Ketsui DS (w/ superplay DVD)

[gsl]

Oh no, I wasn't implying separate with DVD/without DVD packages, I was just thinking that as the game comes with the superplay DVD, it would be more expensive than the usual import DS titles.

As for the preorder, since in October I won't be able to stroll down to my local Sofmap and casually pick the game up I figure there's no harm I get a copy for sure in case of a small print run or whatnot.  Overdoing it a bit?  Probably.  But such is the price for a man's peace of mind!

[EOJ]

A new preview w/ more pics:

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20080523/ketsui.htm

[FrederikJurk]

Already preordered it (Yeah... five months in advance, but I can?t help myself).

I love what I can see so far, though I am a bit disappointed by the lack of proper stages, but I can see that with the DS limitations that might have been a bit too much. A short but sweet bossrush in three variants is ideal for bursts of handheld bullet barrage joy Though I really hope that you can play the multiplayer score attack stage in single player, too - I mean I don?t see myself being able to play that against anybody in the near future, and having the only stage in the game locked away for single player would be a bummer.

But I LOVE that replay save feature

[gsl]

Yeah, having at least SOME sort of complete level playable for single-player mode would be nice; the only person I'd be able to multiplay regularly with would be the fiancee (well, wife by the time the game comes out), and while she enjoys ESPgaluda, I'm not sure how she'd take to competing against me for score in Ketsui.  Still, the lack of single stages won't keep me away from the game--it'd be nice, is all I'm saying.  Besides, I'm sure the "Oshiete, IKD-san!" mode will totally make up for it.  I wonder if it's too much to ask that Mihara put in a visual novel-type minigame where you have to woo Ikeda for better scoring tips and whatnot...

In that last batch of screenshots I could see pictures inside the mineshaft; I wonder if the managed to get the tate-ana right for this version?

[FrederikJurk]

In that last batch of screenshots I could see pictures inside the mineshaft; I wonder if the managed to get the tate-ana right for this version?

That would be the ultimate mockery

[EOJ]

New Famitsu preview:

http://www.famitsu.com/game/coming/1215203_1407.html

[adverse]

Mihara's Sublayer has a post from early July saying that the midway ROM for the game was submitted, but that this prototype really only needs about a month more of work.  Guess the project is coming together.  Hopefully the final product will be good...

[FrederikJurk]

Thanks for the heads-up. I tend to get a little nervous when I don?t hear something new about this every few weeks So it?s not going to be released EARLIER than announced by any chance? That would be great.

[MX7]

There was a little snippit about it in UK Games magazine GamesTM. Absolutely no new information, but still pretty exciting to see its presence in an English language magazine :D:D

[jpj]

ash is very into his shooters at gamestm.  i also gave him the heads up on dux, which had a snippet shot in the previous issue

[MX7]

Yeah, I saw the DUX mini write up: Anyone flicking through the magazine would think that 2D shooters were popular or something

Anyway, just in case anyone is interested, here is the write up from GamesTM

"KETSUI DEATH LABEL

Format: DS
Publisher: Cave
Developer: Arika

Cave makes its Nintendo debut with a handheld port of its 2002 bullet curtain shooter, Ketsui. We're unsure if the DS can handle an arcade perfect port of the shoot-'em-up, but even if it doesn't, it will have a wealth of extras. The best of which appears to be IKD-san, in which the president of Cave pops up on the bottom screen to give you his own shoot-'em-up pro tips."

[FrederikJurk]

The best of which appears to be IKD-san, in which the president of Cave pops up on the bottom screen to give you his own shoot-'em-up pro tips."

Maybe he could point out your hitbox with a laserpointer during play.

And yeah, cool to see that appearing in a western gaming magazine!

[adverse]

Two vids of Ketsui DS (newly made available from the ketsui no kai on niconico)...

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/1215483777

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/1215483355

The last one is of IKD playing the game against Mihara I believe.  

Can't say I have much confidence in the graphics...look really really jaggy.

[jammaparts]

Oh no, I wasn't implying separate with DVD/without DVD packages, I was just thinking that as the game comes with the superplay DVD, it would be more expensive than the usual import DS titles.

As for the preorder, since in October I won't be able to stroll down to my local Sofmap and casually pick the game up I figure there's no harm I get a copy for sure in case of a small print run or whatnot.  Overdoing it a bit?  Probably.  But such is the price for a man's peace of mind!

Same here, just had to go ahead and pre-order mine as well even though it's still early. Just be safe!

[MX7]

looks like the second one is AWOL...

And I downloaded the 1st one a while back, but it's good to see again! thanks for sharing!

[EOJ]

Main site updated with the final box art on the home page, and updates to the game menu and other modes sections. Nice to see that you can turn the auto-bomb on or off in this game!

[EOJ]

Official site updated with new info on the game mode page, as well as a picture of the superplay DVD disc.

http://www.arika.co.jp/product/ketsui_hp/index.html

[MrMonkeyMan]

Awesome.  It looks like his score is already 15 million points ahead of the Tiger Schwert replay on the old DVD by the end of the first loop.

I just hope it doesn't turn out it's because of some autofire hack that allows him to stay in that brief moment between lock shot and normal shot for the extra chips it gives.

[Icarus]

I just hope it doesn't turn out it's because of some autofire hack that allows him to stay in that brief moment between lock shot and normal shot for the extra chips it gives.

You know it probably is. Autohacks seem to be abundant in many games nowadays, not just Cave (Border Down, I'm looking at you!).

[GaijinPunch]

Border Down, I'm looking at you!

Exprain

And Ketsui's wouldn't work without a hack to the board, not the controller.  There's a "sweet spot" just before you kill the large enemies.  Has nothing to do w/ the frequency of the fire button.

[MrMonkeyMan]

And Ketsui's wouldn't work without a hack to the board, not the controller.  There's a "sweet spot" just before you kill the large enemies.  Has nothing to do w/ the frequency of the fire button.

It happens right when your shots switch to the lock shots.  You can get extra chips from any enemy like this, and it doesn't matter how far away they are as long as the first enemy triggers the 5 chip chain you will get 5 chips from any enemy.  I can usually get one extra five chip from the first batch of helicopters in the game.  You can only do it in small bursts, but if you could hack the A button to trigger just long enough to start the lock shot and then stop I'm thinking you would be able to get it to work.  Just theoretical, and I hope I'm completely wrong.

There are parts of the original DVD where the players keep tapping A as you can see the options moving back and forth.  They may be attempting to do something like this for a few extra chips, or maybe they're just playing around.  Here's a short video showing it off.  Hopefully nobody minds me posting a short clip from the DVD.

I just can't imagine where another 15 million points are coming from in just the first loop.

[zakk]

I think the real reason he does it is to make his shot coverage wider; that part is a bit easier to do as panzer if you do that with the options.

Help me out here: what's the first three digits of the score in the 5th midboss part of that picture? I can make out 17 but I can't tell what the millionths digit is. 2? 8?

He's already nearly 10M-13M (depending on what that digit is) ahead of the INH DVD at that point. Note his chips are about 200 more than the INH run. I don't think this is due to shennanigans, there was some significant 5-chip misses in the first part of the INH stage 5.

However, despite being 200 chips ahead at the midboss, they finish the stage with 54xx, only 20 chips apart.

I think we can rule stage 1 out for any meaningful point gain, and the screen shot seems to support that.

So now we just have to figure out where the hell you'd pick up 10M-13M extra points in 2,3 and 4...

[GaijinPunch]

From a programmatic point of view all the jossling of the A button wouldn't change the fact that the window in which the A must be pressed has no relation.  Of course, that's how I'd do it... it could be done differently, but I would hope not.  I find that thing annoying as it is.

[MrMonkeyMan]

I believe he has 172 million points at the midboss there.  It looks like he got 21.3 million from stage 1 and it doesn't look like he got an unusual amount of chips.  Hopefully just good strategy and good play.

That's neat about the options though, I never thought about that.  Guess I should play as the Panzer Jager a little more

[EOJ]

New promo vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcePhK6sjHU

Shows some good footage of the multiplayer mode (the one "stage" in the game, based on stage 5 of Ketsui).

[gsl]

The version of "Darkened" that plays in the first half sounds different.  Is it some sort of remix?

[FrederikJurk]

Now THAT?S what I call a mouthwatering trailer. These other demo vids were okay, too, but looked a bit, erm, "dry". I really hope you can play that stage 5 in single player, too.

And the "Ask IKD" parts seem to be some sort of tips and hint section. Nice! This makes me more confident that Mihara put a lot of care into the final game. And the framerate looks great, too. I?m pumped!

[adverse]

Impressions of the demo I played:

1.  Ship controls well, and button layout is Y: shot, B: laser, A: Bomb.  The DS has nice popped up buttons so it's easy to move from one to the other and even to bomb on reaction.
2.  The level available was the Doom fight, already seen on nico nico and youtube.
3.  There was a semi-auto bomb feature, where when you get hit, you lose all the bombs you had and the game goes into a slow kakusei-esque mode for a little bit.  Then it goes back to normal and if you are hit, you will lose a life.  In Kakusei mode, all hit boxes you collect are red for some reason.
4.  Score is calculated on the bottom screen.

I'm definitely going to pick this game up to have something to play around with on the train, and for the DVD.  It controlled well and I think it's got enough loaded in it to justify a purchase.  Still, I wish we were getting more stages instead of a boss rush.

There was by the way no way to save the demo since it clears from your cache when you turn off your DS. 

[FrederikJurk]

There was by the way no way to save the demo since it clears from your cache when you turn off your DS. 

Too bad. That would have been 

Thanks for your impressions!

[EOJ]

New video up:

http://www.arika.co.jp/product/ketsui_hp/movie_etc/movie_etc.html#

It shows the full stage 5 (first loop) from the superplay dvd! 
Ends with 273mil.