Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

[Sumez]

Dragon Marked for Death isn't necessarily bad, it's just a completely different sort of game, designed entirely around online play.

[Despatche]

Trying to bait me? Ok sure, I'll take it.

I do not have the time or patience to EVER bait anyone. My post was not directed at you AT ANY POINT, and I guess I'm pretty glad I missed any of your posts that may or may shit on Inti. That is all.

[Sima Tuna]

Anything Inti does is immediately of interest to me...

it's Inti, which basically guarantees that it's going to be great

Wow, imagine having taste in 2023, thank you. God, I'm sick of people hating everything with the Inti name on it. It seems to center around Gunvolt specifically, this whining about Inti specifically wasn't really a thing during the Zero and ZX days, that was mostly just people going "waaah mad cuz bad". Which, of course, is why Gunvolt is the way it is.

Yeah, I think so too. It's definitely worth reiterating that the lack of challenge in Gunvolt was probably a response to people (on gamefaqs boards and in professional reviews) shitting up the Zero games for being "too hard."

I had the chance to play Gunvolt 1-2 recently. I definitely don't dislike them. I'm not crazy about idol music, so that aspect of the game feels a little cringe to me. But I can at least respect they are a japanese dev making games that feel japanese for a japanese audience. Things that resonate with that audience may not resonate with me (like scantily clad underage girls singing pop songs that hurt my ears.) The gameplay and control of Gunvolt games are rock-solid, I'll say that much. Gameplay-wise, Gunvolt has a unique gameplay style and control is flawless. The lack of challenge wasn't even all that much of a negative. At the time I played the games, I was feeling a little lazy and using games to relax. So if Gunvolt had thrown a MMZ-styled spike instant death hell level at me, I might not have enjoyed that. Being able to sleepwalk through the game while tapping the down button does have a certain quality. And the challenge is always there if you want it (just take off the ring.)

My main complaint with Gunvolt is I think the Gunvolt character isn't as fun to play as Zero. The same complaint applies to Copen. Of the two, I'd rather play Gunvolt than Copen but I would rather play Zero than either of them. I think Inti games feels the best with melee combatants, but that's personal preference.

If anything, I wish Inti would make more original IPs and fewer licensed projects. I want them to keep experimenting on their own ideas. GV3 looks really good (from a gameplay perspective) and maybe they could continue that way with hybrid melee characters.

[Volteccer_Jack]

God, I'm sick of people hating everything with the Inti name on it. It seems to center around Gunvolt specifically

Gunvolt marks the point where Inti Creates became primarily self-publishing. Their first few self-published games were Gunvolt 1 and 2, the Mighty Gunvolt games, and Blaster Master Zero 1, and I don't think it's unfair to call this period growing pains. They really came into their own in 2019 with the trio of DMFD, BMZ2, and LAiX.

Dragon Marked for Death

Great game, with the caveat that it's built around online play and grinding missions, a little bit like Monster Hunter. The mandatory story content is 16 missions out of 32, and you're not told which missions advance the story. The upside of the online-focus is that the game got 2 years of ongoing development and patches. The current version 3.1 is dramatically better than the original launch version.

[Squire Grooktook]

Inti makes tons of garbage

Personally I can't really think of any Inti games I'd call outright garbage honestly. Not all their games are designed with hardcore arcade obsessives like us in mind, but that doesn't make them bad games objectively speaking. I'd characterize most of their output as extremely competent and professional, even when it's not aimed at me.

Also ironically enough I've often heard that GalGun is genuinely a great lightgun game and totally legit. My least favorite title (besides MNo9 obviously, and you can't blame that one all on Inti given the tumultuous and awkward dev circumstances) would be the first Gunvolt, which I just felt had really bland, repetitive level design for what it was. But I'm not sure I'd call it a kusoge.

Immediate red flags for me are 1. anime waifus are the primary selling point, not gameplay

There's no reason to assume that having waifus plastered all over it would effect the programmer or designers in any way. Maybe if it was a no-name visual novel developer or something but that's not the case.

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*ahem*

SPEAKING OF WAIFUS AND LITERALLY WHO DEVS

Had some concept art and storyboarding done this weekend for the heroine of my mecha game.



We're basically experimenting to try and nail down some ideas like having an animated HUD portrait (a "waifucam" in the style of Aleste 3), super-move cut in's (the top right portrait would be used for that), etc.

Might've mentioned this before, but the character and story is loosely based on a 2 year Tabletop RPG campaign. Still have the character sheet!

Also the tileset and stage parallax is coming along. Just got WIP Jump animation too (gonna FINALLY start on the main attack animation next)



Here's a video since parallax is less noticeable in choppy gigagif

[cfx]

Now, screen caps. I don't know how to not have them be scaled in a webpage. Click the thumbnails and then "download original image" should get the full size original.

Blaster Master Zero:



Blaster Master Zero 2:



Blaster Master Zero 3:

[Steven]

Yep, improper scaling on 1 and 3. If you look at 2's dithered areas closely, you'll notice that the pixel edges are slightly blurry, so it's using interpolation. Very interesting...

[Despatche]

Also the tileset and stage parallax is coming along. Just got WIP Jump animation too (gonna FINALLY start on the main attack animation next)

"damn, what if Ninja Warriors Again played like Guilty Gear, that'd be pretty fucking cool"

I am hoping that SP gauge means we have cool supers. Every beat em up or beat em up adjacent should have supers.

[Squire Grooktook]

"damn, what if Ninja Warriors Again played like Guilty Gear, that'd be pretty fucking cool"

: D

Thanks Patchy!

I am hoping that SP gauge means we have cool supers. Every beat em up or beat em up adjacent should have supers.

Absolutely!

After all, what Super Robot themed game would be complete without giving a score/ranking bonus for ending boss fights with your signature finishing move?

Let's just say that Yuusha-style dragon head chestpiece is not just for show!

[XoPachi]

Oh my Christ yes, the wait is about over.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL4Da9mhwAc

Gunvolt marks the point where Inti Creates became primarily self-publishing. Their first few self-published games were Gunvolt 1 and 2, the Mighty Gunvolt games, and Blaster Master Zero 1, and I don't think it's unfair to call this period growing pains. They really came into their own in 2019 with the trio of DMFD, BMZ2, and LAiX.

I couldn't get into the GunVolt games like I could Zero and ZX, but Mighty Gunvolt Burst was stupidly fucking good. And I enjoyed the BMZ games until 3. 1 being my favorite.
3 is still decent and had good boss fights with the usual good presentation of the series. But it got a bit monotonous with the Super Dimension stuff and combat being a bit too centralized on the extremely easy to land parry. But it's not terrible by any means.

[Despatche]

I'm still a little concerned that the Gravity Circuit main character looks a bit too much like an Emerl (or whatever tokusatsu robot Emerl was based on, I forget), but I guess there are only so many ways you can do "cool ninja robot" without that happening. Otherwise, the game itself looks fucking sick. People are always saying games are getting worse, yet things like Shinobi non Grata and Gravity Circuit seem to come out constantly.

Let's just say that Yuusha-style dragon head chestpiece is not just for show!

Fuck yeah. Looking forward to this. Thank you for making stuff like this and Aeon Zenith.

[Volteccer_Jack]

I couldn't get into the GunVolt games like I could Zero and ZX, but Mighty Gunvolt Burst was stupidly fucking good. And I enjoyed the BMZ games until 3. 1 being my favorite.
3 is still decent and had good boss fights with the usual good presentation of the series. But it got a bit monotonous with the Super Dimension stuff and combat being a bit too centralized on the extremely easy to land parry. But it's not terrible by any means.

I consider Blaster Master Zero 1 dull and slow and generally not very good. IMO it's not an improvement over the original, and I don't regard the original very highly either. The top-down sections in particular are abysmally slow and pointless. Completely removing all top-down sections would improve both games TBQH. Mighty Gunvolt is similarly dull, although at least it isn't as slow. And while I find those games merely dull, I think Gunvolt 1 is outright bad.

Blaster Master Zero 2 is a gigantic improvement, fulfilling the potential of the Blaster Master concept for, as far as I'm concerned, the very first time. Can't fathom how anybody who has played BMZ2 could choose to go back to BMZ1 or the NES game. BMZ3 isn't the giant leap BMZ2 was, but a refinement of the formula that improves on 2 in a plethora of ways. I don't see that its top-down sections centralize the parry, in fact it's nerfed compared to the BMZ2 parry. If anything I would argue that the previous games were completely dominated by the overpowered wave beam. BMZ2 has a lot of cool, interesting stuff you can do in the top-down sections, but all of it is overshadowed by the wave beam. That's why BMZ3's redesign of the top-down weapons is such an upgrade.

[Squire Grooktook]

Fuck yeah. Looking forward to this. Thank you for making stuff like this and Aeon Zenith.

Thank you so much Patchy-kun!

Spoiler

That really means so much!

Can't fathom how anybody who has played BMZ2 could choose to go back to BMZ1 or the NES game.

One thing I will say about the Nes game is that some of its tank sections have a certain hecticness that's not replicated in the Zero trilogy. There are long rooms where you're simultaneously being harassed by flyby flying zakos, having bombs dumped on you from above, and have grounded enemies patrolling at once. It reminds me of BIL's description of the OG Assault Suit Leynos as capturing the feeling of a "war zone". The Zero trilogy doesn't lack in the level design department, but it's more deliberate and platforming focused IMO.

[XoPachi]

I just like the methodical positioning required of Zero 1. The wave beam is a reward for not getting hit and being careful about how you take engagements. It's a good kind of slow to me like Castlevania or similar games.

[Steven]

Blaster Master Zero 1 is really funny when you have external autofire. The wave beam annihilates everything when you use external auto, completely ruining the already easy game's overhead areas.

[Despatche]

I'd laugh at a game as recent as 2017 benefiting from external autofire, but Mushi 1 in 2004 wasn't really that much further back, so...

[Steven]

There is also that Star Gagnant thing that released about a month ago or so that benefits from external auto, and so does Metroid Dread. I forgot if Blaster Master Zero 2 and 3 do as well, but if they do it's not to the extent that 1 does. Pretty sure they do, but 1's benefit left such a strong impression that I don't remember the details of how the others benefit.

[BIL]

Blaster Master Zero 1 is really funny when you have external autofire. The wave beam annihilates everything when you use external auto, completely ruining the already easy game's overhead areas.

Blimey, hard to imagine it being much more abusive than it is with the inbuilt auto.

The Scene Of A Hard Battle.mp3

Spoiler

I just like the methodical positioning required of Zero 1. The wave beam is a reward for not getting hit and being careful about how you take engagements. It's a good kind of slow to me like Castlevania or similar games.

Zero 1 burned my ass at the time for making tons of nice little QOL improvements to the FC game, without addressing the elephant in the room: its weak topdown. It basically traded one bungle for another, and then some. Instead of a "memorise the boss's location" wild goose chase, punctuated by often legitimately dangerous bosses (with subsequent runs letting you slice straight through the red herrings), here you have to clear out entire Areas, and the bosses are, well...

Actual blind encounter ~ The Ballad of Gurnahide

Spoiler

Missing a couple of the FC's best BGMs, too, namely the free-falling odyssean speed metal of Lava Caverns / Final Boss, and especially the utter mechanistic fury of the Boss MkII theme.

It's easily forgiven in full series context, though. Zero 2 was the kind of sequel I could've seen Sunsoft themselves making, had their increasingly white-hot FC action division survived to the 16bit years, instead of vanishing overnight. Splendiferous. The shock absorber recharge mechanic is a work of aesthetic genius, I wonder if it had some antecedent? So damn satisfying. Even the DLC is great.



Bugger me, I might as well make Zero 3 the last of my WTF is your problem why haven't you played these games the thread vouched for years ago series. Yet another I picked up sight unseen @ release before returning to my usual ACA/M2/BloodBoner.

[Squire Grooktook]

I liked Zero 1 as more of a sum of its parts thing, overall a charming little game and I actually liked putting hover on a recharging meter (not to say that the impact system in the following games isn't wonderful too). I think what broke me though was the true end requirements.

I wish Eve stayed flat.

[Sima Tuna]

I liked Zero 1 as more of a sum of its parts thing, overall a charming little game and I actually liked putting hover on a recharging meter

What I like about Blaster Master Zero 1 is the attempt to make the original game better in most of the ways that matter, while still preserving its gameplay where possible. I agree that it works best when viewed as a total package, and especially when compared to NES Blaster Master.

Zero 2 was Inti being given the freedom to completely make their own thing, so I would naturally expect it to be a superior gameplay experience. I haven't played BMZ2 or BMZ3 yet though. Zero 2 is on my switch and waiting for me to find time for it.

[Squire Grooktook]

I'll definitely second any recommendations for Zero 2 and 3. Wonderful games and wonderful little trilogy!

Zero 2 is probably the strongest overall, but Zero 3 is also very nice. The DLC's are very much worth playing too, especially the Empress.

[BIL]

I wish Eve stayed flat.

Gotta get that Zero Suit money （＾ω´ ）

SWEET JESUS (■｀ω´■)

Spoiler

I found the "2 save muh alien waifu, I must make her A REAL GIRL (■｀ω´■) - wait whats this strange feeling in muh pants OwO" progression kinda charming - it's about on the same ridiculous level as the NES's "Whoa DOOD! My frog fell down the toxic waste dump in my backyard" setup, but much more timeless.

Copen DLC was fun - while tying HP to freely-regenerating ammo was unfortunate, as a deliberately outre head-stomping superhero playstyle I loved him - but Empress DLC was genuinely impressive. Worthy of being a dedicated alternate character; still has Copen's "more dangerous on-foot than in the tank" theme, but the lack of free HP on tap, and the much trickier projectile game greatly smooths things out, vs Jason.

Particularly liked the hyper-armoured Birkin Arm volcannon that leaves the target actively in flames, now that is some goood shit

Can't counter-backstab when your hair's on fire, Gonbei-kun. ;[

Spoiler

That that you lousy fuckin crab!

Spoiler

Fall damage?

Spoiler

Wazzat?

Spoiler

[dojo_b]

Tanuki Justice sale price $3 on Steam right now. Blaster Master Zero 1 and 2 are each $5. I almost feel guilty mentioning to this crowd, but tell your friends.

[BIL]

Good games is good games Great games, in Tanuki Justice and Zero 2's cases!

Gave newest ACA arrival, Nichibutsu's 1985 sidescrolling action game Cop 01, a quick tryout in MAME. While my archaeology's not the most sound - again I lament Drum asploding his account! - this is certainly the shootiest pre-Contra sidescrolling I've seen to date. Absolutely relentless blasting on a Spartan X-simple plane, with a teeming procession of goons to waste. Of the same year's headlining competition... where Taito's Kage treats shooting with icy precision, and Makaimura keeps one foot in the platforming world, and Green Beret's weapons are precious reprieves from its gritty toe-to-toe slayings... Cop is an authentic glimpse of the kill-crazed, guns-blazing body-stacker ala Contra/Nazca.

Has a neat quasi-STG hook via jetpack. You're free to lift off at any point, as long as your fuel holds out; ironically, a much smoother attempt at Macross-styled variable combat than Jaleco's unfortunately clunky mecha title, Formation Z.

I do wish you weren't limited to straight horizontal shots - the jetpack seems mostly useful for taking out ceiling-mounted turrets and oncoming air zako formations - and while rampantly in-demand, your firepower isn't overly satisfying; would need to take another look. I do really like that jetpack mechanic, though; could see experts doing some hyper-audacious tricks with it.

Aesthetic is a curious one; you'd think it was a Bond-a-thon from the title screen, but in-game, you're a goober in a crash helmet versus various blaxploitation/Nazisploitation goons - which is ofc far preferable.

[Sumez]

I completely missed that footage from the follow-up to Steel Assault has been shared on Twitter (probably because I try to avoid that place), but it looks super bad-ass
Player sprite seems a little big for comfort, but if the game is well designed around it, it could work

https://twitter.com/SteelAssault/status ... 3484376064
https://twitter.com/SteelAssault/status ... 7261560833

[BIL]

Damn, nicely-spotted! I'm way out of the loop. Wonderful to see the dream game he'd described years ago taking shape - it'll play great, I've no doubt.

[XoPachi]

I'm so done. lmao
I gotta get this.

https://youtu.be/PKVj3fAsO_s

If we don't get 2009 era YouTube poops behind this, I'mma be PISSED!

[BareKnuckleRoo]

As amusing as a take on a Zelda CDI style game is, the game itself doesn't look like the combat is super compelling? Hard to get a feel from one preview video that doesn't show too much of it admittedly, but I think it's possible to have a game that plays well and feels refined while still maintaining a ridiculous art style. Something like Pizza Tower as an example.

[Squire Grooktook]

Prototype main attack animation!!!!!



Also some more character sketches!

Spoiler

The top sketches are intended for the aforementioned Aleste 3 style animated hud portrait.

[XoPachi]

I'm so happy Gravity Circuit is finally out. This like ticks every box for a game like this with me. Christ this is so much fun.
Well worth the wait.