Under appreciated arcade gems

Coin-operated games and arcades.
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Neo'nate
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Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by Neo'nate »

Not sure anyones started a thread on this theme before? Maybe Im wrong, but what games are out there that you feel deserve more love...

For me it has to be Metal Slug 6, people talk about MSX and MS3 which are technical marvels and great games in their own right. However, MS6 adds a whole host more whilst going back to its routes of being a challenge but possible to 1CC with skill. MSX and moreso 3 (whilst superplays exist) are really designed to take your coins.

Not sure why it's never got more love. Brilliant addition to the series IMO.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by Sunder »

You make me want to and get an Atomiswave. I might need to complete my MS collection.

As for underappreciated gems, 100% I'd have to say Wardner aka Pyros. This game snuck up on me. I got it via a lot which included Bad Dudes, Dino Rex, Hammerin Harry, Psychic 5, and the guy was trying to sell it for 3 years. Got a great deal off of it.
I popped it in and I ended up trying to play through it in one go, and then kept it in the cabinet for months. I learned all of the not-so- any secrets of the game.
It's just a fun play through. That same feeling you get when you get good in Dark Souls as you know the timing and where each and every enemies pop out of.

I love Wardner.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by battlesmurf »

Co-Signing Metal Slug 6.

I really do like MS 3. I can 1CC 1 and 2, but haven't really been able to do 3. It's super long and has some spots I just can't wrap my head around (yet). I don't remember 4 and 5 very much at all- above and beyond "new people". 6 has a great position of looking neat and being fun.

My vote- Karate Tournament. It's a fun fighting game that isn't a typical fighting game. Hard to master- not really much button mashing possible. Has a lot of Mitchell charm to it.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by jugemscloud »

magical crystals - like kiki kai kai with bubble bobble aesthetics and an emphasis on platforming

boomer rang'r - open world action game, think robotron meets the original gta but 50 million bc and made in 1983

noboranka - vert scrolling tree climbing cute em up

psychic 5 - nice action game with a puzzle aspect

slap fight - overshadowed by just about all the vert stuff toaplan did after but its in my top 5 from them

volfied - an actual fun version of qix, one that just about anyone can pick up and play very intuitive

rush and crash/ speed rumbler - super smooth 80s capcom action goodness

theres a lot of late 80s nichibitsu stuff that could go here but each has its own merits worth running through their library on mame theres probably one or two that most would find to be enjoyable if they like shmups
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by Monstermug »

Thunder hoop 2.

(Don't laugh, it's nothing like the abomination of it's pre-sequel !)
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by Grinning Cat »

I second Wardner :) I had it 10+ years ago and regret parting with it.

Zero Team USA/New Zero Team and Nostradamus would be my current picks.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by goatboy »

Juno First , The Raiden Fighters Series (including Viper Phase 1 NV)
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by pubjoe »

Street Fighter

It seems to be remembered as Street Fighter 2’s dirty grandad but no one really gets it anymore. It was all about the challenge of doing the special moves, which really were special. Extremely powerful, satisfying and hard to master - that was the point. Now it’s just known as having terrible controls.

It was definitely a very good game of the time, but history tells it differently.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by Sunder »

pubjoe wrote: July 16th, 2020, 4:43 pm Street Fighter

It seems to be remembered as Street Fighter 2’s dirty grandad but no one really gets it anymore. It was all about the challenge of doing the special moves, which really were special. Extremely powerful, satisfying and hard to master - that was the point. Now it’s just known as having terrible controls.

It was definitely a very good game of the time, but history tells it differently.
Back in 1988 we actually had the arcade cabinet back at home due for amonth or so to my dad being friends with arcade operators. I remember being blown away by the locales and also by the voices. "GO TO HEAVEN" basically became my victory cry for the rest of my life, especially effective against my younger brother. But yeah, Impossible to pull off special moves and I've only seen the ending once, even with all the infinite credits we had.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by pubjoe »

I eventually got to the point where I could repeatedly dragon punch. You can complete the game once you can do that. It was a long journey getting there. I’d practice on any available joystick :fastlove:

There was a lot of arcade discussion about the best way to do the moves. Really bizarre methods considering its an 8-way digital Lever. The guy who was the first to master it round here said his technique was to press forwards and just slightly down, do a small anticlockwise circle towards the bottom right of the joystick’s range, then another even smaller circle. It was just SO hard to press ➡️⬇️↘️ with zero fudge allowance. It’s where cross-handed playing came from - which did make it easier. It’s the key to completing the game. It’s about learning one skill really really really well. It’s learning to whistle simulator.

The game blasted you with awesome music, great backgrounds, funny characters, lots of colour, stupid indecipherable digitised speech, and one very simple but stupendously difficult secret to master it. When you pulled off a special move you really felt it, the game slows down and a dragon punch was regularly an instant win. Up close it’d knock two stars and take up to three quarters from a full energy bar. It was always fun doing them against Geki and hearing the ping of his shurikens being punched away. It was a fantastic game.

It’s been on my mind since reading reviews and opinions of the Streetfighter collection. They just say SF1 is terrible then move onto discussing the other games. At best they might write enough about it to mention it has terrible controls.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by Ploppers »

For me it has to be Psycho-NICS Oscar. Great little Arcade platformer that has the Darius/Gradius powerup system. Used to play the crap out of this at my local fish and chip shop.

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/psycho-nics-oscar/
B-boppin' and Ploppin', Jackin' and Whackin', Windmill Providin' ...
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by Sunder »

Neo'nate wrote: July 5th, 2020, 8:08 pm Not sure anyones started a thread on this theme before? Maybe Im wrong, but what games are out there that you feel deserve more love...

For me it has to be Metal Slug 6, people talk about MSX and MS3 which are technical marvels and great games in their own right. However, MS6 adds a whole host more whilst going back to its routes of being a challenge but possible to 1CC with skill. MSX and moreso 3 (whilst superplays exist) are really designed to take your coins.

Not sure why it's never got more love. Brilliant addition to the series IMO.
So I was playing Metal Slug 6 and was wondering why the music sounded awesome. I was like " man it sounds like it belongs in an awesome shmup".
Turns out Manabu Namiki composed the music for 6.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by landisama »

NBA Hangtime. The best in the NBA Jam series and it passed almost unnoticed
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by largekro »

Not sure why it's never got more love. Brilliant addition to the series IMO.
Guess it’s because of too many recycled elements thus MSX and 4 are the recyclers. Plus MS2(X) and MS3 set the bar real high on the level design, really hard to beat. I second you I love MS6. I just don’t like the 15/31Khz mixed elements in certain stages, playing it 15Khz makes almost it look like it should. If only MS5 had not such a ridiculous end boss I would love MS5 and 6 equal since they both provided nice levels, nice adds and cool vehicles. Anyway I even like playing 4, such a dope arcade serie with addictive gameplay.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by undamned »

A couple in my mind are:

Dharma Dojo (Metro): great puzzle game and usually cheap if you can find it.

Rad Action /Ninja Kid (UPL): challenging but I keep coming back for more :)

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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by radiantsvgun »

Crime Fighters- with the Japan 2 player roms, its surprisingly playable and has a great soundtrack. Out of all my pcbs, I come back to this one the most.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by emphatic »

undamned wrote: October 17th, 2020, 2:34 am Rad Action /Ninja Kid (UPL): challenging but I keep coming back for more :)
One of the best! Hard to play with a Japanese stick though, too easy to trigger the weapon change (the up direction), so a stick with a longer throw is preferred. :awe:
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by Unknownsou »

landisama wrote: October 15th, 2020, 12:18 pm NBA Hangtime. The best in the NBA Jam series and it passed almost unnoticed
I never quite bottomed out on whether Hangtime or Maximum Hangtime was actually the best. Is there any consensus on that?
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by nem »

Maximum is just roster updates and the inclusion of Hot spots. Maybe people think hot spots are an unnecessary feature?

I think the point was that the Hangtime series is better than Jam series. Which I absolute agree with it.
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Re: Under appreciated arcade gems

Post by aerobert »

Among shmups, Raiden Fighters series just doesn't seem to get much love. I think they're amazing, especially 2. Jet has this interesting medal system but the level design in 2 is better. 2 is full of secrets, bonuses and tricks. More medals to chase. Everyone is either in Toaplan or Cave camps. The ones in straitjackets like Raizing.

Another forgotten hit is Taitos Dead Connection.
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