I was so surprised at how close to the Arcade the Saturn and PlayStation versions were. They're practically perfect.

Hybrid hardware ....

I still can't figure out why he goes on about the PC-Engine being 8-bit. The CPU is still computationally faster than the SNES. It can blow through 8-bit integer calculations much faster than the MD, too. That was important becase 8-bit integer was still heavily used at the time to keep memory usage down. It often turns in the best result of those 3 machines. The MD's 64 on-screen color palette is a much greater bottleneck. Let's all remember the Intellivison has a 16-bit CPU, but was weaker than the Colecovision and the NES. Let's also remember that the N64 has a true 64-bit CPU while the Dreamcast and XBox only have 32-bit CPUs.

@@JoystickVersusMachine I have a major project at home to finish, but then I plan on finally making videos again, and one of them is about system weight class vs generation, and yes, I will discuss that the PC Engine belongs in the same weight class as the Mega Drive and Super Famicom.

@@TheKayliedGamerChannel-KZfaq Yes, but this is a specific subclass of that.

I’m stealing this.

While it's CPU is 8-bit, its graphics processors are 16-bit. That does make a difference.

@@MaidenHell1977 Either way, it's quite a piece of hardware for 1987.

The PC Engine has a very impressive colour pallet and can display way more colours than a Mega Drive. It's not as versatile as the SFC but still impressive.

Konami were so good with chip music.

Looking at them them now it's hard to believe they were right up there with Capcom (and arguably better).

The Konami name on the SFC instantly meant quality. There isn't one bad Konami game. Maybe 1 or 2 average games like Biker Mice From Mars but no bad games. Then came the PlayStation age and they went all in on the music games, then the shitty card based crap with Yugio being the main one. Then from there they just farmed out their IPs. Now the Name Konami doesn't mean anything 😢

@@RetroCore YuGi money is still big money for them. They got lazy.

No kidding. The simple matter is that people are effing spoiled beyond belief these days.

The Nintendo FamiCom had officially reached 10 million systems sold in Japan alone by 1986. Therefore by all Japanese third parties, if they didn't try to make sure their home conversions weren't top caliber, they were gonna lose out big time as the original Gradius for NES had a tag line claiming to have sold over one million copies in Japan on the box cover. The Nintendo FamiCom was defending its position from the constant onslaught of other videogame systems that came and went from 1983 to the end of the 80s. I would wager too that Konami had some excellent FamiCom NES coders on the job as that hardware was mature enough and when the Super FamiCom launched in 1990, first year game software had slowdown due to devs not fully having enough experience while the Sega MegaDrive had already been ramping up since 1988 but did have the sales figures in Japan.

Just had this video suggested to me by KZfaq and it appears to show a new Famicom version which looks amazing kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rq6cosmqqMvbZYE.html

That’s true I can’t think of a bad 8 or 16bit Konami game. Even the Mega drive early games like Sundet riders wasn’t bad, just not as good as it could have been.

So very true. Especially on the SNES / SFC. Konami meant you were getting a quality game.

Glad you enjoyed the video 👍

It would have been nice if they added the Sharp X68000 sound options.

It sure is.

Gradius II you mean. Gradius 2 is actually a completely different game.

Damn, I never knew it came with stickers. Very cool.

I still have the stickers with my PCE Super CD ROM copy👍

Dude, you missed my gaming pick ups when I showed it? 😅

The PlayStation and Saturn version comes with a cut-out paper craft vic viper.

@@okami242 Only the Saturn version does, I have the craft inside my Saturn manual for the game, just not going to put it together.

As you avatar proudly shows 👍

@@RetroCore yes indeed, my video intro's show it better. 👍 Nemesis (gradius) was the daddy but the graphics and sountracks on Vulcan Venture (gradius 2) are superb.

Thank you! I'm happy to read that another game you wanted to see a BOTP on, finally made it out there.

Oh, it's Easter? I forgot all about that. No easter IN Japan 😕

I wonder why 4 has more elements of Gradius 3 than 2 then. (The bubbles, the Moai boss placement, mechanical stage gimmicks (though the walker is indeed from 2), etc.

@@solarflare9078 You forgot to mention the first stage is pretty much Gradius II's first stage where a dragon is hunting you and GOFER being the final boss but not doing anything to hurt you much like in II, unlike III where it shoots the portal at you. IV is a mixture between II and III. Also I fucking hate Gradius III.

And that's why Gradius IV is so nice!

@@solarflare9078 IV also inherits something else from 3, it's brutal difficult, especially in later loops where it is considered harder than 3 in those same loops.

@@inklingex4433 Only the most daring play Gradius III arcade, and it's why I bought it for my PS2, because it includes Gradius IV, and I love the entire Gradius series, save for V, which I am still lukewarm on years after it's release.

Thanks.

I was very lucky to get a complete as new (with stickers etc.) copy of the PC Engine game late last year or waht is this year? Either way, the price was reasonable at 3800 yen. Pc Engine games cost a fortune these days. I'm sure I paid almost 10,000 yen for metamorphosis jupiter or whatever it is called 😅

@@RetroCore 3800 yen!! that's a barging, wow! Yeah I think I have all the PC Engine games I'll ever get. Some years ago, I was lucky to track down copies of Gradius and Salamander HuCards from a local seller in Toronto through a local buy and sell, can't remember what I paid, but I know for sure it wasn't more than $100 CAD for the pair, likely not even close to that. I think they were like $30 each. But that was like in 2008 or 2009. Times have certainly changed, haha

But is practically impossible to run on modern PC's at full speed, unless it can be done in a compatible virtual drive.

Sadly I couldn't get that version running 😢

Same here. Parodius is a lot of fun.

Salamander is great too.

I can barely tell the difference other than in the artwork for the games, haha

@@MaidenHell1977 i know,it happens too fast.But as i love and draw Vics,i could easily spot which is which

LOL

I imagine the various Vic Vipers' designs and the Metalion's design melted together in the minds of some people at Konami back then lol

That is 100% correct. It's just a shame that many were tricked in to thinking its 16bit due to the stupid American ad campaign for the Turbo Duo 16.

@@RetroCore PCE is undeniably an 8bit console. It has impressive custom processors mind considering its launch in 1987. Would have been interesting to see more upgraded versions of PCE titles running on SuperGrafx with its extra memory and background layer - again 8bit architecture . Seems it's price point was too high for success. ✌️

@@RetroCore We got similar propaganda with the Atari Jaguar being a 64-bit machine despite the main CPU being a 16-bit Motorola 68000!

Agreeance, you mean "agreement"?

Ah, capturing the footage for this show was fun. Now when I cover an awful game or a game with awful ports, then the pain comes in., 😢

Also excellent pick for BotP this week!

I have it on the PSP as part of Gradius Collection, and was able to Play the PC Engine Super CD version of it thanks to the TurboGrafx 16 Mini.

I personally own the Saturn and PCE Super CD versions.

@@RetroCore Gotta love that unique PCE CD intro, though it only came at the cost of the games demo mode showing off some of the stages.

There was but it's actual emulation rather than a port.

Yep, your explanation of the PC Engine titles is pretty much spot on 👍

Can't go wrong with a choice of audio options.

I guess you could make a Mister in to a Sharp X68000.

Yep, sometimes making these shows can be a lot of fun. Other times 😭

The Castlevania and Detana Twinbee games on the machine also offer the same options.

Really? That's so cool, love how developers go all out in the option menu's & give heaps of choices to the player.

@@shinkazama3959 When that Castlevania game got ported to the PS1 as Castlevania Chronicles, it even retained, by code, a way to choose all 3 soundsets.

@@Bloodreign1 Sad I didn't realize that considering I own Castlevania Chronicles on PS1😒

I think a lot of Konami games had that feature but it wasn't common with all developers.

Yep, that's right. 👍

Commando is another game

Ah, there have been others (again, all Japanese ports) but not too many.

Totally unrelated game in the series, Gradius 2 on the MSX is Nemesis 2 in Europe. Nemesis 3 is it's follow up. Gradius 2 MSX has a totally different plot and enemy at the end, though Nemesis 3 saw the return of Gofer, though he'd be back later in Gradius IV.

Yep, and the Gradius 2 was also ported to the Sharp X68000. But as others have mentioned, Gradius 2 isn't Gradius II. Very confusing, I know.

Thank you! 👍

Yeah, the X68000 was such an awesome system. Like the Neo Geo of computers. Something that blew away the competition but only available to those with deep pockets.

I honestly do feel the pinnacle of the 2D gaming controller is the Japanese Saturn pad. Its just perfect in every way.

True but its just the PlayStation code running on a PSP.

One thing I loved about going to the seaside was the arcades. I also remember my dad trying his best to avoid them so we wouldn't bother him for 10p every 5 minutes, 😁

Lol, Try irem collection, namco museum Konami Msx classics and many more

Indeed. It make my job more fun too.

Correct!

Only on the PSP which is the PlayStation game

The Gradius games are tough games.

Thing was, it blew away any Mac in the same price bracket with ease. It really was a monster of a system.

I'm not a fan either of the Vulcan Venture name, but I would lie if I say that I truly hate that name, because that's how I found Gradius 2 back in the arcades in the 90's were the operators got lucky to import one cabinet with the game, names aside, of all Gradius games, I have V, 3 (SNES version) and 2 tied 1st place, while Gaiden is 4rd and (suprise) 3 Arcade at 5th.

👍I also don't like the name Vulcan Venture. Such a stupid name.

If you get a chance, try Gradius IV and Gaiden. Both are great.

I think it was more a case of Nintendo US being cheap and not wanting to produce the carts with extra chips. Or would that cost be passed on to Konami? Either way they did that with a few Konami games in the West. Castlevania 3 as you mentioned and Contra as well.

It is definitely plausible but will Konami ever do it? Hmm....

@@RetroCore that is a valid question, never say never though.

You can't go wrong with the Saturn or PS1 ports, but if you go the PS1 route, only play it on a PS1 as it won't work right for Gradius II on the PS2. Both ports will run you a bit of money though, so beware. I managed to get them years back, Saturn one a friend got me for a shade under $30, the PS1 port I bought myself for $54. Much higher priced game for both now though.

@@Bloodreign1 awesome thanks for the Suggestions will the ps1 version run ok on a ps3?

@@ScruffyLookinRGB My PS3 is US, and won't run on it, but I have heard no complaints about the PS3. Then again, I've never heard anyone even play the compilation on the PS3.

Personally I'd say the Saturn version is the best but impressive wise I'd have to go with the Famicom and PC Engine. Both those ports look amazing for the hardware they're running on.

Yep, Japan only because Nintendo US weren't keen on paying for the extra chip. Have you ever seen the Japanese version of Contra? It blows away the western version due to having an extra chip. Check out one of the many comparison videos on KZfaq.

@@RetroCore I have. I'm aware of some of those Japan-only chips, particularly the ones in Akumajou Densetsu, LaGrange Point, and the audio chip in Namco games like Megami Tensei II. It's a shame Nintendo US decided we didn't need good sound (or graphics, in some cases).

Hmm, I know this particular game isn't on the C64 but there may have been another Gradius game on it.

Glad you liked the show, especially the tunes 👍

Hehe, thanks.

Isn't life force the same? I can't remember now.

@@RetroCore That's where it gets confusing. I meant the US Life Force (and I think the original arcade version of Salamander also used this alternate powerup system), the Japanese Life Force changed it back to the Gradius powerup bar. The PC-Engine port of Salamander has this alternative system as well, but the Famicom version, while retaining the Salamander title, is actually based off the Japanese Life Force and once again contains the Gradius powerup system.

PSP games on that collection are all PS1 or PS2 ports. 1,2, and Gaiden are all PS1 ports, 3 and 4 are PS2 versions.

@@Bloodreign1 I saw footage of said PSP version and the "Full" mode became "Wide". Let's say the PS1 and PS2 versions were the basis, but were given additions

Ah, the PSP game is just running PlayStation code. It's quite common with any PSP game that was also on the PlayStation. I do belive it has wide screen support but that will be an extension of the PlayStation and Saturn's arcade or normal screen modes. You are correct about the PC Engine being a super sentai robot, 😁

@@RetroCore It does have wide screen. Your Gradius BOTP video confirms it

Yes, that is right but what I meant is that the game isn't reprogrammed as such, it just expand the 4:3 screen size by drawing more on screen. I'm not explaining this very well 😅.

Yep. It is one of the rare shows without any dud ports.

Saturn and PS1 ports are flawless. PCE CD port is impressive though, and has that kickass intro no other version has.

I'd say the Saturn and PlayStation are the best as they're both perfect but the PC Engine is mighty impressive for a machine that was released in October, 1987.

It's just the PlayStation game with a wide screen "hack". I guess I could have added it but as always with a weekly show, time is against me.

It's not a port of Gradius II, but am continuation from Gradius 2 on the MSX. The MSX Gradius games had a storyline all their own.

It's a spin off from Gradius 2 with a storyline altered to fit in with Nemesis 2 and Salamander on MSX

The Gradius series can be complicated. The one you mention is a different game but you are right when you say it has similar stages. So does Salamanda.

Ah, the MSX game is a different game. It's confusing as hell but it isn't related to this release.

I really would like to go back in time and kick my self in the balls for selling the one I had 😅

Super Pang will happen one day.

Could try it in emulation to test it, good port.

I once had a really X68000 and can say that emulation for that machine on Windows PC's is pretty much spot on. Sadly I sold my X68000 years ago. Very silly move 😢

The PSP version is just the PlayStation version running on a PSP.

Highly doubt it. The sprites/background tiles are huge.

It doesn't really make much difference to be honest.

Kind of hard to do as it is damned near impossible to get running at any speed faster than a snail's pace.

@@Bloodreign1 You can always use a virtual machine for that.

@@WeskerSega I don't think Mark wanted to go through all that trouble to run it.

It's a different game from what I know.

That's probably Gradius The Interstellar Assault

Yeah, it is confusing. There is an MSX Gradius 2 as well but again, a different game.