Hyper Duel for Saturn

Diabollokus · Post by **Diabollokus** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:10 pm

Whats this game like to the original technosoft series thunderforce?
Are there any replay vids for it?/large galleries as I'd like to see it runnning in action.
And most importantly are there any better horizontals one the system?

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:21 pm

it's emulated well in MAME, the Saturn version is better than that though due to the ability to use the arranged soundtrack (on the downside some of the sound has been downsampled...but it's a saturn port, what did you expect?).

Better horizontal shooters on the system include Sexy Parodius and Salamander 2.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:23 pm

Surely there are better horizontals on the system, but Hyper Duel isn't half bad. It's pretty enjoyable IMO.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:20 pm

Having played Hyper Duel in MAME I'd say that it's not a bad play, but imho you'll end up paying a lot more than it's worth for the Saturn version...it's not all that far behind RSG in terms of ridiculousness of the price it goes for these days.

As far as horizontal Saturn shmups go I prefer the Cotton games, though they've got a much less "serious" feel (and much more in-depth gameplay, go figure) than something like HD, so that one really depends on personal tastes...

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:21 pm

I personally think it's Technosoft's finest shmup ever, and that indeed is really saying something.

jp · Post by jp » Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:28 pm

IMO Hyper Duel = best hori on the Saturn. Period.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 7:57 pm

Like Bulletmagnet, I also prefer the Cotton games.
I think Cotton Boomerang is the best horizontal shmup on Saturn, from what I've played so far.

Or Thundeforce V, which is also by Technosoft , and surely is better than Hyper Duel

Diabollokus · Post by **Diabollokus** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 9:31 pm

How much are we talking about in terms of price? if its near silvergun I'm off to mame

My fave shmup is thunder force 4 I'm after something similar in terms of art direction and music and ''FEEL''

I'd pay 60-70 dollars for it though! just to own a technosoft saturn game.

Thunder force V? I don't know I just think 4 is a much better game.

Serious is the setting I prefer, military hardware style, blown to pieces not the cutesy penguins (sorry laydock

) even though that shaven balls raccoon is bloody brilliant.

Sexy parodius? price to accquire?

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 9:53 pm

It's not seen very often on eBay in my experience, but usually it's in the range of around 100$...I'm sure that online shops that have it are asking even more. As for Sexy Parodius, on Saturn I think it's usually around 30-40 bucks.

Nemo · Post by **Nemo** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 12:23 am

HyperDuel kicks ass, easily worth a Ben Franklin.

Post by **Icarus** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:02 am

Hyper Duel is definitely worth it. Not very popular with Technosoft purists for some reason - because it's often compared to their masterpiece Thunderforce series - but they really did the transforming mech shmup really well, much better than the many Macross games on various formats. Horizontal transformamech shmupping with a touch of fast-paced Technosoft brilliance.

IMO the only mech shmups that come close are Macross Scrambled Valkyrie on the SNES, and the arcade's Cybattler and Brave Blade.

alpha5099 · Post by **alpha5099** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:17 am

The best side scrollers on the Saturn are Thunder Force V, Sengoku Blade, and Konami's output: the Gradius and Salamander Deluxe Packs and all the Parodii.

I don't really like Cotton 2. It just doesn't do anything for me, the gameplay mechanics, all the bubbles and Street Fighter commands. No likey. I'll give Cotton Boomerang a chance someday though, maybe it works better there.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 2:31 am

jp wrote:IMO Hyper Duel = best hori on the Saturn. Period.

The man speaks the truth. Any game that lets you mess with dipswitches in a console game (like SSF2X for the DC) has to be. Then again, I'm a huge fan of most mech shooters.

Arcade game is great although the character portraits on the selection screen look a bit weird. Saturn mode has far better visuals, even smoother technopop tunes, and the ability to lock your aim in mech mode. And yeah, the simplicity in controls easily makes the Macross and Z-Gundam shooters on the Saturn feel like crap with their over-complexity.

Diabollokus · Post by **Diabollokus** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:31 am

$100 eh? I'll have to look into it, think I saw one on ebay about 4 months ago.

What about the play mechanics?, The weapons are they in similar style to thunderforce? I.e Hunter tailgun, blade, snake etc?

I've heard the button layout for tf5 is truly brilliant with one button per wep enabling instant switching but has this anything similar?

Sorry about the questions it hard to find any info or pictures of this game.

Last one. Length and difficulty of game? I found tf series rather easy will I beat it on hard in a day?

Thanx for replies.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:42 am

No, it's totally different in Hyper Duel. There's only 2 weapons. Ship shot (A) and mecha shot (B). The ship shot works like a multi-vulcan while the mecha shot is just a wider version of it (except type C, which has a short-range wider version of it). There's also A+B, which is a gauge-using shot that has some bullet destroying capabilities (works differently depending on whether A or B is held down first).

No other weapons (besides powerups). However, ship and mecha options are also available though they get damaged and eventually destroyed from being hit.

Length is fairly short. And like TF, the game is fairly easy. It's probably possible to beat it in a day.

For the Saturn version, you're basically buying 2 games, the original arcade mode and a Saturn mode remake.

brokendivide · Post by **brokendivide** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:52 am

Only played it in mame, and found it pretty easy - after a days play could get to the last boss.
I really like it for no particular reason, though don't think it would be worth the price tag, despite the saturn exclusive bits. Or rather, you can do a lot with $100, and I personally wouldn't pick Hyper Duel. Unless you simply have more cash than you know what to do with

Try it out in mame if you can.

Post by **Icarus** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 2:16 pm

There's a pretty good featurette of Hyper Duel on Destroy All Monsters.

Weapons in short:
There are two ship modes interchangable depending on button pressed. Fighter Mode gives you the customary tiny hitbox, and a forward firing vulcan of varying widths (depending on ship). Mech Mode makes you a much bigger target, but gives you a high powered cannon that can be aimed in one of five directions - straight forward, or one of two angles up or down. Range again varies depending on ship. Saturn Mode gives you the ability to lock the mech cannon in place.

You also have a charge attack that is fuelled by a gauge that replenishes if you don't use it for a while, or by picking up special attack items. The charge attack differs depending on which mode you are in when activated - Fighter Mode gives you an all range attack, Mech Mode gives you a focused, aimable attack. The type and range of the attack is again dependent on ship selection.

You also have a choice of two types of Option, and can have three active at once. Tracer Options are like your Fighter form, quite stupid, will hover near your ship, and fire at regular bursts forward. Gunner Options are like your mech form, are semi-intelligent, can help you by blocking bullets (although not every time), and will target and attack the nearest object.

Gameplay in short:
The scoring system is pretty simple. Throughout the game, your score will be rapidly incremented, but only if you do not move your ship. This is rewards-for-risks gameplay: if you want to score big, take a few risks and sit in one place

You also get end of stage bonuses as well. You get a Stage Bonus calculated by:

[stage number cleared] x 10,000 = bonus

So if you cleared stage 5, you'd get 50,000pts.

You also get a Perfect Bonus for 100% destruction of 30,000pts, Stock Bonus for every Option you still have at stage clear, for 10,000pts per, and Charge Bonus for how full your charge meter is, for a max of 50,000pts.

The game does get very hard if you manage to stay alive for long periods of time, although if you're a Technosoft veteran, the difficulty isn't really that tough to deal with.

Diabollokus · Post by **Diabollokus** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 2:40 pm

Ah i see, its a completely different style. No I don't like spending cash, The price tag on silvergun is dam high but I know I'll get at least 60 hours of gameplay out of it with its length difficulty and weapon system.

A day to beat.... I'm buying A laptop in september I'll wait to them and stock the thing full of mame.

Thanks for the info guys I'm a technosoft fan but I'd be better just picking up battlegaregga for that price played it in mame and used about 30 continues (No joke) with a keyboard.