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Were these two games made my the same developer?  I was just playing Raiden on the SNES (wow it's hard!) and I never noticed the striking resemblance it bears to Kyukyoku Tiger.  A lot of the sprites look somewhat similar, you have to shoot down a ship that shoots 3-way shots to get powerups, then the powerups go all square-dance over the screen making it really hard to get the color you want.  Even the red powerup is a similar type of shot (straight rapid fire that spreads out at the ship).  My TG/PCE collection is in the bedroom, where my wife is currently asleep, so I can't verify, but I bet one of you can confirm it.

Raiden = Seibu
Kyukyoku = Toaplan

Kyukyoku Tiger is a blatant Raiden clone.  But it has awesome music so we forgive it's thievery.
And don't play SNES Raiden, it's a fucking terrible port.  Get it on PS1 for arcade perfection, or Super Raiden on PCE for amazing arranged music.

Not the same developer, but Toaplan were making shooters along a formula they established over many years (Tiger-Heli, Kyukyoku Tiger, Slap Fight, Truxton/Tatsujin...)

Seibu Kaihatsu were relative noobs to the shooting genre, so Raiden was most likely a tribute/ripoff/evolution of the Toaplan feel.  Deadlite is pulling your leg as Kyukyoku came out years before Raiden did.

Fortunately, SK did a fantastic job, and Raiden seems to actually be better remembered, though I think Raiden II was what cemented the series in arcade history.

Thanks for the input, guys! Very interesting stuff.  I have The Raiden Project for PS1 (it was actually one of the first games I picked up for the PS1 bitd and I've luckily held onto it all these years) but whenever I find a version of it on the cheap out in the wild I have to pick it up.  I agree that it is the best version out there.  Once upon a time I had the Turbografx version, but it was stolen along with all my other turbochip games and my Express back in the 90s when our house was broken into. :(

It's been awhile since I've played Raiden on any system, and I've been playing a lot of Kyukyoku Tiger these past couple of months, so when I popped in Raiden this evening, I felt a sense of de ja vu. :)

You're right, ccovell; it looks like Kyukyoku Tiger was originally released in 1987 and Raiden was released in 1990.  

I fondly remember playing one of the Raidens at my local ice skating rink back in high school, but had never heard of Kyukyoku Tiger until recently.  I didn't realize it was also called Twin Cobra here in the States, but I don't remember playing that in the arcades either.

I'm really surprised there are so many similarities between these games without the developers being the same.  I would have at least thought that a bunch of the original developers left Toaplan to create Raiden. (like the makers of Torchlight did - a lot of them were the original developers for Diablo)

EDIT: When I play The Raiden Project on the PS1, I usually end up playing Raiden 2, that purple laser weapon is awesome!

Quote from: guest on 04/15/2012, 12:23 AMThanks for the input, guys! Very interesting stuff.  I have The Raiden Project for PS1 (it was actually one of the first games I picked up for the PS1 bitd and I've luckily held onto it all these years) but whenever I find a version of it on the cheap out in the wild I have to pick it up.  I agree that it is the best version out there.  Once upon a time I had the Turbografx version, but it was stolen along with all my other turbochip games and my Express back in the 90s when our house was broken into. :(

It's been awhile since I've played Raiden on any system, and I've been playing a lot of Kyukyoku Tiger these past couple of months, so when I popped in Raiden this evening, I felt a sense of de ja vu. :)

You're right, ccovell; it looks like Kyukyoku Tiger was originally released in 1987 and Raiden was released in 1990. 

I fondly remember playing one of the Raidens at my local ice skating rink back in high school, but had never heard of Kyukyoku Tiger until recently.  I didn't realize it was also called Twin Cobra here in the States, but I don't remember playing that in the arcades either.

I'm really surprised there are so many similarities between these games without the developers being the same.  I would have at least thought that a bunch of the original developers left Toaplan to create Raiden. (like the makers of Torchlight did - a lot of them were the original developers for Diablo)

EDIT: When I play The Raiden Project on the PS1, I usually end up playing Raiden 2, that purple laser weapon is awesome!

Do yourself a favor and go back to Tiger Heli! I love that damn game. I played it in the arcade, but, honestly, I spent far more time with the NES version. I know the NES version is not always revered, but it is a little gem, in my eyes, flaws and all.

Tiger Heli.

Plus, if you don't like Tiger Heli, you'll have an even greater appreciation for what it spawned...

:pcgs:

both those games require auto fire turned on.. *ahem*

but I would say for an early game Kyukyoku Tiger is damn fine

Quote from: esteban on 04/15/2012, 01:28 AMDo yourself a favor and go back to Tiger Heli! I love that damn game. I played it in the arcade, but, honestly, I spent far more time with the NES version. I know the NES version is not always revered, but it is a little gem, in my eyes, flaws and all.

Tiger Heli.

Plus, if you don't like Tiger Heli, you'll have an even greater appreciation for what it spawned...

:pcgs:

Oh yeah, I *love* Tiger Heli on the NES. It's actually what convinced me to hunt down Kyukyoku Tiger for the PCE. :pcgs:

Tiger Heli and Kyukyoku Tiger rule.

Tiger Heli has sweet tunes, also. 

I love the PCE Kyūkyoku Tiger. And I even prefere it over the arcade, since it plays a little bit smoother/more dynamic.
Tunes are also ubergreat. And the heli engine FX when it lift up is just the classic. One of the best shewty hueys imo, and far way better than the MD/genny port.

Ok, so I just got this over the weekend... I was gonna ask if people used the turbo switches - I think it's nice to play it without, though I'd like an arcade stick to play it that way.  But it is very arcadey, something I've only really felt from Daimakaimura before, maybe Street Fighter II back in the day.  I like it.

And I love the powerup system, but I need to find out more about it.

So which did you get?

Quote from: Tatsujin on 07/30/2012, 06:10 AMSo which did you get?

me?  Kyukyoku Tiger.  Don't own a turbo.

I asked because there are two games in the title.

Quote from: guest on 04/14/2012, 11:30 PMI was just playing Raiden on the SNES

I'm a huge SFC/SNES fanboy but this a awful, awful port of Raiden.
Go straight to the PC Engine version for the goodness.

Quote from: Tatsujin on 07/30/2012, 09:25 AMI asked because there are two games in the title.

Oh yeah, forgot Raiden was on the PCE.

Kyukyoku Tiger and Raiden are both solid pick-ups. I love them both especially how the sound chip treats their music.

Here are two articles where you can learn more:
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/raiden/raiden.htm
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/toaplan/toaplan.htm

raiden and kyukyoki are both top huey shewties on the pce. they are playing super smoothee, thats what makes 'em so good.

had the MD kyukyoki in the other day and HAD to switch off after just few mins of playtime. intolerable!

just kicked that game straight into my sales box (and I usually keep all kind of shewties).

Quote from: soop on 07/30/2012, 05:22 AMOk, so I just got this over the weekend... I was gonna ask if people used the turbo switches - I think it's nice to play it without, though I'd like an arcade stick to play it that way.  But it is very arcadey, something I've only really felt from Daimakaimura before, maybe Street Fighter II back in the day.  I like it.

And I love the powerup system, but I need to find out more about it.

soop!

Great game. :pcds:

ON TURBO-SWITCHES: I hold an unpopular view of turbo-swiches (for most games I leave them off, even shoot-em-ups). Personally, I enjoy most games more when I don't rely on auto-fire.

Yes, I am a masochist. Part of the skill, I feel, is in pressing the damn fire button. :pcds:

Of course, I wouldn't hold others to this masochistic standard for shoot-em-ups (unless it was Sinistron or R-type where turbo messes up the charge-shot).

I have a shooting watch.  I'm ready.  It's what I trained for.

:D

Quote from: soop on 07/31/2012, 04:57 AMI have a shooting watch.  I'm ready.  It's what I trained for.

:D

Definitely. But, if you end up using autofire after a few hours, don't worry, I still love you.

One day you'll build up the stamina and strength to be Champion.

:pcds: