Well, Working Designs had thought about doing the SS port of TFV to localize for the shmup fans stateside but were given the option to do the PSX port of TFV instead, hence why that version was released in the USA.Pretas wrote:Yes, but it has Ikaruga Mode, which is a much more enjoyable way to play Silvergun and not available in any other version. Chaining feels natural and fluid, rather than constrained and arbitrary.Squire Grooktook wrote:Doesn't the xbla version have an extra frame or two of input delay though?Pretas wrote:I would say that the Saturn port of Silvergun has been obsoleted by the 360 XBLA version, which is a massive improvement in every way besides the omission of the Merry Dog collection screen. I'm not a fan of the retouched graphics in the 360 version, but you can disable them.
I think Thunder Force V is more commonly thought of as a Playstation game in the West, even if it's an inferior port, because it was the only version to be localized.
Later on during the American SS console's lifespan, American speciality video game retailer, Electronics Boutique, eventually did sell the JPN SS version of TFV + Thunder Force Gold Pack on the retail shelves but priced at $79.99 USD each (I thought that price for either copy was quite extravagant enough and passed up on them at that current point in time) brand new and picking up a SS Action Replay Cart to play SS imports was another necessary $19.99 add-on just to play them properly on USA region SS consoles. So it was $99.98 + tax just to play the original SS TFV + SS Datel Action Replay cart on a USA region SS console setup...damn!
It was cheaper just to buy the WD port of TFV easily during those days of the SS/PSX 32-bit console wars era, at least in the USA. Sure, Software Etc., Babbages, EB and Funcoland sold the PSX port of TFV localized by WD at the original MSRP of $39.99 USD back in the day (some game retailers were known to tack on a five bucks more to the asking debut price making it $44.99 USD instead -- Funcoland used to do this dirty price jacking practice for brand new games when they used to be in business, indeed).
I recall buying a brand new copy of Einhander for $44.99 USD from Funcoland brand new whereas across the street at the local Target store, Einhander could be had for a mere $39.99 USD instead. So naturally, went to Target & bought a copy at that attractive pricepoint and returned the more expensive copy back to Funcoland for a prompt refund that very same day that the USA region Einhander went on sale nationwide. Lesson learned the hard way. Of course, it was hard to predict which national retailers would carry Einhander on day one of debut though -- since it was distributed through SCEA for Squaresoft anyways. Only if the current SquareEnix developer/publisher were to do a proper prequel/sequel to Einhander, that'd be ace in my book (it ain't gonna happen though).
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
). Though the idea of command actions in a shmup sounds a little sloppy. Skull Fang had them and sucked big time, but I would think that Success is a far more competent shmup dev than the almost-dead-and-rotting Data East was. It's certainly cheaper than Boomerang, but that's not saying too much when both games are so pricey. I'll have to keep my eye out for it. 
