Let's recap: Shin Samurai Spirits (Samurai Shodown II) (ARC/NG).

[mollipen]

I really wish you people would stop talking about Last Blade. I love and adore the game, but NOBODY around me plays it.

Somebody needs to come up with a magic device that lets all Dreamcast multi-player games be playable online.

[Josh]

You can play Last Blade, and Last Blade 2 online through Kawaks.

You can actually play any Neo, CPS, or CPS2 game online.

Get with the times.

[Taito]

Hey look, it's my favorite video game of all time! Well, at this point Samurai Shodown II is my favorite mostly for sentimental reasons, since the gameplay has long been surpassed (Last Blade and SS3, yes 3, and I guess SS4, are far superior), and it's no longer the best-looking 2D fighter to date, like it was considered by many to be when released in 1994.

The best part of SS2 has to be massive amount of detail that was put into the game. The razor-sharp artwork and presentation in the VS screens absolutely floored me when I first played the game, and it's still chillingly well done. There were so many win poses, taunts, secret animations (like Kim Kap Hwan sliding in the background), and overall personality in SS2, my personal opinion is, I don't think the game's stellar artwork and style were truly topped until maybe (maybe) Street Fighter Alpha 2 was released. The game still plays competently (but life-hemorrhaging counter hits are sort of unfair) and the artwork is still amazingly detailed though.

That was a great year for SNK. Those were the times when SNK seriously gave Capcom a run for their money. The amazing KoF '94 (played as sharp and dynamic as a Capcom fighter, and the visuals were so detailed and sprites so well-proportioned, the game almost looked like prerendered cg at the time) and Samurai Shodown II hit arcades when Capcom released one rehashed, retooled Street Fighter too many. Capcom was caught with their pants down during that year.

Finally, I'm sort of surprised that the developers of SS2 went on to create Guilty Gear. All nostaligia aside now--I like the gameplay in GG, but in the way of artwork, GG doesn't seem to have half of the personality or detail that SS2 had, high-res sprites or otherwise.

[Changeling]

Ya know Mr conrooks, I can't believe it but I actually took fifteen minutes to think about your assertions about Last Blade and another ten or so typing up many paragraphs about what I don't like about the SS series and what I do like about the Last Blade series. Sufficeth to say I put in more effort than I do for 99% of my message board posting. I was finished and completely ready to click that "Post Reply" button when I noticed this:

"Thank God for Mame!! Forget buying the actual game. I never could see spending that much money. If you want to, thats your own thing, but I'd rather just download "classic" games."

And now I can't be bothered. It's not elitism. It's not that I own an arcade original SS2 (cost me a whopping $15) and you don't. It's that you referred to Samurai Shodown 2 as a classic and also said that it wasn't worth owning the real thing, all in the same sentence. Maybe a sliderule would help because I can't fathom the math. It is so fucking grand that it is deemed a "classic", yet it ain't worth $15? How fucking much was the PC version? Bah, don't bother, you probably downloaded that too. Pa

Well, I don't own the Neo version. that much is true . The thing is, is that I do own it for PC and also the shitty import PS version. I didn't download them. So I just can't understand why you'd try to attack me for downloading and playing it on mame. Its almost perfect. Add arcade sticks and its gravy. Why should I be bothered to go and get a Neo and then try to find the game whenever I can play it on my PC. I don't really see the big deal. If I could just go out and buy the Neo and SS2 at my local EB, then sure, I'd do it. I am not saying that its the best fighting game of all time, but I am saying that , to me, Its "feels" better than Last Blade. The art is better and the music is alot better. Is SS2 as techincal as Street Fighter 3?? no, obviously, but for atmosphere, SS2 has almost everything beat. So before you get on your anti-emu high-horse, and attack someone, think about what you're saying. Take the unknown into consideration.
Oh, and the PC version was 20 bucks. I got ripped off.

You can play Last Blade, and Last Blade 2 online through Kawaks.

You can actually play any Neo, CPS, or CPS2 game online.

Get with the times.

Oh hell. you went off and mentioned emulation too. Be prepared for a PaCrappa cruxification.

[Eight One]

Imagine if Seiger was in one of the later Shodown games.....

[mollipen]

You can play Last Blade, and Last Blade 2 online through Kawaks.

You can actually play any Neo, CPS, or CPS2 game online.

Get with the times.

We are not all PC people, Mr. Icepick.

[PaCrappa]

You may have missed my point conrooks. You see, if I use the word "classic" in regards to a videogame, that means I value it. The only reason I get up and work in the morning is so that I can have the things I value. It's mostly the basics, food, clothing, shelter, etc. But I also value the games that I like. I am on no anti-emulation high horse as I use the stuff (MAME and ZSNESW) almost daily. But I don't use them in place of tracking down a game that I value, I use them as window shopping and make note of anything good so that it can be tracked down at a later date. This sort of thinking doesn't play for me: "If I could just go out and buy the Neo and SS2 at my local EB, then sure, I'd do it". Surely a game that's worthy of "classic" status is worth more effort than that? And remember we're talking LOVE not money.

Icepick's reference to emulation was somewhat informative, along the lines of "we can all have fun with miracle of modern technology". Yours was "Fuck paying for the real shit, free and almost perfect is better than the cheap real deal any day". Very different.

And since Ice Ice Pizzle asked for it, I bring you my original post!

"The art being "ass" is certainly neither here nor there. I hate avocados, ya know?

I don't much like the art in SS personally. I hope I don't have to explain why. I just don't like the characters that well. The backgrounds are fine but outside of Jubei, most of the characters don't float my boat. Galford gets extra points for having a dog but it's one of those hairy things like wolfy german shepherd so IMO, they couldn't even get that right as it clearly should have been a pitbull. The presentation is passable but nothing to write home about.

I don't like the jumping in SS. It's too floaty and also just doesn't do it for me. I could take time to get used to it if I so desired but the rest of what this series has to offer (painfully little IMHO) hasn't inspired me to develop any chops.

The music is passable but not special. Not much else to say.

When I play the Last Blade games I get much more enjoyment and so does the group of people I normally play fighting games with. They like it better too and they don't waste one billionth of the time I do at internet message boards so you know it's not some silly elitist thing. Is Last Blade obscure or more hardcore? Who gives a fuck? Even though I do hang out here and there online, I don't do much with gaming elitism because I have to play these things before I can actually say what I like or don't like. Besides, half the shit that super elitist bedwetters get so cranky about (Samurai Shodown for instance) isn't worth dickall to me. But I digress.

What I do like about the Last Blade series is the chracters. They have more style and panache than SS's poorly colored cartoons. Zantetsu is just cold and IMO no character in SS is half as cool. And that's leaving out the rest which I think are just designed better. Lee is also a fave. The voices are much better in Last Blade than SS.

I really like the whole deflecto mechanic. It's extremely well animated and all the characters look so surprised when you've successfully deflected their move and unleashed a badass combo of your own. It really adds another dimension to gameplay. Not to mention the aforementioned (by Mzo) dodges and pushes that are unique to LB. The gameplay here is quite dynamic and that dynamic just doesn't exist within the SS series. All these defensive tricks make for very unpredictable matches when both players are skilled.

I also like LB's combos. Apples and oranges I suppose, but I prefer a game like this and don't favor the more strategic play of the SS series.

The music is not overly impressive but I find it a little cooler than SS' tunes.

I like the presentation between fights alot. It's just ever so slick and always pleases my eye.

I suppose I could keep on going but of course it's just me explaining my personal opinion and I've already done that for a few paragraphs. Is it okay now? Have I yet been validated by you in liking what games I like or do you need more explanations?

Now Mr conrooks, what is "broken" about Last Blade? Have you ever played the real arcade versions? What makes Samurai Shodown so much better? It would really be special and make my day if you took time out and wrote a short essay for the benefit of Mzo, Icepick and myself that explained your motivation for liking Samurai Shodown so much, because we all suspect that you're merely leeching some leetness factor so that you can go around to message boards and posture like you're cooler than the people who like Last Blade.

Thanks in advance,
Pa"

And there ya have it. EGM called last night and offered $100K a year if I'd relocate and dedicate my life to wearing rose tinted glasses while describing crap American games for the benefit of giant corporations. I told 'em to fuck off because I'm holding out for the big money at Gamepro.

Pa

[Josh]

We are not all PC people, Mr. Icepick.

Not my fault you're limiting yourself, Ms. Shidoshi.

[mollipen]

Not my fault you're limiting yourself, Ms. Shidoshi.

Well, only when it comes to gaming. But yes, at times like these, and those times that I REALLY want to play some Red Alert 2, I cry a few small tears over the fact that I don't have a PC.

[Aurora]

Use Virtual PC?