It's Halloween month, high time for a dedicated Splatterhouse thread. You all better be busting this out on the 31st y'hear!
I'm trying to 1cc SH1 on the Towns so I can do a performance at our Halloween gathering on a big wall projector, and I've basically got it in the bag aside from one part: last pattern on the Jennifer fight. Anyone got any tips here? Seems so random and unpredictable since there's no warning of whether she'll hop or jump forward, or just spike you. If she goes for the claw and you're walking forward, there's no way to evade - but if you're not walking forward you can't get your punch in if she hops or jumps.
Advice? I can 1-life the game to this point, but when it all goes wrong it's invariably on that pattern. I think I'm fine on stage 6 & 7.
No real experience with the first two games, but I'll pipe up to say the NA "Splatterhouse 3" blows, and it's the JP "Splatterhouse Part 3" you want. Former is totally ruined by the overwhelming and Brent Dance-esque spinkick, effectively Final Fight's bomb minus the health penalty. The latter's a solid beltscrolling time underneath the killer slasher+occult+body horror presentation (though it does like to spam annoying instant knockdowns on its highest difficulty). Pump up the volume until you can feel the hit impact sfx in your chest cavity for best result.
For Jennifer's first two phases, you want to stand out of claw range. If she makes a high jump, walk forward and punch the back of her legs as she's coming down, and you'll switch positions. If she makes a lower jump, take a few steps forward and punch her back to the corner she came from, then back up so you don't get clawed when she lands.
For the third phase, brute force will work if you have at least three hearts left. You can time a slide kick to hit her as she's turning back into a monster, then just keep beating on her. You'll take two hits, but she'll be done.
This works in the arcade version. I haven't played the game on FM Towns, so I don't know if anything was changed in the conversion.
As for the series, the original Splatterhouse might be my favorite arcade action sidescroller, but I think each sequel was a bit worse than the previous.
RegalSin wrote:You can't even drive across the country Naked anymore
My favorite track from any video game. I'll never forget the first time I heard it. Wow... so evil. The Turbografx version is quite a bit different, and kinda sounds more like a harpsichord.
Splatterhouse has always been really special for me. I got the 3rd game when it came out and it blew me away. Scared the shit out of me. I used to attempt and show any kid I knew this game. Years later when I was a small twat and wanted the newest and greatest console, I sold all my Genesis stuff but kept Splatterhouse to the side. I couldn't part with it. Eventually my undeveloped mind broke free of the Terror Mask's grip and I sold it, like a fool. I always regretted that, and eventually rebought the game when I got older, wised up and saw the light. Heartwarming story, I know. Growing up and loving horror movies, the Splatterhouse series always appealed to me. The imagery was such a relief from all the colorful happiness and platforming anthropomorphic rodents. I guess I could probably blame Splatterhouse for being such a morose bastard.
Splatterhouse 2 always kicked my ass. Mainly because I'm a self-admitted lazy scrub. It's been awhile since I've played it, and looking now, it doesn't seem so rough. Good idea, Skykid; I think I'll join ya and conquer that beast.
BIL wrote:
"Small sack, LOTS OF CUM" - Nikola Tesla
drauch wrote:I got the 3rd game when it came out and it blew me away. Scared the shit out of me. I used to attempt and show any kid I knew this game.
Has to be said, even if the US one is completely broken as a beltscroller (shame there wasn't a SORIII super meter...), as a horror-themed 16-bit action game it still rules. Blood code? Take that early 90s VIDEO NASTEH censorship panic and pound it up your ass. As kid I had the same experience, distinctly remember being creeped out by the Gigerrific final stage one night. These days I also appreciate the black humour of the jovial Master Boreworm and MAX BEAR ("Hooo!").
You'd think Rick would've known better than to keep a print of Saturn Devouring His Son lying around the house, wouldn't you? What a godawful foreshadowing of the first stage's bad ending. o_o
Last edited by BIL on Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The 2010 American-developed reboot was an incredible disappointment that completely ignored everything made the original trilogy so appealing. It's only worth it to hear the voice of Darkwing Duck swear like a sailor. You can unlock the first three games, but they're all poorly emulated.
BIL wrote:You'd think Rick would've known better than to keep a print of Saturn Devouring His Son lying around the house, wouldn't you? What a godawful foreshadowing of the first stage's bad ending. o_o
Ha! It was a real treat seeing that later in life and knowing what it was. And goddamn, the bad endings to that game! "Rick stands alone, the weight of failure hanging heavy upon him. His family is just a memory." "Alone! All alone..." Still can't believe they got away with that.
I've never messed with the JP versions, for some odd reason. Are the endings in English, or are they in Japanese? If so, can anyone translate what they say?
BIL wrote:
"Small sack, LOTS OF CUM" - Nikola Tesla
Mortificator wrote:For Jennifer's first two phases, you want to stand out of claw range. If she makes a high jump, walk forward and punch the back of her legs as she's coming down, and you'll switch positions. If she makes a lower jump, take a few steps forward and punch her back to the corner she came from, then back up so you don't get clawed when she lands.
For the third phase, brute force will work if you have at least three hearts left. You can time a slide kick to hit her as she's turning back into a monster, then just keep beating on her. You'll take two hits, but she'll be done.
This works in the arcade version. I haven't played the game on FM Towns, so I don't know if anything was changed in the conversion.
Thanks Mort. Have no issues with the first two patterns, I already do them as you say. And, funnily enough, that's exactly how I deal with the last pattern: melee spamming in the corner.
The Towns is identical yep, but it's a bit of a shame this attack is so unpredictable that sacrificing hearts is the only way to get through it. I find I give up three in the process, so the only way to ensure victory is to get there with four or more, or die and do it on the next life. Either way, sacrificing hearts blows because stage 6 is too unpredictable to ensure I can do it without taking 2 hits. It's possible, just depends on whether or not it goes my way.
It's coming anyhow, got to the last boss twice today.
One thing: how the heck do I get that slide out reliably and where is it useful to use? Up to now I haven't called on it once.
Last edited by Skykid on Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The final form of the she-bitch boss is super easy. The key is that you can't move until after she does. If you move at all, she will stick out the claws. Wait, and is she jumps, punch. If she does the tiny little hop, run straight in and punch. Easiest boss in the game really, 100% predictable. Works on PCB, Towns, and PCE.
SuperDeadite wrote:The final form of the she-bitch boss is super easy. The key is that you can't move until after she does. If you move at all, she will stick out the claws. Wait, and is she jumps, punch. If she does the tiny little hop, run straight in and punch. Easiest boss in the game really, 100% predictable. Works on PCB, Towns, and PCE.
Hey, thanks for this, will try again tomorrow. I watched your vid 3 times and it actually looks like you're moving at the same time she does (!) Not sure I can see the method there but I'll take your word for it and keep dead still until she does something other than claws. That's my only sticking point, will be nice to iron it out.
Oh, and that slide. How do I do it, and when do I ever need it?
Yeah, I actually wait until I see her move first. You need to be perfect on the timing, but once you get it down, you should never get hit. The totally random Stage 6 is the only truly hard part of the game imo. The slide-kick is done by jumping, then holding down-forward and attack right before you hit the ground, takes some practice. I only find it useful for wiping the floor of the embryo's once you get to the heart, as if you are too slow there you're fucked.
The nice thing is that a hit from the slide does twice the damage of a regular punch or kick, and you can sometimes score multiple hits with a single slide. I'm likely to use it against some of the mirror Ricks, to finish off Jeniffer, and against the final boss if the spacing and timing are right.
I was trying the stage 5 boss again now and found that if you jump right as she laughs and transition into a slide, you can get two hits with it and then finish her with two normal hits, usually losing only one heart in the process, and sometimes zero. But with your excellent intel, I guess that's not necessary for flawless domestic battery.
RegalSin wrote:You can't even drive across the country Naked anymore
Just watched my old vid. And while I do move at the same time, take note that I'm out of claw range. Hence I'm safe. These days I've gotten to the point that I know exactly where to stand to stay just a few pixels out of her range, meaning I don't move until she does anymore. Back when I made that vid, I was a bit rougher with my technique. So yeah, if you are too far you can move in a bit. Just stay out of her attack range until she chooses her attack method.
Hm, ironically I was watching The Happy Nerd's Splatterhouse retrospective earlier (he also did a comparison between the Arcade and TG16 port, and a review of the XB360/PS3 Splatterhouse).
I used to own the TG16 one... fucking money issues -__- I'd kill to own the trilogy.
Assuming he's not updated it in the four or so years since I saw it, the HVGN's commentary on SH3 inadvertently explains precisely why it's busted. He correctly identified that there's no reason to not use the spinning kick ever. Invincible, lengthy, free, does huge damage on all its many possible hits and knocks down on both sides guaranteed. In the JP version it's still free but lasts a split-second, does practically zero damage, and enables emergency crowd knockdowns and attack escapes with skilled use. If you're good you can use it to counterattack bosses out of their invincible frames, but you'll inevitably need the rest of the moveset to play at all decently. Localisation turned a finesse tool into a God Tier bazooka. The US one is supposedly harder to do (L,R,L+Attack rather than Attack+Jump) but it's nowhere enough to balance it out. Simply ignoring it isn't possible without aggravation since there will inevitably be situations where you'll want those invincible frames.
SuperDeadite wrote:The final form of the she-bitch boss is super easy. The key is that you can't move until after she does. If you move at all, she will stick out the claws. Wait, and is she jumps, punch. If she does the tiny little hop, run straight in and punch. Easiest boss in the game really, 100% predictable. Works on PCB, Towns, and PCE.
SuperDeadite wrote:Yeah, I actually wait until I see her move first. You need to be perfect on the timing, but once you get it down, you should never get hit. The totally random Stage 6 is the only truly hard part of the game imo. The slide-kick is done by jumping, then holding down-forward and attack right before you hit the ground, takes some practice. I only find it useful for wiping the floor of the embryo's once you get to the heart, as if you are too slow there you're fucked.
Especially when they spawn behind you. Wanna know why the Towns version really sucks a little? After playing it for the clear I've realise the aspect ratio is cropped but the play area isn't. Enemies can spawn or be killed while still off screen. A good example is stage 3: you can throw the rock just before the moat and hear it pop that hanging ghoul's belly - but you can't see him. By the time you get there he's gone. It makes the game harder on stuff like the spawning worm sections as it's basically forced scrolling, and nothing's worse than stage 6 when bubbles float off screen behind you and hatch where you can't see or hit them, meaning you have to wait for the little flea to appear on-screen before you can attack - all this while dealing with the junk ahead of you.
So I ask again internet, Towns Splatterhouse really "arcade perfect"?.
Lol, Towns Splat is not arcade perfect, only idiots and sellers will tell you otherwise. For it's time, it was a great port, but perfect it is not.
The entire game has been downscaled, everything is bigger in the arcade.
Scrolling boss sections, this is because the Towns can't do the crazy resolution of the arcade.
Sound effects, while mostly well done, a few sound like absolute garbage, such as she bitch's claw attack.
Also due to lack of sound channels, some sound effects will get abruptly cut-off. Most annoying to me is the first water section, the cool echo effect is simply cut off mid note if you kill the water monsters too fast. This is really jarring and hurts the atmosphere a lot for me.
Music, the Towns simply uses CD-Audio for the music, the problem with this is not being real time generated, if you go too slow or two fast, certain music events will be heard at the wrong time. And after you kill the final boss, the music does a fade out, but sounds really weird unless you happen to kill the boss at the exact moment Ving was hoping you too.
Slow-down, it's rare, but it's there, PCB has none.
Ironically, the off-screen stuff you mentioned is true to the arcade. The rock-throw at that off-screen hanging demon is the same in the arcade. And the embryo stage, off screen enemies will chase you down. In fact that level is easier on Towns, as once enough have spawned, off screen ones will simply disappear. There is no limit on the PCB, and every single one will catch up to you sooner or later.
Am I nitpicking? Sure, but after spending a long time with the PCB, the Towns version's flaws just seem to scream in my face....
As far as Towns arcade ports go: Volfied is my favorite.
Operation Wolf is pretty much perfect, but it's annoying to play, as it's mouse controlled, which doesn't work as well as it should since like the arcade, you don't get a cross-hair. This was fine with a big plastic gun sight in your face, but with a mouse? Good fucking luck...
^ I concur with pretty much all of this. I was unaware of audio and graphical difference though, thanks for the info. What was the 'crazy' resolution of the arcade then, was it particularly unusual? I always thought having boss screens cut off was weird as hell for a game usually cited as being a perfect port.
Only slowdown I ever noticed is again, stage 3, when you jump a moat to the second hanging ghoul. Otherwise none. I definitely noticed the audio playing track changes on a serious delay.
But, I gotta say, aspect ratio and cropping weirdness, it's still a really damn good conversion. Play wise I referenced some YT vids and it seems to follow identically in terms of tactics etc.
Superdeadite your meth works a charm! Got the 1cc today with 3 lives in stock (picked one up as the last boss died at the 200, 000 mark.)
Am I right in thinking if you're perfectly stationary she'll never do the claw? It's only if you move before she does? That's the way it seemed anyhow. Held still and moved for the punch the instant she did and didn't take a hit. After that was pretty plain sailing. If you get a lucky stage 6 I reckon I could 1 life it easy enough, but I think I'm going to leave it for the time being.
If you are within her claw range, she will just instantly stab you. As long as you are out of range she will be forced to come to you. You just need to watch her start the attack to see if it's the small jump, or quick hop. It's basically a classic game of chicken really.
So gonna go for a 1cc on Part 2? Part 2 is good fun, though the original is the better game. I don't care for Part 3 much, it had good ideas, but they didn't come together very well imo.
Ed Oscuro wrote:No crosshair?
^ about as much fun as reading the text in that.
In the options menu you can enable one, but it disappears after 10 seconds, as a sort of training feature, but unless you spend a LOT of time practicing, you are screwed really. The arcade "guns" were sticks, meaning limited motion, so you knew when you were at the top or in a corner, but of course a mouse doesn't, it's pure frustration.
SuperDeadite wrote:If you are within her claw range, she will just instantly stab you. As long as you are out of range she will be forced to come to you. You just need to watch her start the attack to see if it's the small jump, or quick hop. It's basically a classic game of chicken really.
So gonna go for a 1cc on Part 2? Part 2 is good fun, though the original is the better game. I don't care for Part 3 much, it had good ideas, but they didn't come together very well imo.
Got it, that makes sense. Thanks for the help.
Think while it's still fresh I'll probably go for the arcade clear on S1 to see if I can iron out all the Towns differences, and then probably will go for 2. So you're not so into the third? I thought it was meant to be the best of the series? It's the only time BIL and HG101 have ever agreed on something so I figured the stars were aligned.
Operation (Require A) Seeing Eye Dog.