Gaiares is better than any Thunder Force

[LoneSage]

Well, maybe not IV.
IV still makes me wonder how the hell Tecnosoft managed to pull that off with the Genny's hardware.
But then again, maybe I do think it's better than IV.

Gaiares is lovely, the first 8-meg shooter on any platform, and it's brutal. This is something Thunder Force doesn't have, a simple sense of unforgiving brutality to it. The first two levels are fine introductory courses to the game, but by the third things heat up.

And I guess the reason I'm comparing this to TF is because they feel similar; both have manual speeds, and aesthetically look somewhat similar (aside from Gaiares's screen-filling humanoid bosses). It's a real shame people go on about TFIII and IV when talking about the console's greatest shooters (or games, even), but hardly anyone talks about this gem.

The TOZ system, where you can steal enemies weapons, is another thing no other shooter has done since then. It plays a crucial part in the game, because if you snatch the 'wrong' weapon, you'll have quite a time beating parts of the level with the 'right' weapon designed in mind.
Like, for instance, the fight with the fucking GRIM REAPER in level 3 -- if you don't have the missile weapon to shoot from behind, it's a bitch to take him down.

And guess what I just found out? The developer wasn't Wolf Team, but Telenet itself, yeah, the Valis guys. Sure makes me wish they stuck with this genre, because no matter how charming the Valis games were, in the end they were just an excuse for the cutscenes.


Anyway this is my ode to Gaiares.
Let us all sing the praises of ZZ Badnusty.

 

[moonwhistle]

I don't think Gaiares is underrated, it's seems to be a pretty well repsected shooter.

Having said that I must say I prefer the Thunderforce series, the music alone makes them better games, that's just me though as I'm whore for catchy 16 bit music. TF games have much more varied level design, I got really bored with all the black space levels in Gaiares. Also, I much prefer TF3 over 4, people always assume TF4 is the definative version just because it was the last one and has better graphics. TF3 is where it's at.

 

[NeoCverA]

Huge fucking bosses in a time when other bosses weren't so huge. Grabbing up enemy weaponry when other games limited your arsenal.

game is classic.

 

[pixeljunkie]

As far as sheer brutality goes, I think Lightening Force has it beat. That game is ruthless.

 

[NeoCverA]

As far as sheer brutality goes, I think Lightening Force has it beat. That game is ruthless.

Yeah, Lightning force was pure ROCKASS! you wishi-washi motherfucker.

 

[LoneSage]

gyah, I have a confession-

I never beat Thunder Force IV/Lightening Force.

the original post was made out of pure love and bias when I was playing a game of Gaiares.

um, still better than TF2, and maybe 3! maybe

 

[Loopz]

This is a totally emotionally biased observation, but I didn't play Gaiares until much, much later and it just didn't rock my world the way TFIII did. Had I played it during the Clone Wars, maybe...but TF just makes me swoon like a little bitch.

TFIV is quite possibly the most technically impressive MD title there is, save for maybe Alien Soldier.

 

[Kid Aphex]

TFIV seems to me to be much more impressive than even alien soldier.
maybe i just havent played AS in a long time.

another great MD shooter thats a lot more impressive than gaiares is ELIMINATE DOWN

not many people have played it though; check it out
http://youtube.com/watch?v=yB-W4E6sT0A&feature=related

 

[LoneSage]

it kills me looking at what TS was able to pull off with the hardware with Thunder Force IV, and then to look at Blast Wind on the Saturn..

it's like, what happened to all the talent? why does TFIV look better than Blast Wind?
OK maybe not better, but you know what I mean.
still love em, though.

 

[Kid Aphex]

it kills me looking at what TS was able to pull off with the hardware with Thunder Force IV, and then to look at Blast Wind on the Saturn..

it's like, what happened to all the talent? why does TFIV look better than Blast Wind?
OK maybe not better, but you know what I mean.
still love em, though.

blast wind was done on MD hardware [basically]
if i remember correctly

 

[MilkManX]

I loved both Gaiares and the TF series.

Gaiares totally wowed me like MUSHA Aleste did with the psuedo anime opening.

 

[terry.330]

Yeah it's good game but I gotta agree on the whole boring BGs. However the weapons and bosses were top notch stuff for sure.

Still nowhere near TFIII or IV.

And Blastwind is still a good game regardless of it's shortcomings.

Technosoft FTW!

 

[Jedah Doma]

This thread reminded me that I needed to pick up this game. Glad I did. Pretty good stuff. Although I do hate the starting over at the beginning of a level, but other then that, good stuff.

 

[Electroman]

Gaiares was good; if only insanely hard, slow, and although a graphical masterpiece it didn't have the speed qualities of finer stuff from Compile, Technosoft, and Toaplan/Seibu Kiahatsu.

IMO Aleste, TF 3, and especially TF 4 are the finest shmups on the Genny.

What's sad is what happened to Compile; a schmup company I respected so much back in the day. From Guardian Legend*, Blazing Lazers, Aleste, Super Aleste to the lame Robo Aleste, then Puyo Puyo and worst than that... Panic!(Switches). WTF?

And Tecnosoft... with their TF and Herzog Zwei series... shit why do all great companies seem to dissolve?

*Just beat Guardian Legend today AAMOF. Fantastic NES game; one of the finest on the system. Despite the insane flicker, Compile were the masters of sprite manipulation and efficiency. What's interesting is what kind of relationship Compile had with Irem at the time, and of all things how Edutainment giant Broderbund published the title.

 

[LoneSage]

What's interesting is what kind of relationship Compile had with Irem at the time, and of all things how Edutainment giant Broderbund published the title.

Yeah, same deal with Spelunker, which Irem now has the rights to (I think).

ok you guys got me backgrounds are kinda lame but everything else is top notch.

and blast wind is cool by me, if only for the soundtrack.

 

[Takumaji]

Gaiares is a great game, no doubt about that, but I still prefer TF4 over it... it's a bit difficult to compare these games because they have somewhat different mechanics.

Still, Gaiares is a must-have for a Genny shmup fan.

TF4 also is one of the few console shmups that I truly and completely enjoy. Other console-only shmups like MUSHA are too long and have lots of repetitive parts, not so in TF4, you have to be on your toes in every second, it has just the arcade feeling that I need in a shmup like that.

I love Technosoft...

And I think TF5PS on PSX is heavily underrated, which is a real shame, but that's another can of worms.

 

[LoneSage]

And I think TF5PS on PSX is heavily underrated, which is a real shame, but that's another can of worms.

as for which version's better, Saturn or PS1, well I'd say there's a reason its subtitle on the PS1's is 'Perfect System'

 

[FilthyRear]

i gotta give it to TF3... gaiares is really really good, but TF3 IMO is a very superb shooter

 

[Electroman]

i gotta give it to TF3... gaiares is really really good, but TF3 IMO is a very superb shooter

The point that stands out in my mind about TF3 is the apparent efficiency of sprite and parallax movement. I'm not sure how much assembly these game designers used as C became more prevalent but shit some of this stuff is so well designed, it makes me wonder. I can't imagine programming a game in assembly though.

I mean shit... I have enough of a challenge developing firmware in assembly for microcontrollers. Becoming more proficient in C lately though, and using that instead so I ain't going back.

 

[NEOFREAK9189]

Gaiares is nice but I prefer Thunder Force 3

 

[Forgotten_Freshness]

another great MD shooter thats a lot more impressive than gaiares is ELIMINATE DOWN

This is actually what is in my Mega Drive at the moment. I haven't been able to 1cc this, but I can't stop trying. The game is just ridiculously good.

 

[CORY]

Remember what Jamie said...

 

[LoneSage]

Oh wow, I didn't even notice the mullet in the second one.

 

[FilthyRear]

that tv in the back of the first ad is badass

 

[radiantsvgun]

Good god, look at that mullet! I enjoy the Gaiares over the TF series. I haven't put in much time with Lightening force, but Gaiares has some kick-ass tunes and bosses.