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General discussionCheck out 4 awesome classic titles from Bitwave Games!(26 posts)(26 posts)
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Posted February 07, 2024
It’s a happy day for classic enthusiasts – not one, not two, not even three… But four titles from Bitwave Games are joining the GOG catalog! Let’s take a look at them, shall we?

Batsugun
Embark on an inspiring adventure in the final masterpiece of Toaplan's shoot-'em-up masterpiece! Select your character from a diverse lineup of six captivating pilots and three unique ship models, each infused with its own charm and flair. Dive into a realm of stunning visuals, explosive firepower, and a captivating soundtrack, delivering an immersive journey you'll remember long after it's over.

Vimana
Experience the adrenaline-pumping excitement, as you enter a thrilling space battle! This vertical shooter showcases stunning visuals, a magnificent soundtrack, and an enthralling exploration of Indian mythology. Destroy your enemies with powerful shots and harness the power of eight rotating shield orbs for unparalleled defense.

Tiger Heli
In 1985, this game made waves as a groundbreaking vertical shooter from Toaplan, introducing a revolutionary bomb-based gameplay mechanic that set it apart as a true trailblazer of its era. Though its appearance may seem modest, its gameplay captivated many, gathering praise both in Japan and internationally. Its legacy lives on, and even today it remains a cherished gem among retro gaming enthusiasts far and wide.

Fixeight
Join in on a journey! Choose your character from a variety of eight extraordinary super soldiers, customize them to your heart's content, and confront seven distinct realms of chaos. Immerse yourself in the intense thrill, captivating narrative, and breathtaking explosions that revolutionized the run-and-gun genre in 1992!

Now on GOG!
Posted February 07, 2024
Yes!!! At last!

Thanks Bitwave and GOG took you guys long enough, for reference this was supposed to release on the first of this month.

Happy to finally be able to play when I'm off work.
Posted February 07, 2024
Heh, whenever I see such games, I'm reminded of those Epic started out with, OverKill, Kiloblaster, Zone 66, Seek and Destroy... Probably buried for good along with pretty much anything else from their beginnings, eh? Though we do still have Epic Pinball, Jill of the Jungle and Jazz Jackrabbit...
Posted February 07, 2024
You get a 38% discount if you buy all four games at the same time. Not a bad deal! Thank you Bitwave and GOG for continuing to bring the Toaplan library here.
Posted February 07, 2024
I remember hearing years ago that curation passed over Cave's Mushihimesama and that always miffed me a bit. It's nice to see at least Batsugun's made it over now, the more the merrier with other Toaplan titles in tow.

Does anyone have opinions on how this release stacks up against the other recent re-releases of Batsugun? Does it face any discernible input lag?
Posted February 07, 2024
Which, if any, of these games (and other SHMUP releases by this company) would qualify as bullet hells?
Posted February 07, 2024
Woo! Nice to see more arcade stuff here. Would very much like to see an emulated release of Ninja Baseball Bat Man.
Posted February 07, 2024
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Exceed20XX: Does anyone have opinions on how this release stacks up against the other recent re-releases of Batsugun? Does it face any discernible input lag?
From what I've read about their previous releases, low input-lag is actually one of their greatest strengths, along with manual and quick savestates. No idea if all their releases have it, but at least Outzone has the ability to show hitboxes (and an option to play with smaller player hitbox to mix it up). Input lag on pc was measured at 2 frames on a crt... In comparison, majority of shmups that are re-released on switch are in the 6 frame of lag territory, so this is night and day.
Edit: About the S-tribute release. Most of Saturn tribute games have quite high input lag, Batsugun S-tribute was reported at 5-6frames on pc. That is due to Saturn emulation being complex and also Cityconnection releases are quite barebones to begin with.
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dtgreene: Which, if any, of these games (and other SHMUP releases by this company) would qualify as bullet hells?
Batsugun is considered a proto-bullethell, i.e. showing first elements of bullethelll patterns and a resulting change in gameplay compared to traditional shmups they did before. A distinct departure and quite experimental by 1993 standards. It was their last game too. After Toaplan sank, part of its employees went on and founded CAVE, that became the synonym for bullet-hells.
Post edited February 07, 2024 by Spectrum_Legacy
Posted February 07, 2024
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dtgreene: Which, if any, of these games (and other SHMUP releases by this company) would qualify as bullet hells?
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Spectrum_Legacy: Batsugun is considered a proto-bullethell, i.e. showing first elements of bullethelll patterns and a resulting change in gameplay compared to traditional shmups they did before. A distinct departure and quite experimental by 1993 standards. It was their last game too. After Toaplan sank, part of its employees went on and founded CAVE, that became the synonym for bullet-hells.
I agree, the only one here someone can qualify as bullet hell is Batsugun, by many it is considered the start of the subgenre.

And if you want something that won't qualify as bullet hell but is pretty difficult, I'll point you to Truxton (Tatsujin in Japan) from the previous bundle release from this devs.
Post edited February 07, 2024 by Keihltrein
Posted February 08, 2024
BATSUGUN!!
Posted February 08, 2024
Tyrian and Raptor - Call of the Shadows are two great examples of shmups with full Mouse support!

Unfortunately, Bitwave Games' ports of shmups do not have any mouse control support. Which is a shame... If their titles had such support, they would be a step ahead of the versions found in any emulator. Just Gamepad and Keyboard? Give me a break, guys...
Posted February 08, 2024
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Keihltrein: And if you want something that won't qualify as bullet hell but is pretty difficult, I'll point you to Truxton (Tatsujin in Japan) from the previous bundle release from this devs.
Strangely, I'm actually looking for the reverse; a game that qualifies as a bullet hell, but isn't actually difficult.
Posted February 08, 2024
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Keihltrein: And if you want something that won't qualify as bullet hell but is pretty difficult, I'll point you to Truxton (Tatsujin in Japan) from the previous bundle release from this devs.
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dtgreene: Strangely, I'm actually looking for the reverse; a game that qualifies as a bullet hell, but isn't actually difficult.
Then maybe take a look a Vimana, is not a bullet hell but it has its moments but is very manageable.
Posted February 08, 2024
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dtgreene: Strangely, I'm actually looking for the reverse; a game that qualifies as a bullet hell, but isn't actually difficult.
some Compile games are rather easy, like GG Aleste 2
Posted February 08, 2024
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Keihltrein: And if you want something that won't qualify as bullet hell but is pretty difficult, I'll point you to Truxton (Tatsujin in Japan) from the previous bundle release from this devs.
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dtgreene: Strangely, I'm actually looking for the reverse; a game that qualifies as a bullet hell, but isn't actually difficult.
The Touhou indie shmups by Team Shanghai Alice are what you're looking for.

"Imperishable Night" is probably the best for beginners.
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Community
General discussionCheck out 4 awesome classic titles from Bitwave Games!(26 posts)(26 posts)
(26 posts)