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[saelz8]

This game rocked my world. I was in 1st grade.

http://img48.exs.cx/img48/1742/5550nc.gif

 

[bob_arctor]

Jebus! That is insane. Only on MAME? How about Raine?

 

[Folder]

I was just thinking how GAF is shitty.
Then I read this thread, all of it.
Then I loaded Blazing Star just to watch the intro.
Now I am refilled with GAF love!

Random thought: A game with the words Radical and Ninja in it. I mean seriously guys, who could ask for anything more?



Edit:

E. Emulation/Piracy

The topics of emulation and piracy, including the technical nature of emulators and ROM images, hardware modification technology, as well as their effect on the industry as a political topic are deemed to be generally acceptable.

Linking to pirate download sites, directions on how to get pirated software to work, reviews or impressions of pirated software will all result in the banning of the user in question.

So how much can we talk about MAME/other emus?

 

[Izzy]

You can always pretend to be in posession of the arcade original...you know.

 

[Folder]

You can always pretend to be in posession of the arcade original...you know.

I own a Neo Geo MVS four slot stand up cab (SNK manufactured no less, with mem card slot!) and about 20 carts. Also a box of around 30 old Jamma boards which I can't remember exactly what they are.
I guess the tradgedy is that emulation hasn't been embraced by the industry properly. If publishers were to manage the excitement in their old IP properly, they'd have a better idea as to what is floating the proverbial boat.
And yes, I'm talking to you Sega!
:lol

 

[Izzy]

I own a Neo Geo MVS four slot stand up cab (SNK manufactured no less, with mem card slot!) and about 20 carts. Also a box of around 30 old Jamma boards which I can't remember exactly what they are.
I guess the tradgedy is that emulation hasn't been embraced by the industry properly. If publishers were to manage the excitement in their old IP properly, they'd have a better idea as to what is floating the proverbial boat.
And yes, I'm talking to you Sega!
:lol

My favourite health club's got a couple of those, along with Rave Racer, Soul Calibur, Raiden Fighters Jet and Virtua Striker for Model 3. God knows why they still keep those oldies, but I'm glad they do.

 

[xexex]

Jebus! That is insane. Only on MAME? How about Raine?

yeah, Gunforce2 / Geo Storm friggin rocks. Metal Slug in the future only it came out before MS1

 

[Folder]

My favourite health club's got a couple of those, along with Rave Racer, Soul Calibur, Raiden Fighters Jet and Virtua Striker for Model 3. God knows why they still keep those oldies, but I'm glad they do.

It's strange how you come across amazing old coin-ops in odd locations.
Long may it continue!

 

[Izzy]

Indeed. They even have old Virtua Cop 1 & 2, Prop Cycle (full cabinet) and Virtua Racing machines there. I'm seriously considering an offer.

 

[xexex]

plenty of additional info/comments edited into the 2nd page

 

[Joeholley]

Many have said it before and I'll agree: IREM needs a complete arcade collection on consoles, stat. Dragon Breed I only got to play in arcades once when I was like 13 and I never forgot it. Took me 12 years to find it again (god bless MAME).

 

[chespace]

I'm checking out Gunforce II right now... holy shit, if the Irem crew didn't go and form Nazca to make Metal Slug, then somebody should have filed a lawsuit back in 1996.

Sweet little game though. Crazy sprite work.

Going to check out Blazing Star now.

Can someone point me to a complete Irem game-o-graphy?

 

[xexex]

I am sure that this list is very incomplete and filled with error but, this will have to do until I find something better

http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/company/12898.html


---Irem----

-Known Developed Games-

Arcade Games
Atomic Boy
Atomic Punk
Atomic Punk 2: Global Quest
Battle Bird
Battle Chopper
Blade Master
Capsule Invader
Cosmic Cop
Dragon Breed
Dream Soccer '94
Fire Barrel
Gallop - Armed Police Unit
Geo Storm
Gunforce: Battle Fire Engulfed Terror Island
Gusson Oyoyo
Hammerin' Harry
Hasamu
Image Fight
Image Fight II
In the Hunt
Kengo
Kid Niki: Radical Ninja
Kung-Fu Master
Legend Of Hero Tonma
Lode Runner
Lode Runner - Golden Labyrinth
Lode Runner - Teikoku Karano Dasshutsu
Lode Runner - The Bungeling Strikes Back
Mahou Keibitai Gun Hoki
Major Title
Major Title Tournament Leader
Meikyuu Shima
Moon Patrol
Motorace USA
Ninja Baseball Bat Man
Ninja Spirit
Perfect Soldiers
Pound For Pound
Quiz F1 1,2 Finish
R-Type
R-Type II
R-Type Leo
Red Alert
Sky Chuter
Spelunker
Spelunker II
The Battle-Road
The Irem Skins Game
Tropical Angel
Undercover Cops
Uniwars
Vigilante
X Multiply
Youjuden


Game Boy
Daiku no Gen-San: Ghost Breeding Company
Hammerin' Harry

MSX
R-Type

NES
Deadly Towers
Hammerin' Harry
Image Fight
Kung Fu
Sqoon

PlayStation
Katon-Kun
Parlor! Pro
R-Type Delta
R-Types
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 2
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 3
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 4
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 5
Shinsou Kaiten: Wanwan Umi Monogatari: Sanyo Pachinko Paradise DX
YoYo's Puzzle Park

PlayStation 2
Disaster Report
Polaroid Pete
R-Type Final
Sakurasaka Shouboutai
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 6
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 7
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 8
Sub Rebellion
Zettaizetsumei Toshi 2: Itetsuita Kiokutachi

Saturn
Irem Arcade Classics

SNES
R-Type III
Super R-Type

TurboGrafx-16
Gekibo
Ninja Spirit


-Known Published Games-

Arcade Games
10-Yard Fight ( JP)
Air Assault ( NA)
Air Duel ( NA)
Atomic Boy ( JP)
Atomic Punk ( NA)
Atomic Punk 2: Global Quest ( NA)
Battle Bird ( NA)
Battle Chopper ( JP)
Blade Master ( JP)
Bomberman ( JP)
Bomberman World ( JP)
Capsule Invader ( NA)
Cosmic Cop ( JP)
Cross Blades! ( JP)
Daiku no Gensan ( JP)
Dragon Breed ( NA)
Dream Soccer '94 ( NA)
DynaBlaster ( EU)
Fire Barrel ( NA)
Gallop - Armed Police Unit ( JP)
Geo Storm ( JP)
Gingateikoku No Gyakushuu ( JP)
Gunforce: Battle Fire Engulfed Terror Island ( NA)
Gusson Oyoyo ( JP)
Hammerin' Harry ( JP)
Hasamu ( JP)
Hook ( NA)
Hook ( WW)
Image Fight ( NA)
Image Fight II ( NA)
In the Hunt ( JP)
Kaiketsu Yanchamaru ( JP)
Kaitei Daisensou ( JP)
Kengo ( NA)
Kid Niki: Radical Ninja ( JP)
Kung-Fu Master ( JP)
Legend Of Hero Tonma ( NA)
Lethal Thunder ( JP)
Lode Runner ( JP)
Lode Runner - Golden Labyrinth ( JP)
Lode Runner - Majin No Fukkatsu ( JP)
Lode Runner - Teikoku Karano Dasshutsu ( JP)
Lode Runner - The Bungeling Strikes Back ( NA)
Lot Lot ( JP)
Mahou Keibitai Gun Hoki ( NA)
Mahou Keibitai Gun Hoki ( JP)
Major Title ( NA)
Major Title Tournament Leader ( NA)
Meikyuu Shima ( JP)
Mr. Heli ( JP)
Mystic Riders ( NA)
Ninja Baseball Bat Man ( NA)
Ninja Spirit ( JP)
Perfect Soldiers ( NA)
Pound For Pound ( NA)
Quiz F1 1,2 Finish ( JP)
R-Type ( JP)
R-Type Leo ( JP)
Red Alert ( NA)
Saigo No Nindou ( JP)
Sky Chuter ( NA)
Spartan X ( JP)
Spelunker ( NA)
Spelunker II ( NA)
The Battle-Road ( NA)
The Irem Skins Game ( NA)
Thunder Blaster ( JP)
Traverse USA ( EU)
Tropical Angel ( NA)
Tsukikage: The Legend of the White Wolf ( JP)
Undercover Cops ( NA)
Uniwars ( NA)
Vigilante ( NA)
X Multiply ( JP)
Youjuden ( JP)
Zippy Race ( EU)
Famicom Disc System Kineko ( JP)
Kineko II ( JP)
Mahjong Kazoku ( JP)
Super Lode Runner ( JP)
Super Lode Runner II ( JP)
Youkai Yashiki ( JP)


Game Boy
Daiku no Gen-San: Ghost Breeding Company ( JP)
Daiku no Gen-San: Robot Teikoku no Yabou ( JP)
Ganso!! Yancha-Maru ( JP)
Hammerin' Harry ( NA)
Kizuchida Quiz da Gen-San Da! ( JP)
Kung Fu Master ( JP)
Nu~Bo~ ( JP)
R-Type ( NA)
R-Type ( JP)
R-Type II ( JP)
Racing Kon ( JP)
Saigo no Ninmichi ( JP)
Shisenshou ( JP)
Shuyaku Sentai Irem Fighter ( JP)
Spartan X ( JP)
Taiyou no Yuusha Firebird ( JP)
Undercover Cops ( JP)


MSX
R-Type ( NA)
R-Type ( JP)

NES
10 Yard Fight ( JP)
Aisensei no Oshiete Watashi no Hoshi ( JP)
Battles of Napoleon ( JP)
Blue Train Satsujin Jiken ( JP)
Daiku no Gen-San ( JP)
Daiku no Gen-San 2 ( JP)
Gaurdic Gaiden ( JP)
Gekitotsu Shiku Battle ( JP)
Guardian Legend ( EU)
Hammerin' Harry ( EU)
Holy Diver ( JP)
Hototogisu ( JP)
Image Fight ( NA)
Image Fight ( JP)
Juuryoku Soukou Metal Storm ( JP)
Kaiketsu Yancha Maru 2: Karakuri Land ( JP)
Kaiketsu Yancha Maru 3 ( JP)
Kickle Cubicle ( JP)
Kid Niki ( NA)
Kid Niki ( JP)
Kung Fu 2 ( JP)
Major League ( JP)
Mashou ( JP)
Meikyuu Shima ( NA)
Meikyuu Shima ( JP)
Metal Storm ( NA)
Napoleon Senki ( JP)
Paw Man ( JP)
Paw Man Part 2 ( JP)
Shinsenden ( JP)
Spartan X 2 ( JP)
Spelunker ( NA)
Spelunker ( JP)
Spelunker II: Yuushahe no Chousen ( JP)
Sqoon ( NA)
Sqoon ( JP)
Super Express Satsujin Jiken ( JP)
Taiyou no Yuusha Firebird ( JP)
Zippy Race ( JP)


PlayStation
Gussun Paradise ( JP)
Katon-Kun ( JP)
R-Type Delta ( NA)
R-Type Delta ( JP)
R-Type Delta (R's Best) ( JP)
R-Types ( JP)
R-Types (R's Best) ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 2 ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 3 ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 4 ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 5 ( JP)
Shinsou Kaiten: Wanwan Umi Monogatari: Sanyo Pachinko Paradise DX ( JP)

PlayStation 2
Bumpy Trot ( JP)
Gekibo 2 ( JP)
R-Type Final ( JP)
Sakurasaka Shouboutai ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 10 ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 11 ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 6 ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 7 ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 8 ( JP)
Sanyo Pachinko Paradise 9 ( JP)
Underwater Unit ( JP)
Zettaizetsumei Toshi ( JP)
Zettaizetsumei Toshi (PlayStation2 the Best) ( JP)
Zettaizetsumei Toshi 2: Itetsuita Kiokutachi ( JP)


SNES
Dinocity ( NA)
Dynawars ( JP)
Ganbare Daiku no Gensan ( JP)
GunForce ( NA)
GunForce ( JP)
Major Title ( JP)
Nitro Punks: Might Heads ( JP)
R-Type III ( NA)
R-Type III ( JP)
Rocky Rodent ( NA)
Street Combat ( NA)
Super R-Type ( NA)
Super R-Type ( JP)


Turbo CD

Eiyuu San Goku Shi ( JP)
Image Fight II ( JP)
R-Type Complete CD ( JP)
Sol: Moonarge ( JP)

TurboGrafx-16

Gekibo ( NA)
Gekibo ( JP)
Image Fight ( JP)
Legend of Hero Tomna ( JP)
Mr. Heli ( JP)
Mr. Heli no Daibouken ( JP)
Racing Kon ( JP)
Racing Spirits ( JP)
Saigo no Ikari Michi ( JP)
Saigo no Nindou: Ninja Spirit ( JP)
Saint Dragon ( JP)
Tenseiryu: Saint Dragon ( JP)
Vigilante ( JP)

again, there's no doubt that this list is not complete and full of mistakes


and, I guess that doesn't count Irem games ported to various systems ?

 

[jarrod]

IREM didn't develop R-Types (PS1), Sakurasaka Shouboutai (PS2) or Sub Rebellion (PS2). Those games were developed by Racjin, who's Atlus mostly owns now.

I bet a lot of the games on that list were actually developed by others as well, though it's probably missing some IREM games too.

 

[xexex]

so ISE didn't make R-Types (R-Type I and II) for PS1 ?

I thought it was Irem Software Engineering, the same none-original Irem that made Delta and Final

Recently, however, Irem returned once more to the console market with the release of R-Types for the Sony Playstation. Irem Software Engineering was back. 'We were inundated with requests from fans of the game, so it seemed like a logical step to convert the games to the Playstation', revealed Irem's Keith Masauda. 'It was a difficult task despite the fact that the PSX hardware is better than the arcade board. We had to recode the games specifically for the machine, rather than running them under emulation (as is the case, for example, with Namco's Museum series) but its been worth it - the games have been translated perfectly.'

edit: Jarrod, according to this page - R-Types developer is listed as Racdym, published by ASCII Entertainment
(ASCII Entertainment being the publisher is well known)

now you could well be right about Racjin being the developer of R-Types. I just don't know without looking it up.

edit: ahhh :lol I see that Racjin and Racdym are one in the same

 

[jarrod]

Racjin is Racdym actually, they changed their name to be more "Japanese friendly" a few years back. They're most famous for making Snowboard Kids games for Atlus and Fullmetal Alchemist games for Square Enix.

Delta was done by IREM's 2nd incarnation though and I *think* they managed to get a lot of the old staff back together for Final. R-Types was 100% outsourced though.


Oh and great info, I just went back and read some. I had no idea that Team Galapagos (who made Samurai Showdown 3-4) was connected to IREM too! Someone really needs to write a comprehensive book on the 1980/1990s Japanese arcade industry.

 

[hiryu]

This thread rocks. Thanks for the memories IREM and thanks for doing all the research guys.

 

[xexex]

I think I might start collecting reviews of In The Hunt. just cuz'

here's one by Intelligent Gamer Online (loved their magazine)

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.games.video.sony/msg/32c60929970fab86?dmode=source

In the Hunt
Review by Jer Horwitz (Intelligent Gamer Online)

[The Bottom Line:] Irem may be gone, but their most recent arcade releases are
still worth bringing to home game consoles. T*HQ and Xing Entertainment prove
this point with In the Hunt's incredible graphics engine and updated soundtrack,
each of which is clearly on par with or better than the best in home shooting
software released to date. Let's just hope T*HQ and Xing can bring R-Type Leo
home...

Get used to hearing the words Irem, T*HQ and "incredible" in the same sentences:
T*HQ's release of Irem's incredible underwater shooter In the Hunt is the single
most impressive shooting game released for a home game console to date.

A little background on Irem, for people not familiar with the now-defunct small
development house: their titles ranged from classics such as Kung Fu and Ninja
Spirit to the epic shooter R-Type series. When they became a Super Nintendo
developer, Irem disappointed some with a slow-moving half-conversion of their
R-Type II arcade game (renamed Super R-Type) and a few bland SNES releases.
Their crowning achievements continued to be in the arcades, where titles such as
Undercover Cops, R-Type Leo and In the Hunt were able to gather small but
devoted followings, and one of their last planned SNES releases -- the
incredible original title R-Type III -- wound up in Jaleco's hands when Irem
nosedived into corporate oblivion. Following the departure of the R-Type
development team to new development house Aicom, PlayStation developer Xing
Entertainment has taken a couple of Irem's older arcade properties and
translated them for Sony's 32-bit machine. Their second release, In the Hunt, is
perhaps the only Irem home translation to never flicker or slow down during
gameplay.

Why? Irem's shooters were always [a] harder than the average shooting title and
much too intense visually to put on 16-bit machines. In the Hunt puts you in
control of a submarine equipped with three types of weapons -- horizontal
torpedoes, rising-vertical explosives and falling-vertical depth charges. You
control your own scrolling, unlike the majority of two-dimensional scrolling
shooters in the past, and you can move upwards, downwards and to the right at
will for purposes of exploration. The waters are populated with plenty of enemy
submarines, spiked mines, gunboats and enough ammunition to literally surround
you with deadly particles. The name of the game here is intensity, as you're
constantly being challenged to dodge gunfire and align yourself precisely to
squeeze off a deadly shot or two. Luckily, the PlayStation controllers are up to
the task, and it's quite easy to put yourself in the right spot when necessary.
In the Hunt is a perfect example of what 32-bit technology can do with 2-D
software, as even the torpedoes you launch contain more sprites in their
smoketrail puffs than most 16-bit shooters could put on screen as enemies.
Screens are constantly filled (even on Easy difficulty) with targets to shoot
at, and visual effects abound. Three different types of torpedo powerups include
a special Supersonic Wave Torpedo, which creates a spiraling ripple effect in
the water that must be seen to be believed. Two-player simultaneous mode,
eschewed on the SNES for Irem titles, is here in full force and absolutely never
causes slowdown or visual breakup. Does it get confusing? Sometimes, yes: there
can be literally twenty explosions in the water at once with gunfire everywhere
and two people need to keep track of their own submarines. At least it never
gets boring!

Over six levels, you interact with both the aforementioned large numbers of
enemies and detailed background artwork which literally shatters as you plow
your way through it. In the first level, freezing lasers form chilling spears in
the water, turning your submarine into a popsicle until you can shatter the ice.
Later in the game, you destroy the most detailed pier ever seen in a video game,
taking out a moving train in the process, and you even get to go toe-to-toe with
each segment of a multi-tiered missile. The action really never ceases.

Like the R-Type series, the pace is slower than the frenetic "kill-'em-all"
style shooters out there," but In the Hunt is closer to that mentality than
R-Type ever was. This is the game's only real caveat: R-Type series levels
seemed to last forever unless you had unlimited continues, and In the Hunt's
levels are neither as abrasively difficult nor as strategically designed as
those in the R-Types. ITH has all the intensity and half the guilt, which might
be ideal for the casual player but left me a mite disappointed. I've always been
in love with difficult action and shooting titles (Ghouls'n Ghosts, Gaiares,
etcetera), so take my comments for what they're worth in your book. Making the
game a little easier are five (limited) continues and a special PlayStation In
the Hunt mode which adds a new power-up (a temporary shield), but balancing
those out are multiple difficulty settings and the fact that so many other
shooters just let you have unlimited continues to begin with.

What does it actually feel like when you're playing In the Hunt? Planes fly in
the sky above you. Boats and mines are in the water to your submarine's front,
back, top and bottom. One button controls both of your vertical attacks, so as
you're firing either missiles or explosive balloons upwards at the same time as
you're dropping depth charges to the ocean floor. The other button shoots
torpedoes to your right, and though you can't shoot left at any time, depth
charges sometimes get carried backwards (towards the left) by water currents. If
you surface your sub above the water level (occasionally possible), your rising
vertical weapons change to either homing missiles or tracking machine guns,
which quickly obliterate land- and air-based targets. In the Hunt's strategy is
made easier than R-Type's in that you never need to charge up a forward-blasting
weapon or learn how to use a secondary detaching ship; your ship's torpedoes are
only upgradable once, though your rising vertical objects can be multiplied such
that four missiles or balloons will fire at once.

In the audio department, In the Hunt has a reasonable (not spectacular) original
arcade soundtrack and a substantially enhanced special second soundtrack, which
gives the game a much more appropriate mid-'90s ambience. Sound effects are
pleasantly unintrusive, yet appropriate, and there isn't any in-game voice to
juice things up. While the audio is by no means weak, it's not the strongest
part of a very strong game package.

Are there any real flaws? Well, the levels are very long, but there are only six
of them, which means that a good player may well blow through the title in a day
or two on the easier difficulty levels. Rarely are shooters fun enough to play
again, but In the Hunt is both enjoyable in this regard and quite an excellent
two-player simultaneous cooperative game. It just may be one of those games
worth keeping in a library to play now and then; it certainly is for me.

Coupled with the standard Irem level of quality shooting gameplay, terrific
graphics and a more than competant audio package elevate In the Hunt's
reasonably familiar concept to new heights. Two-dimensional shooters have
absolutely never looked better than this on a home game platform... but now,
it's time to see Xing bring home R-Type Leo and Konami bring on Xexex, two other
sadly neglected but brilliant shooting titles.

RATINGS

Graphics: [A]

+ An Irem shooter with no slowdown? Miracle of miracles!
+ And look at all that action going on...
+ Especially with two players at once. Remarkable.

Sounds: [B+]

+ Pretty good music is made better by choosing from two versions...
+ Audio effects are all good.
+/- Nothing remarkable, but very solid.

Gameplay: [A-]

+ Typical Irem quality. Intense and challenging...
+ Multiple powerups, smooth control and two-player simultaneous action.
- Only a notch below Irem's best shooter titles; a R-type style beam
powerup with corresponding strategy would have bulked ITH up a little.

Lasting Power:

+ Limited continues.
+ Fun to play, especially in two-player mode, even after you've beaten it.
+/- Six levels can only last so long.

Overall: [A-]

 

[chespace]

Hmm, I'm pretty sure the PS1 version of ITH had a ton of slowdown -- it has to if it wants to be arcade perfect!

Played Blazing Star last night... good game but definitely doesn't feel much like R-Type, at least not as much as Pulstar anyway.

Also, let it be known now that Gunforce II is THE SHIT. I love the vertical aiming system that allows you to aim in diagonal degrees... I kind of wish they kept it for Metal Slug.

What else should I be playing?

 

[john tv]

Whoa, somehow the fact that Irem made Ninja Spirit has eluded me all these years. That's awesome! One of my favorite PCE games, no doubt.

Never forget Spartan-X, either! Oh, Thomas!

Still, my overall fav is prolly R-Type. My all-time favorite shooter, I think.

 

[TekunoRobby]

I can't beleive how many IREM games I've played!

Spartan-X

and the sequel in spirit..

Vigilante

and the NES sequel..

Spartan-X 2

Man I loved Irem games in both arcade and the ensuing console releases.

 

[john tv]

I've never heard anything about Vigilante being a sequel to Spartan-X. Are you sure? Spartan-X was based on a Jackie Chan movie called Kwai Tsan Tseh (more info here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087578/). I thought Vigilante was just another beat 'em up (though an awesome one for its time, I must admit).

 

[TekunoRobby]

I've never heard anything about Vigilante being a sequel to Spartan-X. Are you sure? Spartan-X was based on a Jackie Chan movie called Kwai Tsan Tseh (more info here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087578/). I thought Vigilante was just another beat 'em up (though an awesome one for its time, I must admit).

I was told that it was the spiritual successor to Spartan-X (I edited my typo in the previous post), it even plays similarly. Was it done by the same team?

 

[Folder]

I was told that it was the spiritual successor to Spartan-X (I edited my typo in the previous post), it even plays similarly. Was it done by the same team?

Spartan X is Kung Fu Master right?

 

[BuckRobotron]

Hmm, I'm pretty sure the PS1 version of ITH had a ton of slowdown -- it has to if it wants to be arcade perfect!

Several years back, I'd play a beaten-up old ITH arcade machine during lunch at the local deli and around the same time I was playing it at home on PS1 (with that, Irem was thus the impetus behind the very first thing I chanced buying off Ebay).

They played essentially one and the same.

 

[john tv]

Spartan X is Kung Fu Master right?

The arcade version was called Kung Fu Master in the US; the home version was called Kung Fu.

 

[xexex]

Whoa, somehow the fact that Irem made Ninja Spirit has eluded me all these years. That's awesome! One of my favorite PCE games, no doubt.

Never forget Spartan-X, either! Oh, Thomas!

Still, my overall fav is prolly R-Type. My all-time favorite shooter, I think.

John, yeah I was not aware, until a few years ago, that there even was a Ninja Spirit arcade game and that it was made by Irem.

I had Ninja Spirit on my TurboGrafx in 1990 or 1991, and I had always assumed it was one of those made-for-PCE~TG16 games, like Keith Courage or Legendary Axe. heh.

btw, the music of the first stage in the arcade version ROCKS.

 

[DCharlie]

*hugs Spartan-X arcade board*

... actually, that's a lie, as i'm not in Japan at the moment, but still...

There was a Spartan-X 2 on the NES, but Vigilante is as close of a "homage" or true sequal as you'd possibly get. Okay, some weapons are thrown in , but the game play is pretty much identical.


In the Hunt rocks hard. I love it to death.

But i was more recently surprised by Zetaizetsumei Toshi and Underwater Unit which i thought were both fairly decent. With a bit of refinement, especially of ZZT, that series could be utterly fantastic.

Shit, i forgot about Dragon Breed as well - that game kicks ass too

but the undoubted star of Irem is...

Ninja Baseball Bat Man

 

[xexex]

yesterday I was playing Undercover Cops and Blade Master - those games are VERY detailed and have smooth animation, compared to rival games by Capcom and most others of the time. awesome stuff.