A Guide on 2D Shooters on Sega’s Dreamcast Game System

Posted by John as Shmups

Unlike Sony, Sega did not shy away from 2D shooter titles, so you’ll find a wide array of quality 2D fighters and frenetic 2D shooters. Best of all, Sega took chances and released a lot of exclusive, eclectic titles. Space Channel 5 and Samba De Amigo took rhythm games to a new level, and Typing of the Dead is a brilliantly educational (and hilarious) variation of the House of the Dead 2 light gun game. Sega Bass Fishing was the first game to incorporate a “fishing rod” kind of controller. Seaman was an absolutely bizarre virtual pet game packaged with a microphone. Jet Grind Radio combined skateboarding with graffiti painting using groundbreaking and cell-shaded graphics. All in all, the Dreamcast game library covered every genre with innovation and style.

It was wonderful console yet under-appreciated. September 9, 1999 saw the release of Dreamcast which that time has surpassed anything else on the market. With its compact design, easy-to-use controllers, eye-popping graphics and excellent selection of exclusive titles, it could have been a perfect package spelling runaway success. Alas, the reputation of Sega smeared as a result of failures of its previous two systems, 32X and Saturn. A majority of gamers relished to their satisfaction with having Playstation 2. Just when the hype of DVD began to take off around 1999, Sega should have changed the huge setback of Dreamcast of its inability to play DVDs. Sony, on the other hand, dominated Sega and marketed PS2 as a fusion of a game machine and DVD player. The dual purpose appealed far beyond the typical gamer market. The GD-ROM format, stored more data than a standard CD, for Dreamcast seemed like old technology and failed to impress gamers.

The Dreamcast console is lightweight and compact, with four controller ports and a pop-top lid. It was the first console to ship with online capabilities, thanks to its built-in 56K modem. The system’s sizeable controller features a digital pad and analog stick aside from the two “triggers” in the back with a wide range of movement. The controller’s rounded design and large grips made it comfortable to hold, and two slots on the top could accommodate both a rumble pack and a Virtual Memory Unit (VMU). VMUs were oversized memory cards with tiny buttons and a black-and-white LCD display that’s visible through a square opening on the face of the controller. In theory, a VMU could be used to hide information from your opponent or play stand-alone mini-games. It seemed like a brilliant idea in the 90s, but only few games really took advantage of the VMU, and the short life of its lithium batteries made it impractical as a portable game machine.

Dreamcast sets itself apart because of its strong lineup of games. Sonic Adventure finally gave the popular hedgehog his first legitimate 3D adventure and prompted a hit sequel. Some sports titles such as NFL 2K and NBA 2K featured television-quality visuals and sophisticated game play. Easy-to-play arcade-style titles like Crazy Taxi and Virtual Tennis were released on a regular basis. Sega wasn’t afraid to push the limits of gaming either, taking chances with innovative game designs and peripherals that often bordered on bizarre. Unfortunately, Sega couldn’t keep up with the Sony juggernaut, and was forced to bow out of the hardware business in 2001. It’s a shame that a quality system like the Dreamcast had such a short game lifecycle. For game collectors, the system is a dream in itself to collect for, boasting of its limited but rich library of original titles.

Console Design – Grade of A

The Dreamcast is a compact game box encased in a bright white casing and orange logo makes it attractive and distinctive. On the top of the game system you’ll find a power button, open button, and a triangular power light. Taking its cue from the Nintendo 64, four controller ports line the front of the unit.

Console durability: D

The system’s main downfall is its inferior reliability. The Dreamcast laser mechanism tends to wear out over time, making it prone to intermittent read problems. As a result, many Dreamcast fans have to secure a second (or third) system as a backup.

Controllers: B-

The Dreamcast controller is fairly large, but molds to most hands very well. The directional pads and buttons on the face of the controller feel comfortable enough but the trigger buttons have some issues. Few games utilize the wide range of these triggers, and the best use I’ve seen for them is controlling the speed of instant replays in sports games. They lack timing and precision especially in racing games. By far the most obvious design flaw is the cord, which inexplicably extends out from the bottom of the controller, towards the gamer! Sega shold know better than to design a cord which tends to get in the way! Sega may have detected this design flaw early on explaining why they included a notch in the middle of the back of the controller, allowing you to route the wire away from you. It looks pretty hokey however, and the wire does not always stay put.

Media: C

The Dreamcast disks appear to be normal CDs, they actually use a proprietary format that allows a fairly large data of up to 1 GB to be stored on them, compared to the standard 650 MB capacity of a normal CD. The large memory of their disks didn’t seem to be competitive enough to seize the new DVD format, which swayed a lot of potential clients to Sony.

Packaging: B+
Packaged in standard CD jewel and transparent cases, Dreamcast titles are compact and easy to store. While the initial white color scheme looked very attractive, Sega inexplicably dumped it in favor of a black one that mirrored the Playstation packaging.

Games: A
The Dreamcast library is outstanding especially for sports fans and those who prefer arcade-style action. Games like Hydro Thunder, Crazy Taxi, Soul Calibur, House of the Dead 2, Sonic Adventure, and Sega Bass Fishing appeal to all ages with their flashy graphics and arcade-style gameplay. Groundbreaking sports titles like NFL 2K, NBA 2K, and Virtual Tennis offered breathtaking visuals and intuitive controls. Graphics: A. The Dreamcast’s graphics were miles ahead of its competitors in 1999, and they still look terrific today. The level of detail may not be as impressive as it once was, but the smooth, fluid visuals have a timeless quality. Games like Soul Calibur, Hydro Thunder, Power Stone, Skies of Arcadia, and House of the Dead 2 still compare favorably to many current generation titles.

Audio: A
As with most CD-based systems, the Dreamcast’s audio was unlimited in terms of quality.

Collectability – A
The Dreamcast console is a lot of fun to collect for. The games are readily available, usually complete. It’s even possible to collect the entire library. The games though were dirt-cheap in the early 2000′s, they’ve recently begun to inch up in price as they’ve become more scarce and limited. The toughest part of collecting for this system is finding a reliable console as it’s a good idea to own a spare.

Sega has designed a few innovations on Dreamcast namely the analog triggers, VMUs, on-line capabilities, fishing controller (Sega Bass Fishing), voice recognition (Seaman).

The pros of Dreamcast are: games are easy to collect, games have smooth and arcade style graphics, rich game library having interesting titles and peripherals.  The disadvantage of a questionable controller design and annoying placement of wire. Nevertheless, Dreamcast as Sega’s final console has marked a bittersweet chapter in the history of video games.

Technorati Tags: 2d shooter. game console systems, dreamcast, dreamcast review, Sega, shmup, sony

Ready for the 1st Valkyrie Sky Encore Beta Test?

Posted by John as Shmups

To all who missed out on the initial beta test of Valkyrie Sky, Yolim Communications is proud to present another exciting encore beta testing. The fun of playing this shmup lasts for a week from February 18 to 24. Check out the schedule for the Encore Beta Test.

Open : February 18, 10:00 am, (Seoul, Korean Time)

※ February 17, 08:00 pm, New York, Eastern Time
February 18, 01:00 am, London, Greenwich Mean Time

Close : February 24, 06:00 pm (Seoul, Korean Time)

※ February 24, 04:00 am, New York, Eastern Time
February 24, 09:00 am, London, Greenwich Mean Time

Start downloading the client tomorrow afternoon. If you have the client installed before, you can just patch and start the game.

Join now!

Technorati Tags: 2d Shooter, : valkyrie sky, encore beta test, games, shmup, shoot em up, yolim communication

Download Valkyrie Sky Closed Beta Here

Posted by John as 2d Shooter

The closed beta release of Valkyrie Sky is finally here. For those of you avid gamers who constantly crave for a new vertical scroll shooting game, Valkyrie Sky is for you. It is a shooting game based on a Northern European mythology. Enjoy the tension, game interface and sense of achievement along with other elements of an MMO game such as leveling up and playing with each other. It may look and feel like an MMORPG yet fundamentally different from MMORPG because it’s not repetitious and players’ control skills have dramatic effects on battle results. The best of RPG game also exist in this game such as various occupations for a character to choose from, and players can join a party to play together.

Download Valkyrie Sky Closed Beta here.

Technorati Tags: : valkyrie sky, closed beta launch, download, mmorpg, vertical scroll shooting game, video games

Ice Invaders Freezes Aliens from Space Invaders

Posted by John as Shmups

Here comes another nostalgia induced item for all Space Invaders fans out there. Commemorate your undying and timeless love of blasting down aliens in the Space Invaders shooting game by freezing little monsters.

Check out Ice Invaders designed and produced by FRED, a cookware company specializing in oddly themed and peculiar tools and accessories. Ice Invaders shapes cooling cubes into shapes of aliens in Space Invaders. The tray is 100% pure silicon making it oven-safe, dishwasher-safe and flexible for hassle-free cube removal. This is a cool way to chill your drinks while smirking at melting alien-shaped ice cubes just like in the shmup you love to play.

Browse the maker of Ice Invaders in the Fred and their Spring 2009 catalog.

Technorati Tags: fred spring 2009 catalog, ice invaders, shmup, shooter game, space invaders item

The Remake of R-Type Dimensions for XBLA Out Today

Posted by John as Shmups

Hold your breath in anticipation as R-Type Dimensions will be released today Wednesday, February 4 on the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) at a price of 1200 Microsoft points.

R-Type Dimensions is a popular arcade shooter initially released 1987. This shooter is a classic game though it poses legendary difficulty as well. A couple of years later see its follow up, R-Type II, which saw a more limited release in America. Both classic and remake of R-type Dimensions have been ported to numerous systems throughout the years even to Nintendo Wii’s Virtual Arcade.

Tozai Games is responsible of the classic R-Type Dimensions. It was founded in 1996 and focused on IP licensing between Japan, USA and Europe. 2006 marked the shift from IP licensing into developing games particularly online and Microsoft services. While some Xbox live Arcade games have a shorter development cycle and cost effective than full retail releases, Tozai Games invested over two years on developing R-Type Dimensions.

Due to such investment, it makes the release of R-Type Dimensions to smaller service such as the XNA Community Games impossible. On the good side, don’t expect R-Type Dimensions to be a quick and dirty port which is something that has plagued the Live Arcade with. The history of the team with the franchise motivated them to develop the classic shooter that old fans would enjoy while having the flash to draw in new gamers.

The team behind the recreation of R-Type Dimensions are fans of this shooter themselves. Brett Ballow, Executive Producer, recalls how he almost failed to finish college because of the game. Ballow had to purchase his own arcade cabinet to avoid flunking out. Chief Advisor of Tozai Games, Scott Tsumura, has an even more involved history with the franchise. Tsumura has been working with the video game industry since 1978. He shares the time in Japan where he worked for Irem Corporation, IP holder of R-Type, and was involved with the development of R-Type and mainly sales.

After years of work, R-Type Dimensions is inching closer to its release date. The package contains R-Type and R-Type II both with completely reworked visuals. Here’s a first for the Live Arcade, switch and swap between the original, classic 2D graphics and the all-new 3D look. Just hit a button to let you move back and forth form one look to the other without any need to pause the game.

Tozai also included a co-operative mode for two players that can be played locally or online. The co-op mode is perfect for casual or first-time gamers since it makes experience less overwhelming. The formula of R-Type Dimensions hasn’t radically changed with enemy patterns still intact though an infinite continue mode has been mixed in for those who can not beat the game on limited credits.

Another classic remake in the works is Lode Runner. Tozai Games is working the development on this game. Watch out for news about Lode Runner remake in the future.

Technorati Tags: 2d Shooter, lode runner, R-type dimensions, shmup, tozai games, xbla

Valkyrie Sky takes shmups to the next level

Posted by John as Shmups

Valkyrie Sky takes MMORPGs to the next level with its offering of online play, questing, grinding among numerous things. Players of this vertical scroll shooting game can enjoy the tension, game interface and a sense of achievement. Above all, Valkyrie Sky will open beta coming very soon.

For those people who are bored with average same old MMO type of games, Valkyrie Sky is a fun and nice new game for you. Valkyrie Sky is a perfect game for all fans of Tohou, Raiden and Galaga. The game play offer many surprises with some nice twist to it. It’s certainly not repetitious and players’ control skills have dramatic effects on battle results.

Pick from four main characters having three sets of jobs each. Every job has four skills which maybe a combination of some quite very useful while some utterly insignificant. The type class highly recommended for players who are new to this game is to select Knight and Mage type classes. Both classes are simple to use. Knight is great for parties along with their interest in a front line that will protect them bullets.

Next stop is the skill system. There is a system in game type similar to a fusion system where skills on a box can be arranged to form passive skills. These passive skills prove to be helpful since some of them provide normal attacks extra chances to shoot more bullets. Get to change jobs ingame anytime you want as long as you have certain requirements stats and money to pay the gold fee. Maximize the skill fusion system by changing jobs. Note that once you switch jobs you can’t raise the skills of your previous job but you can add those skills on the fusion chart. The quests are all found in one area making it so easy.

Shortly after making your character, a short tutorial is enabled which you can view or skip. There isn’t so much found in the tutorial besides knowing how to play.

Before you begin your mission, you must face a couple of quests inside the Council area on the upper left side of the starting town. You can keep on talking to these guys until you reach level two. Hold down right click or space bar after completing all your quests and see your character fly up to the world map. The world map has different icons on the map. Look for the skull maps which are dungeon maps and can only be unlocked by reaching certain levels.

Upon reaching a skull map, you can them hook up with your friends found in that area. On the other hand, if they aren’t on the same channel as you press “P” to display the players menu type the name of your friends before clicking the button next to where you typed your friend’s name. When you are next to your friends, just click on his name on the “P” players menu to auto invite him to join the party. The default controls are Z for normal attack while A, S, D, F are for your skills. Arrow keys enable you to move around the map, X for berserk mode and space bar for bomb or special power up.

Be aware that the first two areas may be “boring-to-death” zones. Have patience to wait until you get to the fourth and fifth areas where the fun begins. Anticipate for bullets and monsters appearing from every corner. You may find the game too easy at this point so try soloing them without dying.

Valkyrie Sky is practically lag-free when playing with others gamers around the globe. Yolim Communications did a superb job with the lag system in this game that you don’t have to worry about dying to bullets in lag. They tapped in a sync system to sync players in the room.

Let’s move on to the not so cool part in this game. You end up wasting stamina each time you begin a stage and the costs of each stage differs depending on the time of the day. Say, it costs you as much as life insurance when you stat stages at night. It’s wise not to do stages at night not unless you have stored a lot of food. You can only replenish stamina by cooking meals or monsters dropping food at the end of stages. Go fishing to cook food and fish the main ingredient while the rest of the salt and spices are easily obtained from your average dungeon NPC.

The Auction House system makes things easier more especially with shopping. The blacksmith is always in town for your item crafting needs. You don’t need to master Korean language to fully play and know the game. It is pretty simple and easy to play after you get the hang of it, though it could be better when its resolution is higher.

Keep your eyes open when Valkyrie Sky comes in Open Beta very soon!

Technorati Tags: mmorpg, role playing game, Shmups, valkyrie sky review, vertical shooting game