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Sega Genesis/MegaDrive Appreciation Thread: Alien Storm > Golden Axe
- Thread starter IrishNinja
- Start date
Hector Garfria
Member
Renovation is one of those companies that if I see their logo on a Genesis case or cartridge I always have to find out more about the particular game if I have never seen it before. XGrenadaX and Gaiares have given them huge cred in my eyes when in reality I come across more of their painfully mediocre games than good ones.
Yeah, it does look like a Saturn cable, but I havent tried putting it in my Saturn to test it.
It doesnt fit my Genny 2. The box said Genesis 2:
Can you snap a pic of the actual cable? It's possible that the store may have mixed up cables.
Ha, I just saw that recently...I liked it but it's not as good as Casino Royale and Skyfall.
Tonight I've been learning all I can about the Cotton series. It's really interesting series of cute 'em ups by Success. As I'm writing this post, I keep adding, so excuse the length and going into other platforms.
All the versions of the original (Fantastic Night Dreams) starting with the arcade on Sega's System 16B hardware, the arcade-quality and slightly altered ports on the Sharp X68000 and PlayStation, to the spin-offs; Panorama Cotton on MD and Rainbow Cotton on Dreamcast. As well as the sequel(s): Cotton 2: Magical Night Dreams and Cotton Boomerang on both the arcade ST-V hardware and the Saturn.
First for this thread, I present EGM's look at what could be the rarest and most expensive MD games ever:
absolutely sick eBay auction:
$584.99 -- 60fps longplay
Not related to MD / Genesis, just Cotton (awesome stuff).
PlayStation
$296.39 - longplay on PS1, hard difficulty
Arcade
Flyer for the original game and 60fps longplay
Sharp X68000
X68000 longplay emulated and short play on real hardware
Again, there are differences between System 16B arcade and X68000.
Man I want the PlayStation version!
All the versions of the original (Fantastic Night Dreams) starting with the arcade on Sega's System 16B hardware, the arcade-quality and slightly altered ports on the Sharp X68000 and PlayStation, to the spin-offs; Panorama Cotton on MD and Rainbow Cotton on Dreamcast. As well as the sequel(s): Cotton 2: Magical Night Dreams and Cotton Boomerang on both the arcade ST-V hardware and the Saturn.
First for this thread, I present EGM's look at what could be the rarest and most expensive MD games ever:
absolutely sick eBay auction:
$584.99 -- 60fps longplay
Not related to MD / Genesis, just Cotton (awesome stuff).
PlayStation
$296.39 - longplay on PS1, hard difficulty
Arcade
Flyer for the original game and 60fps longplay
Sharp X68000
X68000 longplay emulated and short play on real hardware
Again, there are differences between System 16B arcade and X68000.
Man I want the PlayStation version!
Gunstarheroes
Member
Tonight I've been learning all I can about the Cotton series. It's really interesting series of cute 'em ups by Success. As I'm writing this post, I keep adding, so excuse the length and going into other platforms.
All the versions of the original (Fantastic Night Dreams) starting with the arcade on Sega's System 16B hardware, the arcade-quality and slightly altered ports on the Sharp X68000 and PlayStation, to the spin-offs; Panorama Cotton on MD and Rainbow Cotton on Dreamcast. As well as the sequel(s): Cotton 2: Magical Night Dreams and Cotton Boomerang on both the arcade ST-V hardware and the Saturn.
First for this thread, I present EGM's look at what could be the rarest and most expensive MD games ever:
absolutely sick eBay auction:
$584.99 -- 60fps longplay
I've wanted that teacup set for as long as i can remember. My reproduction copy will had to do for now : (
Still, love the Cotton series in general, but its like the Caviar of gaming now. Every title is expensive.
Shadow Hog
Member
Decided to give a whirl to two Genesis games I picked up a few weeks back.
Taz in Escape from Mars... I actually didn't play, I just let the demo reel roll a few times over. Looks enjoyable enough, though; the sort of game that wouldn't win high accolades, but would've been my jam as a kid nevertheless.
The Lost Vikings, on the other hand, I put a few levels' worth of time into. I was seriously not expecting the title music to suddenly transition from Viking-ish brass to high-energy hip-hop. How did I not know this was a Matt Furniss joint going in? Love that guy's style. Plus, I don't think I've heard DAC on the Genesis ever be this crisp. Oh, and the actual game's pretty good, too, if a tad unforgiving. It actually uses the Mode button that I forget my controller technically has! Afraid to ask how horrid this must play on a three-button pad.
Taz in Escape from Mars... I actually didn't play, I just let the demo reel roll a few times over. Looks enjoyable enough, though; the sort of game that wouldn't win high accolades, but would've been my jam as a kid nevertheless.
The Lost Vikings, on the other hand, I put a few levels' worth of time into. I was seriously not expecting the title music to suddenly transition from Viking-ish brass to high-energy hip-hop. How did I not know this was a Matt Furniss joint going in? Love that guy's style. Plus, I don't think I've heard DAC on the Genesis ever be this crisp. Oh, and the actual game's pretty good, too, if a tad unforgiving. It actually uses the Mode button that I forget my controller technically has! Afraid to ask how horrid this must play on a three-button pad.
Thank god you didn't pick up the 1st Taz because that game is crap, Escape from Mars is better.
It does have issues but I have fond memories of playing Taz-Mania as a kid. I should take a look at it again to see how bad it really is.
blast processed
Member
That game is better left in the past.
Lost Vikings has some really great music.
Do the pins lineup at least? When I first got mine, it was a tight fit.
sixteen-bit
Member
That Cotton game has a really interesting looking cart shape.
PumpkinSpice
Banned
Yeah, it does look like a Saturn cable, but I havent tried putting it in my Saturn to test it.
It doesnt fit my Genny 2. The box said Genesis 2:
Just do be clear, you have one of these, right:
I replayed it...it's worse than I remembered.
Eh, I was trying the PAL edition of The lost vikings on the everdrive to check if it was optimised and I found out something funny: the game refuses to start if the console isn't switched to English/50Hz. But that's not the funny part. During gameplay, switching from 60Hz back to 50Hz, randomly switches characters! switching to 50Hz put the screen in hover mode, and switching back to 60Hz at the right time selects another character. So weird. If I start the game in 50Hz, it's actually unplayable.
[edit] wait no, it's behaving this way because I have my PSX controller adapter plugged in. Without it, it behaves normally. Maybe something to do with the mode button? Still, having the 50/60Hz switch modify gameplay is a first.
In any case, the game is sort of PAL-optimised: the music plays at the same speed in both the US and Euro release, it's actually desynchronised from the CPU clock. The screen is still crushed and the gameplay is still slow in the European version. The European release won't play on other consoles, but the lock screen is easily bypassed with a switch, and the game is completely playable at 60Hz afterwards. So I guess it's a "good" PAL-optimisation? it's optimised for 50Hz but it isn't fucked up at 60Hz like Aladdin or Legend of Oasis; best of both worlds I guess.
[edit2] uh, the PSX controller adapter is actually crazy on anything 50Hz? I never noticed that before. it seems the directions are pressed at random at 50Hz, but it behaves normally as soon as the switch is back to 60Hz. Really strange.
[edit] wait no, it's behaving this way because I have my PSX controller adapter plugged in. Without it, it behaves normally. Maybe something to do with the mode button? Still, having the 50/60Hz switch modify gameplay is a first.
In any case, the game is sort of PAL-optimised: the music plays at the same speed in both the US and Euro release, it's actually desynchronised from the CPU clock. The screen is still crushed and the gameplay is still slow in the European version. The European release won't play on other consoles, but the lock screen is easily bypassed with a switch, and the game is completely playable at 60Hz afterwards. So I guess it's a "good" PAL-optimisation? it's optimised for 50Hz but it isn't fucked up at 60Hz like Aladdin or Legend of Oasis; best of both worlds I guess.
[edit2] uh, the PSX controller adapter is actually crazy on anything 50Hz? I never noticed that before. it seems the directions are pressed at random at 50Hz, but it behaves normally as soon as the switch is back to 60Hz. Really strange.
Cotton series is great in its own right, more traditional shmups than the Fantasy Zone series even though they're cute 'em ups, along with the Parodius and TwinBee series.
Shadow Hog
Member
I mean, Taz-Mania on the Genesis still looks better than Taz-Mania on the Game Gear
blast processed
Member
Taz Mania: Escape from Mars on the Game Gear is better than the original Taz on the Genesis.
Sixfortyfive
He who pursues two rabbits gets two rabbits.
Wait... What? Hold up. Tell me about this movie... Maybe I need to know if I should get ready for the impending Genesis collector apocalypse...
You heard of the book Console Wars right? It's about the Sega of America's attempts to battle Nintendo's SNES in the US.
Well, Seth Rogen will produce a movie on it. Given that the Genesis will be the subject in a mainstream Hollywood film, I wonder if it will capture peoples interest and retro game sellers will boost up the Genesis game prices to capitalize on it.
Well, Seth Rogen will produce a movie on it. Given that the Genesis will be the subject in a mainstream Hollywood film, I wonder if it will capture peoples interest and retro game sellers will boost up the Genesis game prices to capitalize on it.
Jonneh3003
Banned
Can anyone make any of the Mega CD games out? Hopefully picking this up tomorrow and I swear one says Snatcher...
Evaluating it against other spine shot of Snatcher i'm 80% sure it is!
sixteen-bit
Member
Yes. The film will also run 17% slower.
Jonneh3003
Banned
Oh man i'm excited, i've been messaging the guy but he hasn't replied yet. It's only £100 for the lot!
PumpkinSpice
Banned
It will also be stretched out horizontally, come out 2 years late, and cost 3x as much.
People are flaky as hell, good luck.
Jonneh3003
Banned
Jonneh3003
Banned
Good news: i'm alive.
Better news: BAM
All from that joblot!
Better picture coming tomorrow!
Ended up paying £200 rather than £100 as someone told him Snatcher was rare but 200 is basically nothing for this!
Better news: BAM
All from that joblot!
Better picture coming tomorrow!
Ended up paying £200 rather than £100 as someone told him Snatcher was rare but 200 is basically nothing for this!
Good news: i'm alive.
Better news: BAM
All from that joblot!
Better picture coming tomorrow!
Snatcher AND Earthworm Jim CD? Whew man, nice.
Jonneh3003
Banned
IrishNinja
Member
so im a little more than halfway through Crusader of Centy, and it kinda bums me out that the US version's so pricey & so few have played it, because it's it's really great - boss fights & some puzzles can be basic, and the OST has some weak parts, but what's going on here with themes & the perspectives the game shows you as it goes are really cool, especially for its time. it's weird that my mind falls on Terranigma once in a while, prolly the eco-friendly stuff and how much i wish id've played this in the day/how happy i am to now
man fuck YT personalities and fuck this guy, it's great! SNES version looks a bit better but i think most of the difference is the HUD/mini-map and screen real estate, as i recall. it's a classic regardless! but you totally should have the 6 button controller for so many reasons
i like it - it wouldn't make my top 10 genesis SHMUPs but that's cause it was a beast of a system for the genre
yeah i havent put much time on taz mars either, but Lost Vikings really did surprise me as well - i recall a few mags talking it up in the day, but playing it so much later, it was really going for some cool puzzles. i can see that one getting pretty difficult as it goes along, though
goddamn m'man, congrats! not just expensive stuff here, but real greats at that...you've got a lot of awesome gaming ahead of you!
man fuck YT personalities and fuck this guy, it's great! SNES version looks a bit better but i think most of the difference is the HUD/mini-map and screen real estate, as i recall. it's a classic regardless! but you totally should have the 6 button controller for so many reasons
How does this game stack up guys?
i like it - it wouldn't make my top 10 genesis SHMUPs but that's cause it was a beast of a system for the genre
yeah i havent put much time on taz mars either, but Lost Vikings really did surprise me as well - i recall a few mags talking it up in the day, but playing it so much later, it was really going for some cool puzzles. i can see that one getting pretty difficult as it goes along, though
Good news: i'm alive.
Better news: BAM
All from that joblot!
Better picture coming tomorrow!
Ended up paying £200 rather than £100 as someone told him Snatcher was rare but 200 is basically nothing for this!
goddamn m'man, congrats! not just expensive stuff here, but real greats at that...you've got a lot of awesome gaming ahead of you!
This is how most (all?) SunSoft Mega Drive carts look like! It's the same for Batman, Flashblack, and Lemmings.
The little boxes they come in are also fantastic. Cotton is an exception for some reason, maybe they insisted on having full size artwork & manual.
sixteen-bit
Member
I wasn't aware of that. Are Sunsoft carts any different looking in North America as well?
Doesn't look that way... Can't recall any being different in the US market, other than EA/Accolade due to circumventing the license. In Japan, SunSoft wasn't alone there either. Taito carts are also fairly different (smooth, no ridges) and Capcom's have a textured kind of finish that makes them look matte (in addition to having the Capcom logo in the back where you usually get Sega's).
IrishNinja
Member
what ive played of the Cotton series has been a blast, but the # 1 sega cute-em-up in my heart remains fantasy zone~
sixteen-bit
Member
Konami carts are a bit different in NA with the Konami logo in the back. Same with Namco I believe. Some Acclaim carts use different screws I wanna say too. And of course Codemasters carts have a completely different design.