Zaku: Some new shmup thing for Lynx by SF Team

[Ed Oscuro]

The people who own the Super Fighter (yes that one) franchise are putting out a game for the Atari Lynx that seems part Air Zonk and part Paws of Fury. I haven't seen the video yet so I'm filled with dread about visibility and everything else aside from the glorious high-contrast graphics. Original post from Digital Press:

October 02, 2009

Super Fighter Team and PenguiNet are overjoyed to announce the completion of Zaku for Atari Lynx! This new and completely original shooter was in development for six years - and the results of that time investment are beautifully captured in the Zaku gameplay video that's been newly added to the official Zaku website! Featuring previews of several different stages and boss fights over a piece of music direct from the soundtrack, its a delicious taste of what's to come.

Check out the new video, and while you're there, sign up for the Zaku mailing list so you can be directly informed of the game's approaching release date!

*** CHECK OUT THE NEW ZAKU GAMEPLAY VIDEO! ***

Thank-you everyone for your attention, interest and support! Never let dreams die!

[Enhasa]

This game is new and not a localization of a Taiwanese game?

[Koa Zo]

This game is new and not a localization of a Taiwanese game?

yes, newly developed by PenguiNet.

Been a long time comming. ...6 years.
Glad to see it is being released.
I'll be ordering for sure!

[Elixir]

Bandai is going to go apeshit and this thing will get C&D'd for sure.

[sunburstbasser]

If the video is any indication, they did not manage to make the Lynx sound good.

[fog]

Why do people do this? Don't get me wrong it looks good, I just can't get my head around why you would put so much effort into something that will be seen by so few. I guess the answer is they do it because they can, but I just don't get it

[Elixir]

Why do people do this? Don't get me wrong it looks good, I just can't get my head around why you would put so much effort into something that will be seen by so few. I guess the answer is they do it because they can, but I just don't get it

Why do people make shitty, obscure and blatant Geometry Wars clones for the Xbox Indies?

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Why do people do this? Don't get me wrong it looks good, I just can't get my head around why you would put so much effort into something that will be seen by so few. I guess the answer is they do it because they can, but I just don't get it

Why do people make shitty, obscure and blatant Geometry Wars clones for the Xbox Indies?

For many game makers its a labour of love. But on the other side of the scale there are always droves of fanboys ready to hand over their cash to whoever caters for them. For the makers of the Lynx shmup they will cater towards the retrohead plus the casual shmupper. I say casual because imo the game looks too easy for any hardcore gamer, it even has a health bar which is very euro shmup.

Looking at their site they also have a couple of Mega Drive rpgs for sale complete with an authentic style cart box. which looks very nice imo. I have no idea about the quality of the games but its still good to see that someone is still making games for old systems. I wonder how much these games would be worth to a collector in years to come compared to the older games.

Back to fanboys who will buy any old crap shovelled to them aslong as it fits into their sense of fandom. I bet some of us on this forum would buy a crappy clone of space invaders if it was made by Cave and was also hyped up by game reviewers. Same for Touhou fans, Zun could instead of a disk put a piece of paper he had used to wipe his arse with into a CD case and some fanboys would buy it, even though most would stay well away.

[Elixir]

Yeah, cashing in on nostalgia. It's been happening a lot lately. Not just with the whole "making games for dead consoles" thing (see: Dreamcast, Megadrive, Lynx) but with people making basically the exact same games, for newer consoles.

I don't know of any "casual shmupper" who owns an Atari Lynx.

[fog]

Why do people do this? Don't get me wrong it looks good, I just can't get my head around why you would put so much effort into something that will be seen by so few. I guess the answer is they do it because they can, but I just don't get it

Why do people make shitty, obscure and blatant Geometry Wars clones for the Xbox Indies?

I'm supposed to bite here right?

[Elixir]

I'm supposed to bite here right?

It would be appreciated, yes.

[Ed Oscuro]

This is for the Lynx which blasts the "cashing in" argument out of the water. No comparison at all to anything Xbox Live related. They'll actually have to make cartridges up for this. That said, I agree with the sentiment of "what why waste the time on such a console"

[Zeether]

Wow, this is a total Air Zonk ripoff right down to the jet boots. Except there don't seem to be helpers and it seems that charging up all the way doesn't release a bomb.

[louisg]

That said, I agree with the sentiment of "what why waste the time on such a console"

Because it's freakin' RAD!

[Rozyrg]

I remember seeing something on this a few years back... cool that they finally finished it. Definitely looks much nicer in motion, too.

[Elixir]

This is for the Lynx which blasts the "cashing in" argument out of the water.

They're still making a game for an ancient console that pretty much nobody plays or uses any more. Aside from the edgy "we're so cool" sentiment found in these projects, the people who buy them are going to be previous or current Lynx owners who will buy the game regardless of quality because it's For Teh Lulz and because people have too much money. It's cashing in.

I don't know how they intend on making the cartridges though. That part sounds interesting. I'd like to know more about making unofficial, unauthorized cartridges for the Lynx. Maybe someone can dig up their blue-prints from whatever Chinese bootlegging corporation they'll be following?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

This is for the Lynx which blasts the "cashing in" argument out of the water.

They're still making a game for an ancient console that pretty much nobody plays or uses any more. Aside from the edgy "we're so cool" sentiment found in these projects, the people who buy them are going to be previous or current Lynx owners who will buy the game regardless of quality because it's For Teh Lulz and because people have too much money. It's cashing in.

I don't know how they intend on making the cartridges though. That part sounds interesting. I'd like to know more about making unofficial, unauthorized cartridges for the Lynx. Maybe someone can dig up their blue-prints from whatever Chinese bootlegging corporation they'll be following?

I've got one of those cool Atari Lynx prototype cartridges with the title of Road Riot 4WD. It has a 1994 copyright date and was published in small numbers from a business that sells Atari hardware/software based out of San Jose, CA and not some Chinese bootlegged corporation like you mention, Elixir. It's just a single layer thick PCB with a single EPROM chip soldered to it -- nothing special at all. However, there was no official Atari Corporation RR4WD game box nor any instruction manual provided whatsoever. Plus the fact that it has one of the most fluid framerates ever for an Lynx game...the RR4WD gaming engine is running at 30fps easily. Not to mention the fact that Atari Corp. stopped producing new Lynx games by the end of 1992 to concentrate on it's 64-bit powered Jaguar console platform. Yeah, it sure would've been cool to have seen the Lynx RR4WD game released as a proper Lynx game with factory box and instruction manual for completeness. ^_~

Another USA based Atari-based business by the name of B&C ComputerVisions has sold proto Atari Lynx games in the past as well. It's all about getting in contact with the right folks to produce a limited run. It will definitely sell out rather quickly considering that this is a brand new Lynx shmup-based game. And are there any more new Lynx games coming out from Songbird Productions?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[louisg]

They're still making a game for an ancient console that pretty much nobody plays or uses any more. Aside from the edgy "we're so cool" sentiment found in these projects, the people who buy them are going to be previous or current Lynx owners who will buy the game regardless of quality because it's For Teh Lulz and because people have too much money. It's cashing in.

Must.. not.. take.. trollbait.

PC Engine Fan: That sounds awesome!

[RoninBuddha]

i understand.. say.. making stuff for MegaDrive, PC-Engine (Hucard or CD), hell even o System....

but LYNX? seriously?..

[lgb]

Must.. not.. take.. trollbait.

he usually doesn't start until statements like these come up

be this a "respected" member of the forums saying that exact same paragraph no one would care, and it would be discussed "happily"

[undamned]

Wow, this is a total Air Zonk ripoff

Totally my first thought!
-ud

[Super Laydock]

It has penguins in it so they have my attention.

The video's look nice enough (though I can see the music becoming annoying) & the package looks really great & professional.

I still have a Lynx's, thought it's hardly ever used, and if so only for California Games.
So maybe it's time to dust it off.

Keeping an eye on this.

[spadgy]

That said, I agree with the sentiment of "what why waste the time on such a console"

Because it's freakin' RAD!

Exactly! Every argument for why it's a daft decision to create this game makes it all the radder! "If the cap doesn't fit..."

Shame it's got a life-bar...

[Ed Oscuro]

I still have a Lynx's, thought it's hardly ever used, and if so only for California Games.
So maybe it's time to dust it off.

Maybe you should think in before CASHING IN on your 1989 (-ish) investment! Zing?!

[Super Laydock]

Maybe you should think in before CASHING IN on your 1989 (-ish) investment!

Rather 2002 (-ish) (given a year or so)...
and hardly a big investment at about 50 Euro for a new one incl. 1 game.

Just saying that just having the means to play this game is nice.
But since money still doesn't grow on trees I'll wait for the first impressions/reviews before committing to this.
If they tend to be favourable I may end up getting this.

[Super Laydock]

Game is now in stock and can be ordered through here.

Was posted b4 in locked thread so I thought I'd mention it again in the "official" thread.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I see that the Super Fighter Team is based out of Santee, CA. That means quicker shipping from within the Golden State indeed. So disregard that 3 to 10 day shipping period statement as mentioned on the Zaku ordering page.

It's impressive that they went the "extra mile" to have a Lynx II cart cartridge scheme along with full-color instruction manual + factory game box for completeness. It's a known fact that Atari cut corners by printing just "black & white" Lynx game manuals to lower overall production costs. The price is reasonable for being a 3rd-party produced Lynx game -- the 1st one since Atari Corporation ceased production of new Lynx games towards the end of 1992.

Can't wait to read a full shmups report about it in depth.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Ed Oscuro]

Wow, the artwork for Beggar Prince is frightful. It can't explain away its creepiness with the "sry I are armature" thing that the piss-poor character collage on the Zaku front page can.

Low-res to the rescue: Thankfully the art translates into some pretty funny (and decent-looking) art designs. Too bad it's on the wrong format. I hope they haven't compromised (Paro-dized?) the gameplay too much to make up for picking the Lynx.

I hope somebody will share their impressions with us so I can find out if I would like to buy this for a reason other than selling it at a later date like a crate of Cheetahmen IIs. Unfortunately, the video lends the impression that it's another gameplay-lite console shmup where the designers think status ailments are just as important as movement...

[BIL]

If a picture was ever begging for a "You gonna get raped" caption, it's that Beggar Prince cover.

[Koa Zo]

I'm looking forward to playing Zaku later this week.
Gotta buy some new AA batteries so I'm ready!

btw, could someone please fix the thread title to include the name of the game?