M2 Toaplan collection

[MJR]

Am I the only one finding Zero Wing Stage 08 Area 02 insanely difficult to recover from? I thought stage 07 was the hardest thing I've ever recovered from, only to get totally bitch slapped by swarms of fast homing missiles on Stage 08.

I think I managed to get as far as area 03 or 04, if I was really lucky and was able to shoot the first few enemy ships just as they entered on the screen, and then grab the red and blue weapon, and finally green weapon. But even from there on staying alive felt more like luck, and if you die, you are thrown back to area 02.

It's true, I didn't play this back in the day when I had infinitely more time and stamina, and I don't know if I had the patience and grit to credit feed something like Rtype 2 in this day, if I tried. But I still feel like that Stage 08 of arcade Zero Wing has to be some of the most insane things to try to recover from if you lose all your powerups. It makes me wonder if only way to beat it is just simply "dont die and lose your powerups".

Am I the only one playing Zero Wing arcade?

[Steven]

Arcade 1P Zero Wing has some of the most difficult recoveries of any Toaplan game aside from Tatsujin Ou and Same! Same! Same! 1P. The entire second half of the game is filled with very difficult checkpoints, so, unfortunately, yes, it's best to just no miss the entire thing once you get to stage 5. Even recovering at the only checkpoint on stage 4 is difficult, so make sure you don't die against the boss on stage 4. Last boss checkpoint is not too bad, though.

[MJR]

OK, thanks.

To Toaplan's credit, it still does have that "aw hell one more try" - feeling, although I can't stomach grinding for longer than 30 minutes (which means having around 60 attempts.. lol)

One thing I love about Zero Wing is that even though the very first boss felt impossible, it was possible to learn and get gradually better and better. You can actually improve your skill and overcome. Modern games usually lack this element (unless it's From Software).

[Steven]

lol the first boss in the arcade version was horrifying after only playing the MD version previously.

Check out the custom mode. It lets you have respawns instead of checkpoints while still keeping the item order and shot limit of the 1P version, which probably makes it the best way to play the game, especially because M2 probably fixed all of the weird crashing bugs that are present on the 1P PCB for this release. I hope they did, anyway, especially because these bugs were already fixed on the 2P version.

[MJR]

Oh yes, custom mode. I kinda never touched it since can't read the text. I've been longing for menu translations for quite a some time, crap loads of options I know nothing about. I did notice you posting translations for Hell Fire custom options though, those were interesting.

As for Zero Wing, I did 1cc Super easy mode, and also save-stated a 1CC through normal 1P arcade. But now I'm trying to credit feed it the old school way, "like developer intended". Super easy was hilarious once the difficulty ramped suddenly up to 10 and above. I was wondering why my score kept rolling up, then I realized, it's actually more than just 'Super easy', it has Super Hard hidden inside it!

[minion]

Oh yes, custom mode. I kinda never touched it since can't read the text. I've been longing for menu translations for quite a some time, crap loads of options I know nothing about. I did notice you posting translations for Hell Fire custom options though, those were interesting.

FWIW, Automated translation does a half-decent job on a lot of the options. If you have a smartphone, the Google Lens app will just let you take a pic of it and it will attempt to translate the text for you. Not perfect but not terrible.

If people really want/need a translation I could throw one together at some point, just LMK if there's demand.

[MJR]

Oh yes, custom mode. I kinda never touched it since can't read the text. I've been longing for menu translations for quite a some time, crap loads of options I know nothing about. I did notice you posting translations for Hell Fire custom options though, those were interesting.

FWIW, Automated translation does a half-decent job on a lot of the options. If you have a smartphone, the Google Lens app will just let you take a pic of it and it will attempt to translate the text for you. Not perfect but not terrible.

If people really want/need a translation I could throw one together at some point, just LMK if there's demand.

Thank you! I tried google lens, that was awesome. I'm now off trying to play the european version with bibirus visible

[Steven]

Remember to hold up before you finish stage 4~

[MJR]

Remember to hold up before you finish stage 4~

Ahead of you!

[BEAMLORD]

What does holding up do

[MJR]

What does holding up do

Bibiru will come to screen and thank you

[BEAMLORD]

What does holding up do

Bibiru will come to screen and thank you

Ah, I did wonder about that guy. Thanks, I'll try that next time.

[MJR]

This is me trying to recover in Zero Wing Stage 08 area 02. This is madness... No! THIS IS TOAPLAAAAAAAANNNN!!!!

Spoiler

[Steven]

It's Pipiru, BTW. You'll frequently see him referred to as ピピル星人, but it was recently announced that his name is officially ピピル人 instead.

Anyway, the occasional mentions of Vimana made me wonder what could have been if M2 was doing arranged soundtracks for these. This is the result: https://youtu.be/K9FCwhY2eS8

We all know this will never happen at this point, but I definitely still wish it would. In case you somehow forgot that Vimana has one of the best OSTs in shooting history and one of the best OSTs that Toaplan ever made, consider this your reminder.

[BIL]

This is me trying to recover in Zero Wing Stage 08 area 02. This is madness... No! THIS IS TOAPLAAAAAAAANNNN!!!!

Spoiler

The vertical shielding mechanic is so good, I'd completely forgotten it somehow... coming back after lots of time with Metal Black, whose massive shot doubles as an aura, was one of those "this was made for me!" moments. Actually I shouldn't say "coming back," as I'd only ever played the MD ver.



RIP Human Shield-kun

We all know this will never happen at this point, but I definitely still wish it would. In case you somehow forgot that Vimana has one of the best OSTs in shooting history and one of the best OSTs that Toaplan ever made, consider this your reminder.

There's this distinct escalating mode Tomizawa uses to masterful effect in Space High, but also Zero Wing and Horror Story, with a plaintive and steadily-articulating, escalating lead voice, that's an absolute model of arcade tension... I dig deliberately breezy stuff like Sizzla Okamura's Saint Dragon and P47 Thunderbolt OSTs - the definition of unshakeable "sup motherfuckers?" insouciance - to say nothing of ZTT's extensive weirdpop/smooth jazz/other canon, but sometimes it's nice to GET SERIASS and unleash the fuckin fury, naw mean

[Steven]

Everyone knows about Toa-bushi, but Tomizawa-bushi is also a real thing according to Uemura-san, who describes it as a disco sound. Tomizawa's style is radically different from the other Toaplan music staff, and he's fairly easy to pick out from the others if you know what to listen for.

If Tomizawa's Toaplan music has a weak point, it's that a lot of his stuff was of similar tempos, although FixEight is probably an outlier (and his weakest soundtrack overall, if I am being honest). I'm not really sure what he did when he moved over to CAVE, but he's in the special thanks section of Saidaioujou's credits. He'll be in the documentary, which I am looking forward to, as he didn't really say much in the very few interviews he was in.

[BIL]

Everyone knows about Toa-bushi, but Tomizawa-bushi is also a real thing according to Uemura-san, who describes it as a disco sound.

Helll yeah That balance of theatrical passion and cooking rhythm, played dead strutting straight.

[gbaplayer]

Any signs, when we will get some news on Arcade Garage 4?

[hamfighterx]

Any signs, when we will get some news on Arcade Garage 4?

I would guess maybe December after DDP Daioujou is released. Possibly at the usual M2 launch livestream for that game, maybe in a separate follow-up stream. They also usually do a Christmas livestream (often coinciding with a game release).

M2 tends not to wait long after one ShotTriggers release to announce the next one up, but they also tend not to say much about the next one before the previous release comes out. TAG Vol.3 and DOJ both being announced at the same time was not very typical for M2 based on past ShotTriggers history.

[Steven]

Has everyone been playing Horror Story recently? I have, because it's too fun to not play.

If you haven't, you should. Start with B first (it's easier) and then try A, but make sure you play both of them, as both versions are very good and very different, with each having unique aspects that the other doesn't have.

Play it with someone if you can; it's even better in multiplayer.

[gbaplayer]

When will we hear about Volume 4?

[Jonathan_PSX]

Steven, zps,

You guys are masters of these games. I recently got the Shark! collection and am puzzled.
There is a beautiful M2Gadget there, the Onikage gadget. What does it mean? There's like a green cube on one side and a 1UP on the other and then there's like an area in which when you stay in (on the x-axis) the 1UP lights up and then there's this number that goes up or/and down but nothing ever happens... Do you guys happen to know what's up with that gadget in particular?

Thanks,
Jonathan_PSX

[ZPScissors]

Steven, zps,

You guys are masters of these games. I recently got the Shark! collection and am puzzled.
There is a beautiful M2Gadget there, the Onikage gadget. What does it mean? There's like a green cube on one side and a 1UP on the other and then there's like an area in which when you stay in the 1UP lights up and then there's this number that goes up or/and down but nothing ever happens... Do you guys happen to know what's up with that gadget in particular?

Thanks,
Jonathan_PSX

That's for the big planes that appear in Stage 3, 5, 8, and 10 in Sam3. Normally they drop weapon switch items (which depends on whatever weapon you currently have, if you have blue it'll drop green items, with green it'll drop red, and with red it'll drop blue). However, if you kill one while you're in the highlighted area, it'll drop a 1UP instead. According to the Crossfish guide, it's actually dependent on where the side areas of the background are scrolled, but basically think of the highlighted area as your horizontal position. Additionally, this DOES still work in 2p versions of the game, which don't have side areas at all. You can only do this once per stage.

Here's the Stage 3 1UP as an example.

As for the number, I don't actually know what that means and the Crossfish guide doesn't seem to make any mention of anything it could represent. Perhaps it'll only give the 1UP at certain values? You may notice that I also killed a few planes in Stage 8 in the highlighted area but didn't get it.

Stage 3 is the only one I go for though, because it's by far the easiest and most consistent one to get. I have gotten it in Stage 8 a few times but I'm not consistent at it.

EDIT: I asked smc about this and he had some more information. Apparently the number is the amount of "active objects" on screen, and this must be below 11 for the 1UP to drop. What counts as an "active object" isn't fully known, but your own plane definitely does. Additionally, it's based on your position as the enemy appears, not when you destroy it, which is why the Stage 8 1UP didn't drop in that video, I apparently entered the area one or two frames too late. He also doesn't think the thing about background scrolling is accurate, and that it is actually dependent on your actual horizontal position.

Tl;dr, otakebi mechanics are weird and not fully understood.

[Jonathan_PSX]

Steven, zps,

You guys are masters of these games. I recently got the Shark! collection and am puzzled.
There is a beautiful M2Gadget there, the Onikage gadget. What does it mean? There's like a green cube on one side and a 1UP on the other and then there's like an area in which when you stay in the 1UP lights up and then there's this number that goes up or/and down but nothing ever happens... Do you guys happen to know what's up with that gadget in particular?

Thanks,
Jonathan_PSX

That's for the big planes that appear in Stage 3, 5, 8, and 10 in Sam3. Normally they drop weapon switch items (which depends on whatever weapon you currently have, if you have blue it'll drop green items, with green it'll drop red, and with red it'll drop blue). However, if you kill one while you're in the highlighted area, it'll drop a 1UP instead. According to the Crossfish guide, it's actually dependent on where the side areas of the background are scrolled, but basically think of the highlighted area as your horizontal position. Additionally, this DOES still work in 2p versions of the game, which don't have side areas at all. You can only do this once per stage.

Here's the Stage 3 1UP as an example.

As for the number, I don't actually know what that means and the Crossfish guide doesn't seem to make any mention of anything it could represent. Perhaps it'll only give the 1UP at certain values? You may notice that I also killed a few planes in Stage 8 in the highlighted area but didn't get it.

Stage 3 is the only one I go for though, because it's by far the easiest and most consistent one to get. I have gotten it in Stage 8 a few times but I'm not consistent at it.

Wow, thanks a lot, ZPS! That's incredibly detailed and MASSIVELY helpful! I'm also reading the Crossfish guide and that's actually the reason I asked this question, because the author of that guide said the thing about the side areas being scrolled in a certain way hence my confusion. Very, very interesting system and a great game.
I've spent the past 10 minutes analyzing your stage 8 and comparing it to stage 3 (in which you get the 1UP) and came to no conclusions, sadly. I was thinking that maybe you didn't get the 1UP in stage 8 because the first Otakebi you killed was when you were slightly past the "zone" but that's not how the system works because in stage 3 you get the 1UP in addition to the weapons. I've noticed the obvious that in stage 3 you got a "1UP chance" message while in stage 8 it didn't appear. I had a similar confusion in Tiger-Heli with the bonus car section And speaking of Tiger-Heli! What an awesome number 1 score on the leaderboards you got there!
Once again, thank you for your help and may you get many clears and high-scores! Cheers.

[ZPScissors]

Out Zone and Tatsujin Oh are next, apparently. I am confused as to why those games are being put together.

[BIL]

I wonder if it's something to do with the odd fits of Daisenpu and Vimana, which really only fit with one another due to shared directorship. Maybe Tatsujin will be paired with one of those to offset the lack of marquee value, with FixEight also going to something else more widely-acclaimed. (no slight towards any of these games, needless to say... underloved obscurities are exactly what I want to see)

At any rate, fuck yes, balls to the wall.

[MJR]

Out Zone and Tatsujin Oh are next, apparently. I am confused as to why those games are being put together.

HELL YES. I hope this is true.

[ZPScissors]

Out Zone and Tatsujin Oh are next, apparently. I am confused as to why those games are being put together.

HELL YES. I hope this is true.

From this video they just premiered

[Sumez]

What the hell? What a dumb pairing!

M2 u alrite m8?

[BIL]

I'm also wondering if it's just a reprise of the demonstration from a while back.

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