bangai-o-spirits
Latest
DS Daily: Tough choices
The next few months will be filled with a lot a great releases -- perhaps too many. Super Dodgeball Brawlers, Bangai-O Spirits, Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Etrian Odyssey II, Space Invaders Extreme, Arkanoid DS, Rondo of Swords, Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles, Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, and The World Ends With You are just a few that we can name on the spot, and all of these will be out before July starts. Unless you have abundant amounts of currency, though, you probably can't afford to buy that many games in such a short period of time. Also, money isn't the only problem. Supposing that you could afford everything you wanted, you wouldn't even have the time to play them all. Narrowing down the field is tough, but necessary. What games that are coming out in the next three months do you consider must gets? And they don't have to be chosen from the games listed above, so go nuts.
More Japanese publications get Bangai-O Spirits stages
Two more Bangai-O Spirits custom stages are available on the official Japanese homepage, representing two more Japanese game media outlets. The Gemaga stage (pictured) is in the form of the site's mascot, Liruru (or Rilulu, or -- you get the idea). The ITMedia stage is made in the image of the site's logo. Who do we have to talk to to get our own Bangai-O Spirits stage?Even more awesome than logos and mascots (it's possible!) is this stage made by NeoGAFfer Lee_N, which replicates Area 1 of the NES Bionic Commando. If you don't think that's completely, insanely amazing, get the heck out of here, you nerd!
Friday Video: Brinstar Spirits
Yes, it's another Bangai-O Spirits custom level. But while we've talked about them a lot, we haven't really focused much on what it actually looks like to play them. Luckily, the designer, sp0rsk, recorded a playthrough of his awesome level, called "Bangatroid" (guess why). So not only can we talk about the level, we can show you it!The video also casually mentions something that we weren't aware of: you have the option of turning on invincibility and infinite scatter bombs! If you happen to know anyone who played through the Dreamcast game with invincibility turned on (we, uh, don't), they'll be happy to hear that!
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 3/17-3/23
Last week was the week of new releases! Anticipating high holiday sales, many publishers made sure to release their games last week, with a total of fifteen ending up in the top thirty (seven of those being DS titles). With this slew of new releases, though, a lot of games were bumped off the chart to make room. Etrian Odyssey II and Soma Bringer, for example, did not survive the onslaught. Yet, somehow Mario Kart DS managed to move up a spot -- that game never ceases to amaze us.The top of the heap was none other than Pokémon Ranger: Batonnage, which completely crushed the competition in its debut week. Sim City 2 DS did well also, ending up in the number four spot. In fact, this is the best an EA game has ever done in its first week in Japan, with the exception of the FIFA titles. Time Hollow and Super Dodgeball are some other notable new releases, ending up in spots ten and seventeen, respectively.
Another set of Bangai-O Spirits stages to save
We've been talking about Bangai-O Spirits stages a lot lately, but, well, we don't want to miss out on any stages just because the U.S. game isn't out yet -- and we don't want any other future Bangai-O players (you are out there, right?) to miss out either. The fan community, while small, seems to be enjoying the feature and sharing. The media is also taking advantage of the fact that they can easily host Bangai-O content on their own sites.Dengeki made some stages of their own that are absolutely worth a look -- they decided to use the stage components to make playable art pieces. No idea how the image to the right will be to play, but it sure is cool-looking! In addition, two more stages and replays have been added to the official Bangai-O Spirits website.We're hoping that the American media will get into the act when the game comes out over here. Oh, wait -- that's us. Well, then, we can confirm that they will.%Gallery-16997%
Bangai-O Spirits uses the world's best level-sharing network
Odds are right around 100% that you've used the burgeoning unofficial Bangai-O Spirits level database -- even if you've never played (or heard of) the game. One player (that we've seen) has turned to YouTube for hosting and sharing of levels and replays. Immediately, Treasure's bizarre decision to make level data into sound files makes sense. YouTube is easy to use for both uploaders and downloaders, and all you have to do is hold an earphone up to your DS's mic to download a level. Other Japanese players are making use of Japan's YouTube-like site, Nico Nico Douga. This video demonstrates the process. It's also amusingly meta, in that it's a YouTube video that shows someone downloading and playing a YouTube video. It's a better alternative for a blog than just embedding one of the actual levels, since there's no screeching involved.
DS Daily: Super Bangai-O Brawlers
There's a considerable number of DS games out there that we cherish, but Super Dodgeball Brawlers and Bangai-O Spirits must rank amongst our greatest obsessions.By a happy coincidence, both titles recently released within days of one another in Japan, so the next question is obvious: as the U.S. still has a couple of months to wait for these gems, did you buckle under the pressure and import either? If so, we'll be happy to place our extreme envy to one side for the time being, and listen to your impressions! We're nice like that, see.%Gallery-16997%%Gallery-14440%
Bangai-O Spirits' free play is really free
During my GDC appointment with D3 Publisher, I was told that any Bangai-O Spirits stage could be edited "in free play mode." I asked how to unlock stages for that mode, but the information was unknown to anyone outside of Treasure. Jeremy Parish's preview of the game gives us an idea of the answer, and it's awesome."You're free to play any of the game's 160 stages from the outset," Parish said, "and when you lose you can quickly jump back in to have another go at things." Sounds like the "free play" mode is the main game, doesn't it? And even if that doesn't exactly turn out to be the case -- if you can play any stage, but you still have to complete it or otherwise achieve a goal in order to access it in the editor -- that's okay too. We're just shocked that they opened all of the stages. It's a wonderful way to ensure that players can experience the whole game even though it's really hard.%Gallery-16997%
Hear Bangai-O's downloadable stages for yourself
Bangai-O Spirits is out in Japan as of this week, and Treasure and ESP have already made some bonus content available on the game's website (click "special"). Not only can stages be transmitted through sound, but replay videos can as well! The MP3 files come in at 500 kilobytes at most and run from about 7 seconds long up until 29. As expected, they sound pretty much like modem connection noises -- in case you were wondering! We're saving these for ourselves, just in case they're only available for a limited time. There are currently three stages and three associated replays online -- one of which was created as a TGS demo with V-Jump Magazine branding, another the work of a PR person (we think?) named George who set out to make a challenging stage, and the last a maze created by someone at ESP.%Gallery-16997%
Bangai-O Spirits screens are more awesome than usual
The screens in our latest Bangai-O Spirits gallery update feature some parts of the game that don't usually pop up in screens. For example, the editor. Even in Japanese, it's easy to use. You select background or character ("character" is selected here), and then select whether you are placing a player (P) or enemy (E) character. You can use the arrows to change which way it's facing, and cycle through available enemies. Then you place it on the screen, and that's it! Other little-seen elements include the upper-screen map, which is extremely self-evident, with the exception of items marked "T1" and "T2" which we believe to be targets.Something else exciting that is relatively unusual to Bangai-O: large bosses. Usually, bosses were just as diminutive as the Bangai-O robot itself and everything else on screen. Bigger robot = more surface area for missiles to explode on.%Gallery-16997%
D3 on Bangai-O Spirits
Gametrailers stopped D3's Product Manager for Bangai-O Spirits, Sam Guilloud, to talk about some of the features of the new game. It's mostly stuff we've heard -- the sound transmission feature, for example -- but any chance to see some gameplay footage is worthwhile. And we are personally impressed any time an interview about Bangai-O Spirits doesn't go like this: Q: DUDE BANGAI-O SPIRITS A: I KNOW, RIGHT Guillloud said that D3 is keeping a hands-off approach to the development of Bangai-O Spirits, allowing Treasure to do their own thing. "They have their own prestige and we wouldn't dare tell them what to do." In other wonderful Bangai-O news, Gamefly now has the game listed for a June 26th release. Sure, it's not today, but it's not that far off!
A scatter bomb of Bangai-O Spirits videos
The awesome Japanese trailer we posted last week was just not enough. Just having one video fails to convey the excess, the overkill, that is the essence of a Bangai-O game. Also, there's the simple fact that we like the game a bunch and want to see more of it. So naturally we were pleased to find that Gametrailers had uploaded four Bangai-O Spirits gameplay videos. In the "Missile Maze" video above, the player cleverly uses the respite of a few enemy-free corridors to charge up a scatter bomb, sending a wall of missiles out into the turret-filled chamber ahead before venturing in that direction. This tactic of scatter-bomb-as-shield figures heavily into gameplay, even with the existence of an actual shield item. We've posted the other three videos after the break -- Hold down your attack button, then charge through and launch a video-watching attack!
Bangai-O trailer showers us in missiles
More often than not, Bangai-O Spirits looks staggering. At stages, it's almost as if the screen becomes just missiles. Nowhere is this better displayed than in the Japanese trailer above, with Riki and Mami simultaneously unleashing what seems like hundreds of criss-crossing projectiles. It's bracing stuff, alright. Also spotted: brief footage of the game's extensive stage editor. See also: JC's take on the game when he went hands-on at GDC See also: 2008's Biggest Blips -- Bangai-O Spirits %Gallery-16997%
Bangai-O Soccer
Looks like Jeux-France got into the Bangai-O Spirits level editor. Either that or there's an official level comprising a huge pile of giant space soccer balls between the player and a bunch of enemies. Although, now that we think about it, that's entirely possible. Especialy since the soccer ball item must be an existing part of the game for it to be accessible in the level editor.Whatever they've done, it's resulted in another spate of extraordinarily wacky screenshots, which we pored over in delight. This set, in addition to weirdo soccer ball shenanigans, contains the best screenshot of a Scatter Bomb super attack in action we've seen. That white curtain? Missiles.%Gallery-16997%
Bangai-O Spirits on DS features unique 'Sound Load' technology
As we reported last month, classic Treasure shooter Bangai-O will be getting a second life on the DS as Bangai-O Spirits, due for North American release in the second-quarter of 2008. The former Dreamcast game is being published by D3Publisher, and we learned during a special GDC event that it will feature one of the strangest uses of the DS's microphone that we've heard of in a while. The "Sound Load" feature on Bangai-O Spirits will allow users to share custom levels, high scores, and replay videos as sound. Sound. When the mode is active, the selected data is converted into an audio track, which is played through the speaker of one DS, and can be intercepted by the microphone of another, where it is read and turned back into game data. The sound files can even be uploaded to computer, for easy sharing of content over the internet. We're as amazed as you are. Bangai-O Spirits will also feature competitive and co-op multiplayer for 1-4 players through local wireless. For more information on the game, do check out DS Fanboy's colorful overview. We've also appended a gallery of new screenshots (which don't quite capture the game's hectic and explosive gameplay). %Gallery-17024%
GDC08: Hands-on with Bangai-O Spirits
One of the first appointments I had when I got into San Francisco for GDC was with D3 Publisher. This appointment was what I was looking forward to most out of the trip, because I was going to get to play Bangai-O Spirits. And play it I did, while gushing unprofessionally at the D3 QA person giving the demo. I did my best to learn as quickly as possible how all the new parts of Bangai-O Spirits work. It's the same as the N64 and Dreamcast games in a number of ways, but it's also very different in a few fundamental ways. Unfortunately, I didn't get to play with the sound transmission feature, one of the most different things about the game. Head past the break for detailed impressions, and be sure to check out our gallery of brand-new screens! %Gallery-16997%
Friday Video: That's some Spirited gameplay
You may have noticed that we're a little into Bangai-O Spirits. Luckily, it seems that we're not alone in lusting after every scrap of media we can find on the upcoming DS game. And sure, we may have already shown you a trailer earlier today, but this is nothing but gameplay footage straight out of Tokyo. We love it, and we can think of no better use for this week's video spotlight.
GameCrazy predicts U.S. Bangai-O
With the game just now announced for Japan, it's a little premature for American publishing announcements for Bangai-O Spirits. But it's never too soon for rumors! (On that note, Bangai-O Spirits 2 for Dreamcast 2, coming 2009!) GameCrazy, whose mystical fortune-telling computer broke the news of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations, now lists a DS Bangai-O. No information about publisher or release date, but it shows a price of $29.99. Since D3 Publisher is releasing the game in Japan, we asked the U.S. branch of D3 if they were going to publish the game over here. Unfortunately, the D3 rep told us that they don't comment on unannounced games, and that D3 "will only focus on what makes sense for the Western market." Whether Bangai-O falls into that category or not is strictly a matter of how much insane hype we can generate on DS Fanboy.
Small sprites, big spirits
Just looking at Bangai-O Spirits makes us cheer-- yes! The Nintendo DS exists and Treasure got a development kit for it! And we also have a Nintendo DS! The world is an excellent place! It's not a catchy cheer, but it's heartfelt. We can close our eyes right now and imagine huge missile volleys flying out in 100 different directions, turning gun turrets and little houses and other missiles into gigantic fruit. It's the same heartfelt feeling that compels us to share these screens from Famitsu with you. They're the same screens seen in the "scan" before, with the added benefit of being clearly visible. We think that's kind of important! Speaking of visibility, we worry a little bit about being able to see what's happening on the DS's smaller screens-- teensy sprites and chaotic bullet patterns don't seem like the best fit for a portable system. But we'll put our eyes right up to the screens if we need to. It probably won't be a problem; Treasure generally knows what they're doing.
