EmperorIng wrote:I really like the controls, though the fluidity sometimes seems at odds with the mid-air momentum being as stiff as it is. Apparently there are more moves than just "slash," rereading this topic. I'll have to figure them out, since it would probably help survival immensely.
The accountability associated with a forward jump, and especially a running forward jump, definitely feels intentional to me. The bigger the mistake, the tougher the recovery. Vertical jumps and walking forward jumps = easily correctable. Running forward jump = can be wrestled back on course if you're quick and deft enough. Full-blast dashing forward double somersault = air control is near-nil, but at least you can stop yourself careening into oblivion with a well-placed air combo. The sequel avoids the punitive stiffness of the first game, where you're categorically screwed if
any manner of jump is misplaced, but you still need to think before leaving the ground.
MOVELIST CORNER
Besides the usual dashing, double jumping and sliding inputs, there's only a few special commands. Advanced play is still more about efficiency of movement, as with the first game.
down, up, attack in air = air combo
back + jump while sliding = slide cancel
away from wall + jump = gliding jump
Note that, like a typical Capcom fighting game, you can start a move input before Hiryu's in position to execute. For example, if you're about to land and need to dash immediately, don't wait for the jump to end - hit f,f a moment before you hit the ground. If you're hanging from a ceiling and want to use an air combo on something below, hit down+j to drop and up+attack to execute the combo - no need to hit down twice. Then jump back up onto the ceiling. Ninja as fuck!
I can get a "B" rank on the starting level if I keep my head in the game, but will not last long into the second stage. If this didn't have infinite continues, it would be a lot easier to appreciate the game's design, I think. I guess you just have to self-impose your own limits.
WORD. Or at least keep in mind that credit feeding < tentative 1CC with levels skipped / middling ranks < 1CC ALL with best ranks.
Not unexpectedly, the game's review scores suffered in some mainstream magazines at the time due to the "lack of challenge" afforded by infinite credits. Getting an end-game ranking total of six gold stars is a lot harder than no-missing the first game, but that one had checkpoints so it's way harder! -_-
Then again if it'd limited credits it'd have been
too hard. Good ol' Catch-22... edit: besides demonstrating the futility of catering to mainstream credit feeders, I totally forgot what a classic popcorn thread that turns into
Speaking of the original, it plays fine for me - I was not prepared for the different BGM tracks for stage 3 though (I'm used to st1 being used for stages 3 and 5 as well). I sort of like it the other way around, to be honest!
That's actually the second PCB revision's music, in case you didn't know (it's not new music made for the port). Apparently, there's also a third PCB rev which is used in the Capcom Game Syndrome LD 1CC, with slight tweakings of the "new version" soundtrack. I grew up with the MD version, which uses the third rev soundtrack, so I was WTFing at the old version soundtrack when I finally tried it in MAME.
As for the Strider 1 port:
-Strider 1's arranged soundtrack is trash, just to let everyone know. No energy or dynamism.
-the music sounds a little different than MAME. it sounds a shade slower with a little less bass... Though it might just be me.
I put down a few observations about the PS1 port
here, having been inspired to go back to it last week. tldr: ported from scratch using the PCB and source code as reference, lots of little tweaks here and there. It's definitely pretty close though, I've cleared both back-to-back-to-back without having to switch up my usual plans at all.
I don't personally notice any BGM tempo differences in the port, comparing fast-moving stuff like "Beasts" (the flourish that hits as you reach the highest rooftop in stage 1, in sync with the swarm of flying Mosquemen diving down). However the port's music
is slightly different. Compare the wind noise in the arcade's "Mass of Cloud" (Siberian power plant BGM) to the port's - the former is an eerier whistling where the latter is more a nondescript white noise.
However, I've compared the NTSCJ PS1 ver to MAME, and the music's tempo is identical. And both match this Capcom Game Syndrome LD footage of the PCB (@28:20). So I think you're all good. It's an excellent port, of the same high standard as Daimakaimura and Senjou no Okami II from Capcom Generation 2 and 4 respectively.
