Advice: Quality vs Quantity

[zendor118]

Have a budget of around $175 and I'd like to pick up a game (or several). Here are my options:

A) Blast Wind
B) Castle Shikigame 3, Shooting Love 200X, <game(s) to be named later>

Which would you choose and why?

Thanks for any advice you might have!

[Mortificator]

Blast Wind's competent, but not amazing. I'd pick Castle of Shikigami III alone over it, so Shiki 3 with other games is a no-brainer.

Many players have a particular shooter style or developer they really click with, though. If you're super into Technosoft games, you might get more enjoyment from Blast Wind.

[Pretas]

Blast Wind is only an average game. Its status comes from its excessive rarity and price. It's not worth it unless you are only interested in it as a collector, not as a player.

I'd recommend the second option with either the Eschatos/Ginga Force double pack or the upcoming Shooting Love 200X/10th Anniversary pack. If you want another Saturn recommendation, Cotton 2 is an excellent shooter off the beaten path that isn't overly expensive and doesn't have perfect support in MAME. Cotton Boomerang is the "upgraded" version, but it's more expensive and I feel the original is a better game anyway.

[Squire Grooktook]

Yeah, the second option gives you quantity and quality up the wazoo. Only consider the first if your a super big Technosoft fan, and even than your probably better off tracking down Hyper Duel if you don't have it already.

[alpachinko]

As Pretas said Cotton 2 is ace. Been playing it a lot more myself recently. Never had the chance to play Blast Wind myself but doesnt look that awesome. Buy the Thunderforce packs you cant go wrong with them. My off the radar game of choice would be Bokan to Ippatsu, its a weirdly addictive game. Still have plenty of change to pick other games up too.

[BulletMagnet]

One more vote for option B - Blast Wind is the most collectable, certainly, and not a bad game, but isn't worth missing out on more and better shooters.

[BPzeBanshee]

Agreed, if you haven't got Shooting Love 10th already consider the Shooting Love bundle. It's going for near same price as 200X is by itself and you get 10th Anniversary with it as well.

[To Far Away Times]

Blast Wind is a good game, but it's not worth $175. In terms of Techno soft shooters, I'd put Thunderforce III, IV, V, and Elemental Master above it.

[zendor118]

Thanks for all the replies so far guys. Is HyperDuel regarded the better of the two games (compared to Blast Wind)? I may just have to look into that one as well. As to the other recommendations, I'm strictly looking for shikigame III (though I already have it on Wii) and 200X (already have 10th anniversary, but will look into the bundle since they're roughly the same price). I have most of the other games that you guys have mentioned and I agree that those games are terrific, but I do like the technosoft games and so I'd be interested in obtaining blast wind or hyperduel (now that some of you mentioned it).

[HydrogLox]

I do like the technosoft games and so I'd be interested in obtaining blast wind or hyperduel (now that some of you mentioned it).

Seems like Hyper Duel has been in your WTB list for a while Zendor's STG BST Thread. The only problem is that you can almost get two copies of Blast Wind for one Hyper Duel (lots of people prefer the Saturn release over the arcade version because of the Saturn mode - the Saturn disc is still a lot cheaper than the PCB). Is it that good (comparatively/value for money)? If your planning to play it for the rest of your life maybe. It should have a higher "priority" than Blast Wind.

200X (already have 10th anniversary, but will look into the bundle since they're roughly the same price).

A straight copy of "Shooting Love, 200X" should also contain "Nice DVD2!", an INH Exzeal Superplay DVD if you are into that sort of thing. That won't be part of the "Shooting Love Collection" bundle - that collection is supposed to include an OST compilation CD that is unique to that package.

[zendor118]

I do like the technosoft games and so I'd be interested in obtaining blast wind or hyperduel (now that some of you mentioned it).

Seems like Hyper Duel has been in your WTB list for a while Zendor's STG BST Thread. The only problem is that you can almost get two copies of Blast Wind for one Hyper Duel (lots of people prefer the Saturn release over the arcade version because of the Saturn mode - the Saturn disc is still a lot cheaper than the PCB). Is it that good (comparatively/value for money)? If your planning to play it for the rest of your life maybe. It should have a higher "priority" than Blast Wind.

200X (already have 10th anniversary, but will look into the bundle since they're roughly the same price).

A straight copy of "Shooting Love, 200X" should also contain "Nice DVD2!", an INH Exzeal Superplay DVD if you are into that sort of thing. That won't be part of the "Shooting Love Collection" bundle - that collection is supposed to include an OST compilation CD that is unique to that package.

Hyperduel has been on the radar but the cost is just very high. I didn't realize that BlastWind was also technosoft so I wanted to try this one out before really going all the way in with HyperDuel.

As for 200X, the superplay dvd is not as important to me as the game, but it's good to know since I could get that instead of another copy of 10th anniversary.

[Sinful]

Hmm, so "Blast Wind isn't all that good" says everyone? That makes me sad. Technosoft didn't make enough shmups due to their pretty early demise. And this one seems pretty cool to me. But alas, that's only an opinion based off barely any playtime...

[DrMattBuckets]

If you end up liking the Cotton series you might want to look into Trouble Witches Neo on Xbox live.

[BPzeBanshee]

W-W-Welcome to the.........................................................................puuuuuuumpkingirrrrl shop!

No thanks, I'd recommend blowing cash on Blast Wind before that game any day.

[chempop]

Do you already have a butt load of saturn titles and the cave ports on 360? I can think of both higher quality and quantity of saturn games that $175 could get you.

If you want to list your saturn games, maybe you could get some better recommendations. I'm not big on the Shiki series, but I can understand why some people like it. haven't played the shooting love games yet unfortunately either.

[Squire Grooktook]

Hmm, so "Blast Wind isn't all that good" says everyone? That makes me sad. Technosoft didn't make enough shmups due to their pretty early demise. And this one seems pretty cool to me. But alas, that's only an opinion based off barely any playtime...

I don't think anyone here has said it's not good, just that it's not Technosofts best game, and it's not worth passing up something mind blowingly good like the Eschatos/Ginga Force pack.

[BulletMagnet]

Hmm, so "Blast Wind isn't all that good" says everyone?

It isn't bad, but its high price is due far more to its rarity than its reputation as a game.

W-W-Welcome to the.........................................................................puuuuuuumpkingirrrrl shop!

The cheesy English voices are part of the charm, IMO, but then again I think the same about SotN so don't mind me, heh.

[zendor118]

If you end up liking the Cotton series you might want to look into Trouble Witches Neo on Xbox live.

Have TWN already, thanks!!

[Kollision]

mind blowingly good like the Eschatos/Ginga Force pack.

exaggeration goes both ways I guess

[zendor118]

Do you already have a butt load of saturn titles and the cave ports on 360? I can think of both higher quality and quantity of saturn games that $175 could get you.

If you want to list your saturn games, maybe you could get some better recommendations. I'm not big on the Shiki series, but I can understand why some people like it. haven't played the shooting love games yet unfortunately either.

Here are the saturn and 360 shmups I own

Saturn:
Steam Hearts
Parodius Deluxe
Sexy Parodius
Strikers 1945 I & II
Segoku Ace
Cotton II
Cotton Boomerang
Twinkle Star Sprites
Battle Garegga
Guardian Force
Tengoku: Game Paradise
Soukygurentai
Batsugun
Salamander Deluxe
Kingdom Grandprix
Thunderfoce Gold pack 2
Gekirindan
Bokan To Ippatsu Doronboo Kanpekiban

360:
DDP SDOJ
DDP DFK (and all variants)
DDP Resurrection
Shooting Love 200X
Ginga Force
Eschatos
MMP/PS
Trouble witches neo
Mushihimesama HD
Mushihimesama Futari
Espgaluda II
Deathsmiles
Deathsmiles IIX
Bulletsoul
Akai Katana
Ketsui
Caladrius
Mamakuro-kun
Radirgy Noa Massive
Raiden IV
Raiden Fighter Aces
Handfull of indie shmups on XBLA

[chempop]

Layer Section (SAT) $20ish
DDP (SAT) or DDP DOJblex (360) $50ish
Mushihimesama Futari (360) $50ish
ESPGaluda2 (360) $50ish

I'd get those 4 for roughly the same cost as Blast Wind, but if you aren't looking for more cave...

Layer Section (SAT) $25ish
Darius Gaiden (SAT) $25ish
Gradius Deluxe (SAT) 25ish
Thunderforce V (SAT) $50ish
???

[professor ganson]

Your option B includes a couple of my favorite releases in recent years, so that's easy. The harder question is: Why didn't Blast Wind get an arcade release? Perhaps they realized it wasn't quite worthy? Or maybe there was an arcade release that fell deadborn from the press.

[Squire Grooktook]

mind blowingly good like the Eschatos/Ginga Force pack.

exaggeration goes both ways I guess

Naw man. Eschatos alone was worth the price of a 360 for me honestly. Not only that, but if you get the pack you're also getting JSS and Cardinal Sins, so the value is really good too for the price.

[BrianC]

mind blowingly good like the Eschatos/Ginga Force pack.

exaggeration goes both ways I guess

Naw man. Eschatos alone was worth the price of a 360 for me honestly. Not only that, but if you get the pack you're also getting JSS and Cardinal Sins, so the value is really good too for the price.

True, but I think it's important to know that Eschatos alone comes with JSS and Cardinal Sins.

[zendor118]

Layer Section (SAT) $20ish
DDP (SAT) or DDP DOJblex (360) $50ish
Mushihimesama Futari (360) $50ish
ESPGaluda2 (360) $50ish

I'd get those 4 for roughly the same cost as Blast Wind, but if you aren't looking for more cave...

Layer Section (SAT) $25ish
Darius Gaiden (SAT) $25ish
Gradius Deluxe (SAT) 25ish
Thunderforce V (SAT) $50ish
???

Whoops, I have ESPGal uda and Futari already... sorry, forgot to mention those. Isn't Layer Section "Rayforce" on PS1? I have the Gradius games on the PSP and already own TF V on PSX.
Have DDP unlock on 360 from the instant brain game.

That leaves Darius Gaiden and DDP DOJ BLEX. I'll add those to the list, thanks!

[BIL]

Isn't Layer Section "Rayforce" on PS1?

Rayforce/Gunlock (arcade) = Layer Section/Galactic Attack (Saturn).

The game's not on the PS1, however. Only the latter two games of the trilogy are, Raystorm and Raycrisis.

There is a good emulation of Rayforce on the PS2 via Taito Memories II Joukan (NTSCJ), which can be had for cheap via its "Eternal Hits" budget reprint.

[zendor118]

Isn't Layer Section "Rayforce" on PS1?

Rayforce/Gunlock (arcade) = Layer Section/Galactic Attack (Saturn).

The game's not on the PS1, however. Only the latter two games of the trilogy are, Raystorm and Raycrisis.

There is a good emulation of Rayforce on the PS2 via Taito Memories II Joukan (NTSCJ), which can be had for cheap via its "Eternal Hits" budget reprint.

Thanks, I'll add that to the list too for saturn. Looks like most people are in favor of getting more titles for the allocated budget than one game that is harder to find. Thanks everyone!