What Are You Playing (Summer 2011)

[gameoverDude]

I had no idea this was coming. Picked it up just a bit ago and it's rather nice. Good design and charming feel to it. The way they integrate some elements of the first game (which it plays much more like than EA Returns) is cute. You can play up to 4 players in competitive or co-op, but you have to be careful because even in co-op your bullets can damage the other players.

Loading times are hell, though.

The controls seem a bit stiff compared to EA Returns, but this probably has something to do with Taito's decision to pattern it more after the original. That said, I like it. Having played EA Returns maybe a bit too much, I took some getting used to the fact that the rocket launcher and the timebomb can take you out if you're not at safe range. You can still let a time bomb sit in the elevator to clear out enemies on another floor (like Kart's grenade in EAR), but it's somewhat trickier now.

Sometimes it's worth letting yourself get detected, so you can take out the resulting extra enemies with a bomb to rack up combo bonus. It's fun to clothesline onrushing enemies with a door- to be fair, you cannot abuse this because the door you used will be locked behind you. This is far better than Konami's lukewarm Rush'N Attack Ex-Patriot (which they didn't do theirselves).

The initial load time is a bitch. It's worse than booting up any Neo-Geo CD game (even Pulstar). After that it's tolerable.

[Gooch]

Not to be pedantic (or more than usual), but the Wii and 480i/p stuff in general can look great on non-fixed pixel HD displays, i.e. CRTs. I basically have the one TV to rule them all except I still need a second analog set for IIDX (which I never play anymore...).

The Super Fine Pitch tube Sony KD-34XBR960 ? I have a professionally calibrated 970 but would love a 960. Can't find one locally, however.

[Compass]

Ha, close. They made a 4:3 36" Super Fine Pitch set as well. The KD-36XS955.

The 970 is the last model year where they cheaped out on components, right? Yeah, I've heard it pales in comparison to the 960, but is still awesome in its own right. Especially properly calibrated. I hate myself for not having mine done, but the couple famous guys known for working on these SFP sets wouldn't come out to California for me. I need someone who isn't afraid to move some magnets.

[dog$]

All I have is a KV 34HS420 and it was a floor display at a Best Buy in Lansing, MI. It is practically impossible to find the good ones like the 960.

[Gooch]

No SFP, no cable card, no firewire input, no memory slot. It's a set of steak knives to the 960 and XS955.

[A Robot Bit Me]

An HD TV with an XRGB to upscale the old games imo.

I realize spending $400 to emulate a $50 TV is ridiculous, but I think I'm going to go this route, too. The space conservation is worth it. Where did you find yours?

[GohanX]

I played some Fighting Street today! Why? I don't fucking know, sometimes I just get the urge to play a shitty game. I should be practicing some Super SF2 Turbo since I might go to a little local tourney at the end of the week. I've always sucked at Super Turbo, so I probably won't make it past the first round.

Maybe I could challenge the winner to a bout of Champion Edition!

[Mzo]

I realize spending $400 to emulate a $50 TV is ridiculous, but I think I'm going to go this route, too. The space conservation is worth it. Where did you find yours?

Does that eliminate input lag? I need to find out more about this.

[dog$]

I don't think there's any image converter which helps lag. However, I don't recall reading about any which specifically make it worse.

The biggest obstacle is still the TV itself. One TV to rule them all still goes to a Panny plasma (though only certain current models of them).

[Dolemite]

Tokyo Beatdown on DS. I fucking love this game.

I've probably been having more fun with my DS than any other system, lately. Weird.