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Tempest 4000


Gregory DG

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Defender was bad, as a side scroller, if you ever suffered into the GBA release. Holy hell that one is awful. The 3D one, and in particular the Gamecube one had the most effort put into it of the three internally. Look I have a stake in the game as it is anyway, but believe me a lot of effort went into that version including late to the game corrections to make sure it controlled well, if you selected the right scheme (unfortunately.) You just can't go into Defender wanting the 80s cracked out hard as balls arcade game, but if you go into it as a defender of the solar system/earth type scenario to destroy the alien enemy and save what you can of humanity it's a pretty fun game with a lot of stages with a decent challenge curve that increases with it. It doesn't suffer like many later in the years updates with cheap garbage and short cuts to make faux challenge or annoying ass moments to make it last longer.

 

Not going to dig into it or go into 15 year old history, but I'll leave it at this -- my name is in the manual, though doesn't credit me entirely properly. The last of 5 (credited) games from my couple years at Midway before I left CA for KY the first time.

 

Ok..here's my point of view as a consumer..

 

I bought during the PS2/Xbox/GC era alone..modern updates on:

 

Spy hunter

Defender

Final Fight

Narc

P.O.P

Never tried Gauntlet..

 

Not 1 of them captured the magic as it were of the 2D originals and i doubt they will be regarded as classics in years to come.

 

On PS3..i tried updates to Strider..Bionic Commando..1942..Commando Golden Axe etc.

 

So..Over the years a lot of developer have tried really hard..With mixed results..to take classic 2D games kicking and screaming into the modern age..

 

I've yet to find anything bar Afterburner Climax perhaps..that grabs me in the manner the originals did.

 

I'm an aged and cynical gamer..so please don't take my comments about your Defender update too personally

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Here are mine:

 

Gridrunner

Super Ox Wars

Llamatron 2112

Minotaur Rescue

 

on iOS really did it for me, they were great. You can play Gridrunner and Super Ox Wars for free on Android, they run fine on just about anything. Also 5 a Day (which is like Time Pilot), Caverns of Minos (which is like Caverns of Mars), and GoatUp (which is weird, but like Tower Toppler/Nebulus, I guess).

 

and of course

Tempest 2000, Defender 2000 on Jaguar

Virtual Light Machine on Jaguar CD

Tempest 3000 on Nuon

Space Giraffe on XB360 (or the optionally less trippy Windows version, still on Steam)

 

he also did the "Neon" effects on Xbox 360 when you play an audio CD, and the psychedelic backgrounds for the XB360 port of Space Invaders Extreme.

 

Betcha didn't know the Neon visualizer was this neat: online manual

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I don't take it personal you clearly have a dislike of rehashed old arcade games brought into the 3D era. I don't really recall a 3D Final Fight or NARC, but the others I'm aware of or messed with. Spy Hunter has some of the spirit but it is so much its own game I get anyone disliking it loving the original, same feeling there too with Prince of Persia. Sands of Time was pretty alright but the rest after just got worse and worse by magnitudes and no fun like the old one. Gauntlet Legends though, that one was handled with class and really did still feel like the old game other than the fact it wasn't randomly generated stages and you had areas with a pretty thankfully fun boss fight. The game is solid alone or with up to all 4 going but to me it stands out as a 3D resurrection that didn't stink. Defender used the themes of the original but did not try and capture the feel of the old entirely other than the basic mechanics of ship flight, rescuing humans, or destroying them once they were harvested into nastier manti(aliens.)

 

1942/43 that one when it turned into 1945 Strikers Plus by Psikyo on the NeoGeo though, that one was(is) amazing. I think that one did a good job.

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Time changes what i like in games..there were a lot of years between me playing Prince Of P. on ST then Game Gear and the Ubisoft Game.

 

Spy Hunter i did enjoy on PS2 as a stand alone title..but i poured far more hours into the original on A8 and C64..

 

It's a strange 1 with myself and games..i was loving Rayman Origins on PS3..had to abandon it due to issues in life..returned to it when things calmed down..couldn't stomach it at all...

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I've got that with some games. I can't take an RPG anymore with random battles, yet there are a select few I'm just used to enough I will put up with it. Rayman I felt the same about with the WiiU release, but even with the $5 GOG pickup I can not really stomach putting up with how it is designed again so it sits. Certain games I used to love franchise wise or individually are garbage to me now I can't stand much or get bored of in minutes.

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Yes, true. There were 3 modes, though ...

 

Classic was big, chunky, and FAST

Plus was trippy, also FAST

2000 was ugly, but LOUD and fast.

 

Agreed about "rendered sprites." They were neat when new, but we've moved on and are no longer impressed by shiny things like that. Flat UI is in now, much more Atari-like!

 

While I found most of the modes too busy (a trademark of Jeff) I really enjoyed Classic mode. It actually is more controllable than the real Defender.

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I've got that with some games. I can't take an RPG anymore with random battles, yet there are a select few I'm just used to enough I will put up with it. Rayman I felt the same about with the WiiU release, but even with the $5 GOG pickup I can not really stomach putting up with how it is designed again so it sits. Certain games I used to love franchise wise or individually are garbage to me now I can't stand much or get bored of in minutes.

I'm ashamed to say i smashed up a Dreamcast after random battles in Skies Of Arcadia.

 

Only time i have ever rage quit so bad at a game..was in a bad place, mentally when playing..this was many years ago..and why i took it out on the hardware..i honestly don't know..but yes..it reduced me to this.

 

:$

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Wow execution style on a Dreamcast, harsh. The GC version isn't as bad that way, they dialed back the random battle generator by a notable bit, just not sure on the percentage. I just remember it driving me less nuts/angry back when it first came out. The DC game I never finished as i got so fed up with it around the big wall/south american looking area as I'd fly 2-3sec at most, then have a 15sec unskippable animation into a carbon copy fight that I had had enough putting up with it once I landed and could do town/dungeon. When the dungeon was evenly if not more hyperactive in being annoying I put it away for years until I sold that system. I'd say the GC one may still be a little bit aggressive compared to maybe Final Fantasy of the time, but it wasn't infuriating at least.

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While I found most of the modes too busy (a trademark of Jeff) I really enjoyed Classic mode. It actually is more controllable than the real Defender.

 

Me too. I wouldn't mind more "remasters" like that. Some of the Xbox Live Arcade ports had "enhanced" graphics, sometimes for the better, though usually not as nice as Defender Classic for Jaguar.

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Yep..not proud of it.

 

Did buy another DC and picked up game later on G.C, but still never finished it.

I've never put a system to death but controllers, I've had victims. I've never finished it on GC either, job being usually 70+hours a week got in the way of that but I did get through most the airship commanders. It's a solid game, but it is a bit long for its own good.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I had an opportunity to try a build of Tempest 4000 a few weeks back. It's very promising, although from the build I played, there won't be any real surprises in regards to the formula. It's exactly what one would expect, a linearly evolved Tempest 2K/3K that goes a little easier on the psychedelics. I did have a little trouble playing with the analog stick, but then I'm kind of whiny about that stuff in general for this type of game and certainly didn't dedicate myself to getting better with using it.

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Tempest was always meant to be a rotary game. Period.

 

yes, that's true. but how many people have access to them.

in the meantime, people have gotten used to controllers with sticks.

 

i have a rotary controller that i can use on the pc/xbox 360/ps2/ps3 so i do alright.

 

will definitely check out t4000, and by the way who cares if they use an old soundtrack. it still is awesome.

 

later

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