Is the Saturn version of Strikers 1945 II really that bad?

[MrOldSchoolCool]

On RacketBoy, he says that the PS1 version is a lot better due to slowdown on the Saturn version. I've watched videos of the Saturn version and haven't noticed any.

[alamone]

Slowdown is really bad on the boat stage.
Just buy the PCB, it's so cheap.

[Domino]

Saturn port sucks. Good bit of animation frame cuts + terrible slowdown. PS1 has less slowdown but still have plenty of animation frame cuts. Play it on MAME.

[Kiken]

The main problem with the Saturn port is the grievous slowdown during the boat flotilla stage as well as the final boss (when playing in tate). When playing in either yoko mode I believe that the two ports operate fairly close.. although Original Mode 1 features different bullet patterns and the rank progresses at a different rate (in comparison to the original arcade game). It's not a bad port, but the JP PS1 version is closer in accuracy and goes for about the same price. I think the biggest issue with the PS2 Strikers collection is that it's forced 480i.

When it comes to Strikers 1945 though, the Saturn version is fairly close to the PCB when played in tate.

[Obiwanshinobi]

On MAME I&II were laggy last time I tried even with sprite buffer hacked out, as was Sengoku Ace. Since the latter was pretty playable on PS2, I suppose Strikers 1945 I&II are just as good there. 480i Sengoku Ace was easier on the eye than some other upscaled games I could mention.
Wasn't a problem with I and/or II on PS2 that the game(s) do(es)n't show scoreboards?

[BIL]

On MAME I&II were laggy last time I tried even with sprite buffer hacked out, as was Sengoku Ace. Since the latter was pretty playable on PS2, I suppose Strikers 1945 I&II are just as good there.

They're not. While Sengoku Ace is a direct port/emulation of the PCB, I&II are for some reason the existing home ports slapped onto PS2. Much better to go with Saturn for I and PS1 for II, if you want home versions.

[Fudoh]

They're not. While Sengoku Ace is a direct port/emulation of the PCB, I&II are for some reason the existing home ports slapped onto PS2.

are you sure about this ? I haven't done any deep comparisons on them, but the PS2 versions are running in 480i while the PS1 versions are running in 240p, so I always assumed they used the same emulator they used on the other Psikyo packs.

[BIL]

Yes - at least for II, where every frame of animation missing from the PS1 port is also absent in the PS2 version. It's only particularly obvious on bosses. Easy comparison is Cross Sinker (st6) during his transformation, which is hugely cut down in the home ports, but the pistons on Goliath (trainyard)'s initial form are another giveaway. PS1 vs PS2 vs MAME

[BrianC]

yikes. I guess I'll try to find the JP Strikers 1945 II PS1 for my Strikers 1945 II fix. I already have the Saturn port of the first game. What is it with companies porting PS1 games to PS2 with no 240p and, in some cases (MM Anniversary Collection, I'm looking at you), input lag?

[BIL]

Should be an easy find if you're okay with reprints, 1945 II PS1 got a Superlite re-release that goes for cheap even brand new.

[Ed Oscuro]

I&II are for some reason the existing home ports

Can I have one guess why? I think one guess is all I need to get this one.

[BIL]

You know it. ;__;

To paraphrase Rowan Atkinson, sometimes an STG fan's life is finger-lickin' good (LIKE WHEN THERE'S NO EXISTING CONSOLE PORT TO CASH IN ON -> THANKS FOR PS2 DRAGON BLAZE). Other times it's, well, it's just ass-wipin' bad.

[Ed Oscuro]

Why can't game developers have the same ethical sense as this guy has?

[stuminator]

Slowdown is really bad on the boat stage.
Just buy the PCB, it's so cheap.

Yeah, the slowdown on the boat stage really is awful.

And, maybe its just me, but I found dodging some of the patterns to be lot harder in the Saturn port, pretty much anything with small gaps in the patterns, Cross Sinkers' "flower petal" attack, the final bosses second & third forms, Syumi's second form opening attack.

[BIL]

And, maybe its just me, but I found dodging some of the patterns to be lot harder in the Saturn port, pretty much anything with small gaps in the patterns, Cross Sinkers' "flower petal" attack, the final bosses second & third forms, Syumi's second form opening attack.

I've noticed the PS1's hitboxes seem a bit bigger too, to the point I go around patterns I can usually squeeze through in MAME. It's still possible to fly straight between the double parallel shots fired by the vertically-descending popcorns early in Syumi's stage, so it can't be too drastic an increase, but I do notice it. According to raiden the hitbox actually does vary between the SS, PS1 and PCB versions.

Strikers 1945 II runs faster on PCB than on PSone. The PSone version has slowdowns, not as many as the Saturn version, but still some, especially in stages 6-8. It´s still an excellent port, but it´s not superior to the Saturn version in every way, as the Saturn version has better sound. Another thing that´s different is the hitzone. Saturn has the largest, PSone is noticeably smaller, PCB is just a tiny bit smaller than PSone. Only looking at tate modes.