On May, 19 history will be made. Raiden will be coming out for the xbox 360! I believe the new game comes out with a bunch of the older games all bundled in one. I consider this the best game of the genre and have craved this game like a fat boy craves a piece of pie. Am I the only one?

Awesome. Any clue what the price is going to be?

-JR

I'm hearing 30 bucks for a couple games. Here's a video (thanks tronn)
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/32311.html

Thanks Double W!

Man, that brings back memories of being in High School and playing arcade games.

-JR

will be getting this for sure, but the best shmup is still Radiant Silvergun and DoDonPachi ;)

On May, 19 history will be made. Raiden will be coming out for the xbox 360! I believe the new game comes out with a bunch of the older games all bundled in one. I consider this the best game of the genre and have craved this game like a fat boy craves a piece of pie. Am I the only one?

I'm not sure what you mean by the new game, they didn't cram Raiden 4 in there did they? Nah, couldn't have, different outfits did the work on the respective 360 ports. RFA is a collection of Raiden Fighters 1,2 and Jet. All 3 are genre favorites and the ports are excellent (I have the japanese release, but this should be the same). Options for scaling, filtering, exact framerate etc., it's a labor of love. To get it for such a low price (I think it dropped down to 20, make sure to check) is awesome. Many fans imported japanese systems for this and other shooters and paid 60 bucks retail, myself included. And it was worth it. Too bad the leaderboards for the US are going to be separate.

The latest installment in the original Raiden series, Raiden 4, has been out in Japan for a while as a separate release. Different from Fighters, equally excellent, but no port in sight.

Buy Raiden Fighters Aces, people! Shmups need your support.

I just hope the game doesn't have those annoying bars on the side like ikaragu. Just ruins it

All three games are designed for vertical screens. Vertical 3:4 screens. Just like Ikaruga. If you want to keep the original aspect ratio and proportions intact, it will be the same as Ikaruga on your screen. It's the only way a high rectangle will fit, a gross mismatch for a wide screen. That's why it's best to use a rotateable computer screen or video monitor for these, all good vertical shooters support it.

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/file.php?2,file=2635

Amazon has it listed as a release of May 5, and is available for pre-order for $20. (http://www.amazon.com/Raiden-Fighters-Aces-Xbox-360/dp/B001PA0FBS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1241107662&sr=8-1)

The release date was originally listed as March, then April, now May, but it's been listed as May 5th for over a month now, so hopefully this will be the actual release date (or ship from Amazon date). I don't usually pre-order games, but me and my brother both jumped on this one. This may get him to go with a gold live account if it supports co-op over live.

no prob W>W
feel free to use the links posted in the Retail, Arcade, and Community Releases threads (whichever month, whichever year) for whichever game. that thread contains (usually) gameplay vids, game info, MSRP's, release dates, links to demo's (if available). its a nice little grab-bag of information pulled from the net available for everyones disposal.

btw im adding links to each game to their respective AVS thread. so this thread is added to the raiden fighter aces info collection.

ps
i think raiden fighter aces MAY be pulled back to May 19th. amazon still shows the 5th yet gamestop is showing the 19th. who knows? not me. later!

I just hope the game doesn't have those annoying bars on the side like ikaragu. Just ruins it

:eek:

playing a shmup in full 16:9 ratio would just kill the shmup experience. For shmups, its the other way around.

no, I don't agree sir. I like to utilize the full screen on any game

This game looks awesome! And I agree full widescreen would be super de duper.

If people have the ability to turn their 16:9 tv's vertically then yes it would be awesome. But due to the vertical shmup games design around a certain aspect ratio, you will still have bars cut off on top/bottom. Imagine playing a vertical shmup in regular view 16:9, youd have a super looooong horizontal movement distance with a super short vertical distance. The games would have to be designed from enemies coming most from the horizontal planes, and would make for an awkward experience. Horizontal shmups like Gradius, R-Type, and Pro-Gear would be ideal from this, but not vertical shmups like Ikaruga, Raiden, Gigawing, etc.

but imagine how much room from side to side you'd have!

ps
i think raiden fighter aces MAY be pulled back to May 19th. amazon still shows the 5th yet gamestop is showing the 19th. who knows? not me. later!

Amazon is now showing 5/19 as the ship date also. GRRRR!! :mad:

Because its just a placeholder date, this company is a small publisher that usually has lengthy delays before getting things to market. Expect it to not be the last time it slips (Already has happened several times, the first date was all the way in March when Amazon started accepting preorders).

As for the aspect ratio, its a classic compilation and should be faithful to the original arcade games its emulating/porting, which means 3:4. If they make a console specific Raiden V, I wouldn't mind it being widescreen, but it has no business being included in this compilation, it would completely change these games.

This game looks awesome! And I agree full widescreen would be super de duper.

Barney?! is that you?

but imagine how much room from side to side you'd have!

thats just like people asking where are there still black bars in some movies. Same concept, just reversed for a vertical shmup. You get a "wider/longer" playing field with a narrow horizontal aspect ratio.

but my tv isn't vertical

Rotate your tv then. Most Japanese shmups have the option to rotate the game ;)

why not make an option to give me what I want <wipes tear>

because the aspect ratio partially dictates the design of the game. If you saw the enemies coming from the sides of the screen in full widescreen view vs. a 3:4 ratio and you only have a split second to react to the enemies coming off the side of the screen would provide no challenge. The game wouldn't be as fast paced and hectic, "bullet hell" patterns would change. You're breaking the game at this point.

why not make an option to give me what I want <wipes tear>

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you still seem to be under the incorrect assumption this is a new Raiden title. Its a classic arcade compilation bringing three arcade shooters that were released in 1996-1998 to home consoles. The option you wants makes about as much sense as asking Namco to make its next Namco Museum be 16:9 so you can play Pac-Man in widescreen. It would completely change the dynamics of the game and make it be the opposite of what its supposed to be, a classic compilation bringing accurate ports of classic arcade games to a home console. What you want simply doesn't exists and the games would have to be completely changed to do it, which erases the entire point of this thing even existing for Raiden fans, which is to finally bring the Raiden Fighters series to home consoles.

If they make a console specific Raiden in the future and decide to change things up like Namco did with Pac-Man Championship Edition, I'd support you, but it doesn't make any sense in this case, imo. This isn't a new entry in the series, its just a classic collection, so the focus of their efforts should be in accurately bringing the experience home, rather than completely ignoring that to change the games to fulfil some different need.

so how am I supposed to explain those bars to my guests who demand perfection?

Serve them a nice appetizer of "STFU MORANS!"

explain to them the same way why there are still black bars on some movie. Framing/Aspect ratio dictates part of the game design here. Same logic.

I'll explain to them that the developers messed it all up for us

how did the developers mess it up when the original games are in a 3:4 aspect ratio years before more and more people are adopting 16:9 tv's. The games in the compilation are the original Raiden Fighters that tries to retain the same original experience. That and you're trying to break a shmup philosophy/design/experience of a classic vertical shooter.

let's not forget that most people game in 16 x 9 widescreen these days, not the aspect ratio of these games. In ignoring this fact, the developers have done us great disservice

you are missing the whole point here though. The game has already been coded/designed/made for a 3:4 aspect ratio. Stretching the game to full screen would make the game ugly and more dizzy than it already is, and 2) "unmasking" the game to fullscreen would take away the experience of a vertical shmup from moving/enemies flying in offscreen/uncovering sections "side to side".

I actually think its not a disservice because the developers are keeping the original aspect ratio just like how the arcade game was. Just like how film directors want their audience to see their films in its original aspect ratio to experience the effect how it was supposed to be.

part of me thinks you are right, yet part of me thinks me is right

part of me thinks you are right, yet part of me thinks me is right

LOL! Classic! :)

part of me thinks you are right, yet part of me thinks me is right

You would break the entire game if you made it fit an HDTV aspect ratio. The best they could do is to keep the aspect ratio and fit to your screen, chopping off the top and bottom. That wouldn't be playable.

These are great games on this disk. I finally broke down and bought a Japanese 360 along with all the shooters available in that region so I figured they'd suddenly start releasing them. Hope they sell well...

He understands that now I think, his last few post have just been attempts to be funny.

whiskey just wait for this tv:
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/16943_tv_concept_frst.jpg

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/02/16943_tv_is_filled_by_both_widescreen_and_full_screen_video-2.html

and he is fricken hilarious. join the w>w crew and you can too

latest news.

you can buy it now online from gamestop.com for $20 http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=74040

amazon.com shows available starting 5/12 for $20 http://www.amazon.com/Raiden-Fighters-Aces-Xbox-360/dp/B001PA0FBS/ref=br_nf_1_2?pf_rd_p=369640401&pf_rd_s=center-11&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=468642&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0W4JC7J3EHM58QF5VRB0

whiskey just wait for this tv:
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/16943_tv_concept_frst.jpg

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/02/16943_tv_is_filled_by_both_widescreen_and_full_screen_video-2.html



wow, that thing looks like texas

It is out! I picked it up at Gamestop today. They said they got it in yesterday. One had one copy of the game so probably 1 per store unless people preordered.

It doesn't have black bars but a blue wallpaper on the sides which isn't a whole lot different but a little better looking than black bars.

Great game for the $19.99 pricetag.

Word of warning for those who like getting the full 1000 achievement points. There's an achieve for playing the game 96 hours. lol

96 hours! pffft! bring it on baby! i'll stop by tomorrow and pick-up.

got it! Great game, lots of mayhem onscreen. For 20 tough to beat

They did a great job with keeping the true experience for this. There's options for FPS setting, smoothing, and even scan lines! I'd suggest setting the FPS to 54 (true).

Also the replay system is the best system utilized ever. Watching the top players give valuable insight. I'm ranked #3 with the Judge Spear in Raiden Fighters 1 and 8th overall on Normal difficulty, but the gap between me and 1st place is almost 3 times more points!

too bad about online co op, but this is purely playing for points. How a true shmup really is.