NeoGeo/Dreamcast/iPhone Shooter Fast Striker by NG:DEV Team

[SkylineR32]

Playing with the dreamcast control pad is dreadful, so I have an arcade stick on the way - We'll see what I can do then. I'm currently at #17 on original mode.. Hopefully that will improve once the new hardware comes in.

I have the Official Arcade Stick that us PAL DCers got (I think it's what US gamers call the Green Monster) and I must say it makes the world of difference when it comes to Fast Strikers. I've rarely used it even though I got it the day the DC launched yet I wouldn't use anything else now for Fast Strikers.

[rancor]

Was in Tokyo today and saw this:



Good to see that FS is getting some promotion in the game shops!

[KBZ]

that's so cool. thanks for sharing.

[neorichieb1971]

11 digits for the score? Is that homage to pinball machines

[Plasmo]

Maybe rather to Giga Wing 2, which had 17 digits.

In shmup world everything is possible.

"This is the world of 1,800 million."

[8 1/2]

Finally ended up with a DC copy of Fast Striker. So far I'm really enjoying it. It's like a Compile game I never heard about fell out of 1992 and ended up in my console.

But the character designs, as little as they matter, are a bit off-putting.

I can't be the only one that saw THIS:


And immediately thought of THIS:


I mean, the hair, the glasses, the girl's futuristic headphones, the knee length dress and gloves... The guy's face has almost the exact same expression.

[rocketassistedkea]

They're both girls. The one in the front, does look a bit like a monkey though. She must play the man...I think they like each other. Maybe they had an argument...perhaps over the things growing out of their heads? They might be headphones, but they also...could be tumors.
Not that there's anything entertaining about tumours, mind you...must be headphones then.

Z

[renardqueenston]

I mean, the hair, the glasses, the girl's futuristic headphones, the knee length dress and gloves... The guy's face has almost the exact same expression.

to be totally fair, beat isn't the most insanely unique character - glasses, headphones, wicked 'tude? it's all pretty trope :] same goes for the girl's dress type.

[chempop]

How is similarity with Jet Grind Radio a bad thing?!

I still don't own Fast Striker yet, I was surprised that Ncsx sold out right away, was expecting some copies to surface here but I guess it's too soon for that.

[8 1/2]

I ended up going through Play-Asia since nscx was out. Turned out to be $10 cheaper there too. I'd say it's worth it so far. It's been eating into my MMP/PS time pretty severely. I was fearing a really uptight memorize-em-up, but it's more open than that. "COMPILE COMPILE COMPILE" keeps flashing in my mind as I play, at least in Normal mode.

[LeeVanCleef]

I really enjoy this game. I am disappointed that there is not much discussion on Fast Striker in this thread or the strategy thread. Unfortunatly I have not played it in a couple weeks. Since I decided to get into playing STGs more seriously again I decided to start with this one.

Novice mode was fun but not nearly as enjoyable as Original(I have not played Maniac much). The tempo of FS is nice and the bullet patterns are manageable for my skill level. I need to start playing again so I can get some of my scores up on the High Score thread

[dunpeal2064]

Man, I really want this game, and have money in paypal. However, I just can't decide whether this or espgaluda 2 looks better.

[LeeVanCleef]

Man, I really want this game, and have money in paypal. However, I just can't decide whether this or espgaluda 2 looks better.

I have not played espgaluda 2 but have played espgaluda. Fast Striker has a bit different feel then espgaluda. The game has a slower pace and the scoring is a bit easier to figure out(in Original mode at least). The soundtrack adds to the atmosphere of the game and the different game modes make it feel like 3(or 4) games in one.

I suppose if you like Cave games then go with espgaluda 2. If you are looking for something a bit different then give Fast Striker a try.

[dunpeal2064]

Man, I really want this game, and have money in paypal. However, I just can't decide whether this or espgaluda 2 looks better.

I have not played espgaluda 2 but have played espgaluda. Fast Striker has a bit different feel then espgaluda. The game has a slower pace and the scoring is a bit easier to figure out(in Original mode at least). The soundtrack adds to the atmosphere of the game and the different game modes make it feel like 3(or 4) games in one.

I suppose if you like Cave games then go with espgaluda 2. If you are looking for something a bit different then give Fast Striker a try.

I really do like the atmosphere that NG:DEV games have. I do love Cave, but after seeing all of the Compile references, I think I might have to go with Fast Striker. Plus, I still suck at Mushi Futari and DDP.

[Hair]

Keep in mind that Fast Striker might be really hard to find in a couple years (or less). ESPgaluda 2 will probably be findable online for a long time to come due to a larger production run and more well-known publisher. Get FS now and ESP later.

[8 1/2]

Does this game really not save your control settings? I see its saving my high scores, so why not my button-mapping? The default is really not ideal for using a stick with, and I feel like I'm playing SFII on snes here setting it up each time I play.

[LeeVanCleef]

I have not had that issue. I am using a gamepad and changed my shield to the B-button instead of the R-button and it saved the setting.

[dunpeal2064]

Keep in mind that Fast Striker might be really hard to find in a couple years (or less). ESPgaluda 2 will probably be findable online for a long time to come due to a larger production run and more well-known publisher. Get FS now and ESP later.

Excellent point, I am now searching for a copy here. If nothing turns up, I'll just buy it elsewhere. It looks like Play-Asia is out, is NG:DEV the best place other than that?

[ptoing]

Well, if you but it at NG:Dev at least you can be sure the devs actually get the most from you.

[Jeneki]

I got mine from Play-asia just recently. Must have got the last one.

After an hour of play I was really enjoying it. My first couple credits I was just adjusting to which multicolored orbs are bullets and which are something to collect (such as the big green orb things, I about freaked the first time one of those homed right into me).

I'm a bit disappointed the packaging doesn't have a copyright date on it anywhere though. Half the fun of buying a newly developed game for an "old console" is showing my buddies what year it was released.

[Hair]

Does this game really not save your control settings? I see its saving my high scores, so why not my button-mapping? The default is really not ideal for using a stick with, and I feel like I'm playing SFII on snes here setting it up each time I play.

I set it to "stick" default and it saves the arcade button map for me. Do you have more space on your VMU? Maybe highscores require X blocks, but the settings require another block or something? I dunno.

Make sure you are changing the "default" setting from pad to stick and not remapping the buttons (those might reset).

[8 1/2]

Turns out I was hitting the "stick default" item on the options menu and not realizing it was resetting my buttons. Stupid, I know.

I'm finding that the graphics are the biggest hurdle to my enjoyment of the game. I really like the gameplay style and the patterns, but the chunky CG renders make the visual language of the game hard to read.

The orange-red orbs that come out of large enemies when you laser them are the biggest distraction. Having what looks like big fireballs hurtling toward your ship during a boss battle is something I'm still trying to come grips with. I find myself trying to look past them, to see the bullet patterns. Plus, you have orb-shaped enemies that look very similar, and then in stage 4 you have those golden boxes which are again very similar. When the screen starts to fill with enemies and bullets it just kind of falls apart into Donkey Kong Country mud blobs.

[ptoing]

I think the biggest problem with the graphics is how high contrast the background is. Very very dark and lots of specular highlights. Which makes the eyes look at stuff you don't really want them to look at while dodging bullets.

Have not played it in a while now, need to get a stick or something.

More than the graphics what gets me tho is that there is no random element to spam patterns and stuff in general, not even a bit. Like on the first boss, red spam pattern in Original, always the same pixel perfect, which after a while gets very boring.

Also I died a lot one big enemies when I killed them and the rank just turned devil and kazam you get a fucking suicide bullet right in the face.

Still decent game, I just feel it could have been a lot better with a few tweaks here and there.

[8 1/2]

Good points all. There's a rigidity to the whole game that is at once nostalgic and sterile for me. There's some real potential in there though. There's something that takes me back to playing R-Type in a greasy pizza shop arcade, or the smell of the factory polish when cracking open the box of a new Genesis game. Fast Striker is the best new shmup in 1993.

[Jeneki]

I think the biggest problem with the graphics is how high contrast the background is. Very very dark and lots of specular highlights. Which makes the eyes look at stuff you don't really want them to look at while dodging bullets.

I think you nailed it for me. I was wondering if it was just me, as I have a really hard time keeping my eyes focused on bullets and enemy ships in this game.

-----

Something else I noticed tonight:

If you pause and restart, it sends you back to the main menu. However, it doesn't refill your credits.

When I game over, it's faster to start over if I continue and quickly pause/restart. Otherwise it takes a while to get through the initials and score code screen. But every fourth time I do this I don't have any credits left, hehe. Bug?

[8 1/2]

I would write that bug if I was still back in QA.

Made it to the stage 5 boss last night on a credit. Had a lot of lucky dodges. Are there any secret 1-ups I don't know about, or just the two score-based extends?

[Battletoad]

Sometimes I got another 1UP from destroying a joker, that was in stage 4 if I remember correctly. But I have no idea how it is triggered, maybe a secret joker which just appears if you meet certain conditions. Could also be different between the game modes, I remember seeing an extra life from a joker in stage 2 or 3 in Omake mode already.

[doctorx0079]

I really enjoy this game. I am disappointed that there is not much discussion on Fast Striker in this thread or the strategy thread. Unfortunatly I have not played it in a couple weeks. Since I decided to get into playing STGs more seriously again I decided to start with this one.

Novice mode was fun but not nearly as enjoyable as Original(I have not played Maniac much). The tempo of FS is nice and the bullet patterns are manageable for my skill level. I need to start playing again so I can get some of my scores up on the High Score thread

OT: Another Toledoan! Jesus Christ almighty.

On topic: I almost always get an extend from the Secret Joker in Stage 4.

My game has a problem where it doesn't show the attract screen if I have a VMU in. Does anyone else have this problem? I know it's kind of minor but it is annoying.

[rancor]

Sometimes I got another 1UP from destroying a joker, that was in stage 4 if I remember correctly. But I have no idea how it is triggered..

As I'm not playing the game right now, I cant remember specifically but this joker is triggered by completely destroying a wave of the larger ships that make a momentary appearance. Once they are all destroyed, you must then get the joker. If you wait too long the large ships fly away and you lose your chance.

[Battletoad]

Sometimes I got another 1UP from destroying a joker, that was in stage 4 if I remember correctly. But I have no idea how it is triggered..

As I'm not playing the game right now, I cant remember specifically but this joker is triggered by completely destroying a wave of the larger ships that make a momentary appearance. Once they are all destroyed, you must then get the joker. If you wait too long the large ships fly away and you lose your chance.

Possibly so. I'm still too sloppy at that part to consistenly destroy all of them.