Is Ketsui Death Label for the DS worth the expensive price?

[BrianC]

As for the Taito NDS releases of Space Invaders Extreme 1 & it's SIE 2 sequel, an optional DS Taito paddle controller is necessary to get better/higher scores rather than using the ol' standard d-pad of such a DS Lite setup. The paddle controller came in several colors: white, black, silver & pink varieties to mix 'n' match with your NDS, DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL, etc. variant handhelds.

The paddle is optional, and afaik, not available in all modes? The game plays great with the standard controls.

On the option screen, there's a listing to select paddle setup or not. It truly enhances the overall SIE-1 & SIE-2 gaming experience. Same could be said with the DS Arkanoid & DS Space Puzzle Bobble titles with DS paddle controller as well.

My apologies, the DS paddle was compatible only with the orignal DS and DS Lite (with GBA slot support).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Yes, but I'm trying to say that it's an optional feature and not necessary to enjoy the game. I'm not sure about SIE 2, but with SIE1 it wasn't available for online leaderboards.

[MathU]

I have both Space Invader Extreme games and there's no mention at all about paddle support in the options or the instruction manuals, so I guess the only way to know is to have the paddle device itself. It's a shame that paddle users might have such an unfair competitive advantage, but like BrainC says it's not needed at all to enjoy scoring in the games.

Also, for anyone interested in the games, even if you find vanilla Space Invaders very boring (I sure do!), they're quite a different take on the Space Invaders concept and you may end up loving them anyway. And they're each unique enough that they're both worth owning--Space Invaders Extreme 2 isn't necessarily a refinement of the first game. If you don't have them already they're surely a better purchase than importing Demo Label.

[BrianC]

I have both Space Invader Extreme games and there's no mention at all about paddle support in the options or the instruction manuals, so I guess the only way to know is to have the paddle device itself. It's a shame that paddle users might have such an unfair competitive advantage, but like BrainC says it's not needed at all to enjoy scoring in the games.

The paddle only came out in Japan, but I read at multiple places, including here on the shmups forum, that it works with the US versions. I also read more info. Unlike SIE1, the ranking mode can use the paddle in SIE2, but entries with paddle are marked with "P". Ranking mode in SIE1 (which is the main scoring mode) is not compatible with paddle. I found both games to be great and I wouldn't recommend avoiding them if you can't find a paddle (however, the paddle option still sounds like good fun).

[CStarFlare]

As someone who is primarily a portable gamer who also loves STGs, this game was a day 1 pre-order. But in all honesty, I can't see paying as much as the game goes for on ebay today. I mean you can get Radiant Silvergun for less!

This does not seem to be the case? Silvergun seems to still go for over $100.

According to my Play Asia order history I paid $69.80 shipped for Death Label, after applying a $10 coupon. [edit: OK, so my shipping charge was $20. I wanted it bad] You can get it for around $80-90 [shipped domestically] now, so it hasn't appreciated that much in value. It's just less attractive today due to the 360 port and the arcade game being playable in MAME.

I played a hell of a lot of KDL. I like shorter score attack modes quite a lot, and KDL is short and has a scoring system with enough room for optimization that it kept me busy for a long time. The IDK sessions were fun to go through, too. Don't regret my day-one purchase a bit. YMMV.

[CID]

As someone who is primarily a portable gamer who also loves STGs, this game was a day 1 pre-order. But in all honesty, I can't see paying as much as the game goes for on ebay today. I mean you can get Radiant Silvergun for less!

This does not seem to be the case? Silvergun seems to still go for over $100.

According to my Play Asia order history I paid $69.80 shipped for Death Label, after applying a $10 coupon. [edit: OK, so my shipping charge was $20. I wanted it bad] You can get it for around $80-90 [shipped domestically] now, so it hasn't appreciated that much in value. It's just less attractive today due to the 360 port and the arcade game being playable in MAME.

I played a hell of a lot of KDL. I like shorter score attack modes quite a lot, and KDL is short and has a scoring system with enough room for optimization that it kept me busy for a long time. The IDK sessions were fun to go through, too. Don't regret my day-one purchase a bit. YMMV.

Yeah, I was going to say. While there are ridiculous "buy-it-nows" on ebay, every time I've seen one that actually sold or a bid-able auction it went for $70 to $80 USD. I got mind a year or so ago, with the DVD, for $75 shipped off ebay and my friend got one off here for $70 (complete to my knowledge).

Silvergun actually sells for $100 to $150 off ebay all day long. Hell I got mine off craig'slist for $85 and was stoked at that price.

At $75, it's still a lot for a DS game, a watered down boss rush mode port of a DS game. But it's all a matter if you'll like it. Many here, far longer fans of the genre than I, don't care for it much. I love the game. I'll admit the DS is one of my least favorite portable systems as far as content goes, but for over all portable STGs, games like Invader (GBA) and Ketsui DL are at the top of my list. It's all taste, I personally dislike the NanoStray games even though I really wanted to like them being that they were actually design for the DS, void previously of the genre.

Worst you can do is wait to buy it when it's around at $75 USD, buy it, try it. If it isn't your thing, flip it and get all your money back.

[majik989s]

Goodness! My mistake. I guess I haven't seen a copy for Ketsui DL on auction in a bit. Thanks for the correction guys!

[Astraea FGA Mk. I]

That feeling when you finally clear Death Label mode...