I've been to hell and back, and other Makaimura Miscellanies

[Skykid]

(edit: updated thread title to be all encompassing)

Has anyone beaten this fucking game?

Never playing this again. Ever. It's actually coded by demons. I did it for the prestige, and now I have a psychological impairment.

It's 5:30am, I'm going to bed.

[blackoak]

Nice! I love that game. I'm assuming from the title you played the harder Japanese version? I've "beaten" it with credit feeding multiple times (not too many credits), and I don't feel too bad about that since its a checkpoint game. If you got a 1cc though, that is some prestige there. I love the second loop since the Psycho Cannon is so fun to play with.

[Ed Oscuro]

Heh, I've restarted the final dungeon of the GBA version many times. Have the SFC cart too, but I'm not really up to that right now...

[Skykid]

Nice! I love that game. I'm assuming from the title you played the harder Japanese version? I've "beaten" it with credit feeding multiple times (not too many credits), and I don't feel too bad about that since its a checkpoint game. If you got a 1cc though, that is some prestige there. I love the second loop since the Psycho Cannon is so fun to play with.

No, certainly no 1cc. That would take some effort I'm not prepared to give at the mo. I'm just stuck in London waiting to fly out on Tuesday and decided Chomakaimura would be a good final challenge to take up. Took three proper attempts (but that's a lot of hours).

The game is fine (as far as fine can be... and discounting the Red Arremer Ace, who's pure evil) in terms of learning curve until stage 7 second loop penultimate boss, when you have to use the shitty Goddess Ring to try to beat him. Christ, I got stuck replaying that stage over and over: only a sadist would force you to use a horribly balked weapon to finish the game.

I didn't realise the Japanese ver was tougher, nice bit of info there, but what is the Psycho Cannon of which you speak? You sure you're not thinking of Daimakaimura on MD?

[blackoak]

Yeah my mistake--I was thinking of daimakaimura! I have also beat chomakaimura for SNES, but it was a long time ago and I don't remember much about it.

[Eaglet]

I made Chomakaimura my biyatch back in the day.
Wonderful game. So much rage.

[Mortificator]

The game is fine (as far as fine can be... and discounting the Red Arremer Ace, who's pure evil) in terms of learning curve until stage 7 second loop penultimate boss

This is the toughest part in all three of the classic games. The final bosses are pansies compared to their #1 bodyguards, especially when you're on the second loop and need to use a short-range weapon. The cheat in the PS2 collection that lets you switch weapons makes things a lot easier, as you can use whatever you want against the double Satans / Beelzebub / Astaroth & Nebiros as long as you switch to the designated game-winning weapon when they fall.

Victory can be strangely unsatisfying, though, without that final dose of frustration so intense it practically makes you leave your body.

[Skykid]

The game is fine (as far as fine can be... and discounting the Red Arremer Ace, who's pure evil) in terms of learning curve until stage 7 second loop penultimate boss

This is the toughest part in all three of the classic games. The final bosses are pansies compared to their #1 bodyguards, especially when you're on the second loop and need to use a short-range weapon. The cheat in the PS2 collection that lets you switch weapons makes things a lot easier, as you can use whatever you want against the double Satans / Beelzebub / Astaroth & Nebiros as long as you switch to the designated game-winning weapon when they fall.

Victory can be strangely unsatisfying, though, without that final dose of frustration so intense it practically makes you leave your body.

Ah man, that PS2 weapon switch would make the game relatively simple, to the point where it wouldn't really be the same game. That section is ball crushingly hard, borderline unfair. I whittled away the majority of hours spent just replaying stage 7 loop 2 until I was on the brink of madness. My kingdom for a crossbow!

The last boss was comparatively easy as soon as I locked into his pattern, think I managed him on my 3rd or 4th attempt. The payoff is still euphoric though, just because the section before mentally ruins you.

[Mero]

I was playing this for a short while recently (JP ver. on PS2), very tough game, definitely a lot harder than Daimakaimura. Only made it the 3rd stage on 1 credit.

Not a fan of the double-jumping, or not being able to fire up or down

[Skykid]

I was playing this for a short while recently (JP ver. on PS2), very tough game, definitely a lot harder than Daimakaimura. Only made it the 3rd stage on 1 credit.

Not a fan of the double-jumping, or not being able to fire up or down

You know what, I understand your apathy toward the double jump, since it's so belligerent in its lack of dynamics. But, after playing it through I conceded that it does bring a certain something to the game, and capcom did engineer a lot of stage design around its precise execution. It wouldn't be the same without it, so I learned to have an affection toward that particular mechanic.

[CIT]

Nice one! I got to stage 7 of the second loop but gave up eventually.

This series carries a lot of memories for me and Chomakaimura was my first imported game. Way back in the day my best friend's mom, who is an opera singer, was touring Japan with her choir and I asked her to bring me this game.

Fun fact: While she was there one of her colleagues did some studio work for a video game company. It was Konami and he spoke the German language intro for Chi No Rondo.

[burgerkingdiamond]

Skykid, I haven't played Ghouls N' Ghosts games much, but I had the same experience with Ghosts N' Goblins for the NES. After I finally sat down and beat it I never wanted to play it again in my life. It's sadistic.

[Ed Oscuro]

Not a fan of the double-jumping, or not being able to fire up or down

So in Daimakaimura you would be pissed off at the lack of diagonal shooting, right?

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

Yaaay, someone finally did a Ghosts n Goblins Miscellanies thread \o/

Got into this series fairly recently and am enjoying them quite a bit. Currently waiting on Goku Makaimura Kai to come in the mail (which will be awesome) while I try to dig further into the original at a leisurely pace. Sucks that there aren't more of these games considering how successful they were.

[mesh control]

Can you imagine the travesty Capcom could do to this series, in this day and age?

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

Well I mean the gap between the 3rd and final ones. It's just weird that they would drop it almost entirely despite selling so well...

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Think the furthest I got was to the second gate boss before the last boss on the second loop. Probably ran out of time when I got there trying not to take a hit. Sucks, last boss is really easy too.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

If it's not repeatable then, it was plain luck .

[Skykid]

Nice one! I got to stage 7 of the second loop but gave up eventually.

That would be the place most probably would. I nearly did, but my convictions proved stronger than I imagined.

This series carries a lot of memories for me and Chomakaimura was my first imported game. Way back in the day my best friend's mom, who is an opera singer, was touring Japan with her choir and I asked her to bring me this game.

You know, I always hated Chomakaimura with a passion. The only one I finished was the Wonderswan entry - but this one had me on the wrong foot since the first day I picked it up, dreaded thing. If it wasn't for evil_ash_xero I would never have properly gotten into it, since I nearly sold it to him until I found out I had a bit of a rickety cart (it doesn't like to boot up that easy) and he was obviously looking for something more reliable. I ended up just playing it a while and developing a feel for it, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Now I just hate it in a different way.

Think the furthest I got was to the second gate boss before the last boss on the second loop. Probably ran out of time when I got there trying not to take a hit. Sucks, last boss is really easy too.

Ha ha, as above. That's the killer spot. And yes, time is a serious issue on that stage, especially since the stg7 boss fight is so frickin' cagey.
The last boss was definitely simple once you get his pattern down. Look, I even finished it with armor (which surprised me after looking back.)

Can you imagine the travesty Capcom could do to this series, in this day and age?

Sadly, yes.

[Specineff]

Can you imagine the travesty Capcom could do to this series, in this day and age?

In-disc, pay-to-unlock golden armor. Only $3.99.

[Jonathan Ingram]

Nice one! Do a speedrun of Castle Excellent for your next challenge.

[Necronopticous]

I've one-lifed the first loop on Professional! If only it weren't for having to do to fight the final bosses with the goddess bracelet the second time around...

[RGC]

black tiger

[emphatic]

black tiger

Wut, I 1CC that every credit.

[RGC]

black tiger

Wut, I 1CC that every credit.

Yeh, it doesn't seem too tough. I'll probably crack it in a few weeks -- yep, at around a credit a week.

[Austin]

Congrats on completing it! It is definitely a tough game when you don't know the patterns and gameplay technicalities inside and out.

I don't have an extremely difficult time completing it these days, give or take a few continues on the average playthrough. It is a personal favorite though and I've been playing it since I was 11 or 12 years old (30 now), so I have a bit of a skewed outlook when it comes to the difficulty of it.

Those trying to 1cc it on Professional mode though, that definitely deserves credit. Having attempted it myself in the last year or two, I have been able to get as far as the guardians just before the final boss (second loop) without continuing. That last part though is ridiculous, at least when you are forced to do it with the ring. The trick is to have your green or gold armor, because when you lose it (or when you only have the silver armor), the ring's attack doesn't go nearly as far. You can try to play it safe and chip the bosses from a distance, but the ring's attack gets less powerful the farther out it is. Playing it safe, you will likely end up running out of time before defeating the bosses.

One other huge problem area for me is the cavern stage. Not the first part with the rotating rooms that come alive, but the second portion where you are stuck on moving platforms. The gas that occasionally sprays out of the walls seems almost random, and on Professional mode I have to rely on using a charge attack with the gold armor (usually with the lance/lightning bolt). Using it at the right time lets me safely move right through the protruding gas, and the second or two of invulnerability afterwards lets me get my character safely positioned. Still, it's intense. One hit, and chances are you are flying off the platform, and then restarting with items and armor that are less than ideal for the situation.

Can you imagine the travesty Capcom could do to this series, in this day and age?

Who knows. Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins for the PlayStation Portable was pretty good though.

Speaking of that game--anyone that is on the lookout for a serious challenge, I'd suggest playing that game. As crazy as it sounds, it makes the older Makaimura/GnG games look like child's play. I can complete Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, and the arcade Ghosts 'n Goblins without much trouble, but the PSP Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins destroys me. I've still yet to complete it.

[Bloodreign]

I have UGnG and it's Japan only revisional update (yay no more fetch quests), it has it's moments, but seems fair, unlike the past entries (Gokumakaimura Kai, aka the UGnG update, well that's a different beast altogether with it's continue limits).


I've beaten Super Ghouls N Ghosts on SNES, GBA, PSP, Saturn, PS1 and PS2 (yeah I have all these, have not beaten it on the Capcom compilation on PSP, Saturn and PS1 revs are Japanese versions), I've never noticed a difference between US and Japanese versions of SGnG/Chomakaimura. What are some of these differences?

[Marble]

I really like Daimakaimura, it's probably my favourite action shooter (Well I would consider it action shooter since the combat is primarily projectile based) along with the NES Contras. I'm really shit at these kind of games though, I came very close to clearing the first loop a while back but I haven't played it in a long time. Everything about the game is pretty great but I hate how sometimes I would kill an enemy and a power-up would appear, and I'd pick it up before having time to react to its' appearance. Usually it's not that big a deal but a few times I was near the end of the last level and got the sword. At least it prevents the game from becoming too memorization based.

I actually haven't played any of the other entries into the series. Anyway, cool thread.

[Mero]

Not a fan of the double-jumping, or not being able to fire up or down

So in Daimakaimura you would be pissed off at the lack of diagonal shooting, right?

Up, down, left and right is plenty sufficient

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

Goku Makaimura is the best in the series. Level design is excellent and should have been the standard for SGnG. Continue limit sounds like it would suck, but you get a shitload of 1-ups showered all over you throughout the game so it's balanced out a bit.