Topic: The Switch Arcade Community Thread

@OorWullie Soldner isn't a bad game by any means, but it's the definition of a Euro-shmup, so it's definitely an acquired taste, that's for sure.
Then again, the more the merrier.

Ikaruga would be so cool for Switch and Radiant Silvergun too. PSP had Konami's awesome Gradius collection sadly without Gradius V. I'd love a full collection for Switch. I am actually more into pre Virtual Console era because I prefer so much more physical copies. NeoGeo games are of course different thing. The luxury to play them at home with 6,99€ is absolutely mindblowing to 90's kid.

*** PUBBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ***

NEO GEO: A Visual History BACK IN STOCK @ BitmapBooks.co.uk!

https://www.bitmapbooks.co.uk/products/neogeo-a-visual-history

Grab it while it's hot (I did!)

@RetroGamerAndrew Ah thanks!
Just ordered one. Glad I didn't miss out this time!

@Zkibu I think it's almost a given at this point that they will make it over.
The Switch is clearly becoming the shoot em up system by choice this gen looking at all the games that are coming over.
And seeing how both these games were already released on 360 and have now been added to the backwards compatibility feature on Xbox one, there should be no extra hoops to jump through in the form of licensing problems or any of that.
All that's needed is to actually port the games to the system.
I'd give it a 90% chance we'll see them, especially after that tease.

Spent a very pleasant couple of hours last night playing some retro games.

Had a stint on POWER STRIKE 1 and 2 for Sega Master System, continued that Compile vibe with a run or two on GUNHED aka BLAZING LASERS and SYLPHIA for PC-ENGINE, M.U.S.H.A for Mega Drive before jumping ahead to IKARUGA on GameCube and rounded that off with some BOSCONIAN and XEVIOUS courtesy of NAMCO 50th ANNIVERSARY collection - again on GameCube. Super fun times.

What game(s) from yesteryear have you been enjoying, recently?

@meppi64
You're welcome!
Quite pricey (and shipping to Italy added another 10 bloody pounds... ugh) but I couldn't miss it!

@RetroGamerAndrew How much text in these books is there? I appreciate the artwork of course but I'd ideally like to get a book on Neo Geo which is also comprehensive in terms of historical textual coverage and insights.

@Lroy I've been playing a bit more recent stuff this week, but still with retro sensibilities I think.
Trials HD and Evolution on 360 and I just picked up Trials Fusion again.
Couldn't help myself from buying the season 1 table pack for Pinball Arcade on my new Xbone, since I can't on Switch...
And I just installed Pacman CE, Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun as well as Guardian Heroes, NiGHTS and Panzer Dragon Orta, which I just bought digitally in the hope of sending a message to Sega that people still want Panzer Dragoon and are willing to pay for it. So my days will certainly be filled to the brim with playing lots and lots of games.

@RetroGamerAndrew £10?
Wow, shipping to Belgium was "only" £7...

@meppi64 Whisper it, I've never played RADIANT SILVERGUN. In fact, IKARUGA was a recent discovery of mine too. I mean, I'd heard of the names and Treasure of course but never sat down and played either back on their initial release.

PANZER DRAGOON is awesome. SEGA should revive that franchise for sure.

@Lroy I'll whisper this even quieter, because it's probably blasphemy for most shmup fans, but I actually vastly prefer Radiant Silvergun over Ikaruga.
Picked them both up when they launched on Saturn and Dreamcast and I was kinda disappointed with Ikaruga ta first since it's such a departure from Radiant Silvergun. Still a brilliant game though, but it's a lot more straight forwards and focuses mainly on the Black&White mechanic.
While Radiant Silvergun plays completely differently and gets super creative with level design and boss encounters like Treasure games of old.

BTW, have you ever played Bangaio?
If not, you HAVE to pick it up, both the Dreamcast or N64 version and the DS version.
DS version plays quite a bit different from the original duo, which are more a Special Edition of one another with some tweaks.
Starts off slow and a bit weird, but once you get the hand of it, it goes absolutely crazy and is an experience you'll find nowhere else.

@meppi64 I'm scurrying off to research it now ☺️

@Lroy I think obviously the focus is on the artwork (with loads flyiers, schematics, pixel art, original adverts, in-game shots, concept art) but there is quite a good amount of text to depict historical context. I'd say 70%/30% between art/text (but I don't have the book yet, so I might be wrong)

@meppi64
shipping rates to Italy are often a bloodbath, we get this kind of "third world country" treatment from most EU (or ex-EU ) countries. Guess I have to thank our super-efficient & reliable postal services for this. Meh...

BTW @CaffeinatedGamer ,
I just got Trails Fusion and unlocked the Pit Viper and I'm slowly making my way through the rounds, beating your time.
Not sure if you're still interested in the game, though.
Barely anyone from my old friendlist on 360 has even played the game. I only see 4 people in total on the scoreboards.

@meppi64 Blasphemy!!! Ikaruga is better than Radiant Silvergun! Haha, just messing with you. However, that is truly how I feel.

I really do need to spend more time on Radiant Silvergun because I never gave it much a chance after picking it up on XBLA. I just couldn't get in to it. :

I love Bangai-O! I never played it on Dreamcast, but have it on both DS and XBLA. It always took me a while to figure out the goal and get in to it, especially on the DS version, but once I got the XBLA version I was able to do really good with both times and scores. I'm playing the DS version now though since you brought it up. It was right in front of me actually and I just had to toss it in for a minute.

Trials is a game I just kind of stumbled into and played through for a casual and fun time. I never really tried to get a higher score I don't believe, but since your clearing all my times I may have to check it out again soon. There's just so much to play right now and it's been hard to really sit down with anything for more than 20 minutes so far this week. I'll probably have more time this weekend though. But really, I want to give Strikers 1945 more time for the competition and I haven't touched it since Sunday. At the same time, I want to really get into Panzer Dragoon Orta again. So far I've only completed Episode 1.

We'll see how much play time I can get in tonight.

A new piece of NEOGEO hardware releasing for SNK's 40th anniversary? An NGMini perhaps?

@masterLEON It looks like a Vectrex lol. Oooooo what could it beeee??

@masterLEON I'm a little worried by the form-factor (if that's the "final form") but I can tell you I'm already salivating for this one...

That's a tabletop arcade for sure. You can see the corner underneath the cloth where the joystick section sticks out. Not sure about the thin looking part that seems to lie before it though.

So it seems... I'll never have enough place in my house for this one LOL