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Yeah yeah it's notorious for it's cover. Even I fell for it once back in the late 90's when I picked up a ex-rental copy for $5. I actually just picked up ANOTHER copy off eBay for slightly higher than I wanted but it's nice to have a physical cart. MAyhbe later if I'm lucky I'll try for a CIB or sealed box. Just for S's and G's

So for whose of you who don't know, there are no hillbillies, banjos or dogs in this game. However there were about six other space shooters for the Super Ninendo - among others if I recall correctly Gradius and a port of R-Type.

But really it's not that bad of a game but theres a few annoyances. Okay lets start with the good. Great graphics and pretty good controls. The art is beautiful and theres occasional use of image manipulation. I like the anime characters, but that said the original X68000 version is FAR superior with no silly cover art (check out the vids on YouTube or emulate it yourself sometime).

The problem with this game: It's frustratingly hard. I'm glad the controller has no weight on a SNES because I'd have thrown itat some point I fear. I mean I almost never got past the first level for a while. You can up your chances of winning by 3 whole lives in the default options screen. Thats it. You have to cheat to be able to play this for any length of time. Even then it's frustrating.

To cheat in this game you have to have two controllers. It's not easy like with Sonic 2 where you memorize some sound plays in order, I mean like you'll be on the net every time trying to look up the cheat. Isn't this a single player game? Didn't the SNES come with one controller?


All complaining aside, it's a good looking and playing game that's just baby punchingly hard. They could have put some anime guy on the cover though. Still I'm not sure if they had done that the game would have gone into obscurity with other SNES titles undersung like Jaki Crush.

If it's under $10 and you collect, buy it. If you have a SED or PP, check out the ROM.

I LOVE Phalanx. And I actually don't find it overly hard. Big fan.

noiseredux wrote:I LOVE Phalanx. And I actually don't find it overly hard. Big fan.

I think it's considerably more interesting than its cover art shows, but I have to admit I'm terrible at it. Then again, I'm terrible at shmups in generally. Getting through one on the easiest settings is a great accomplishment for me, let alone 1 CCing it on the hardest.

weird. I always found it much easier than something like say -- R-Type.

noiseredux wrote:weird. I always found it much easier than something like say -- R-Type.

What's funny is that the only SNES shmup I've beaten was Super R-Type, though again I did it on the easiest setting.

either way, I'm MUCH better at verticals.

It's a great game. I welcome a challenging shmup. Bring 'em!

Is that really the box art? Oh wow
I think some gamers may have been drawn away by that.

I vote for best box art ever created. Because I don't know about you guys, but shmups make me think of moonshine and banjos.

Wow, that cover.

Ack wrote:

noiseredux wrote:weird. I always found it much easier than something like say -- R-Type.

What's funny is that the only SNES shmup I've beaten was Super R-Type, though again I did it on the easiest setting.

Gradius 3 and Thunder Spirits are really doable as well.