Japanese PS2

[davyk]

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.

[TrekMD]

Very nice.  Does it look any different from other PS2 units?

[davyk]

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.

[TrekMD]

I have a slim PS2 in black.  I like that model.  Small and compact.

[davyk]

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.

[TrekMD]

Interesting.  Since I only have the slim one for the PS2, I did not realize the performance in those terms could be different.

[davyk]

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.

[davyk]

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.

[Shadowrunner]

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!

[davyk]

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.

[davyk]

Few more games in the post. Castle Shikigami 1 & 2 + Gradius III+IV

Altogether now....

[TrekMD]

Nice set of games.  Gradius and Fantasy Zone are supposed to be excellent games for the system.

[davyk]

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.

[TrekMD]

I wonder why the Japanese version is cheaper?  Is more readily available?

[davyk]

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.