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Shooter Heaven: Konami's Import Shooter Collections
Written by Robert Falcon on Wednesday, January 31, 2007
We go hands-on with the import-only Salamander, Twinbee, and Parodius collections to bring you the complete scoop...
Importing games for the PSP has been a pretty commonplace practice, thanks to the mere fact that the system can play game software from literally anywhere, with no region-locking whatsoever (except for movies- but who cares about them?). Taito Legends, both of the Taiko Drum Master collections, and the recent addition of Parappa the Rapper already reside in my collection, along with the European version of Ridge Racer 2. (What can I say, I'm impatient.) Now three more import releases have been getting a good deal of attention, and for good reason- they're collections of old-school shooters from Konami.
Konami is no stranger to releasing game collections, with Gradius Collection released for the PSP last year and a Nintendo DS compilation on tap to arrive this March. But these seem to be more of an offering to fans than mainstream releases, as most of these shooters have never seen the light of day in the US. So, as part of a service to our Modojo readers, we've decided to take a look at each of these collections and give you the low-down as to whether they're worth investing in or not. So let's take a look...
Salamander Portable
Also known as the Life Force collection, this compilation includes Salamander, Life Force, Salamander 2, Xexex, and a hidden title (which we won't reveal here, so people can discover it for themselves). These seem like a spin-off to the Gradius games, as players work their way through a series of levels while collecting icons that they can trade in for power-ups. These power-ups include additional "options" (shooting orbs), lasers and missiles, and even a force field. The original Life Force was seen on the NES back in the day, but Salamander 2 has never seen the light of day here in the US. It's actually a pretty good sequel, and very, very challenging in the later levels. Rounding out the collection is Xexex, a shooter with a huge graphical explosion and power-ups aplenty. However, sometimes it's so confusing that it's hard to tell what's going on with the PSP display. It's not like it's a bad game, just one that takes a bit of time to comprehend.
Is it worth a purchase? I'd say this is the most easily accessible of the three shooter collections, as it refuses to lean on silly character design, ridiculous music, or outlandish bosses. It takes its shooting business seriously and shows every step of the way. It would have been nice to see some older-school stuff make the cut, like Ajax and Lightning Fighters, but this is still an adequate buy for $35 (what it currently goes for over at Play-Asia.com).
Twinbee Portable
This overhead shooting series has never seen any kind of release here in the US, outside of an early arcade release in the late 80's. Even that didn't see great distribution, leaving the series as a cultural favorite overseas. This collection includes Twinbee, Dela na Twinbee, Twinbee Yahho, and Pop'n'Twinbee, along with a well-hidden game somewhere in the mix. (Again, you'll have to find that out for yourself.) All four of these games are roughly the same, as the player controls a singletary craft through a field of bizarre enemies. Because of the lack of diversity, this is probably the least interesting collection of the three, although its designs can be considered very likable, and the music very cute.
Is it worth a purchase? If any collection is worth taking a pass on out of the three, it's probably Twinbee. The game's aren't terribly exciting nor challenging in the long run, as I beat the first three pretty easily (with the fourth currently being destroyed by my mad shooting skills). Still, if you liked Twinbee in any way shape or form over the years, or can't get enough of its ridiculousness, this is worth putting in your library.
Parodius Portable
Rounding out these import releases is a compilation containing all the crazy, wild antics of the Parodius series. This set including the original Parodius, Gokujou Parodius, Sexy Parodius, Jikkyou Oshaberi, Parodius da!, and a secret game. (Again, not telling, sorry.) All of these games have a similar style to Gradius, where the player works his or her way through levels while collecting power-ups. However, the game is completely off the charts when it comes to enemies. One offers a series of floating ducks just flapping around, while another features a boss penguin flushing bubbles out of his helmet. This game is CLEARLY not normal- and that's part of its genuine appeal. All of the Parodius chapters are quite challenging, especially when the levels start moving at a rapid pace up and down chasms. The gameplay can be unpredictable as well, with a series of power-ups that can be picked up from floating bells.
Is it worth a purchase? Absolutely. Twinbee and Parodius work on the same wacky level, but Parodius seems to have the pure challenge nailed down that most shooter fans will be frothing at the mouth over. Plus, it's so damn weird that it'll be hard to keep the smile off your face. Just wait until you face the perils of Sexy Parodius. Sexy indeed!
posted January 31, 2007