Donpachi PCB (JP) vs. Donpachi PS1

[Sir Arthur ahf]

Hi guys!

I have the Donpachi on PS1 and I am thinking about getting the PCB

Are there any differences that justify buying the PCB (japanese one)?

I have tried to get some info, but I can't find anything

Thanks in advance,

[HydrogLox]

I have tried to get some info, but I can't find anything

Some information can be found in:
Donpachi - Saturn or Playstation version?

DonPachi, PS1 and Saturn. Which one closer to the PCB?

[Sir Arthur ahf]

I have tried to get some info, but I can't find anything

Some information can be found in:
Donpachi - Saturn or Playstation version?

DonPachi, PS1 and Saturn. Which one closer to the PCB?

Thanks Hydrog,

I know that the PSX version is closer to the PCB

My real question is: "if you have the PSX game, does it make sense to buy the PCB"? Are there any differences? (loading times apart)

To be or not be...

[Plasmo]

Yes, the PCB's worth it. It feels like a whole new game to me. There's a huge difference between port and PCB, check out youtube for some videos.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yep, it was Atlus USA whom distributed such Donpachi Jamma conversion kits to the local arcade distributors back in 1995. Even come complete with a full-sized backlit marquee (something that the JPN region DP PCB kits sold in Japan never came with indeed). One of my local arcades by the name of "The Electric Underground" arcade had gotten in a Donpachi conversion kit placed inside a Dynamo upright cab for the 1995 timeline (along with Psikyo's Strikers 1945 PCBs & Seibu's Viper Phase 1 U.S.A. PCB conversion kit running on the cool Seibu SP1 arcade platform). It was priced at 20 cents per credit. So yes, Donpachi was distributed in the USA back in '95 and was looking forward to it's eventual sequel, Dodonpachi (which was released in both Japan and worldwide in 1997). Sadly, Atlus USA (an American arcade subsidairy of parent company, Atlus of Japan) never did officially distribute such DDP PCB kits stateside, otherwise, I'm quite sure I would've played it at the local arcades during the 1997-1998 timeline.

It wasn't until later in early March of 2000 when I finally got to try out DDP properly at a Japanese game center in Tokyo priced at 50 yen per credit. I was blown away by the gameplay/game play mechanics. Swore to myself that one of those days I'll get both Donpachi & Dodonpachi PCBs to play/own. Worth the time & trouble to track 'em both down in PCB format for that unmistakeable geniune arcade STG experience that can't be replicated elsewhere.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Casey120]

I heard people complain that amongst other things the chaining on the PS version is broken and in two player games both players are forced to use the same ship .
I have the psx version but never actually played it because I bought the board about the same time .

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It's cheaper to buy the International or USA version of DP PCB and get some eproms burned to have it converted into a proper JPN region DP if so desired. Plus the fact that both the JPN and International DP PCBs look the same. It's only with the DDP PCBs, will you spot the visual difference between an original JPN and International version variant PCB indeed -- an original JPN region DDP PCB will have the Atlus logo silkscreened directly on the PCB itself whilst an International region DDP PCB doesn't that distinct visual logo applied on the PCB whatsoever.

Hobbyroms.com can burn the proper eproms to get such an International or USA region DP PCB converted into a JPN region...easy as pie.

In all the years of scouring the numerous eBay auctions for a complete Atlus USA Donpachi PCB kit with factory box, marquee and all the accompanying artworks + manual, I've never see one appear for sale. Of course, it was customary for American arcade distros and arcade operators to throw away such accompanying DP paperworks once they have had their fair run on the arcade game room floor -- that was a given in those days of American arcade STG lore. It's gonna be the occasional "barebones" DP PCB, sometimes bundled with an original Atlus USA produced marquee that appears on the auction block at best but nothing like a complete USA region DP PCB kit with oversized Atlus factory shipping box though. If you wanted one brand new, then it was best to purchase such a DP PCB conversion kit directly from Atlus USA themselves back in the mid-1990s.

So yes, Donpachi was at the local USA arcades back in the mid-1990s...makes me wonder just how many DP PCB kits that Atlus USA sold. Which leads to the all-important pressing question of why Atlus USA didn't officially distribute Dodonpachi PCB kits in the USA in 1997-1998 (when the all-English PCB variant of DDP was sold abroad during that period in time)? The world will never know except for Atlus USA and Cave themselves. Was it due to the possible small sales of the DP PCB kits sold in the USA to warrant not selling DDP kits in the USA? Atlus USA could've easily sold some DDP kits (as they were distributing other arcade PCBs in the fighting genre, etc.) Hmmm.....

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[jepjepjep]

Plus the fact that both the JPN and International DP PCBs look the same.

Actually the Donpachi PCBs have cosmetic differences too. The international release doesn't have the ATLUS logo silkscreened on the board like the Japanese version and have silver eprom labels instead of white. Also, If I'm not mistaken the USA version PCB has the ATLUS logo silkscreen like the JPN board, but it has red filter caps on the board instead of black and silver eprom labels instead of white (at least all of the pictures that I've seen of them have the red components).

[BulletMagnet]

I heard people complain that amongst other things the chaining on the PS version is broken and in two player games both players are forced to use the same ship .

You might be thinking of DoDonPachi, the next one in the series, as that one definitely does the "both players use the same ship" thing, and I've heard that the chaining is off, though I'm not good enough at the game to speak from personal experience. Not sure if the same complaints have been made regarding its predecessor.

[BIL]

Was about to post the same as BulletMagnet. PS1 DoDonPachi is well-known to have chaining inaccuracies and the 2P ship select issue (as well as a slowdown button - press it and the game slows down).

I don't know how arcade-accurate PS1 Donpachi's chaining is (I've asked around before, didn't hear much either way), but it definitely doesn't require both players to use the same ship in 2P games (and it doesn't have a slowdown button). Visually it's about the same as MAME, audio-wise it has weaker sound effects but much higher-quality music.

[gbaplayer]

do players have to use the same ship in donpachi and dodonpachi ports for psx and saturn?
in which game is chaining broken?

[Sir Arthur ahf]

Thanks a lot for the info guys

Apparently SPS is not ARIKA...

NOW PLANNING TO BUY A DP jp PCB (the international one refills your bomb account after each stage)

Thanks everyone!

[BIL]

do players have to use the same ship in donpachi and dodonpachi ports for psx and saturn?
in which game is chaining broken?

PS1 Donpachi: chaining accuracy unknown (?) / no ship restrictions in 2P mode.
PS1 DoDonPachi: broken chaining / both players must use same ship in 2P mode. Has a button for slowdown on tap.

I've never tried the Saturn versions of DP and DDP. SS Donpachi is widely said to have extra slowdown, and besides SS DoDonPachi having uglier graphics, Prometheus said its chaining is inaccurate too.

[Casey120]

I heard people complain that amongst other things the chaining on the PS version is broken and in two player games both players are forced to use the same ship .

You might be thinking of DoDonPachi, the next one in the series, as that one definitely does the "both players use the same ship" thing, and I've heard that the chaining is off, though I'm not good enough at the game to speak from personal experience. Not sure if the same complaints have been made regarding its predecessor.

I am, I read to fast and still mix them up after al these years