My latest toy :)
I got this for a few reasons.
Sega Ages Series - some of these are expensive now but they are very collectable and look great play value-wise.
2D shooters - my favourite genre - some superb games available and I thought it high time to dip in before prices go mad.
Japanese PS1 library - another rich seam
So far I have procured these:
Sega Ages : Fantasy Zone - one of my favourite hori-shooter series. I have the Saturn version but this adds in a nice updated version and a challenge mode.
Sega Ages : Tetris - last word in Sega Tetris - every conceivable version with every option and mode. With a New Century version with modern additions and features. Coded my M2 themselves - the meisters of ports. Tetris is minor obsession of mine - I have a good sized collection of Tetris games.
DoDonPachi DOJ - considered by many as "the best shooter ever". Gorgeous port by Arika with extra modes. TATE too. and a superplay DVD included
Espgaluda - another lovely job from Arika. Extra modes. Superplay DVD.
JP-PS1:
Gradius Gaiden - widely considered as the best entry in the series. Superb game.
Xevious 3D/G+ - lovely Xevious compilation with original, Super, Arrangement and a semi-3D remake which is actually good - using nice clean polys and textures meaning it has aged well.
Space Invaders 2000 - continuing my Space Invader collection. Just a nice basic port with a time attack mode and a 2 player versus mode.
On the lookout for more. Raiden DX, Castle Shikigami 2 in my sights next. :)
Very nice. Does it look any different from other PS2 units?
I have a slim - silver. Looks exactly the same as the PAL slim I have apart form it being black.
I have a PAL phat PS2 as well. I have the PAL slim hooked up to a rotated CRT and use it exclusively for vertical shmups. The phat is connected to my larger CRT for normal gaming. I swap the JP slim between the two TVs depending on the game I am playing.
I have a slim PS2 in black. I like that model. Small and compact.
The only issue I have with the slims is that they run warm/hot. They are nice little console though. They are sometimes a bit noisier too - I have some games that run quieter on the phat.
Interesting. Since I only have the slim one for the PS2, I did not realize the performance in those terms could be different.
To be fair there is one game I have noticed in particular - called Detonator. It's a 2D puzzle game -quite simple looking but rock hard. On the slim the drive whirrs like blazes - no noise from the phat at all. Weird - there shouldn't be any difference really. I'm wondering if it is to do with whether the disc uses DVD format or not.
Ordered some more shmups...
Castle Shikigami 1 & 2.
Also Gradius III+IV
These games had PAL releases but were butchered. Shikigami 1 is aka Mobile Light Force which was a ultra cheap release but 50Hz and letterboxed and had features stripped out. Shikigami 2 kept the moniker and features but also the 50Hz letterboxed image. Gradius III + IV had a similar treatment.
I have a modded region free PS2 slim but I don't think I've bought any Japanese PS2 games. I do have a few Japanese PS1 games that I use it for but not all PS1 games will play on a PS2 slim unfortunately. I really like the arcade game Night Striker and I bought a copy of it but it does not like the slim :(. Looking at the price of the Saturn version, I guess I'll just be sticking to mame!
Didn't realise some games don't work on the slim!!!
EDIT: PS1 games - yeah some of those don't work even on the phat console - think there's a Atari compilation pack for PS1 that won't run on a PS2.
Few more games in the post. Castle Shikigami 1 & 2 + Gradius III+IV
Altogether now....
(https://i.imgur.com/LRX8S1r.jpg)
Nice set of games. Gradius and Fantasy Zone are supposed to be excellent games for the system.
Fantasy Zone is great but to be honest it isn't any better than the JP Sega Saturn version I also have.
It does have a slightly upgraded version of the game with some tweaks so that makes it worth having. It's cheap too at the minute - cheaper than the Saturn version that's for sure.
I wonder why the Japanese version is cheaper? Is more readily available?
They are both only available in Japan.
Just meant the PS2 version is more likely to be the cheaper of the two. Saturn game prices are getting silly now. Saturn Fantasy Zone was a cheaper game but even at that I'm guessing it's more expensive than the PS2 version.
There's a later PS2 version called Fantasy Zone Collection - it emulates all of the console versions. I wasn't really interested in that though. I already have Super FZ on Megadrive so I have more than enough of that game now. :)
Ah, OK, thanks for the clarification. :)
Latest Japanese PS2 acquisition is Shin Contra aka Contra : Shattered Soldier in other regions. It's far more affordable than the Western versions.
What a rip roaring game this is - pure old fashioned side on run and gun with plenty of PS2 fireworks. Brilliant game - there should be more of this sort of thing. Contra really is one of the great games series.
There's Neo Contra for PS2 as well but that's not as good - it's more of a top down view a bit like Cannon Spike. It's a good enough game just not really a proper Contra game.
(https://i.imgur.com/zf7suNr.jpg)
Latest addition to the JP-PS2 library. Kurushi was a real sleeper hit on PS1. It also had a slight update called Kurushi Final. In the US and JP it was called I.Q : Intelligent Qube.
PS2 got an update. It adds some background distraction that to be honest isn't necessary and I might prefer the PS1 soundtrack but this is a more affordable way to play this as the original can be hard to find.
(https://www.davykelly.com/iqPS2.jpg)
So, what does this do?
It's essentially a straight remake of the PS1's rolling cube puzzle game. The graphics are more polished but I prefer the orchestral soundtrack of the original though this soundtrack is still pretty good.
The stark black background of the original now has some effects and graphical fireworks going off that don't really help the game. The animation on your character is smoother etc. It's still an excellent game but the original didn't really need much in the way of tinkering.
Cool. I'll look it up.
And other..... Nice version this. Has the original Saturn mode and you unlock remastered Christmas Nights when you finish the game. Very similar to the Steam/PC version but couldn't resist this.
(https://i.imgur.com/K6UKEVW.jpg)
Is that only for the Japanese PS2?
Yeah.
I'm a real pushover when it comes to Tetris games. I'll never be able to resist picking yet another one up. So when I saw this for the JP PS2 I couldn't help myself. Turns out it's a cracker - one of the best versions I've played. It's a port of a Naomi board arcade game by Success - so it's a pity the Dreamcast didn't get this because it's far better than the 3 Tetris games it got.
It was a budget release in Japan but it's full featured and isn't just a straight port. There are home modes and arcade modes with a good selection of 1P variations and it also has versus and co-op modes for up to 4 players. Nice pixel art style and soundtrack too. The controls are excellent - really slick.
(https://i.imgur.com/pVVpVZI.jpg)
That is cool! Great find, then!
Picked up Capcom Classic Collection for my JP-PS2. I used to have the PAL version of this but it's 50Hz only so thought it better to get this version. Nice compilation. I have Vol.2 in PAL as it plays at 60Hz. I think I prefer the 1st volume - those older games have a stronger hook for me. Damn tough though. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/t8ac82X.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HhQUzoH.jpg)