Akai Katana Shin PS4 switch

[NeoStrayCat]

Well, it was a matter of time with a PC/Steam version to be available down the line, good thing it won't be a late port like Deathsmiles 1-2 was, at least.

[Bassa-Bassa]

So this isn't going to be named "Akai Katana Shin" this time because Exarcadia asked for it (and they're in good terms with CC)? Seems sure the 240p graphics arent' here.

I mean... sure, but it's not like Switch or other modern consoles support 240p output anyways, so not like it matters here?

There's the CRT shaders if they'd really care. The remade graphics aren't "HD" either, anyway.

Akai Katana and most other cv1k games had 480p base assets that were downscaled for the arcade releases though

Do you have any source for that? It's sure that, being pre-rendered assets, they could design them at a higher resolution from the 3D models, but that's not "downscaling". More than half of the HD-era remakes still got low resolution backgrounds.

[Stevens]

Now with PC version

Just saw this and came to post. If the conversion is solid I'll buy it again.

[brentsg]

Anyone have tips about which version(s) to order from Amazon JP? I'm unclear, but seems going PS4 Special / Amazon Limited Set would get everything Amazon offers, right?

Up top we have:

PS4 Special Edition
PS4 Normal Edition

Down bottom we have:

Limited to Amazon
Amazon Limited Set
No Amazon Limited

[kuze]

I was already excited for the Switch release but it’s very cool that a PC version is also happening. May have to double dip on this one!

[StarLightMoonLight]

I'm really looking forward towards these ports, especially since I don't own a 360 anymore. I hope Deathsmiles wasn't just a happy accident on City Connection's part, maybe it's just emulated games in particular that aren't their strong suit.

[NeoStrayCat]

So this isn't going to be named "Akai Katana Shin" this time because Exarcadia asked for it (and they're in good terms with CC)? Seems sure the 240p graphics arent' here.

The official English site of the current gen port by City Connection does call it Akai Katana Shin. https://city-connection.co.jp/akaikatana/en/

The Exa arcade version is titled "Crimson Katana" (either by better or wose, for name branding/consistency, though if anything, they could have just called it "Crimson Sword/Blade" if they're just going to half ass the name, lol.)

Either way, besides the additional soundtrack for the port, at least, from what I've gathered, that they'll include the additional character dialouge that was as DLC in the JP X360 version, and included as part of the Nesica and Exa arcade versions.

[Bassa-Bassa]

Seems they indeed changed the name back to "Akai Katana Shin" in all regions after the initial announcement. Good for coherence. Now let's hope this new dev team at CC delivers, the company has a lot of reputation to regain.

[Steven]

So this releases in less than 2 minutes. Hope it's good.

Alright, it's finally out. 3,410 yen on Steam. Not too bad. Saving for Out Zone PCB, but I might buy this if it's not a terrible port and I have enough after Out Zone.

[Udderdude]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2076 ... tana_Shin/

I always felt this was something they would do someday. I bought the 360 version brand new sealed for like $15 CDN a few years back. lol

[pablumatic]

Grabbed it on Steam.

Will double-dip if I ever see a western console release. Might grab the JP PS4 physical 6 months from now if nobody announces anything else.

[Jonpachi]

Got the PS4 physical on the way. I presently have my 360 hooked up, so I'm curious to do a little amateur comparison with that one. I seem to remember that the 360 port was one of the laggier Cave games on the console, at ~5 frames if I'm not mistaken. CC has a spotty record to be sure, but if they can come in at 3 or so it would be a fantastic upgrade.

[brentsg]

Grabbed it on Steam.

Will double-dip if I ever see a western console release. Might grab the JP PS4 physical 6 months from now if nobody announces anything else.

I need to get used to doing this. I get excited, order the JPN physical. The I don't want to wait to check it out, so I grab it digital.

Then I just keep rolling as stuff releases.

[Some-Mist]

I missed the news that it was releasing on PC as well. Got notification about my amazon.jp copy and a bud brought me the news that it released on steam and I immediately cancelled.
Shin mode has been good fun so far, but there's only like 11 people on the leaderboards

[Udderdude]

Maybe it's still worth grabbing on Switch. If you like portable mode. (Does the Steam version work on the Steamdeck? Anyone wanna test? lol)

[DietSoap]

Maybe it's still worth grabbing on Switch. If you like portable mode. (Does the Steam version work on the Steamdeck? Anyone wanna test? lol)

Apparently it does.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/2076220/ ... 2504024282

[Ms. Tea]

I just played about an hour on steam deck - Shin and arcade modes. It works perfectly fine, no issues whatsoever. Only weird thing about it is that you have to manually turn fullscreen on in the menu - it boots in "windowed" mode, and the scaling makes it slightly softer.

I haven't played with an arcade stick yet, just the steam deck's builtin controls, but feels perfectly fine to me so far. No lag issues that I can personally feel. And, well, it's Akai Katana and I love this game.

[RobotParking]

I haven't played with an arcade stick yet, just the steam deck's builtin controls, but feels perfectly fine to me so far. No lag issues that I can personally feel. And, well, it's Akai Katana and I love this game.

I’m not an Akai Katana expert and am less bothered by input lag than some but it seems to hum on PC with my arcade stick

Folks,,, I think we got ourselves a dang port (now do guwange pleaseeeee)

[Jonpachi]

^ Guwange would be a lot of fun with proper practice modes and/or gadgets. Such a weird game.

The BIG one for me though is just Dodonpachi. It's like having Citizen Kane only available on VHS. 20 years on now from the rickity/broken old Sat/PSX versions...

[Steven]

I have never seen this game in an arcade, but I wonder how this new release compares to PCB and the EXA Label version that probably nobody has played.

The BIG one for me though is just Dodonpachi. It's like having Citizen Kane only available on VHS. 20 years on now from the rickity/broken old Sat/PSX versions...

^^^ this

I rarely talk about DoDonPachi, but the truth is that I fucking love that game, even if I suck at it miserably. I wish there was a good home version, but I guess I can always play it on the MiSTer. Not sure how accurate the MiSTer version is, but it is what is available to me now.

[hamfighterx]

Not to derail too much, but is the Xbox 360 Dodonpachi port that's an unlockable with Instant Brain (Cave's visual novel) the best port? That's insane if so. I actually have that damn game, but haven't gotten around to doing the unlock or figuring out how to get a save to let me play it. I always end up deciding my other options are good enough, but DDP really does need a good port to modern platforms.

[Steven]

I have heard that, and I have also heard that apparently it can be played with the Kinect, because clearly that is the best way to play the game. Instant Brain also makes me think of instant noodles. Tasty~

[Kiken]

Not to derail too much, but is the Xbox 360 Dodonpachi port that's an unlockable with Instant Brain (Cave's visual novel) the best port? That's insane if so. I actually have that damn game, but haven't gotten around to doing the unlock or figuring out how to get a save to let me play it. I always end up deciding my other options are good enough, but DDP really does need a good port to modern platforms.

It's the most no frills conversion that Cave put out on the console. It doesn't allow you to remap buttons from its default layout, you can't adjust the overscan of the playable screen area and there's no screen rotation (you're stuck with default yoko).

[Steven]

So this version seems pretty safe to get, then, which surprises me considering that this is apparently a budget release from City Connection.

How are the console versions and the Matsumoto soundtrack? I am thinking about maybe picking up a Switch copy for handheld mode. Yeah, I don't have a Steam Deck and I am not sure if I really want one given both its price here and the relative redundancy of buying one when I already have a Switch.

Also, please tell me that the borders can be disabled. Give me either M2-style gadgets or black nothingness for 4:3 games or anything else that does not fill a 16:9 screen. Nothing else is acceptable.

[Udderdude]

Soundtrack's great. Don't know about the borders.

[jehu]

So this version seems pretty safe to get, then, which surprises me considering that this is apparently a budget release from City Connection.

How are the console versions and the Matsumoto soundtrack? I am thinking about maybe picking up a Switch copy for handheld mode. Yeah, I don't have a Steam Deck and I am not sure if I really want one given both its price here and the relative redundancy of buying one when I already have a Switch.

Also, please tell me that the borders can be disabled. Give me either M2-style gadgets or black nothingness for 4:3 games or anything else that does not fill a 16:9 screen. Nothing else is acceptable.

Switch lag seems pretty good - on par with Deathsmiles is my unofficial sense.

The '22 arrange is solid - my favorite of the three options.

Borders can be turned off, but in kind of a roundabout way. You have to set the 'BG Brightness' setting to '0'.

It's good. Can't complain.

[Steven]

So this version seems pretty safe to get, then, which surprises me considering that this is apparently a budget release from City Connection.

How are the console versions and the Matsumoto soundtrack? I am thinking about maybe picking up a Switch copy for handheld mode. Yeah, I don't have a Steam Deck and I am not sure if I really want one given both its price here and the relative redundancy of buying one when I already have a Switch.

Also, please tell me that the borders can be disabled. Give me either M2-style gadgets or black nothingness for 4:3 games or anything else that does not fill a 16:9 screen. Nothing else is acceptable.

Switch lag seems pretty good - on par with Deathsmiles is my unofficial sense.

The '22 arrange is solid - my favorite of the three options.

Borders can be turned off, but in kind of a roundabout way. You have to set the 'BG Brightness' setting to '0'.

It's good. Can't complain.

Soundtrack's great. Don't know about the borders.

Alright, thanks to both of you. Looks like I might have to pick this up if I can afford get a copy or two after I pick up that Out Zone PCB that I am looking to buy next week.

I literally know nothing about this game other than that it exists, it just got rereleased today, Matsumoto-san did an arranged soundtrack for it that seemingly everyone agrees is the best one, that it is apparently a horizontal game, and that it was made by CAVE. Never seen footage of it, never seen it in the arcade, don't know how it plays, never heard the music, and literally nothing else, but it's CAVE, so I know it's good and that's enough for me.

[m.sniffles.esq]

I literally know nothing about this game other than that it exists, it just got rereleased today, Matsumoto-san did an arranged soundtrack for it that seemingly everyone agrees is the best one, that it is apparently a horizontal game, and that it was made by CAVE. Never seen footage of it, never seen it in the arcade, don't know how it plays, never heard the music, and literally nothing else, but it's CAVE, so I know it's good and that's enough for me.


It's big draw is it's incredibly complex scoring system that I couldn't figure out for the life of me, and think I successfully pulled off like twice.

[Jonpachi]

Please, Steven, tell us more about the Outzone PCB you plan to buy. You're gonna buy Outzone? OMG! Outzone. Like, THE OUTZONE. I think you should update us in every single post, because I'm really excited for you. When you get it, be sure to post in every thread too and tell us what you're NOT playing because you're so busy with your new Outzone PCB.

[Steven]

Please, Steven, tell us more about the Outzone PCB you plan to buy. You're gonna buy Outzone? OMG! Outzone. Like, THE OUTZONE. I think you should update us in every single post, because I'm really excited for you. When you get it, be sure to post in every thread too and tell us what you're NOT playing because you're so busy with your new Outzone PCB.

lol I'm probably not going to play it much at all because it's fucking freezing in my room with my Astro City because there is no air conditioning in there.