WOW! Zanac X Zanac Tomorrow on US PSN and more...

[Kobayashi]

A pleasant surprise this week: the classic PS1 Zanac X Zanac will be released tomorrow on PSN America (PSone Classics). Other PS1 games come with the package, plus, of course, the highly anticipated Under Defeat HD Deluxe Pack.

The source is official: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/12/ ... -releases/

[EmperorIng]

Now folks don't have to pay an asininely high amount of cash to get their Zanac on. Good news for PS3 owners.

[Jeneki]

Excellent news. Both versions of Zanac on that disc are fun.

Did PS1 emulation ever get tweaked on PS3? I remember having a lot of trouble playing the PSN version of PS1 R-Types due to input lag.

[OBSCVRA]

yeah ps1 games were a write off for me on ps3, not sure if they did ever fix that, never bothered trying again. Gladly they all work great on the psp. Zanac X Zanac is probably my most played game on the psp, its fanbloodytastic.

[CStarFlare]

I've played a decent amount of PS1 games on my PSP; I ran into slowdown on FFVIII/IX but they're probably not a good benchmark for most shmups. Would be interested to hear how it runs from others before buying, though.

With Zanac and Harmful Park being put on PSN, are there any more obscenely expensive PS1 games that aren't on PSN? At least where shmups are concerned.

[BulletMagnet]

With Zanac and Harmful Park being put on PSN, are there any more obscenely expensive PS1 games that aren't on PSN? At least where shmups are concerned.

IIRC Gaia Seed is on there already, so that's most of the major targets down...don't think they ever added Geppy-X though, heh.

[EmperorIng]

I don't think it's obscenely expensive, but Thunder Force V: Perfect System is on PSN, if I recall.

[StoofooEsq]

Hyped to see Zanac X Zanac finally coming to PSone Imports. Now I can (legally) play it on my PSP.

As for Under Defeat HD, I'm still waiting for my PS3 copy of to be delivered, even though I preordered it with Amazon Prime Two Day shipping last week. I hate to think that I'll be able to buy from PSN before I get to play it on disc. But after a call with customer service, I'm apparently getting an extra free month of Amazon Prime for the trouble.

[Special World]

Thanks for the heads up! I've never played any Zanac game, but Zanac Neo looks amazing. Hopefully it works okay on PSN.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Splendid. If I had Vita, I know what I'd be playing on it.
All of you, play Zanac Special Version and use the extra button.

[Kobayashi]

Zanac Neo was the swan song of the Compile.

[undamned]

Now folks don't have to pay an asininely high amount of cash to get their Zanac on.

That's where I'm at!
-ud

[Deca]

If a source I trust can tell me that this doesn't have game destroying input lag or display weirdness I am all over it.

[Obiwanshinobi]

From what I gather, PSX shmups are typically laggy as heck on PS3, pretty decent on PSP.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

That'd be interesting to see such a PSN d/l of Geppy-X as the actual PSX GP-X set is a four-disc affair at best.

PC Engine Fan X !^_~

[professor ganson]

O man, so would Zanac X Zanac be playable on the Vita? That could be amazing, though I wonder about lag issues there as well.

[Darkseed]

I can confirm Zanac x Zanax works on the Vita. I just downloaded it from PSN onto my PS3 then copied over to the Vita. This is the best way to play it too IMO. Controls and plays like a dream. Graphics really pop when set to normal with bi-linear filtering OFF.

Please now give me G-darius, Thunder Force 5, Raystorm/Force, Einhander, and gods sake make R-Type Delta Vita compatible already dammit

[professor ganson]

That's awesome, Darkseed! Thanks much for that. Zanac x Zanac is probably my favorite PS1 release of all time, so I've got to get on this asap.

[Special World]

I don't feel any problem with input lag on my PS3, but I've never really noticed it in anything except like Marvel Pinball, so I'm not really reliable. I'm not huge on this though, it becomes a clusterfuck at level 3, but if you're using powerup 3 it doesn't even matter because you block everything.

[professor ganson]

Damn! The visuals and sounds of Zanac on the Vita are just as nice as you'd hope, and then the controls are unexpectedly nice with the tight and responsive dpad. I was feeling a bit meh about my Vita library lately, but now...

[steveovig]

I downloaded this and I'm sorta confused on how it works. Let me get this straight, there are seven different shots per ship and you can upgrade them through patience by picking up like numbered power-ups and orbs. Basically, should I just stick with one power-up type and run with it until I die or are they meant to be cycled or does it really matter? Also, what about the green power-ups? They seem to make my ship slower with both shots blazing.

Other than that, I'm loving the game. I had just bought Zanac from the Wii VC in the last month and didn't enjoy it much. I thought it was too unforgiving and frustrating but this game is a complete joy!

[Mortificator]

Zach co-wrote a nice FAQ that should answer most of your questions about Zanac's system.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Just find a ship/weapon that you like. Fun Weapons™, don't you know.

Other than that, I'm loving the game. I had just bought Zanac from the Wii VC in the last month and didn't enjoy it much. I thought it was too unforgiving and frustrating but this game is a complete joy!

Play Zanac Special Version and USE THE BRAND NEW BUTTON there. It looks 8-bit, but is substantially different from older Zanacs.

Damn! The visuals and sounds of Zanac on the Vita are just as nice as you'd hope, and then the controls are unexpectedly nice with the tight and responsive dpad. I was feeling a bit meh about my Vita library lately, but now...

Just when Sony came up with the well liked d-pad, they botched backwards compatibility. That said, handheld Zanac was one of my dream games and here it is, near-perfect. Now, if only Power Stone Collection was downloadable kosherly once and for all, I would know what my next dream toy is.
Is Sonic Wings Special easily playable in tate on Vita?

[Special World]

What's different about Zanac special?

And do I have to set the "brand new button" in the options? I don't know what the options say.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Some weapons in Special Version are altered and the screen is more busy. The game seems "angrier", but gives you more firepower. The third button alters the way some weapons work (think 16-bit Compile shmups). I can take a picture of the setup screen when I hook my PSX up the TV.
Cosmetically, your ship is the Aleste plane in Special Version instead of the 8-bit Zanac ship.
There's still some slowdown, but all seems to be under control.
Mind you, it's still a game of long runs. It is Zanac.

Mmm, this evening's gonna be off the rocker.

[Matskat]

Aw yeah!

Love me some Zanac!

[Strider77]

Bitches please.... I have this on PSX all ready. Although I might get it for use on the Vita.

[Austin]

This is great news. I'll be downloading this to my PSP tonight.

[Obiwanshinobi]

How to set up controls in Special Version:
Zanac>Special Version>options, choose the third one from the bottom.



Map both weapons (auto-fire, will probably increase the rank, but the more, the merrier) onto triangle and make the right trigger extra button.



The way I play it, it's a game of eight directions and two buttons. That's how I like my Compile shmups.

[StoofooEsq]

Feels good to play Zanac X Zanac on my TV, something that I never thought I would get to do anytime soon (without use of some PSP Video-Out Cable). Still a fine pair of games.

Zach co-wrote a nice FAQ that should answer most of your questions about Zanac's system.

This. Everything you could possibly want to know about Zanac X Zanac is in that FAQ.