Flash Hiders - Arcade Card

[Ozzy_98]

I was looking on wikipedia and somehow ended up on the flash hiders page, and noticed something odd.  It says

While the game requires the Super CD (known in North America as Turbo CD) to run, it is recommended that the "Arcade Card" is installed in the PC Engine for the game to run at its intended speed.

My manual for the game isn't in the best of shape, it's missing some pages, so I can't be sure, but I do not remember any mention of an arcade card needed.  And I don't see how the arcade card would affect speed anyways.  I could see frames of animation being dropped, but that would be it.   Anyone ever hear about it using the arcade card?

[roflmao]

I've got an ACD, but have never intentionally used it for Flash Hiders  It runs fine on a regular SCD console, but now I'm interested in seeing if there is any noticeable difference.  I'll post back here if/when I get around to testing.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Wikipedia is full of beans, especially if they think the Arcade Card makes the PCE faster.  Flash Hiders came out three months before the Arcade Card, any Arcade Card title, or any known Arcade Card enhanced Super CD title, so the odds of Flash Hiders being able to use the Arcade Card to improve animation, decrease cd accesses, etc. are slim to none.

[MrFulci]

Wikipedia is full of beans, especially if they think the Arcade Card makes the PCE faster.  Flash Hiders came out three months before the Arcade Card, any Arcade Card title, or any known Arcade Card enhanced Super CD title, so the odds of Flash Hiders being able to use the Arcade Card to improve animation, decrease cd accesses, etc. are slim to none.

I actually looked at my Flash Hiders' manual last night, after reading this thread. I can't read the Japanese, but I didn't see any Arcade Card logo, so I thought the same, mis-information. then again, I wasn't bothered enough to load the game with and without the card to see if I noticed anything.

[seieienbu]

I'm pretty sure that all of the Super CD/Arcade CD games will have both the Super CD and Arcade Carc icons at the top of the manual.  My copy of Flash Hider's only has the Super CD icon.  On the first page inside the manual is the standard line about how you need a super system card.  That line in Brandish's case instead says something about Super CD or Arcade card are needed.

Also, the blurb from wikipedia reads like it was written by somebody who doesn't know what he's talking about...

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Yarr, no Arcade Card logo to be found.  If they'd went through the effort to include Arcade Card enhancements, surely they'd have bragged about it.

[akamichi]

I just looked at the manual and it does say it supports the "16M Card" (page 14, bottom right).  But all It states is that load times are reduced in VS mode, so it's unclear what exactly the Arcade Card does for the game.  I'm guessing char data is cached at some point.

I haven't played the game in a while, but from what I remember, the character voices that are played at the end of a match don't need to be loaded from disc when the Arcade Card is used. 

- akamichi

[VestCunt]

I just looked at the manual and it does say it supports the "16M Card" (page 14, bottom right).  But all It states is that load times are reduced in VS mode, so it's unclear what exactly the Arcade Card does for the game.  I'm guessing char data is cached at some point.

Wow! Great find. A secret ACD-enhanced game is always cool, however minor the enhancement may be. To my knowledge this has never been discussed.

[syphic]

I ran across a thread in another forum that there are Arcade Card titles and quite a few Arcade Card/SCD enhanced titles.

Arcade Card Titles:

Fire Pro Joshi Dômu Chôjo Taisen
Garô Densetsu 2
Garô Densetsu Special
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
Janshin Densetsu
Kabuki Ittô Ryôdan
Mad Stalker
Madô Monogatari
Ryûko no Ken
Shin Nihon Pro Wrestling '94
Strider Hiryû
World Heroes 2 

And the following will play without the Arcade Card, but are enhanced if you use it:

3*3 Eyes
Asuka 120% Maxima
Brandish
Eikan wa Kimi ni
Emerald Dragon
Flash Hiders
Formation Soccer '95
J-League Tremendous Soccer '94
Kûsô Kagaku Sekai Gulliver Boy
Linda³
Mahjong Sword
Popful Mail
Princess Maker 2
Private Eye Doll
Sexy Idol Mahjong
Sotsugyô 2
Super Real Mahjong P2-3 Custom
Super Real Mahjong P5 Custom
Tanjô
The Atlas
Vasteel 2
Wrestling Angels

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Some googlerins fro camp tents says it uses it solely to cache data and decrease load frequency, making no difference in actual game play.

[VestCunt]

Syphic - see pcecp.com

[Nazi NecroPhile]

PCECP says Flash Hiders is a straight Super CD, and there could be other errors/omissions.

[TurboXray]

The game does use the arcade card if it's detected (looked at the game in a debugger). I have no idea what the benefit is, though. I never noticed any. This was discussed years ago on this forum, IIRC. Some did mention something about more ADPCM sound FX. I never did verify that.

[esteban]

The game does use the arcade card if it's detected (looked at the game in a debugger). I have no idea what the benefit is, though. I never noticed any. This was discussed years ago on this forum, IIRC. Some did mention something about more ADPCM sound FX. I never did verify that.

Are there more "unknown" ACD-compatible games?

I never knee about a Flash Hiders, myself.

[wildfruit]

Id like to see populous with an arcade enhancement oh yeah

[Psycho Punch]

Flash Hiders. What an odd name.