So I recently got to play this gem from 1988 for this first time in my life, albeit on the 3DS (great version btw). I have to say, it's without the shadow of a doubt the king of all Sega Super Scaler titles. No matter whether it's After Burner II, Space Harrier, Hang-On or OutRun - they all can't touch this.
There were many versions and releases over the years, sadly most of them did not live up to the high standard of the arcade experience thanks to the powerful Sega Y Board Hardware that even gave a 32-bit home console like the Saturn a run for its' money. It all started in the arcade of course but they also released this on the Saturn, Playstation 2, PC, Nintendo 3DS eShop, Amiga, Genesis, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Wii Shop & FM Towns.
And so there's potentially a lot to talk about here. I would love to hear some experiences, especially from those who had the opportunity to play the arcade version and I'd also like to collect any worthwhile info on this thing here that you might have.
Playthough (MAME, I think):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtqw44ixOgQ
Deluxe Arace Cabinet in Action (pic related):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9spzvHhnJso
>>2814334
Correction: That pic is of the Super Deluxe Type. The were 2 more. Seen here.
Spec Page for the SEGA Y BOARD HARDWARE
http://system16.com/hardware.php?id=699
Main CPU : 3 x MC68000 @ 12.5 MHz
Sound CPU : Z80 @ 4 MHz
Sound chip : YM2151 @ 4 MHz & SegaPCM @ 15.625 MHz
Max Colours : 16384 (4bpp - 16 per sprite, which go through a 16->512 indirection table), then selects which 512 color bank to take from 4096. This is used to do colour rotations (the red-yellow rotation of the lava sprites from Galaxy force for instance) without changing the color palette, also allows it to have sprites that rotate colors and sprites that don't on the same screen, and to get different levels of luminosity as well
Sprite Structure : Uses a linked list of sprites (each sprite includes the number of the next one)
Video resoution : 320 x 224
Board composition : CPU board + Video board
Board Features : 3 68K, nicknamed M, X and Y.
You have a sky gradiant, a first sprite layer which plugs into a full-screen rotation (seen in the the power drift/galaxy force screen tilt), then a second sprite layer (outrun type) on top of them which has priority, and they have full sprite zooming and scaling on both sprite planes.
This hardware uses no tiles at all.
Soundtrack (Arcade):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnCEMAnkXrw&list=PL96B32A1B58CA31AB
Playthrough of the 3DS version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6Lk37qheU8
Really great port I want to add. Runs at 60 fps in 3D with updated graphics. The sprites are higher res than on arcade and don't pixelate when getting zoomed in on, and there's transparency effects too which together with the 3D helps visibility immensly to say the least.
There's also the unaltered arcade graphics as an unlockable for beating the game. And arcade cabinet simulation mode. Difficulty settings, save states etc. All that.
>>2814334
The super deluxe cab is godly. There used to be one in Reno, Nevada at the Silver Legacy casino. I sunk so much fucking cash into that thing. They actually had a really cool arcade there, lots of Sega stuff. They had Virtual On as well.
I got the 3DS port too. Really cool. Also really hard. I can't get through the cave in the second stage without running out of fuel. Tips?
>>2816307
So you got to play it on the Super Deluxe Cabinet then? Man, I'm jealous.
When was this? I see the Casino opened in 1995. I mean at that point the game had already been out for ~7 years and I bet it still was pretty mind blowing. Especially with that crazy cabinet. That Japanese guy in the OP wearing a helmet cracks me up. So rad.
>>2816318
Yeah, it's pretty tough all right. Being a single player arcade title it's designed to suck as much money out of you as possible, right?
So, it's a race against the clock. You're basically in danger of running out of time aka energy/fuel.
I can get to level 4 reliably, sometimes level 5 but i haven't finished it yet with the default settings.
My tips for improving would be:
- Hold down the boost button basically all the time. There are very few instances where you need to let go of it. Only during the 'right and left turns' and even some of those you can power through if you get them right.
- Never brake unless you're about to really crash into a wall cause you can get stuck.
- Don't get hit, it slows you down and costs enegery/fuel so it's doubly bad
- Never let go of the auto-fire button and use the lock-on rockets constantly. Don't use them sparingly. As soon as you get targets locked fire and forget, scan for the next ones.
- Kills get you energy/fuel that you get at checkpoints in every level from 2 upwards and again in the end. So memorize enemy patterns to kill as many as possible to extend your time and stay in the air.
Hope this helps at least a bit.
>>2816337
Oh yeah, I read that interview before. Should've linked that. It's fascinating isn't it? This game seems like it shouldn't run this well on the 3DS. They did an excellent job.
>>2816363
M2 for you. So much love and passion goes into the ports. I'd love to see them do more. Everything M2 touches is gold.
>>2816370
Yes, it's basically really all I play on my 3DS XL - Sega 3D classics. I do not own all of them yet. I hope Power Drift will be released outside of Japan. It looks like it could be fun but I have never played it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4oiX9BY6Ew
>>2816357
The last time I was there was 2003, and the super deluxe cab was definitely still there.. I can't even see any references to them having an arcade anymore...
And to elaborate on the super deluxe cabinet a bit more, it actually moves around quite a bit, more than it looks capable of in that flyer. They had it in the back corner of the arcade with ropes around it so no one would get too close. It moves around in a circular motion and it tilts up and down. It must have been pretty well made because it was old by the time I was there playing it, and it didn't have that sort of... laggy motion that simulators like that get over time. It was definitely a cool way to play the game. My parents gambled a fair amount, but I never really minded because of the arcades that went hand in hand with casinos. Its been over a decade so unfortunately I don't really have the memories to go into explicit detail. I seem to recall that they still charged about a buck a game on it at that point, though. It actually seems strange to me now that I hadn't sought this game out since I had so much fun with it. I may have to check it out on one of the consoles listed in the OP and see if it jars any memories.
I've got the Saturn version, which I love, so is there much reason to get the 3DS version? I know the Saturn version isn't quite arcade perfect (30fps vs the arcade's 60 IIRC) but how about the 3DS one?
>>2818942
>>2818960
Thank you for sharing. I didn't find any info on whether or not there's still is an arcade in the Silver Legacy either.
About the super deluxe cabinet. Reportedly it has a 335° turning radius and tilts fowards and backwards 15°. I remembered reading these facts somewhere after your description - probably on this site:
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/galaxyforce/galaxyforce.htm
You're correct about the high price per game as well it seems. I read that some arcades charged as much as 2 dollars per go and that even in arcades that would regularly have free-play sessions, this thing was usually always excluded from that and discounted at best.
Found some more to share - "A Shrine to Sega's Classic 3d-scaling Arcade Shooter"
http://www.overclocked.org/galforce2/index.htm
Youtube as well - 1st guy is reapairing a unit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjHI5GmDJ6A
2nd just doing some testing on one, not too exciting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bZfY-LK10U
>>2818972
If you enjoy the Saturn version and you already own a 3DS then I can recommend getting that port without reservations. Saturn version can't hold a candle to the M2 port as far as I have read.
- 60 fps in even in 3D
- updated graphics (higher resolution sprites than even the arcade version, no pixelation on zoom in, transparency effects)
- unaltered classic graphicss are still included as an option
- arcade cabinet simulation mode
- difficulty settings
- save states etc
- configurable button layout
- sound options
I already wrote all of this here >>2814395. Overall it's a fantastic version of this game. Probably the best you can own at home.
>>2814353
based ym2151 is in every awesome game.
>>2818972
The Saturn port has problems simmilar to the PS2 port, 30fps, compressed sprites and a poorly emulated scaling. The 3ds port is the only version I'd recommend other than playing it on MAME. The 3ds is also the only place to get good versions of Super Thunder Blade and Power Drift, due to the ports being handled by competent developers for once.
I have the PS2 SEGA AGES port and the Neo Mode is amazing! 480p with 16:9 and so many different options. Its pushes the ps2 hardware since M2 is a freaking God because most degelopers wouldn't do that. I wish there was a way to listen to the SST arrange soundtrack
For the people who recommended the fucking 3DS version.. seriously
Thank you.
>>2819320
It's great, right? The only real downside is that M2 started adding more extras to later 3D Classics, and Galaxy Force II kind of missed out on that love.
>>2819389
Surprised how well the game runs and feels in 60fps. Port is pretty flawless.
The CPP controls are a nice touch.
>>2819395
Have fun trying to beat it on the default settings. It's pretty tough. I think you need at least 1000 points left going into hyperspace and I can't even beat the mission before that.
Also, little fact I found on segaretro.org
>Hyperspace can only be accessed once the previous five levels are complete. In the arcade version of Galaxy Force II, if you die on this level, the game is over — on previous levels you have the option to continue (except in the Japanese version), but this one will send you back to the title screen regardless of how many credits you have.
They have a lot of promo material, box art scans and the like on there. Worth checking out.
The Japanese Mega Drive (Genesis) box art is pretty cool.
>>2819427
Can't show those shiny nipples anywhere outside of Japan of course.
I just read the 3DS digital game manual and it even supports the Circle Pad Pro! What are they doing over there M2?! That is just awesome!
Regarding gameplay tips in my earlier post >>2816357
Manual says that you only loose energy/fuel if you're hit once your shield is down. Also, power up missiles do more damage and 6 instead of 4 can be fired simultaneously. But supply is limited of course. You only get 60 at a time.
Almost beat this fucker yesterday. Managed to finish the first level with more energy than I started with even - still died in hyperspace. Started that one with more than 700 energy left - not a chance, there are no checkpoints in that last level. You don't get any energy back. Right before that though there's a hangar in level 5 with A LOT of parked enemy ships there and you gotta destroy as many as possible to boost your fuel.
This game is really hard. You can't get hit very often. In order to finish you need ~1000 energy left going into the last level, meaning you can't lose more than 200 overall in levels 1 to 5.
>tfw you will never get to sit on MJ's lap as he caresses your little boy butt while you play GF in his arcade.
>>2820659
Probably his personal unti, too. He had an insane collection. Even owned the Sega R360.
Glad to see more folks are getting into this one. I'm grinding down on Super Hang-On right now (probably for the next year given my neglect), but this game had me hooked and can be 1CC'd using at least two strategies (either going from Stage 1 through or by practicing stages individually before putting a run together). Circle Pad Pro makes handheld play a cinch.
>>2820650
Right, you need around 1000 to safely beat the final stage. I personally find stages 3 and 4 the hardest because of their cave segments and the sheer madness of some parts before. Stage 5 isn't a pushover but is more open, so you're going to be racking up the last useful bonus counters there. Stage 2 is really fun to memorize you can get extra points from the lava dragons.
I'm amazed M2 put 3D Power Drift together so quickly compared to this. Galaxy Force is definitely the Y Board's tech-pushing game, but it's more likely that M2's so familiar with late Super Scalar tech even Power Drift is much quicker to recreate for the 3DS.
How do I git gud at Galaxy Force II? It seems like it's always a struggle with your energy
