Koutetsu Teikoku/Steel Empire remake coming to JP 3DS eShop

[GSK]

http://www.4gamer.net/games/230/G023051/20130823027/

Developed by Starfish, aiming for a December 2013 release. Price TBD. Will feature improved graphics (are they all-new? haven't played the original in a long time), stereoscopic visuals, tweaked difficulty, etc.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Makes me wonder if Starfish will give this new 3DS Koutetsu Teikoku port a 60fps framerate option (in keeping in line with the 2004 GBA release of the same name)? Of course, thr GBA port of KT was based on the never released arcade PCB version of the same name, hence the silky-smooth 60fps spec given to it.

And will it be slated for release on the USA region Nintendo eShop site down the road?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Despatche]

another jp link from another thread :V

http://www.inside-games.jp/article/2013 ... 69728.html

[mumu]

The page for the GBA version is still online.

A quick comparison of the graphics (from the GBA version). It seems to have the same sprites, but with non-sprite effects (explosions and such).

[Despatche]

boo non-sprite effects. why can't those die already? completely out of place in nearly every instance.

[CID]

Whoa. I play this all the time on my Micro. Stoked to hear about this.

[professor ganson]

Whoa. I play this all the time on my Micro. Stoked to hear about this.

I didn't know that shmups were genuinely playable on the micro. I have good vision for an old guy and I do like the micro overall, but small bullets on a small screen seems like a bad combination.

[Koa Zo]

Whoa. I play this all the time on my Micro. Stoked to hear about this.

I didn't know that shmups were genuinely playable on the micro. I have good vision for an old guy and I do like the micro overall, but small bullets on a small screen seems like a bad combination.

I believe the bullets on the GBA rev are slightly over-sized, at least compared to what we'd expect from a comparable console shooter. Visibility is not an issue though. I played through on a micro, I recall the last boss being intense, but most of the rest of the game was a nice walk in the park.

[professor ganson]

Interesting, I should give it a try. I don't remember the game well, but now it's coming back that it seemed a bit on the easy side.

[Hal1]

Developer Starfish (full name: STARFISH-SD Inc.) was born out of the team (Hot-B) that originally developed Steel Empire. So when Hot-B bacame bankrupt, the IP of Steel Empire was inherited by Starfish, making possible this game's GBA and upcoming 3DS eShop ports.

[GSK]

As you're probably aware, this game didn't end up coming out last December, and Starfish hadn't released any new info whatsoever... until now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDZZ8uwVBq0 (three minutes of almost nothing)

http://d-mebius.com/steelempire/

Out "late March", ~3000yen.

This new version is being developed by a company called Mebius; I've never played or even heard of any of the other games they've worked on and they don't seem to have any real pedigree, but I suppose it probably isn't necessary for a game like this, anyway...

[spadgy]

So it's still on? Great news. I've always had a real soft spot for this one, so look forward to this release a great deal. Fingers crossed on the quality!

[GSK]

Footage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_4iwfo3fiU

[Xyga]

Sound like shit and kinda looks like an euroshmup now... why ?

[Captain]

on-hit effects.

less hp on enemies (this may actually be good for some players but I hate it)

edited patterns.


Not a euroshmup but coming close.

[GSK]

Not a euroshmup but coming close.

Pretty accurate description of the original game, too, if you ask me. Still, annoying.

[Oniros]

Footage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_4iwfo3fiU

I'm liking what I'm seeing. Hope it makes good use of the 3D effect.

[Phellan Wolf]

As you're probably aware, this game didn't end up coming out last December, and Starfish hadn't released any new info whatsoever... until now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDZZ8uwVBq0 (three minutes of almost nothing)

http://d-mebius.com/steelempire/

Out "late March", ~3000yen.

This new version is being developed by a company called Mebius; I've never played or even heard of any of the other games they've worked on and they don't seem to have any real pedigree, but I suppose it probably isn't necessary for a game like this, anyway...

3000¥ for an eshop game?? A bit expensive and overpriced IMO. I wish it had a retail release for such price.

[Despatche]

only overpriced because pricing makes no sense as is.

i don't understand why a digital game has to be drastically reduced in price compared to a physical copy, the materials don't really cost that much anymore... $5 difference at the most. and surely the eshop limitations can't be particularly strict? i've seen big games released through that thing.

but i also don't understand why people have accepted $0.99 games as the only real gaming to be had anymore, so...

[EmperorIng]

Is Steel Empire really big in Japan? Is that why it gets rereleased/revamped over stuff like MUSHA, GleyLancer, BioHazard Battle, etc.?

[Oniros]

As you're probably aware, this game didn't end up coming out last December, and Starfish hadn't released any new info whatsoever... until now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDZZ8uwVBq0 (three minutes of almost nothing)

http://d-mebius.com/steelempire/

Out "late March", ~3000yen.

This new version is being developed by a company called Mebius; I've never played or even heard of any of the other games they've worked on and they don't seem to have any real pedigree, but I suppose it probably isn't necessary for a game like this, anyway...

3000¥ for an eshop game?? A bit expensive and overpriced IMO. I wish it had a retail release for such price.

Huh, I thought this was retail like Kokuga. If it comes here I'll pay $15 tops. I'm not a fan of Nintendo's ass-backwards online stance, so I try to limit my purchases as much as I can.

[GSK]

Is Steel Empire really big in Japan? Is that why it gets rereleased/revamped over stuff like MUSHA, GleyLancer, BioHazard Battle, etc.?

Not really, no. I imagine it's received more re-releases because it's one of the few original IPs the company owns that's worth revisiting.

This particular versions isn't being developed or published by Starfish, oddly enough.

[spadgy]

i don't understand why a digital game has to be drastically reduced in price compared to a physical copy, the materials don't really cost that much anymore... $5 difference at the most. and surely the eshop limitations can't be particularly strict? i've seen big games released through that thing.

I agree really. Like you say, disk pressing, manual printing etc are a fraction of a game's budget. I guess the 'race to the bottom' on mobile games has just got us used to very cheap or free digital games. I'd of course not dismiss a game because it was cheap, but at least part of me believes there's a degree of 'you pay for what you get'. Of course, I guess paying used to be rewarded by holding something (and I am absolutely a physical format nostalgia-ist/fetishist); with that physical element taken away maybe it's clear why people feel they should be paying so much. However illogical, the tangible existence of a product holds meaning to most of us.

As for Steel Empire becoming a bit more Euroshmuppy; I can still enjoy the right kind of Euroshmup, so I'm OK with seeing a slightly tweaked version of this. Steel Empire was always a touch that way, so if it arrives as a pro-Euro Japanshmup throwing itself into the spirit of things on a European holiday in a Japanese 3DS, I'm fine with that.

[Special World]

The original game seems just as Euroshmuppy as this one does. But this one looks better imo, since the shooting actually feels like it has an impact on the enemy. Everything feels snappier and more intense.

[GSK]

From Starfish-SD's Facebook page.

[M.Knight]

And did anybody ask about Europe/Australia/PAL region in general?
That Steel Empire is coming to NA is good news, however, it does not guarantee a PAL release. I think we still don't have Chain Blaster on our eShop and last time I mailed G-Style about it, they replied they had no plans.

Let's hope the pricing will be different because releasing a digital shmup on the NA 3DS eShop for 30$ is a sure way to make it bomb.

[GSK]

Doesn't seem like anyone asked, no.

[Oniros]

Let's hope the pricing will be different because releasing a digital shmup on the NA 3DS eShop for 30$ is a sure way to make it bomb.

Well, Kokuga was around $30 in Japan (a retail relese though) and in the US it was priced at $15. I'm so lucky I could get it off the US eShop before they implemented NNIDs, might be among a few Canadians that got to play the game.

[M.Knight]

You're right, and now that I think about it, Nano Assault EX was also $15, so Starfish should align its price on those other releases.
As for the NNID, wasn't it possible to register one's 3DS as a US one even if you're from Canada?

I played the GBA version and look forward to comparing those two because while Steel Empire has a cool setting and an engrossing atmosphere, the GBA version's low resolution made it really hard to dodge bullets.

[GSK]

As for the NNID, wasn't it possible to register one's 3DS as a US one even if you're from Canada?

Yes, but you can't freely switch between them like you could pre-NNID, so if you forgot to choose US when you set up your NNID you're screwed.