Saturn Shooter Collection... Am I done?!

[llabnip]

I think I may have completed my personal Sega Saturn shooting collection. With the most recent addition of Image Fight / X-Multiply, I'm at 42 shooters and the list (as I scan it) has nothing left of interest. It's a little wierd... there has always been something to try for next with the Saturn - but things have really started to stall out this year (I not only collect good playable shooters for the system, but also Fighting games, Puzzle games, Platformers and other odd-ball Japanese-y games which I'm also started to run out of titles - it's getting harder and harder to find good obscure games).

In the event that I've missed something good in terms of Shooters for the Saturn, I will present the list of games that I do not own. Feel free to let me know if I've overlooked something in this list that I should re-consider. I'll try to give my reasons for not having it.

Bokan To Ippatsu Doronboo Kanpekiban - This is the game on the don't-plan-on-getting-list that I may reconsider. I've grown tired of cute-em-ups and they don't tend to hold my attention for very long. Well, except maybe the Parodius Deluxe Pack which is great stuff... I also haven't heard all that many good thigns about the game - though I'm willing to listen!

Layer Section II - I have the PSX rev and do enjoy it (more than Rayforce aka Layer Section on the Saturn) but it's never been a favoriate and the Saturn port doesn't look quite as good.

Planet Joker - I've seen 2 videos of this in action... I hate to judge a game by video alone... so I've coupled that with the fact that more than one trusted soul has claimed it to be the worst of the worst.

Skull Fang - this one _almost_ made it to my buy list... then I saw some video and really didn't see anything I'd like.

Steam Hearts - A red labeled shooting game?! To paraphrase the guy who did the Sega Saturn Shooting Special video: "I guess that's what you have to do if you make a crap shooter..."

Terra Cresta 3D. That's 1D too many.

Twinkle Star Sprites - I know some love it. I hate the game with a passion. I love puzzle games, I love shooters. The mix just doesn't work for me (though people think of Radiant Silvergun as a puzzle game but I don't find it so... so I'll chalk this one up to personal dislike for the game).

Arcade Gears: 3 Wonders. There is 1 below-average shooter amongst the 3 very average games...

Choaniki - there is no way this is getting near my collection. I have no overt problem with the content... just not in a shooter, please.

Cotton 2 - I've got Cotton Boomerang and don't really enjoy it all that much. The special buttons attacks are a pain - though at least in Boomerang you can assign them to single button presses (I love fighters, but I don't want fighting control here). I gather in Cotton 2 you can also assign them after you beat the game or meet some other criteria. I've also been told Cotton 2 relies more heavily on the chaning and scoring system and that Boomerang _can_ be played more like a traditional shooter... as it stands, Boomerang already feels like too much work for the enjoyment I get out of it. I've also heard from just about every source that Cotton 2 is easier - even on hardest... and Boomerang isn't that difficult as is. So I've decided to pass here.

In the Hunt - I've got the PSX rev which is better... a good game that I do enjoy once in a while but not one of my favs.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross - Love anime and this one looks SO cool... and I'll probably pick it up just for the animation but the shooting part looks rather poor.

Sol Divide - I have the PSX rev and it's not one of my favoriate games.

That's it...

[jp]

Bokan To Ippatsu Doronboo Kanpekiban - Fairly mediocre and boring. It has fairly nice graphics and some fun music, but other than that its a bore. Also, it has pixel-mesh transparencies, which probably aren't on the PS1 version.

Layer Section II - It looks and runs fairly horrible on the Saturn... and as far as I'm concerned its a lame game to begin with. But yeah, the Saturn rev sucks.

Planet Joker - Worst. Shmup. Ever.

Skull Fang - Skull Fang has some fun ideas (super powered ship add-on) and some decent boss fights, but it still feels very doujinish... I don't know. You aren't missing anything by not owning it.

Steam Hearts - Its not red label on the Saturn. Its yellow. The hentai was taken out. Otherwise, its a mediocre game. Very nice boss designs, but tons of slowdown, subpar graphics, and a life bar.

Terra Cresta 3D - Almost as bad as Planet Joker... the "rail-shooting" bosses are fucking retarded.

Twinkle Star Sprites - If you hate it then avoid it. Otherwise, the Saturn version is sometimes considered the best due to an extra character/level and additional graphical upgrades.

Arcade Gears: 3 Wonders - The run'n'gun is alright, the shmup is subpar, and I don't really remember the other game.

Choaniki - Gay!

Cotton 2 - IMO, Cotton 2 is a bit better than Cotton Boomerang. Cotton Boomerang felt rushed and incomplete to me, whereas Cotton 2 has nicer graphics and just more solid gameplay all around. If you hate the special moves though you might as well avoid it...

In the Hunt - Its asstacular.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross - Its OK. Its incredibly easy but has pretty graphics and interesting fights. Its mostly for fans of the anime who want to "play out" the anime themselves.

Sol Divide - Never played it.

[it290]

FWIW, I think the puzzle/action game on 3 Wonders is really good. It's a Pengo clone, but more fun than the original Pengo (IMO). The Run 'n' Gun is pretty sweet too, basically a Ghouls 'n' Ghosts game. The shooter is pretty mediocre, but I'd say the compilation is worthwhile.

[BulletMagnet]

I have Bokan to Ippatsu on the PS and I think it's pretty fun, actually...the presentation's great, if you don't mind some silliness, and while the game has some annoyances to deal with, overall I'm glad to have it. Supposedly the Saturn version is rarer and more expensive, though almost identical...if you can find the game cheap for either system I'd recommend picking it up and giving it a try, but if it's on the expensive side then you might as well wait for a better offer.

[LoneSage]

Whenever I play Skull Fang, I think "Wow, this game had some unique ideas (like changing the speed to catch up with bosses, doing SFII-esque button combos to change the position of the ship), but man oh man is it boring." Most of the time I can't even change the position of my ship..not to mention it's an ugly game. Ah well, at least the voice acting is good.

SDF Macross is slightly above average, I rarely play it. And if I do, it's just to see the cinemas. The ship's size is large and there just isn't enough action going on.

[matt]

Hah - I've owned all of these at one point! Most are now gone, but here's my 2c:

Bokan To Ippatsu Doronboo Kanpekiban

I thought the game sucked. It's easy and waaaayy toooo slooooow to be fun. It's silly but the characters have irritatng voices.

One good thing, though! The back of the manual has the most awesome artwork ever seen in shooter documentation. It's almost worth getting the game for this alone.

Layer Section II

It's a good game. Nobody would be ragging on it if not for the fact that the PSX rev is a million times better. A waste of money if you own a PSX.

Planet Joker

You are right! This is the worst Saturn shooter ever made. If you find a copy for $10-15 or less, you should buy it, experience it, and then sell it again.

Skull Fang

I thought it was kind of fun. But not fun enough to make me play it for more than an hour or so.

Steam Hearts

The game itself is pretty bland - not awful, but bland. Add in the fact that you are forced to watch censored pictures of furries raping each other after each level, and Steam Heart's becomes a painful ordeal. Waste of money!

Terra Cresta 3D.

I don't think this game is as bad as most people make it out to be. The graphics are terrible and the gameplay's a little clunky, but it's at least somewhat enjoyable. Worth trying out at the very least.

Arcade Gears: 3 Wonders.

I really like Chariot. It's a very playable game, and the graphics kick butt - classic Capcom style. Roosters is a pretty good G&G clone if you're into that sort of thing.

Choaniki

The gay thing doesn't bother me, but the horrible gameplay and annoying graphics do.

Cotton 2

Much less playable than Boomerang! The SF2 combo moves are a pain in the butt. Level design's pretty cool, though, so it's fun if you can figure out how to get around the whole carpal tunnel syndrome issue.

In the Hunt

Not only is the PSX rev better, but the Saturn version is glitchy and sometimes hangs. Publishing this thing was a waste of everybody's time.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross

The game is super easy, and you will beat it on your first trip through. Aside from that, it's a fun little game with no replay value and the animations are cool. After you beat it, you can watch the cinemas from the main menu so you don't even have to think about the levels again! Get the PSX version instead, though, because the movies are better.

Sol Divide

Even Sega couldn't make Sol Divide fun.

[Shatterhand]

Let me add my 2cents

I recommend 3 Wonders. Roosters is great stuff, and it's worthy for this alone. Chariots, as a shmup, it's pretty average. And the puzzle game isn't all that hot either, but it's a little fun. Overall, the package is really worthy.

I always found weird to have an arcade game that was actually 3 games. I think both Chariots and Roosters could be carried alone...

Steam Heart's is exactly that: Bland. It's a game that had LOTS of potential IMO, but it has so many flaws, that it end up being really mediocre. If it had less slowodowns , no life meter, and some tweaks in the level design, the game would be very enjoyable.

Skull Fang is pretty bad IMO. It's sooooo boring.

Terra Cresta 3D is horrible. The game doesn't even have SCORE. Have you ever played a shmup without SCORING ?!?!?!?!

And Sol Divide is the worst Psikyo game ever, and it sucks badly...