Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono series for PS2 (Sonic Wings etc.)

Zach Keene · Post by **Zach Keene** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 5:37 pm

Looks like the first batch of these should have shipped a few days ago. Anyone got 'em yet?

Gydocker45 · Post by **Gydocker45** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:25 pm

I have Sonic Wings -- The graphics are very flickery (no filters - booo!) but look arcade exact. Also there is a TATE mode in the option screen, which can be pulled up at any time during the game (press L1 & R1 at the same time to bring it up). You can also change the number of lives, difficulty, and load/save in the option menu. Packaged with the game are a mini CD and mini DVD, which are the soundtrack and a video of someone 1 crediting the game; along with some previews of the other Hamster releases. Game play wise, it's pretty accurate to the MAME version I have, so I'm satisfied. The only things I wished Hamster would've added were a button config and a rapid fire option, but with all the crap that I got with my $25, I can live without these little omissions. I have a question, did anyone from the Psyiko team have anything to do with the Sonic Wings series? Because I see a lot of their game play elements in Sonic Wing series.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:51 pm

Gydocker45 wrote:I have a question, did anyone from the Psyiko team have anything to do with the Sonic Wings series? Because I see a lot of their game play elements in Sonic Wing series.

IIRC quite a few programmers from Video Systems (the company which made Sonic Wings) moved on and worked at Psikyo later on, though I couldn't give you specific names or anything.

Randorama · Post by **Randorama** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:56 pm

Gydocker45 wrote:I have a question, did anyone from the Psyiko team have anything to do with the Sonic Wings series? Because I see a lot of their game play elements in Sonic Wing series.

Shin Nakamura for sure (the Psikyo main programmer/boss), and another couple of guys two, can't remember names. Shameless spam: arcade-history.com or the MAME history file are perfect for this kind of doubt

EDIT: Gentle request, who knows the future reprints (if there are any)?

Bar81 · Post by **Bar81** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:10 pm

Are we really sure this is Xexex?

Zach Keene · Post by **Zach Keene** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:17 pm

As much as I Want To Believe (insert poster here)... no.

That said, "Zexex" is a more literal transliteration of the how the title is written in Japanese, and really, what else could it be?

(It's also worrying that Hamster's site is still only listing the first six volumes. Play-Asia's usually pretty reliable but I'm wondering if they just made up the release date as our Western game chains are so fond of doing.)

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:52 pm

Zach Keene wrote:Looks like the first batch of these should have shipped a few days ago. Anyone got 'em yet?

I'm going to pick up Xexex and possibly Terra Cresta, but none of the first batch really interested me. These things don't seem to have a very wide distro run - out of three stores near me that sell games, only one got these in. The other two have no traces of them whatsoever.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 12:03 am

I got Sonic Wings, Crazy Climber, Time Pilot and Moon Cresta. The $ is high, but the package is excellent.

Bar81 · Post by **Bar81** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 12:35 am

Zach Keene wrote:As much as I Want To Believe (insert poster here)... no.

That said, "Zexex" is a more literal transliteration of the how the title is written in Japanese, and really, what else could it be?

(It's also worrying that Hamster's site is still only listing the first six volumes. Play-Asia's usually pretty reliable but I'm wondering if they just made up the release date as our Western game chains are so fond of doing.)

Okay so I'm not the only one. I feel exactly the same.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 2:52 am

I just about went apeshit when I read in another thread here that Xexex was coming home, but now my initial enthusiasm has been somewhat stifled. A quick Google Japan search for "Xexex" + "Oretachi geesen zoku" revealed...

...well, absolutely no new information whatsoever. The little mention it gets on Japanese sites and blogs just says "According to a foreign game site a game called "Zexex" is slated to be released in August as part of the Oretachi... series". Hmm...

I did find this info in a webshop though:

http://www.fiberbit.net/user/hamapika/product/pro1.htm

Here's what it says for the Hamster lineup:

Oretachi Geesen Zoku Series:

Vol. 1 Scramble (Konami)
Vol. 2 Crazy Climber (Nichibutsu)
Vol. 3 Karate-do (Deco)
Vol. 4 Moon Cresta (Nichibutsu)
Vol. 5 Time Pilot (Konami)
Vol. 6 Sonic Wings (Video System) .....release date: on sale now

Vol. 8 Super Volleyball (Video System)
Vol. 9 Terra Cresta (Nichibutsu)
Vol. 1? Burger Time (Deco)
Vol. 1? Yie Ar Kung Fu (Konami) .....release date: October

Vol. 1? Stadium Hero (Deco)
Vol. 1? Rabio Lepus (Video System)
Vol. 1? Mr Goemon (Konami)
Vol. 1? Nekketsu Highschool Dodgeball (Technos Japan) .....release date: unclear

Vol. 7 Xexex? (Konami?) *notation in the source of info is "Zexex" .....release date: unclear

...great.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 2:59 am

It has to be "that" Xexex. Look how many other classic arcade Konami games are on that list. I'd bet my right leg....

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:06 am

Yeah, well, it definitely would have to be THAT Xexex. I'm just concerned whether it will actually be released at all. I hope the series doesn't just go to six, since you'd think that Hamster might want to put a little more effort into marketing the series, if it includes one of the most legendary and sought after Japanese arcade games ever. The lack of info is somewhat worrysome.

I guess I'll just write an email to Hamster tomorrow and ask them wtf is going on.

Zach Keene · Post by **Zach Keene** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:24 am

Could you ask them to try and get a hold of R-Type Leo for a future volume while you're at it?

gameoverDude · Post by **gameoverDude** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:49 am

Bar81 wrote:Are we really sure this is Xexex?

I'm betting on it. I have strong doubts that it would be Xexyz (that NES title that's part Xain'D Sleena and part action RPG).

The $30 price is awfully high IMO for the ones such as Burger Time, Karate Champ etc. For Xexex though I'd have been willing to pay $50.

Back when the PS1 came out, Xexex would've been damn amazing as a launch title- and probably might have floored those who said Raiden Project looked like a SNES game.

I'd like to see Thunder Cross 2 and Typhoon/A-Jax done as future volumes.

Tar-Palantir · Post by **Tar-Palantir** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 7:51 am

Rabio Lepus!

bVork · Post by **bVork** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 7:54 am

Does anyone here own the Scramble release? Does it have tate? Or will I have to stick to the Vectrex version for the proper orientation...

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 12:25 pm

Why would Scramble have a tate mode? It's side scrolling.

MadSteelDarkness · Post by **MadSteelDarkness** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:10 pm

Seven Force wrote:Why would Scramble have a tate mode? It's side scrolling.

True, but it is actually a vertically-oriented side scroller.

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:31 pm

If Scramble and Time Pilot have TATE, I'll get them both. Otherwise I won't waste my money.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 2:25 pm

MadSteelDarkness wrote:
Seven Force wrote:Why would Scramble have a tate mode? It's side scrolling.
True, but it is actually a vertically-oriented side scroller.

Huh, I see. I guess you never stop learning new things.

neoalphazero · Post by **neoalphazero** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:25 pm

Dear Konami,

CONTRA

Thank you. *-neo

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 7:15 pm

Dear Konami,

CONTRA

Thank you. *-neo

I can honestly say that the NES version is better than the arcade rev. The control just feels tighter to me.

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 4:50 pm

Great news !

I just got Scramble and Time Pilot, and they both have full-screen TATE !

Several different Yoko and Tate modes are included, stretching the screen in different ways. Also TATE can be in either direction.

It was a little tough figuring out the menus, because it's all Japanese. Just took a few minutes.

I haven't checked out the CDs or DVDs yet. They're the 8 cm diameter type.

Anyway, since these have TATE then I would guess that Sonic Wings does too, although I don't actually know. If this is the case then Sonic Wings would be a full-fledged PS2 shmup release with a superplay DVD and TATE mode!

YAY!

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:30 pm

Okay, each CD has each separate sound effect from the game on its own track, perfectly clear. Plus there are a couple of weird music tracks at the end of each CD that incorporate the sound effects.

The DVDs also each have a weird remix-type music track with random graphics, plus a superplay of the game displayed in Yoko with correct aspect ratio.

...and the games themselves seem arcade-perfect. Scramble has the correct background colors, unlike its release on "Konami Arcade Classics." Tate for these games is just wonderful.

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:37 pm

BTW high score saves/loads are also supported. Its all in Japanese though, but you'll figure it out.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:39 pm

Methinks it woulda been preferable if a few of these games had been put on each disc, but at least it sounds like the single-game discs' quality is good.

Btw, do the games have a standard set of options (difficulty, controller settings, etc) included?

EDIT: Offhand, do you know if they have separate difficulty tables for different difficulty levels? Chances are they don't, but I might as well ask.

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 7:01 pm

BulletMagnet wrote:
Btw, do the games have a standard set of options (difficulty, controller settings, etc) included?

EDIT: Offhand, do you know if they have separate difficulty tables for different difficulty levels? Chances are they don't, but I might as well ask.

They do have options for number of lives and some other settings, I assume difficulty is one of them (Japanese, as I said). Probably the same settings that the arcade machine had.

The manual actually has pictures of the arcade board from various angles.

Just the one score table.

Post by **Ghegs** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:04 pm

Got my Sonic Wings last week and I had much fun with it, though I cleared the first loop already. Even the lack of autofire didn't bother much. The CD didn't have sound effects, but it seemed like a complete OST BGM-wise.

The DVD was actually a bit of a disappointment - the advertisement at start was pretty good, as I hadn't seen some of those games ever before, but the psychedelic music video afterwards was just...weird. And the gameplay vid was only competent, the player (whose name isn't even revealed) dies once or twice. And out of 8 available characters, the game is cleared only with one. The second loop isn't shown at all.

Still, it was a pretty good package overall, so I'm looking forward to Xexex. Hopefully Hamster will see fit to continue this series, I wouldn't mind getting Sonic Wings 2 and 3 as well.

visuatrox · Post by **visuatrox** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:35 pm

Hamsters Oretachi series gets a thumbs up from me too. Even though old games, it still feels like you get something for your money. No apparent flaws in the ports, Tate, soundtrack and some extra stuff. For $20 that is not bad considering a soundtrack alone usually costs that

Fighter17 · Post by **Fighter17** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:07 pm

Thats nice, I might get Sonic Wings.

shmups.system11.org

Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono series for PS2 (Sonic Wings etc.)

Scramble > Xexex