Gradius Deluxe Pack SS Vs PS1 - Which is the most accurate?

[kevinmaccioly]

After I got all famicom ports of Gradius I/II/Salamander, I want to get the Deluxe Pack.
Did some research, but still can't get a solid answer. Supposing that price isn't a problem, which one is the best? What are the most noticiable differences from the arcade? Also, is the windows 95 any good?

Thanks in advance!

[Pretas]

Saturn. The PS1 version has slowdown issues with Gradius II.

[Bloodreign]

Saturn version has incorrect screen resolution from the arcade version, the PS1 version has the correct resolution. The PS1 GDP on a PS1 has no slowdown issues with Gradius II, only if played on a PS2. Go with the PS1 version if you do. I have never had a problem with Gradius II on a PS1, I have however had horrible slowdown with it on a PS2.

[Pretas]

Interesting, I didn't know it was a PS2 compatibility issue. Gradius Gaiden also has well-known problems when played on a PS2. Are there any more examples from Konami?

[CIT]

Not Konami, but Toaplan Shooting Battle 1 also runs slow on a PS2.

Iirc the Parodius pack had some short (1sec) loading before bosses that wasn't present on Saturn. Overall I'd say it doesn't make a huge difference which versions of the Konami packs you pick.

[GSK]

The PSP versions are superior, surely? Y'know, aside from the whole handheld thing.

[kevinmaccioly]

The PSP versions are superior, surely? Y'know, aside from the whole handheld thing.

Hooking up to a TV, does it solve it?

[trap15]

You still have to use a PSP as a controller, and that's kinda wank.

[BIL]

Saturn. The PS1 version has slowdown issues with Gradius II.

I nearly bit my tongue in half. Everyone should know by now how the holy trinity of PS2-incompatible PS1 shooters work. STOP GETTING BOND WRONG

Saturn version has incorrect screen resolution from the arcade version, the PS1 version has the correct resolution. The PS1 GDP on a PS1 has no slowdown issues with Gradius II, only if played on a PS2. Go with the PS1 version if you do. I have never had a problem with Gradius II on a PS1, I have however had horrible slowdown with it on a PS2.

Thank you!

[Bloodreign]

Saturn. The PS1 version has slowdown issues with Gradius II.

I nearly bit my tongue in half. Everyone should know by now how the holy trinity of PS2-incompatible PS1 shooters work. STOP GETTING BOND WRONG

Saturn version has incorrect screen resolution from the arcade version, the PS1 version has the correct resolution. The PS1 GDP on a PS1 has no slowdown issues with Gradius II, only if played on a PS2. Go with the PS1 version if you do. I have never had a problem with Gradius II on a PS1, I have however had horrible slowdown with it on a PS2.

Thank you!

No problem, I own both and have played both extensively. The screen res thing I learned from the oldbies at this forum.

[HydrogLox]

The PSP versions are superior, surely? Y'know, aside from the whole handheld thing.

Hooking up to a TV, does it solve it?

You still have to use a PSP as a controller, and that's kinda wank.

• Not if you use a PSP-Go with a DS3 - though lots of people hate that controller option as well.
• It should also play on a PS Vita TV - though again with a DS3.

[Sinful]

The PSP versions are superior, surely? Y'know, aside from the whole handheld thing.

Aren't the PSP ports based off the PS1 & 2 ports? And I use a D-Pad overlay for all shitty Sony D-Pads. Including PS3 (too bad it don't help the PS2 & PSP Go craptacular D-Pads. Don't remember the PS1 D-Pads).

Anywho, I brought this up once on the Gradius forum, and had this guy named Ace do some nice work comparison wise. So go there for more in depth stuff. Otherwise, the PS1 is the way to go (this is coming from both Sega fans, lol).

[Kiken]

Saturn version has incorrect screen resolution from the arcade version, the PS1 version has the correct resolution.

I'm pretty sure that the actual game resolution between both ports is equal. The problem lies in the host hardware's default resolution (which for the Saturn is much wider than the PS1 or the original PCB for these games). Konami would have had to redraw everything to make it work with the Saturn's wider res. The 'wide' mode helps clear things up a bit... but it really doesn't affect the games that much in terms of playability. The weird thing is the occasional glitch in Gradius I that causes the Options to lock in place relative to the ship (spontaneous Type 1 Options). Seems to happen frequently in you're hugging the left edge of the screen.

[kevinmaccioly]

The Gradius 1 audio on PS1 and Saturn sound different from their arcade counterparts. Challenger is even slower in the ports. Why is the sound different?

[spadgy]

I happened to have a GDP PS1/Saturn question today, so here seems to be a sensible place as it's related.

I wanted to ask about the differences in box contents for the PS1 and Saturn Gradius Deluxe Packs. Is the following a correct, full lest for each?

PS1:
Box/disk/manual/spinecard/cover slip-in
3 x paper craft pages (including instruction page)
Sticker sheet

Saturn:
Box/disk/manual/spinecard
3 x paper craft pages (including instruction page)
'Get The Soft' scratch card
Registration card

So the sticker sheet and loose cover (separate from manual) are exclusive to the PS1 GDP, and the scratch card and registration card are Saturn GDP only. Am I right?

[bcass]

The PSP versions are superior, surely? Y'know, aside from the whole handheld thing.

Aren't the PSP ports based off the PS1 & 2 ports?

Things that are wrong with the PSP release:

- Imperfect music looping (especially noticable on Gradius 2, Stage 1)

- Music skips ever so slightly sometimes during fade-outs

- Sound effects and speech are disproportionately balanced compared to the arcade/console originals (yes, I know there is an option in Gradius Gaiden, but not for the other titles, and even in Gaiden, you can't balance the speech, only the music and sfx)

- Music error occures on the Moai stage in Gradius 2 - the music speeds-up at the wrong point. In this version, the audio speeds-up on the 2nd loop of the tune, but it should in fact only speed-up half-way through the stage when the heads turn red and start turning in your direction

- There is a slight 'freeze' on screen in some of the titles between levels, probably indicating the loading of a new level - this is especially noticable in Gaiden, where the 'freeze' is longer, and happens just before bosses

- Imperfect emulation of slow-down - slowdown is present, but it doesn't accurately resemble the slowdown on the originals

- Imperfect emulation of difficulty levels - again, not accurately resembling the originals

Haven't played the Saturn ports but the PS1 ports are a lot more accurate than the PSP versions.