Viper phase 1.... original or new version?

[o0heavyrank0o]

Hey guys, i have been offered a viper phase 1 board as payment for pcb repair work....
A title that i have been on the hunt for ages.
Problem is i actually have the choice between the original and the new version!

I have only played the orig verion, and read about the differences in the 2nd.
What would you choose???

[rancor]

New version. Old version is infuriating in that any weapon icons you pick up have a limit as to how much you can use them before you revert back to the standard shot. I cant remember if it's a time limit or shot count, but the new version fixes this.

[Jeneki]

It's a shot count. It also burns through fast enough to make Video System / Psikyo blush.

I seem to recall enemies taking less hits in original though, if someone can verify.

[o0heavyrank0o]

I was hoping it was just a basic "re-balance" so to speak.
@rancor that sounds like it would dramatically change the games dynamic?
@Jeneki enemies taking less hits? Sounds easier.

I would prefer the harder version. Unless the new version plays that much better from the changes made.

Hmmmm

[EmperorIng]

New Version of Viper Phase 1 plays much better in my opinion, like a spiffed-up, action-packed Raiden II. After all, I hate V-System and early Psikyo's "constantly powering down" design.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

When my local arcade hangout, The Electric Underground, had gotten a brand new Seibu Kaihatsu Viper Phase 1 U.S.A. jamma conversion kit running on a Low-Boy (basically half the size of an upright American Dynamo cabinet but still sporting a full-sized 19" arcade CRT monitor with the option to tate or yoko if so desired) upright cabinet (courtesy of Fabtek -- famous American arcade distributor known to carry Seibu's arcade pcb wares back in the day), it'd cost me four nickels per credit to play back in 1995. Eventually I got good enough to place within the Top 10 rankings as shown on the high score listing there. It's well known that Seibu's VP1-USA variant release is the same as that of it's Japanese SP1 counterpart of "Viper Phase 1 - New Version" indeed.

Back in the early 2000s, a lone SP1 cartridge of Seibu's VP1-USA appeared for sale on eBay one fine day -- I managed to snag it for a mere $20.50 (it was between me and another dude whom had bid on it -- bidding would slowly go up by a dollar here & there towards it's eventual conclusion) and still have it to this very day. Best eighty-two quarters I've ever spent in acquiring it for my own private arcade shmup PCB stash alrighty. It's a classic arcade shmup that hails from the "silver age" (the 1990s) of the arcades era. Like with fine wine, Seibu's SP1 based VP1-USA arcade release gets better with age.

I'd recommend in getting the "New Version" release of Viper Phase 1, the altered game mechanics and gameplay is totally worth it. But if you're a serious arcade shmup pcb collector, by getting both of Seibu's SP1 cartridges of VP1 & VP1-NV, you'll be all set with nothing more to buy.

Here's what the Viper Phase 1 USA arcade flyer looked like back in 1995 to get arcade owners/operators to buy their own VP1 arcade pcb kit (with a visual nod/parody of Star Wars to spice things up): https://www.ebay.com/itm/VIPER-PHASE-1- ... SwYHxWQJer Notice that it never mentions the final arcade title that Seibu settled on in going with the official "Viper Phase 1 U.S.A." moniker during the 1995 timeline.

On a related note in regards to the Seibu SP1 cartridges within the arcade STG genre, the SP1 carts of Raiden Fighters, Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Diver & the swan song title by the name of Raiden Fighters Jet rounds off the RF series as the grand finale. There's the "odd-ball" Chinese region variant pcb of "Raiden Fighters Jet 2000" that was released by Seibu themselves back in the day. It's interesting to learn that RFJ exists as a dedicated SP1 cart (presented in stereo) as well as a dedicated single layer pcb by itself (presented in mono audio format at best).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[OmegaFlareX]

I'd recommend in getting the "New Version" release of Viper Phase 1, the altered game mechanics and gameplay is totally worth it.

This right here. Fun game, nice graphics, good BGM.

Old version is same as above, minus the fun.

[Despatche]

This is really up for debate, or at least it would be if anyone actually played old version.

Game is clearly designed for old version, but it's not like New Version is broken exactly. However, New Version has a funny bug in stage 4 where a couple of enemies totally fail to appear, causing you to miss a bunch of points. Strangely, this group appears perfectly fine in the stage 4 demo.

USA Version, as far as I know, is based on New Version. Other than that, non-Japan releases of both versions loop, just like in Raiden Fighters.

I highly recommend that you play both extensively and figure out which one you like better. I'm not even sure which one I prefer, but I kinda dislike this game in general. I don't think it's a bad game, I just dislike playing it, same with Garegga.

[d0s]

This is really up for debate,

nigga everything is up for debate with you, the answer is new version. enjoy your free board OP

[Despatche]

Please. The answer isn't to just meme with whatever the community says, it's to actually play games for a change and figure things out yourself. This community takes way too much for granted when it really has no reason to. Insert NTSC-J quote here, though I'm pretty sure he'd probably agree with this thread anyway.

By the way, can you stop ripping out a few words you happen to dislike and trashing the rest? Would really appreciate that.

[Ruldra]

It's been a while but I played both versions. Enemies do have less health in Old version, weapon pick-ups are way stronger but have a limited shot count, and iirc the bomb has an even bigger delay compared to New version. Forget about 100% the levels, it's nigh impossible with the default weapon.

New version is the better game imo.

[d0s]

Please. The answer isn't to just meme with whatever the community says, it's to actually play games for a change and figure things out yourself. This community takes way too much for granted when it really has no reason to. Insert NTSC-J quote here, though I'm pretty sure he'd probably agree with this thread anyway.

By the way, can you stop ripping out a few words you happen to dislike and trashing the rest? Would really appreciate that.

it's not what the community says it's my own experience with both versions, please stop calling everything you dislike a meme

[o0heavyrank0o]

Thanks for all the opinions guys, i appreciate it
Im quite fond of the original but it seems like new version is the pick.

i know that i really should play both thoroughly in mame before grabbing the game board....
I just didn't want to ruin the "i finally own the original pcb experience" by smashing it in mame.

[Delusional29]

Hi, new here but I recently discovered this topic (and forum) and hoped you guys could help.

I've obtained a Viper Phase 1 New Version (USA) but I'm trying to figure out if I have Set 1 or Set 2. How can I tell which I have? I suppose I could always pull Roms 1, 2 , 3 or 4 and pop it into my burner to dump it and check but if anyone knows a quicker way, I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance for your help!

DeL

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Hi, new here but I recently discovered this topic (and forum) and hoped you guys could help.

I've obtained a Viper Phase 1 New Version (USA) but I'm trying to figure out if I have Set 1 or Set 2. How can I tell which I have? I suppose I could always pull Roms 1, 2 , 3 or 4 and pop it into my burner to dump it and check but if anyone knows a quicker way, I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance for your help!

DeL

The USA version of Viper Phase 1 will simply say "Viper Phase 1 U.S.A." on the main title screen along with the obligatory licensed to Fabtek from Seibu Kaihatsu (C)1995.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

Hi, new here but I recently discovered this topic (and forum) and hoped you guys could help.

I've obtained a Viper Phase 1 New Version (USA) but I'm trying to figure out if I have Set 1 or Set 2. How can I tell which I have? I suppose I could always pull Roms 1, 2 , 3 or 4 and pop it into my burner to dump it and check but if anyone knows a quicker way, I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance for your help!

DeL

Generally you can look at rom names and compare to the rom stickers but that will give you more luck with companies that used strict systems for them like Capcom. With this game especially since we have 2 versions of the one region already there's no doubt you should dump it to check for a new set.

[FRO]

I was thinking earlier about how much I wish there was some kind of home port of Viper Phase 1 New Version, and stumbled across this interview, which I'm assuming has made the rounds here already:

http://shmuplations.com/seibukaihatsu/

I love this quote:

—For my last question, I’ll ask straightaway: what does the Raiden series mean to you?

Kasai: “The gold standard for accessible STG”… something like that? Of course, most people can’t clear the whole game, so saying “accessible” here might sound a little strange. But hey, it’s an arcade game after all.

Nowadays there’s so many games that require you to read the instructions before playing. Raiden is a game where you need no foreknowledge, and even if you can’t clear it, it should still be fun to play. There’s already enough games out there that practically require you to study before you can even start them.

That's a pretty good encapsulation of the original Raiden games, and one of the reasons I fell in love with the shooter genre in the beginning: the deceptive simplicity, and utter accessibility of it.