Raiden games

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:07 am

I've only played Raiden Trad a bit. Just ordered Raiden DX (hopefully in time for Father's Day

), and I'm curious: What other games are there in the series? Which are best?

crithit5000 · Post by **crithit5000** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:26 am

I've only played the original via MAME...I like it. And uh-

Location: Ohio

Where at dude?

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:29 am

Raiden Fighters 1
Raiden Fighters 2
Raiden Fighters Jet

Raiden
Raiden II
Raiden DX

Of all, I like DX the best.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:31 am

crithit5000 wrote:I've only played the original via MAME...I like it. And uh-

Location: Ohio
Where at dude?

Just west of Cleveland.

crithit5000 · Post by **crithit5000** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 2:32 am

No shit. Been wondering if there's been any active shmup players in this damn state forever...

Bishamon · Post by **Bishamon** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 2:51 am

landshark wrote:Raiden Fighters 1
Raiden Fighters 2
Raiden Fighters Jet

Raiden
Raiden II
Raiden DX

Of all, I like DX the best.

Viper Phase 1 is sortof in the series as well.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:12 am

crithit5000 wrote:No shit. Been wondering if there's been any active shmup players in this damn state forever...

Yeah, my guess is that there may be as many as a half dozen serious shmup fans in the Buckeye state, though I've only noticed four at this site (including the two of us).

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:14 am

just got to play 2 for the first time and received some serious punishment. whooboy i cleared the first level on one credit!

can't wait till i have some extra cashflow so i can snag a copy of DX.

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 4:03 am

Raiden III just came out on the Taito Type X hardware too!

Raiden Fighters, Fighters 2, and Fighers Jet are all conisderably more manic than the original three (Raiden 1, 2, and DX). I like manic games, so I get a huge kick out of em, but if you're looking for more methodically paced games , you can't go wrong with the originals.

8 1/2 · Post by **8 1/2** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 5:00 am

DX is king. You'll be set for a while with that.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 5:16 am

I'm next door in Indiana

Accutron · Post by **Accutron** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 6:39 am

professor ganson wrote:
crithit5000 wrote:No shit. Been wondering if there's been any active shmup players in this damn state forever...
Yeah, my guess is that there may be as many as a half dozen serious shmup fans in the Buckeye state, though I've only noticed four at this site (including the two of us).

I'm from Ohio, Dayton area. I moved to Tennessee in 1997, and I'm planning on moving back to Ohio later this year.

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:08 pm

I haven't played Raiden I&II in 2 player mode- I was wondering do both allow 2 players to combine together? If so how does it work with 2 players? controlwise

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 2:08 pm

[quote="Cthulhu"]Raiden Fighters, Fighters 2, and Fighers Jet are all conisderably more manic than the original three (Raiden 1, 2, and DX). quote]

Three quick questions:
1. Did any of these Raiden Fighters get ported to a console?
2. Did Raiden 2 get ported to a console?
3. What is Raiden Project? Is it distinct from 1, 2, DX, and the Fighters games?
I apologize for my near total ignorance on this topic.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 2:57 pm

professor ganson wrote:
Cthulhu wrote:Raiden Fighters, Fighters 2, and Fighers Jet are all conisderably more manic than the original three (Raiden 1, 2, and DX). quote]

Three quick questions:
1. Did any of these Raiden Fighters get ported to a console?
2. Did Raiden 2 get ported to a console?
3. What is Raiden Project? Is it distinct from 1, 2, DX, and the Fighters games?
I apologize for my near total ignorance on this topic.

1 - no
2 - Raiden Project
3 - See #2

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 4:46 pm

landshark wrote:
professor ganson wrote:
Cthulhu wrote:Raiden Fighters, Fighters 2, and Fighers Jet are all conisderably more manic than the original three (Raiden 1, 2, and DX). quote]

Three quick questions:
1. Did any of these Raiden Fighters get ported to a console?
2. Did Raiden 2 get ported to a console?
3. What is Raiden Project? Is it distinct from 1, 2, DX, and the Fighters games?
I apologize for my near total ignorance on this topic.
1 - no
2 - Raiden Project
3 - See #2

OK, so
Raiden Trad = Raiden 1
Raiden Project = Raiden 2

But it is obviously wrong to say:
Raiden DX = Raiden 3
Here's hoping the latter gets a console port.

Thanks for the help, landshark.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 5:09 pm

Raiden Project includes both Raiden and Raiden II.

llabnip · Post by **llabnip** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 5:13 pm

professor ganson wrote:OK, so
Raiden Trad = Raiden 1
Raiden Project = Raiden 2

Not quite...

Raiden Trad is a port of Raiden 1 to the SNES (horrible port), Genesis (reasonably good port) and I think the PCE (not 100% sure).

Raiden Project for the PSX is Raiden 1 and Raiden 2 together in a single collection pack. It is nearly arcade-perfect with just a few oddities in the screen scrolling but nothing that keeps it from being an amazing port. It was a very early PSX release but still quite good and even back then the developers knew how utilize the 2D capabilities of the PSX. The JP version has TATE mode and the US version has 1/2 TATE mode but the controller is still in Yoko mode (so you play it as a sidescroller). There is a cheat code to play the US version with the right pad orientation.

Raiden DX for the PSX is a sort of Raiden 2 Special Edition. It came out in the arcades not long after Raiden 2 - has slightly altered graphics (mostly for the better though Raiden 2 was no slouch), slightly remixed music and has different enemy patterns (mostly a bit harder). The last level and/or loop conditions may also be different, I can't quite remember. It is a stunning game and really well ported to the PSX.

Raiden Project is an absolute must-have for the PSX shmup-loving fan since you get two amazing games. Raiden DX is slightly better and so is a more-absolute must-have

I play both titles, but prefer DX since it's just that little bit more polished (though I LOVE the game-over music of Raiden 2 best of all).

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 6:26 pm

crithit5000 wrote:
Location: Ohio
Where at dude?

My roommate lives in Youngstown when she isn't in school (in Chicago). Small world.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 6:38 pm

llabnip wrote:The JP version has TATE mode and the US version has 1/2 TATE mode but the controller is still in Yoko mode (so you play it as a sidescroller). There is a cheat code to play the US version with the right pad orientation.

Raiden DX for the PSX is a sort of Raiden 2 Special Edition. It came out in the arcades not long after Raiden 2 - has slightly altered graphics (mostly for the better though Raiden 2 was no slouch), slightly remixed music and has different enemy patterns (mostly a bit harder). The last level and/or loop conditions may also be different, I can't quite remember. It is a stunning game and really well ported to the PSX.

Raiden Project is an absolute must-have for the PSX shmup-loving fan since you get two amazing games. Raiden DX is slightly better and so is a more-absolute must-have I play both titles, but prefer DX since it's just that little bit more polished (though I LOVE the game-over music of Raiden 2 best of all).

Wow, super helpful, llabnip. Thanks. It looks like all one really needs is Raiden DX and the Japanese Raiden Project. Excellent.

The Eidolon · Post by **The Eidolon** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 8:45 pm

One thing I've always wondered about Raiden II is if there were several
different versions of the arcade machine. It might just have been dip
switch settings or something, but the differences were too consistent
to make that likely.

The version I knew best had player 2 always start with cluster bombs
and player 1 with regular bombs. On the 1st level a 3-gun tank would
show up around the diagonal highway part.

The other version, which seemed slightly more common, I believe had
both players start with regular bombs, and the 3-gun tank was replaced
by one of those mid-size planes that shoot a spray of targeted shots.

I know about Raiden DX, of course, but these two were both regular
Raiden II games. I own Raiden Project for the PSX (Sadly no DX yet,
though I'm looking for one...) and Raiden II on the PSX seems a
little different from both the ones I remember from the arcade, though
closer too the second version. In my memory the arcade had better
graphics, though that may just be from a bigger monitor or have
something to do with the tate to horizontal conversion.

I have also seen a funky Raiden II arcade machine in China with the
levels in the wrong order. It started on level 5, but at much lower difficulty than on a normal level 5. Maybe a bootleg?

Anyway, if anyone knows more authoritatively all the versions of Raiden
II out there I would love to hear it.

--The Eidolon

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:25 pm

Since we're talking about the minute differences between verisons... anyone here familiar with the PCE Raiden games? IIRC there's a HU-Card Raiden and the Super-CD "Super Raiden." Are they both ports of Raiden 1? Are they any good?

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:02 am

Cthulhu wrote:Since we're talking about the minute differences between verisons... anyone here familiar with the PCE Raiden games? IIRC there's a HU-Card Raiden and the Super-CD "Super Raiden." Are they both ports of Raiden 1? Are they any good?

The only apparent difference is the audio cd soundtrack.

Arcader · Post by **Arcader** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:24 am

IMO Raiden DX is King of the Raiden series and is actually my fave shmup of all time.

Out of the Raiden Fighters series most people claim that 2 is the best (I own DX and RF2) but I can't really give my opinon as Ive never played Jet before.

Post by **nZero** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 4:09 pm

Super Raiden for the PCE-CD is the PCE/TG16 Raiden, with an arranged CD soundtrack and 2 additional levels. That's pretty much it.

Yes, there are different versions of Raiden II, even discounting the "New Release" mini-style boards with the junky sound. I think that Raiden Project's Raiden II port was based on the most common version, but I've played at least 2 other versions just in the states.

gigadrive32 · Post by **gigadrive32** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 4:26 pm

there is a port of Raiden II for Windows 95 PC. it was released in Japan.

I have the file of it somewhere. it seemed as good, or almost as good as the Playstation1 port from Raiden Project. I never played the real coin-op arcade version so I don't know how the PS1 and PC versions compared.

I need to get Raiden DX.

question: how faithful, close to the arcade was Raiden I on Jaguar ?

p.s. Raiden III coming to PS2, woohoo!