New PCB's: V-V & Dogyuun - Toaplan

I have become a huge fan of Toaplan's stuff recently, playing Twin Cobra, Tatsujin and many of their later titles, with the seminal Batsugun rounding out the fantasticness. Having played V-V in mame, I really enjoyed it and wanted to source a pcb and finally found one.

The game is excellent, with a Gradius like power-up system or the option (once you enter a code) to play 'Bomber Mode,' which is actually the version the the US got as Grindstormer.

I have a handful of credits in on it and the game gets brutally difficult pretty quick. There's some form of rank in the game, but it doens't seem to make that big of a difference through the 3rd stage, which is as far as I can get on a single credit.

The sounds and music are also excellent and simple, definately old school, but great nonetheless. I'm looking for ward to putting more time into this after the Chicagoland Winter Carnival '09, which happens this Saturday.



Dugyuun is one of the later Toaplan titles and as such it has awesome artwork and you can definately see the progression towards making Donpachi. The game itself is really fun but also super hard, with a 'one option' power-up system that puts you at full power on one shot pick up. There's also a slew of shot types with different homing, laser and streaming electricity shots to choose from. I have only played a dozen or so credits, but it does take some getting use to.

Both games are pretty deep and alot of fun. There should be many hours of STG happiness ahead.

Super Star Soldier Regular Game high score #2 - 1CC!

Finally nailed the 1CC. Wooohoo!

Been cleaning most of the morning, getting ready for the shmupmeet next weekend and played a few games in between bouts of cleaning. Took me about five tries to nail the last boss, but I finally plowed through him, losing a life or three in the process, to set a new high of 4,703,200.



I ordered the PSP PC-Engine Best Collection for the Soldier titles, so I imagine I'll be playing this some on the PSP in the future, but for now, I'm going to work on Final Sildier and Recca, which still kicks my ass in the third stage something fierce.

Super Star Soldier - Regular Game high score #1

Having played this a number of times over the years and never 1CC'ing it, I decided to give it a shot today and made it to the last form of the last boss and fell apart. I lost all nine lives on that form, mostly from nervousness, but some from true boneheadedness by trying to point blank him until he died, which obviously didn't work.

I'll mark this up as my first high score at 3,218,300 and hopefully, that'll give me impetus to go and finish the 1CC.

Batsugun Special Version high score 6'

Made the loop!

I made it all the way to stage 8 (three stages into the loop) and died twice on the midboss (which I never do in the first loop) as I was pretty nervous having already made it that far. It certainly feels good to finally hit the loop on Batsugun and I can already feel the drive to clear the whole game, but after the second loop, things definately get pretty hairy, so that may take some time.

Batsugun Special Version high score #6

Finally got the stage 4 trick down and boosted my score to a new high of 11,780,410. I also made it to the last form of the stage 5 boss and was hoping for the loop, but I threw away two lives accidently trying to max out the points on the stage 4 boss and had no lives and no bombs going into the last boss battle.

The loop is next!

Final Soldier - 2-Minute Mode high score #1

Maybe I have been playing a few too many caravan titles lately. I can feel my left thumb muscle growing and buffing up to the point where when it flexes, the thrust and quickness of the muscle pulse messes up my typing.

Well, not really, but I set my first high score in 2-Minute Mode on Final Soldier at 693,700, a new addition to the ever increasing Soldier collection.

Super Star Soldier - 2-Minute Mode high score #2 & #3

Trying to break 500K, but man, it's tough. I do have some good strategies to get close and know when I finally get it right, I'll be there. It's not a huge improvement over my last score, but enough to move me from to fifth place on the shmups scoreboard, so I though it was worth noting.

I also got another TV today for the tourney/meet and I'll hopefully have 6 by the time it comes around in a few weeks. Really looking forward to playing the carnival titles against some live competition!



Set a new high the next night with 484,800, which I probably wouldn't even bother mentioning, but it moves my up a place or two on the shmups board, so there.

Summer Carnival '92 - Recca - Score Attack high score #1

Totally insane for a Famicom game. There's so much going on, so much to shoot and so many things to plan for that this may be one of the - if not the - toughest carnival titles.

Been working to go over 400K and got there today, setting my first high score at 416,993. Still alot of work to do, and there's a much better score ahead. I have my cart comming from an NES reproduction guy and I'm stoked to play this on a good NES pad.

Super Star Soldier - 2-Minute Mode high score #1

Played the 2-minute caravan mode tonight right after I got the game and played until my hands nearly cramped to set my first high score of 474,800.

I love caravan games.