requirements in MMP where you can't die in the first loop?

Gwyrgyn Blood · Post by **Gwyrgyn Blood** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:28 pm

Yes the requirement to get the second loop is to not die in the first loop, although I seem to recall it's possible to die once and still get it somehow.

But if you don't like that, then there are two other modes you can play on that don't have loops.

Jockel · Post by **Jockel** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:35 pm

Yeah Manpaku and the other mode (which name i forgot) are effing hard!

thamasha69 · Post by **thamasha69** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:41 am

Awesome.

Thanks again for the clarification guys. MMP definately is the game I am going for. It seems to be exactly the type of gameplay that I want. I just wanted to be sure of rank (among other things) so I can have a fun, long lasting experience (unlike my time spent with Ibara). Can't wait to see that pork gold getting sucked into my ship!...looks like so much fun! Time to start hunting for that pcb....

Gwyrgyn Blood · Post by **Gwyrgyn Blood** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:51 am

I'd have picked up MMP a while ago if there was a way to turn the voices off. I KNOW those would drive me crazy. :I

Jockel · Post by **Jockel** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:01 am

don't be so picky, you're missing out.

drboom · Post by **drboom** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:48 pm

Gwyrgyn Blood wrote:I'd have picked up MMP a while ago if there was a way to turn the voices off. I KNOW those would drive me crazy. :I

You'd think so, but when I played it down at the Missouri Cave Matsuri, I was totally surprised how they didn't get annoying. This is the top of my list for pcb's to get.

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:14 pm

Gwyrgyn Blood wrote:I'd have picked up MMP a while ago if there was a way to turn the voices off. I KNOW those would drive me crazy. :I

"Yipp! Yipp! Wahooo! Wahooo! Gurrrrrrrrrr...."

DEL · Post by **DEL** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:52 pm

zlk wrote;

To me, finishing the 1st loop of MMP on one man is about as reasonable as getting to Ketsui's special round.

I agree, its easy enough to do a loop on one ranked-up credit, but to 1LC Pork even on lowest rank (not taking medals etc), its too much of an ask.

I guess thats why no westerner has bothered to even try to 1 life Pork's 1st loop.

As for the game, the substandard music and Momo's laser delay are the only downsides of Pork. Otherwise a fun game.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:59 pm

DEL wrote:
I guess thats why no westerner has bothered to even try to 1 life Pork's 1st loop.

I have. I can get to Stage 5 with Rafute on 1 life. This is with full 10,000 medals all the way (but no boss milking). Just watch ISO's replay on the DVD that came with the soundtrack for tips. Getting to stage 5 isn't terribly hard, but I'm having trouble getting to the last boss without dying (then again I haven't been working at this too much - maybe a dozen credits total?). You have to manage your bombs really well, and save up 5 of them for the last boss fight.

The guy with the 2-ALL WR of 298 mil with Rafute ended the first loop with 168mil, so he's doing a bit of milking on the bosses without dying. That can't be easy.

pixeljunkie · Post by **pixeljunkie** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 10:13 pm

Necronopticous wrote:
sven666 wrote:MMP definetly, galuda 2 isnt very fun at all imo
ESPGaluda II isn't very fun only if you don't enjoy pleasure. It sports probably the most complex scoring system Cave has ever conceived, though, so be ready for that if you want to play for score. Also, as others have said, there is a huge difficulty jump from ESPGaluda to ESPGaluda II.

Muchi Muchi Pork is loads of fun, too, and hilarious to boot. My main criticism is that some of the scoring techniques are really obnoxious; see: intentionally suiciding all your extra lives and using all of your bombs on bosses. It's a great game, though, and greater if you ignore some of these lame scoring aspects. POKU GURAINDA!

I'd go for ESPGaluda II, but that's just me. You can't really go wrong here, I think. Your call.

agreed

Galuda 2 is probably my fave Cave game, honestly. I like MMP, but the sound FX start to grate after awhile.

DEL · Post by **DEL** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:22 pm

EOJ wrote;

I have. I can get to Stage 5 with Rafute on 1 life. This is with full 10,000 medals all the way (but no boss milking). Just watch ISO's replay on the DVD that came with the soundtrack for tips. Getting to stage 5 isn't terribly hard, but I'm having trouble getting to the last boss without dying (then again I haven't been working at this too much - maybe a dozen credits total?). You have to manage your bombs really well, and save up 5 of them for the last boss fight.

I'd guessed you might have

, I just wanted to draw you out there.
I've entered Stage 5 with 5 lives with Rafute, but I'm being realistic about my chances of reaching the last Boss with 5 bombs in stock....little or no chance

.
I must get to see that ISO replay.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:47 pm

Necronopticous wrote:
sven666 wrote:MMP definetly, galuda 2 isnt very fun at all imo
ESPGaluda II isn't very fun only if you don't enjoy pleasure. It sports probably the most complex scoring system Cave has ever conceived, though, so be ready for that if you want to play for score. Also, as others have said, there is a huge difficulty jump from ESPGaluda to ESPGaluda II.

i enjoy pleasure plenty, i enjoy complex scoring systems aswell but galuda 2s scoring just seems completely random to me, take the 2nd boss for instance, i always hyper-kakusei (or whatever its called) the second to last pattern and then keep the time going so i can nail the last pattern within the same time jump, this gives anything between 20mil-60mil depending on pure luck.

ive done it a hundred times with the exact same base (nailing the first 2 stages with some concistency is pretty easy) and it is just luck what score you get out of it.

game is great otherwise but im sorry the score system really sucks in my opinion.

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:08 pm

I haven't played MMP but out of Ketsui, Mushi Futari and ESPG2 I found ESPG2 to be the most fun, but I think they're all awesome.