Third-Party Developer Matchup!!!

[Necromancer]

It's cool there's more Compile fans appearing here and there, wasn't like that 2 years ago. Wonder why?

Because retro gaming is cool now.  In a couple of years the sheeple will have found something else to follow, but it's nice to have 'em on board in the meantime.

[ParanoiaDragon]

I really am most fond of Naxat Soft. Irem's stuff is good, quality gaming, but Naxat really put out some creative and weird titles.

Does anyone know the actual developers behind many of those Naxat titles?

Nexzr (I think) was developed by Kaneko. They also had a hand in developing of Star Parodier, Aero Blasters, and Super Star Soldier (none these are published by Naxat btw). I'm not sure if they did the Heavy Unit port but that's one their own arcade games, so maybe.

Someone declared Compile might be linked to the Crush/Crash games, but is there a solid source we can go to?

When Compile's homepage used to be around they had near-complete list of games made by them. I clearly remember the Crush games for pc-engine and snes being on that list. Best source that I know, since I've never seen the ending credits of any those games. Check out the wikipedia, I think several people salvaged the list there or whats left of it. It's cool there's more Compile fans appearing here and there, wasn't like that 2 years ago. Wonder why?

In an old EGM, it claimed that some/all of the team responsible for Aeroblasters, also did Gate of Thunder.  Taito did the Heavy Unit ports, I think both for Turbo & Genesis....well, alteast for Turbo I know.  And that port is TERRIBLE!  The Genesis version(you won't hear me say this often) blows it out of the water!

[Kitsunexus]

Seriously though, I am extremely bad with names, especially in person. You can introduce yourself to me a million times and I will still forget your name. If we ever happen to meet and you notice I'm calling you "dude" and "man" a lot feel free to tell me your name again.

It's OK. I'm bad with names and faces and numbers (I think I have number dyslexia. o_0)

[Black Tiger]

I don't think its a fair comparison, when going by any game each company is associated with. Naxat has more good games plus a bunch more in general quantity.

Tiger, you reveal your pernicious agenda by spelling out all the Naxat Mahjong games while lumping all the R-Type HuCards together!!

 

Its called copy & pasting. But those Mahjong games are all real actual different games. The R-Type HuCards are all the same, the PCE versions are just two halves of the NA version. You neglected to point out how I lumped Paranoia and Psychosis together, even though that game under went some real changes.

You're talking as though you'd compare Square Soft against Irem by lumping Final Fantasy 1 - 3 as the same game but counting R-Type HuCards as 3 seperate games.

All you've done is proclaimed your lack of objectivity.

I don't think its a fair comparison,

Sure it is, we're talking quality not quantity.

But even if it were a battle weighted by numbers, half the shit on Naxat's list is garbage. I mean, Super Real Mahjongg times 865? Maybe if you're Super Bored.

You just happened to leave out of my quote the part I said about how Naxat had more good games. Which was obviously meant to discount all the games from both companies that most people around here don't care about(like Mahjong).

Most of Nintendo's catalog is garbage, but nobody discounts the company as "who wants to play Mario's Missing?"

If you cut out the fat, these are the games that most people here would consider playing-


      NAXAT                                                 IREM

      1943 Kai                                                Image Fight
      Alien Crush                                             Image Fight II
      Alzadick - Summer Carnival '92                   Legend Of Hero Tonma
      Burning Angel                                          Photograph Boy
      Coryoon                                                 R-Type HuCards
      Devil Crash/Devil's Crush                           R-TYPE Complete CD
      Double Dragon II: The Revenge                  Sol: Moonarge
      Double Ring                                            Mister Heli No Dai Bouken
      Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari                 Ninja Spirit
      Faussete Amour                                      Vigilante
      Kaze Kiri   
      Makai Prince Dorabo-chan
      Motteke Tamago 
      Nexzr
      Paranoia/Psychosis 
      Seirei Senshi Spriggan 
      Spriggan Mark 2: Re Terraform Project   
      Summer Carnival '93 - Nexzr Special
      Zero Wing


R-Type CD is basically the same game as the HuCards. Gameplay and fun-wise, its identical to the TG-16 version, only most people prefer the chip tunes.

On Irem's list, only R-Type and Ninja Spirit are generally considered real PCE classics. Around the same level("classic-wise"), Naxat has Spriggin, Alien Crush, Devil's Crush, 1943, Coryoon and Nexr.

A lot of people would consider Kaze Kiri to be a big PCE classic and one of the best games on the system. I don't think its so great, but thats just my opinion.

Aside from the number of big games, Naxat can match all of Irem titles in terms of generally percieved quality and fun with titles from its own list. But there would still be about as many remaining good Naxat games as Irem put out altogether.

Sure you could pick out a company that only ever put out one or two games and say that it outclasses a larger publisher's large catalog of great games because those two games are such uber classics.

But thats like saying that Konami beats Hudson in a PC Engine matchup.

[rag-time4]

Its called copy & pasting. But those Mahjong games are all real actual different games. The R-Type HuCards are all the same, the PCE versions are just two halves of the NA version. You neglected to point out how I lumped Paranoia and Psychosis together, even though that game under went some real changes.

You're talking as though you'd compare Square Soft against Irem by lumping Final Fantasy 1 - 3 as the same game but counting R-Type HuCards as 3 seperate games.

All you've done is proclaimed your lack of objectivity.

 

What, did my avatar give it away?

[nat]

..... <insert long message here detailing Naxat's superiority> .....

Bottom line is that this is a matchup, and people's votes are opinions.

I'm personally of the opinion that IREM's strong games are better than Naxat's. End of story. Apparently 10 other people share my views.

There's no right or wrong answer.

[Black Tiger]

I think that Irem is better than Naxat, since Irem is a real developer who made their own games, many of which I love. I really like that Irem feel.

But I also think that most people (myself included) didn't realize how many games Naxat was associated with and if a list like the last one I posted had been given initially, there would probably be less votes for Irem.

[nat]

I think that Irem is better than Naxat, since Irem is a real developer who made their own games, many of which I love. I really like that Irem feel.

But I also think that most people (myself included) didn't realize how many games Naxat was associated with and if a list like the last one I posted had been given initially, there would probably be less votes for Irem.

I was aware of the quantity difference but that doesn't really change my feelings. There are some Naxat titles I haven't played, like Kaze Kiri and the 422 Super Duper More Real Than Real Life Itself Mahjongg games. But I've played most of the good ones.

IMO, if we were talking "technical" superiority, Naxat would win hands down. IREM's games may not all look or sound as nice, but the gameplay and that "IREM charm" elevate them above and beyond.

[Michael Helgeson]

I share the view that Irem made all their own games and Naxat didn't,which keeps Irem on top for me.

[rag-time4]

   
Games with Irem's name on them-

      Eiyuu Sankokushi 
   

Does anyone know anything about this game? I can't seem to find one for sale on ebay. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen one...

[Keranu]

   
Games with Irem's name on them-

      Eiyuu Sankokushi 
   

Does anyone know anything about this game? I can't seem to find one for sale on ebay. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen one...

I haven't played it or even remembered the title, but after looking it up in the offline PCE CD catalogue, it looks to be like some kind of Japanese strategy game with a heavy language barrier.

[rag-time4]

   
Games with Irem's name on them-

      Eiyuu Sankokushi 
   

Does anyone know anything about this game? I can't seem to find one for sale on ebay. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen one...

I haven't played it or even remembered the title, but after looking it up in the offline PCE CD catalogue, it looks to be like some kind of Japanese strategy game with a heavy language barrier.

Keranu, thanks for the info! I'll have to investigate further. Makes sense that it's a strategy game... not too many sellers on ebay offer a good selection of strategy games.