Joe Redifer
01-05-2006, 01:34 AM
I am probably one of the biggest Space Harrier whores out there. It was my first Master System game back in 1987 or so when I chose an SMS over the NES. I worked so hard to beat that game and finally did. I beat the arcade version much to the amazement of bystanders as they watched me blow through stage 14. I've beaten just about every incarnation of Space Harrier there is, from the TurboGrafx-16 version to the 32X version to the Saturn version to the PS2 version(s) and beyond.
When Space Harrier 3D came out, it floored me. Not with its awesomeness, but with its insane difficulty! I still have yet to beat this game. No, red and blue 3D glasses will not work for this game UNLESS you play the import Sega Ages version on the PS2 called Space Harrier Collection or something like that. It has a 3D mode which uses the red and blue glasses and it works, but not as well as the LCD shutter goggles, obviously. The cool thing about the PS2 version is that it lets you play in 240p, which is progressive scan on any regular analog television, just like a real Master System!
Space Harrier 2 on the Genesis was a different story. Almost up until the release of the Genesis, magazine all over were writing about the hardware scaling and tracking features built into the machine. Of course, this was BS. But no mag printed anything like "Turns out the Genesis can't do hardware scaling. We suck for printing that it could." So when I powered up Space Harrier II for the first time, I was appalled at the lack of scaling and instead we had jumpy sprites. Ug. I do like the game though. It was the first game ever released in Japan for the Mega Drive. Very clear voices!
The 32X version was the first time I played a near-perfect home version of the arcade. I was so excited and it delivered in spades. I don't know why people complain about the 32X audio in this game, it is nearly 100% identical to the arcade in every way! It is very good! Check it out:
Click here to listen to 30 seconds of gameplay from the 32X version of Space Harrier. (http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/32x.mp3)
Click here to listen to 30 seconds of gameplay from the Saturn version of Space Harrier, which is identical to the arcade. (http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/saturn.mp3)
As you can hear the two versions are virtually identical with the exception of a bit better high frequency response in the Saturn version. Pretty damned good for a cartridge, I say! The only thing I would really complain about the 32X version would be the letterboxing (minor complaint) and the stuttering framerate/slowdown.
The PS2 version of Space Harrier raped my memories and I have yet to recover.
When Space Harrier 3D came out, it floored me. Not with its awesomeness, but with its insane difficulty! I still have yet to beat this game. No, red and blue 3D glasses will not work for this game UNLESS you play the import Sega Ages version on the PS2 called Space Harrier Collection or something like that. It has a 3D mode which uses the red and blue glasses and it works, but not as well as the LCD shutter goggles, obviously. The cool thing about the PS2 version is that it lets you play in 240p, which is progressive scan on any regular analog television, just like a real Master System!
Space Harrier 2 on the Genesis was a different story. Almost up until the release of the Genesis, magazine all over were writing about the hardware scaling and tracking features built into the machine. Of course, this was BS. But no mag printed anything like "Turns out the Genesis can't do hardware scaling. We suck for printing that it could." So when I powered up Space Harrier II for the first time, I was appalled at the lack of scaling and instead we had jumpy sprites. Ug. I do like the game though. It was the first game ever released in Japan for the Mega Drive. Very clear voices!
The 32X version was the first time I played a near-perfect home version of the arcade. I was so excited and it delivered in spades. I don't know why people complain about the 32X audio in this game, it is nearly 100% identical to the arcade in every way! It is very good! Check it out:
Click here to listen to 30 seconds of gameplay from the 32X version of Space Harrier. (http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/32x.mp3)
Click here to listen to 30 seconds of gameplay from the Saturn version of Space Harrier, which is identical to the arcade. (http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/saturn.mp3)
As you can hear the two versions are virtually identical with the exception of a bit better high frequency response in the Saturn version. Pretty damned good for a cartridge, I say! The only thing I would really complain about the 32X version would be the letterboxing (minor complaint) and the stuttering framerate/slowdown.
The PS2 version of Space Harrier raped my memories and I have yet to recover.