Is the (acd) arcade card worth it? Sapphire and Strider

[Keith Courage]

I was wondering what everyones opinion of the arcade system card is. The only two games that look good to me are Strider and Sapphire. I have no need for those neo geo fighting games since I already own them on other systems. So, is it worth buying just for those two games alone?

[OldRover]

Sapphire's worth it. Also, there will be homebrew supporting the ACD very soon.

[VestCunt]

Considering a replicated, non-CD-r, Sapphire bootleg can probably still be found for free and a loose Arcade Card is only $15-30, yes, it's worth it for Sapphire alone. 
Strider is quite good if you can forgive it's flaws. 
Mad Stalker is OK, but not worth what it usually goes for. 
Kabuki Itouryodan is an excellent tournament fighter unique to the Arcade Card.
FF Special and WH2 are so cheap that you might as well pick them up even if you have other versions.

[blueraven]

Yes.

[VestCunt]

The Arcade Card and its few games is one area in PCE collecting where prices have gone down in the last fifteen years.
In 1997 I walked into the late Games to Go in Richfield MN and was swindled out of $50 for my Arcade Card Duo, $50 for World Heroes 2, $50 for Fatel Fury 2, and $40-70 (can't remember) for a barely functional Barney Converter that trashed my memory bank several times when used with a Tennokoe Bank (purchased for $40)....AHHHHH!  

All that and there was never any hope of tracking down Sapphire in those days.  It was mythical (yes, I know the real McCoy still is, but at least we have established internet sources these days).  There was one collector in Minnesota rumored to have purchased a copy for $400 at a convention in '96; no one else in the local scene had ever seen a copy.

EDIT:  And another thing - the day I purchased all of that ACD crap they had a copy of Dynastic Hero sitting on the shelf for $50.    

[Keranu]

If anything, the Neo Geo ports are worth checking out for the music alone. I actually enjoy playing the PCE port of Art of Fighting more than the original.

[grahf]

It's worth it for the reasons everyone already pointed out.

Also, quite a few SCD games will take advantage of the ACD if you have it. Mostly to decrease loading instances, and other stuff.

[DirkFunk]

In 1997 I walked into the late Games to Go in Richfield MN a

You're from Minnesota? Awesome! I grew up there.

I'd grab a Arcade card if I had access to a copy of Sapphire. That is all that really interests me.

I'm not a huge fan of SNK fighters.

I am a huge Strider fan and would consider getting it for that I suppose. . . I am also a huge Genesis fan, and I love that port of that game. It may be cool to have yet another version (with cutscenes and CD music) though.

[SamIAm]

I do have to say that if you don't like fighters (I sure don't), and if you aren't much of a PCE collector, then the almost sole-reason to get the card is Sapphire. The arcade card is cheap, but if you're looking to be choosy with how you spend your money, you should really do everything you feel good about doing to assess this one game before you buy anything.

On the other hand, if you're talking about also getting original, non-bootleg copies of Sapphire and any other AC games, then you need to take 10 times the care. Sapphire is so expensive, I really can't recommend it to anyone other than collectors or hardcore shmup fans. I think it's a great game, too.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

if you need a sapphire boot (disc only, non CDr) works perfect and looks legit!

Hit me with a PM, I'll get it out to ya Monday!

And yes, it IS worth getting the ACD card alone!  Strider, Fatal Fury, WH2, Art of Fighting all rock!!

[SignOfZeta]

The Strider port is...depressing. I prefer the Genesis version.

If the "other systems" you have for the SNK games aren't the MVS, AES, or NeoCD, then get them again on ACD. They are super cheap and the best ports. The Fatal Furys are WAY better than the shitty SNES/Genesis/Sega CD versions.

The Kabuki fighter is pretty cool.

Saphire is great, although not quite deserving of some of the hype it gets. Its a must-have game, but at the same time here are better, less high tech, shooters on the PCE, IMO.

If you already have the means to play PCE HuCards then get a AC. IF you don't, then don't go and waste $200 on a converter just to play ACDs. Get a mod or another system.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

someone should do a comparison of the NEO CD and ACD versions of Fatal Fury Special to see which one has longer load times ;)

[Jesse813]

I was wondering what everyones opinion of the arcade system card is. The only two games that look good to me are Strider and Sapphire. I have no need for those neo geo fighting games since I already own them on other systems. So, is it worth buying just for those two games alone? 

Definitely worth it

[MasonSushi]

i have it, and sapphire is great. I am kidan depressed that there is only a handful of games that take advantage of the arcade card.

Is there a list of other games that take advantage of the arcade card, but don't require it to work??

[Tatsujin]

I have no need for those neo geo fighting games since I already own them on other systems.

As long you don't own 'em on the Neo Geo itself, they are worth it for sure.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Sapphire alone is worth the arcade card.

free bootleg of best shooter EVARrrRrrRr get some.

[RuninRuder]

Madou Monogatari is the best ACD game.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Madou Monogatari is the best ACD game.

true dat, but the first person thing is something I stopped recommending to people because the usual response is "thats retarded I dont like those perspectives"

lol

first person needs more love

[nat]

Damn, runinruder beat me to it. Here I thought I was going to be the bearer of this great news...

Not only is Madou Monogatari the best ACD game, it is a viable contender for best RPG on the system. Certainly the best dungeon crawler. Let's hear it for fucking Compile!

[Keith Courage]

It does look like a sweet game. Too bad I cannot read japanese

[Dyna138]

Madou Monogatari looks sweet...is it playable at all if you don't know any Japanese?

[BlueBMW]

Yikes, only copy of Madou Monogatari I saw was some $160?!  Is that a super gouge, or is it truly a costly / rarer game?

[nat]

Madou Monogatari was one of the last games released for the console (December 1996). There were only four or five official NEC-licensed games released after it. It actually is a bit rarer than the norm, unlike most of U.S. stuff eBay sellers claim is "rare" despite having been produced in the same quantities as the cheaper titles.

That said, $160 is a bit of a gouge. $120-130 could be considered fair. Around $100 or less would be considered a "steal."

The game is really easy to get into and play. I would imagine someone who didn't know Japanese at all and had never played a JRPG wouldn't have too much trouble getting into it. The menus all use graphical icons rather than text, so the language issues are confined to dialogue. That said, there is a spot near the end that will hang up even the hardiest gamer.

[VestCunt]

That said, $160 is a bit of a gouge. $120-130 could be considered fair. Around $100 or less would be considered a "steal."

This thread probably just made the price go up to $250.

[blueraven]

shh. 

[SNKNostalgia]

Honestly you might as well just get a NGCD top loader for $100+ and get the same games for like $10 each. You get the Neo Geo cart graphics and sound effects. Also you get the arranged CD music which is going to be the same as the ACD. So better graphics, sound and same CD music. The initial loading for older games is long on the NGCD, but the in between round load times are pretty fast. Once you hit games from 1994-1995 and up, the loading gets pretty bad on the fighters and you will want to get a CDZ with faster loading in good working condition.

Hell, a NGCD toploader is worth owning just for games like Pulstar, Last Resort, Viewpoint, Baseball Stars 2, Neo Turf Masters, Metal Slug 1, 2 and a few others. So, even if your not into fighters it has some good games to offer. Most of these games I listed have reasonable loading times.

[shubibiman]

Everything's been said already : if you don't already own a Neogeo with the games that were ported latter to the PCE, then it's also worth it for the fighting games as those ports are much better than the ones for other consoles (I'm talking about all the Neogeo ports : FF2, FF Special, Aort Of Fighting and World Heroes 2). Kabuki Itouryodan is a great fighting game with a Street Fighter 2 like gameplay and bootleg copies of Sapphire can now be bought for cheap.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

I'm really shocked that I was unable to find any video's on YT to watch of the ACD game Madou Monogatari.


However I did find a nifty looking vid of the Genesis/MD version.  Is the ACD like this?

[Arkhan Asylum]

Honestly you might as well just get a NGCD top loader for $100+ and get the same games for like $10 each.

I didn't know Sapphire came out for NGCD.

sweet.

[SignOfZeta]

I honestly think the Neo CD is pretty much worthless at this point. If MVS carts weren't so very very cheap it would be a different story. The NeoCD was awesome when I had one in 1998, but the economies of Neo have changed in that time. Almost any Neo game can be had for under $100, the vast majority below $40. There is zero load time on MVS too.

The biggest problem with Neo CD is that there are way too many games missing from it. Not much (anything?) after KOF 99, so if you get really into Neo you're still going to need another system for the awesome stuff like Rage of Dragons, KOF 2000-2003, etc. Neo CD doesn't even have Metal Slug 3, which is the best in the series. Therefore you might as well just buy all the stuff on MVS.

[DirkFunk]

I honestly think the Neo CD is pretty much worthless at this point. If MVS carts weren't so very very cheap it would be a different story. The NeoCD was awesome when I had one in 1998, but the economies of Neo have changed in that time. Almost any Neo game can be had for under $100, the vast majority below $40. There is zero load time on MVS too.

The biggest problem with Neo CD is that there are way too many games missing from it. Not much (anything?) after KOF 99, so if you get really into Neo you're still going to need another system for the awesome stuff like Rage of Dragons, KOF 2000-2003, etc. Neo CD doesn't even have Metal Slug 3, which is the best in the series. Therefore you might as well just buy all the stuff on MVS.

The first thing I do when I purchase a home (which should be sometime in the near future) is buy and MVS cab.

I honestly think the Neo CD is pretty much worthless at this point. If MVS carts weren't so very very cheap it would be a different story. The NeoCD was awesome when I had one in 1998, but the economies of Neo have changed in that time. Almost any Neo game can be had for under $100, the vast majority below $40. There is zero load time on MVS too.

The biggest problem with Neo CD is that there are way too many games missing from it. Not much (anything?) after KOF 99, so if you get really into Neo you're still going to need another system for the awesome stuff like Rage of Dragons, KOF 2000-2003, etc. Neo CD doesn't even have Metal Slug 3, which is the best in the series. Therefore you might as well just buy all the stuff on MVS.

I've thought many times about grabbing a Neo CD. . . then I say screw it. I'll wait until I move out of my 3rd story apartment (which will hopefully be less than a year) and get an MVS cab. No load times, and the prices for games are not that much higher than the CD stuff.

[nat]

I'm really shocked that I was unable to find any video's on YT to watch of the ACD game Madou Monogatari.


However I did find a nifty looking vid of the Genesis/MD version.  Is the ACD like this?

For the most part, except there is far less wasted screen space on the ACD game. The "action" window is a bit larger than the SEGA version, and the lower part of the screen is smaller and better utilized on the ACD. Other than aesthetic differences, gameplay looks the same. You can see lots of in-game screens at the Duomazov link above....

[Keith Courage]

Well thanks to (turbostar) I now have Sapphire and I got my ACD card in the mail from japan. It is pretty badass. I also picked up Fatal fury 2 and Art of fighting for only $8 a piece. It took me 10 minutes to realize that the duo ACD card doesn't have a different loading screen. I thought my ACD duo card was broken when I first got it.

[rag-time4]

Well thanks to (turbostar) I now have Sapphire and I got my ACD card in the mail from japan. It is pretty badass. I also picked up Fatal fury 2 and Art of fighting for only $8 a piece. It took me 10 minutes to realize that the duo ACD card doesn't have a different loading screen. I thought my ACD duo card was broken when I first got it.

Have you received your Fatal Fury 2 yet? I second Keranu's marvelous statement from earlier in the thread: Fatal Fury 2 has killer music on teh ACD. The only track that I think is better on Neo Geo is Joe Higashi's music, otherwise the Neo Geo is no match musically.

[TheClash603]

Only ACD game I have is Sapphireish...

Anyone have any extras of the "cheap" ACD games?  I guess if they are so cheap, it is worth buying to make my ACD seem more useful.

[nat]

The Fatal Furies are so cheap, I've often seen them being thrown in to orders from sellers as freebies. I got a sealed one as a freebie once.

[SNKNostalgia]

Honestly you might as well just get a NGCD top loader for $100+ and get the same games for like $10 each.

I didn't know Sapphire came out for NGCD.

sweet.

I am just saying for the Neo Geo ports. Must of heard me wrong. Still, getting the Arcade Card for the other few games is worth it.

[DirkFunk]

Well thanks to (turbostar) I now have Sapphire

Me too! Thank you so much turbostar!

I just ordered my Arcade Card. . . I can't wait to play it!

[sheath]

I've never regretted picking up my Arcade Card.  Art of Fighting is fantastic and so is Fatal Fury 2.  I even enjoy Strider ACD quite a bit.  I doubt I'll ever own Sapphire but I wouldn't mind picking up more Arcade Card CDs in the future.  These games really show how much memory limited the earlier games.

[BlueBMW]

I've never regretted picking up my Arcade Card.  Art of Fighting is fantastic and so is Fatal Fury 2.  I even enjoy Strider ACD quite a bit.  I doubt I'll ever own Sapphire but I wouldn't mind picking up more Arcade Card CDs in the future.  These games really show how much memory limited the earlier games.

Sapphire is still available... ahem *cough*  shoot me a PM if you'd like

[sheath]

Unless you're selling for less than $40 I don't think I'm in a position to bite just now.  ;)
(I'm completely ignorant of what has been going on in any for sale sections)

-edit-

PMed you, thank for the reply!

[BlueBMW]

$40    not round these parts 

[SignOfZeta]

He means it's free.

[turbogrfxfan]

yes arcade card is worth every penny and i dont care what people say strider is a frikkin awesome game!  music, cut scenes, grafx, control everything.  strider is a must

oh and kabuki ittchibutt is pretty awesome as well

[Jesse813]

hows Strider on the ACD compare to Strider on the Genesis?

[Tatsujin]

badder

[turbogrfxfan]

hows Strider on the ACD compare to Strider on the Genesis?

i never played it on the genny but i hear the grafx arent as good on the pce.  Regardless, The  genny doesnt have any cutscenes.  On the pce the cut scenes are actually top notch for the system.  Also pce has cd quality music which is really really good. Which genny does not. So IMO when ya lay all the cards on the table the pce version def pulls its weight and makes up for it and is better in other ways. And dont get me wrong Im more than happy with the grafx during gameplay. 

They have comparison vids on you tube and Im actually going to do a review on on this game tomorrow so ill send you a link.

[MasonSushi]

I played the Genesis Strider and wasn't all that impressed. I am hoping the PCE version is way better. I just need to track it down.

[Jesse813]

I'll be sure to watch the video turbogrfxfan

[sheath]

Strider ACD is a touch slower than the Genesis and Arcade games and only has a single background layer.  But it plays well on its own, has a custom CD soundtrack, custom cutscenes and an exclusive sand level.  I enjoy playing it.