The Official NEO-GEO Thread!

[+Charlie Cat]

I’m loving all the T-shirt’s, hoodies and jackets being shared here wow!

Glad that you like them Allan.

 

I REALLY want that Neo-Geo Esaka, Osaka jacket badly. Not that bad of a price compared to the Metal Slug and Samurai Shodown version.

 

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. HAMSTER Corporation‏ @HAMSTER_Corp 6h6 hours ago

   ACA NEOGEO BASEBALL STARS PROFESSIONAL is now available on Windows 10 PC ! It's a sports game released in 1990 by SNK. One of the launch titles as the NEOGEO debuted, it came with both a VS Mode and Tournament Mode. #ACANEOGEO https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/aca-neogeo-baseball-stars-professional/9mwvj99c9jzc …pic.twitter.com/2pGuyQSlwZ

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. HAMSTER Corporation‏ @HAMSTER_Corp Mar 15

   Windows 10 PC「アケアカNEOGEO ベースボールスターズプロフェッショナル」の配信がスタートしました！1990年にSNKから発売されたスポーツゲームです。本作はPS4、Nintendo Switch、Xbox Oneでも好評配信中！多彩で迫力のある演出をぜひお楽しみください！ #アケアカNEOGEO https://www.microsoft.com/ja-jp/p/%E3%82%A2%E3%82%B1%E3%82%A2%E3%82%ABneogeo-%E3%83%99%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA%E3%83%97%E3%83%AD%E3%83%95%E3%82%A7%E3%83%83%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%8A%E3%83%AB/9mwvj99c9jzc …pic.twitter.com/onzUsCTcpv

   Translate Tweet

   Translated from Japanese by Microsoft

   The delivery of Windows 10 PC "Akaca NEOGEO Baseball Stars Professional" has started! It is a sports game that was released from SNK in 1990. This work is also popular on PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One! Please enjoy a variety of powerful production by all means! #アケアカNEOGEO https://www. microsoft.com/ja-jp/p/%E3%82%A2%E3%82%B1%E3%82%A2%E3%82%ABneogeo-%E3%83%99%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA%E3%83%97%E3%83%AD%E3%83%95%E3%82%A7%E3%83%83%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%8A%E3%83%AB/9mwvj99c9jzc …

    

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

Back with fellow Atariage member Dak1ing ofgames98 with the follow up video of King of Fighters 99 for the Sony Playstation. Enjoy.

 

 

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. SNKオンラインショップ公式‏ @snk_onlineshop

   【新商品のお知らせ】 SNKオンラインショップに「NEOGEO コインケース」が本日入荷！ ゲームセンターやお祭りなど、小銭を多く使用する場所で大活躍間違いなし！「EVO JAPAN2019」で完売した人気商品をお見逃しなく！ #SNK #NEOGEO #KOF ▼ご購入はコチラ！ https://buff.ly/2NNW9Vn pic.twitter.com/wxbMLPYAkb

   Translate Tweet

   Translated from Japanese by Microsoft

   [News of new Products] "NEOGEO coin case" is in stock today in SNK online shop! such as games center and festivals, no doubt a big success in places that use a lot of pennies! Do not miss the popular products sold out in the "EVO JAPAN2019"! #SNK #NEOGEO #KOF ▼ purchase here! https://buff.ly/2NNW9Vn

    

   

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. SNKオンラインショップ公式‏ @snk_onlineshop 3h3 hours ago

   【再入荷のお知らせ】 大人気の「NEOGEO LABEL ビールジョッキ ロゴ」再入荷しました！ ご一緒にコルクコースターもいかがでしょうか？3種類販売中です！ #SNK #NEOGEO #KOF ▼「NEOGEO LABEL ビールジョッキ ロゴ」 https://buff.ly/2RkDiBh ▼コルクコースター（3種） https://buff.ly/2CoTPjg pic.twitter.com/ZLxwLZGkqd

   Translate Tweet

   Translated from Japanese by Microsoft

   [Notice of restock] popular [NEOGEO LABEL beer Mug logo] has been restocked! How about a cork coaster together? We are selling three kinds of products! #SNK #NEOGEO #KOF ▼"NeoGeo LABEL beer Mug logo" https://buff.ly/2RkDiBh ▼ Cork Coaster (3 types) https://buff.ly/2CoTPjg

    

   

   

   

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. SNKオンラインショップ公式‏ @snk_onlineshop 3h3 hours ago

   【新商品のお知らせ】 本日『PIXEL LABEL NEO･GEO Button Cap』が入荷しました！ NEOGEOマークや『メタルスラッグ』でお馴染みのマーズピープルが刺繍された遊びゴコロ満点の商品です！キャップのつばの裏にもぷっくりと『NEO-GEO』と刺繍されています！ ▼ご購入はコチラ！ https://buff.ly/2O9Alna pic.twitter.com/XFgkfDfYvx

   Translate Tweet

   Translated from Japanese by Microsoft

   [New product Notice] "PIXEL LABEL NEO GEO Button Cap" is in stock today! NEOGEO mark and [Metal Slug] is a product of play Gokoro full marks of the familiar Tarma is embroidered! The back of the brim of the cap is embroidered with plump and ' NEO-GEO '! ▼ Purchase here! https://buff.ly/2O9Alna

    

   

   

   

   

Anthony..

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. ausretrogamer‏ @ausretrogamer 6h6 hours ago

   [NEW POST] exA-Arcadia – The New Arcade Kit System http://www.ausretrogamer.com/exa-arcadia-the-new-arcade-kit-system/ … photo source: @exaarcadia #EXA #arcade #gamers #shmuppic.twitter.com/EqJu5Wg2hi

   

   

Australian Retro Gamer e-zine

 

 

exA-Arcadia – The New Arcade Kit System

March 18, 2019 By ausretrogamer

http://www.ausretrogamer.com/exa-arcadia-the-new-arcade-kit-system/

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Eric Chung, President and CEO of exA-Arcadia (EXA) has declared in his recent interview with Shmup’Em-All that their new arcade conversion kit system, exA-Arcadia, will be this generations’ NEOGEO. With a pedigree of SNK’s NEOGEO MVS arcade system, exA-Arcadia has some big shoes to fill. Eric’s statement does indeed seem bold, but he is confident that their innovative kit system will revolutionise and revitalise arcade gaming for developers and operators alike, giving them an easy to use system (to develop games) at a cost effective price point.

The exA-Arcadia System with four game cartridges as shown at JAEPO 2019
source: eXa-Arcadia via Twitter

 

So what does exA-Arcadia bring to the table for the operator? As already stated, this is an arcade conversion kit system, just like the NEOGEO MVS was back in the 90s, so its main aim for operators is to provide modern arcade content at a budget friendly price. This is all achieved by its clever hardware design, based on a secure Windows PC platform, which is more powerful than the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X consoles, which can hold up to four games (delivered in cartridge format about the size of the old CPS3 cartridges). The best part is that exA-Arcadia is JAMMA and JVS (JAMMA Video Standard) compatible, allowing it to be used inside almost any existing operable arcade cabinets. It is also compatible with both 16:9 LCD and traditional 4:3 CRT monitors. exA-Arcadia claims that their vertically oriented games can be played in horizontal mode, so operators don’t need more vertically oriented monitors in all of their cabinets to play EXA format games.

 

exA-Arcadia stand with sample games at JAEPO 2019
source: exA-Arcadia via Twitter

 

The attraction of exA-Arcadia is realised even further (for operators), as once the system is purchased, it is fully owned by the operator, meaning that there is no requirement for internet connectivity to access gaming content, nor is there a need to share revenue with the manufacturer or distributor – more money left in the pocket of the operator. For operators that want to offer their customers an online experience, exA-Arcadia has a feature that integrates with streaming services like Twitch. Together with a smartphone app and card system, the exA-Arcadia’s feature set can provide operators a deeper insight into their customer interactions, which helps in building loyalty and decision making on what is popular, ensuring that customers keep coming back.

With its Windows PC based architecture, the EXA system is open to both traditional (big name) developers as well as the smaller independent ones. The initial release of ten games that were showcased at California Extreme (CAX) and Stunfest in late 2018, clearly shows that the current focus is on shoot’em up (shmups) games, however there are currently fifty games in the development pipeline that represent a variety of gaming genres, like fighting, sports, classic retro style platformers and four player games to balance out the EXA line-up.

 

Visitors enjoying the exA-Arcadia offerings at CAX 2018

exA-Arcadia presence at California Extreme (CAX 2018)
source: Tanoshimasu via Twitter

 

Eric Chung is confident that their exA-Arcadia platform can overcome stiff competition from systems provided by the giants in the industry, namely Sega’s ALL.NET and Taito’s NESiCAxLive. Eric claims that exA-Arcadia’s attraction is its lower entry cost (prices have yet to be confirmed as at writing of this article) and the fact that they will not force revenue sharing on coin drops. The overall cost will most likely be even lower than the others (Sega and Taito) as there is no equipment required, like network routers and servers, and no monthly fee to access the manufacturer’s network.

There is no doubt that exA-Arcadia has captured the attention of the amusement industry and developers alike. We will definitely be keeping a close eye on developments, as the potential of what it promises will surely result in shaking things up in the industry.

Aka To Blue Type-R at Stunfest

*This feature first appeared in the February 2019 issue of the NAMOA ‘The Collector’ trade magazine.

 

Anthony..

Edited March 18, 2019 by fdurso224

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. Jim‏ @Jim_Bulmer 7h7 hours ago

   Got this very cool Samurai Spirits book/cd set today (in almost new condition incl 2 postcards). All for a few hundred yen #SamuraiSpirits #SamuraiShodown #サムライスピリッツ #retrogamingpic.twitter.com/AzQUR8yYR0

   

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. SNK ASIA‏ @SNKAofficial 12h12 hours ago

   NeoGeo World Tour 於3月24日在拉斯維加斯及馬來西亞進行KOF98及KOF XIV的賽事, 為參戰暑期舉辦的冠軍賽選出代表的選手們, 爭奪拳皇王中之王的寶座!!pic.twitter.com/8iMFC8ghiT

   Translate Tweet

   Translated from Chinese by Microsoft

   NeoGeo World Tour on March 24 in Las Vegas and Malaysia for the KOF98 and KOF XIV events, for the summer Championships held in the championship to elect the delegates, vying for the throne of the king of the Emperor!!

    

   

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. Neo Geo World Tour next @Vegas Cup & Malaysia‏ @neogeoworldtour Mar 15

   #VegasCup3 and #NGWT2 are excited to announce that @OnVCO will be again doing commentary! We’re proud to have him back on the mic. Register now and join on 23-24 March! http://smash.gg/vegas-cup-3 @SNKPofficial @SNKPofficial_jp @SNKAofficial @brookgamingfans @snk_odapic.twitter.com/5aLc1MztVD

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. Player One Start‏ @Playerone_start 9h9 hours ago

   The latest console in my game collection, the Neo Geo AES. Basically it’s an arcade system condensed into a console. The pinnacle of gaming tech in 1990. #gaming #gamer #vintage #videogames #retro #retrogaming #thrifting #retrogames #retrocollector #neogeo #neogeoaespic.twitter.com/nsW7wZV2Q2

   

Anthony..

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. Player One Start‏ @Playerone_start 6h6 hours ago

   Daytime shot. Massive carts, massive controllers = massive fun???pic.twitter.com/3mkvoSPh9r

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

Back with silverwings21 with the latest pickup and review from him. Here we see him with Street Slam for the NGCD. Enjoy.

 

From the description,

"Here we look at the case, manual, spine card and do a playthrough of Street Slam [uSA]/Street Hoop [Europe]/ Dunk Dream [Japan].

Yes, the disc has all 3 region data on it."

 

 

Anthony...

Edited March 19, 2019 by fdurso224

[enoofu]

Hard to tell how well exA-Arcadia will do, there Japanese live test is going on now, and quite a few of the games i hear are pretty fun.

 

is more powerful than the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X consoles

 

Believe the issue here is that the new systems are incoming within a few years, which will have them pretty close to this.

 

 

no equipment required, like network routers and servers, and no monthly fee to access the manufacturer’s network.

Also probably no way to update the games, or have a Game as a Service which has some good benefits.

 

 

Sega’s ALL.NET and Taito’s NESiCAxLive. Eric claims that exA-Arcadia’s attraction is its lower entry cost (prices have yet to be confirmed as at writing of this article)

Don't think that is the main issue since these machines are around 4-7K and carry around 40+ Games, though their steam like service.

 

 

Stunfest in late 2018, clearly shows that the current focus is on shoot’em up (shmups) games, however there are currently fifty games in the development pipeline that represent a variety of gaming genres, like fighting, sports, classic retro style platformers and four player games to balance out the EXA line-up.

Hard to say how many games will come out, outside the 2019-2020 window as it all depends on a good launch.

 

 

The best part is that exA-Arcadia is JAMMA and JVS (JAMMA Video Standard) compatible, allowing it to be used inside almost any existing operable arcade cabinets. It is also compatible with both 16:9 LCD and traditional 4:3 CRT monitors. exA-Arcadia claims that their vertically oriented games can be played in horizontal mode, so operators don’t need more vertically oriented monitors in all of their cabinets to play EXA format games.

Seems a bit questionable, since it covers 30 years of hardware, and their has always been issues with CRTS and Non CRT's, since they are very difference technologies in displaying images. In how they stated this, there is Some cabinets that can't play them.

[+Charlie Cat]

Hard to tell how well exA-Arcadia will do, there Japanese live test is going on now, and quite a few of the games i hear are pretty fun.

 

Believe the issue here is that the new systems are incoming within a few years, which will have them pretty close to this.

Also probably no way to update the games, or have a Game as a Service which has some good benefits.

Don't think that is the main issue since these machines are around 4-7K and carry around 40+ Games, though their steam like service.

Hard to say how many games will come out, outside the 2019-2020 window as it all depends on a good launch.

Seems a bit questionable, since it covers 30 years of hardware, and their has always been issues with CRTS and Non CRT's, since they are very difference technologies in displaying images. In how they stated this, there is Some cabinets that can't play them.

All are excellent points for sure enoofu. I wish them the best. But saying it's going to be the next Neo-Geo, well...those are going to be some big shoes to fill no doubt.

 

Anthony..

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. NorCal Regionals‏ @NorcalRegionals 14h14 hours ago

   In roughly two weeks #NCR2019 will be here, and I have some sick Monday news! @SNKPofficial has been gracious to add in a $1000 pot bonus for the King of Fighters XIV! Claim your prize! I see strong international competitors are making an appearance too -Not John Choipic.twitter.com/7JLyQxnRQK

   

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. SNKオンラインショップ公式‏ @snk_onlineshop 2h2 hours ago

   [sNK goods information] Zen Plus "Howard Connection T-shirt" & "NESTST Shirt" has arrived! Overseas delivery is also possible. #HCC #SNK #NEOGEO ▼ Howard Connection T-shirt https://buff.ly/2TQ8f6N ▼ NESTS T-shirt https://buff.ly/2TNsrGi pic.twitter.com/oYtQ7OVU7E

   

   

   

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. THE_AKIHABARA_CONTAiNER‏ @TheAKBCTN_INDOR 21h21 hours ago

   "今日からスタート 戎橋ツタヤでNEOGEOグッズを3,000円(税別)以上お買い上げの方に、【数量限定】オリジナルステッカーをプレゼント中 こちらは戎橋ツタヤの入口サイネージ看板と同じ絵柄なのです なくなり次第終了です!! 対象はSNK関連商品のみなのでご注意を#SNK #NEOGEO #TSUTAYA"pic.twitter.com/zHgRW8oSTc

   Translate Tweet

   Translated from Japanese by Microsoft

   " ☀ starting today, ☀ we are ebisubashi to PURCHASE THE NeoGeo goods at the bridge Tutaya for more than 3,000 yen (tax-free), [limited quantity] Original stickers present here is the same picture as the entrance signage signboard of Ebisubashi bridge Tutaya It is the end as soon as it is lost!! ⚠ #SNK #NEOGEO #TSUTAYA

    

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. Cheap Ass Gamer‏Verified account @videogamedeals 19h19 hours ago

   ACA NEOGEO WORLD HEROES 2 (X1) $4 via Xbox Live (Gold Price). http://ow.ly/vBEC30o5qmk pic.twitter.com/D8RfKSqzF3

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. Cheap Ass Gamer‏Verified account @videogamedeals 19h19 hours ago

   ACA NEOGEO ZED BLADE (X1) $4 via Xbox Live (Gold Price). http://ow.ly/2QQx30o5qq9 pic.twitter.com/gkuu9e3ZyN

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

1. Cheap Ass Gamer‏Verified account @videogamedeals 19h19 hours ago

   ACA NEOGEO SHOCK TROOPERS (X1) $4 via Xbox Live (Gold Price). http://ow.ly/2Nmn30o5qi9 pic.twitter.com/1k3urLmIMl

   

Anthony...

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

Today, you're are all in for an intriguing treat. I follow an indie game developer by the name ShinuRealArts Games. If you're not familiar of this establishment, they're are making a fun title for steam called, "Wings_Of_Bluestar". It's a horizontal shmup that is scheduled to be released this year for the gaming community to play.

 

So me and fellow Atariage member, Arcade Adriano from ArcadeAttackUK did a great Q&A article with ShinuArt Games that I believe we will all enjoy seeing and reading. If all goes well, the group says that there's a possibility that this game will be released on the Sega Dreamcast and the Neo-Geo. If becomes a reality, you read it here first on the Neo-Geo thread on Atariage.com. Enjoy.

 

Pics and videos of the actual game is included as well.

 

1. Arcade Attack‏ @arcadeattackUK 3h3 hours ago

   Fancy some #indiedev goodness? This week we've got Wings of Bluestar. An ace new shmup from Shinu Real Arts! https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/wings-of-bluestar/ …

1. 

 

Wings Of Bluestar (Shinu Real Arts) – Indie Feature

arcadeattack

15th Mar 2019

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/wings-of-bluestar/

 

Adrian caught up with Shinu from Shinu Real Arts, the dev team behind the intriguing Wings Of Bluestar. With each demo we are becoming more and more impressed with this project. Please check out the trailer below and more from the man himself. Any developer keen to release his project on the Dreamcast and/or the NeoGeo deserves our full attention! You can catch Shinu and updates on the game mostly on Twitter, but there is also a Facebook page.

 

 

 

Hi Shinu, it’s an honour to feature you and your fine-looking game on Arcade Attack!

The honor is mine. Thanks for having me on Arcade Attack.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMLWOcvCJSY

 

Please tell us a little about yourself, and the establishment of Shinu Real Arts.

You are welcome! The Shinu Real Arts name started as a freelance artist, mainly as an illustrator and concept artists. However, I’ve always had the urge to create games one day, which is normal for any gamer who started from a young age.

I also make some short one shot comics, but paused everything since I started working on Wings Of Bluestar.

Before starting work on my actual game, I was part of a local indie studio of 3 people, specialized in mobile games, but we went different paths due to some ideology differences.

 

What is a typical day like with you and your team at your studio?

Even though I have a day job not related neither to art nor to coding, I’m fortunate that this job is only 21 hours a week and I have plenty of time for game development.

My actual team isn’t local, we are from different countries, 4 people, some I know personally and others from the net.

Everyone takes care of their own tasks and we communicate a lot, mainly via email for data share and detailed stuff, or messenger/WhatsApp for quick texting or voice messages. However, I’m the one assembling everything and putting it into the game, since I do the graphics, coding and sound effects.

 

Is Wings Of Bluestar the first game you’ve worked on?

No it isn’t, I’ve worked on some games in the past, but never released them due to various reasons.

My first game was a vertical shmup heavily influenced by the Shikigami No Shiro series, but I’ve lost all data and couldn’t continue working on it.

My second big game was planned for mobile, from the time I was part of a local indie studio of 3 people. But again, after finishing almost all assets and base code, I canceled it after the studio was dispatched. It was going to be a top down runner/shmup hybrid where the player controls a buggy tank.

So, Wings Of Bluestar is my 3rd serious and big game. It’s also way better than the first ones since I’ve learned a lot since then.

 

 

What kind of game is it and how did it come about?

Wings Of Bluestar is a horizontal shoot’em up. As mentioned above, I’m a fan of the genre and it was just natural for me to develop shmups, because I believe that I have enough knowledge about this type of game. All my previous unreleased games were shmups as well and I wish to specialize in the genre in the future.

Funny mention:

The choice of a horizontal shmup over a vertical was actually a technical issue one. Because 2 years ago, I had no clear idea of a simple and easy programming way to switch between the Tate and Yoko modes in a vertical shmup, so I spared myself the trouble and went full horizontal (lol).

 

What games helped inspire it? I can see some great elements from R-Type and Thunder Force.

The main inspiration for me comes from Blazing Star, my favorite horizontal STG, I’ve put some related Easter eggs in Wings Of Bluestar, fans of the game have already spotted some.

And yeah, R-Type is on the influence list, as well as a lot of other horizontal shmups, like Progear, Pulstar, Hyper Duel, etc.

When I decided to work on a new shmup, I wanted it to have a lot of the main features I like from different favorite games from the genre. And the first thing I had to do were the visuals, which are the first aspect you see in a game. I wanted them to be unique, so I went for a hand painted style, which is actually my strongest asset, since I’m more of the artist than the programmer, so, neither 3D nor pre-rendered assets were used. I even refused to use shaders for long time, until people following the game insisted, so I had to add a few (lol).

 

The game looks incredible! The colours look so vibrant while the backgrounds and enemies are highly detailed. How much dedication has been put into this game so far and how many more hours to go to finally say it’s complete?

The game has been more than 2 years in development. I’m planning to finish it before late 2019. There’s a chance to release it even earlier, like mid 2019, since it’s around 80% complete for now.

As said before, I’m more of an artist than a programmer, so, I put more effort into the details and into the fundamentals of art, like composition, color theory and render. Add to this that I study a lot of other shoot’em ups by watching gameplay videos (easier to study visuals than actually playing them) and analyzing the design, color schemes, composition etc. And I had some great feedback from the community as well, so, I always work on the visuals when people do tell me something like “the visibility is weak there”, “this element hides something” etc.

 

 

Just about every gamer enjoys a good shmup title. We for one at Arcade Attack certainly do. But what you do believe will make Wings Of Bluestar different from the current shooters that others are offering and being conducted in the video game industry?

That’s quite the challenge, seeing all those great shmups being released.

First, I had to make the game up to the level in terms of gameplay. So I’ve made two ships with different controls (a 3rd unlockable ship is in consideration), different weapons and different scoring systems. The game also has a combo system (different for each ship), so hi-scorers can have their fun. add to this a risk system that rewards you with Risk Stars and points when you are too close to enemy bullets. The Risk System is also implemented in the gameplay, since the player needs to carefully use the ship’s powerful weapon and save it for needy situations, since it’s “risky” to venture without it being ready.

However, Wings Of Bluestar has also something different to offer, something that I myself couldn’t find in many shmups I’ve played and which is the main reason people not familiar with the genre don’t see a shmup game worth the full price.

With this, I meant how short in terms of gameplay time shmups are, except for us fans who keep re-playing for hi-scoring and 1CC-ing, non shmup fans won’t play the game that many times.

That’s why I decided to put a lot of content into Wings Of Bluestar, content that you unlock as achievement/trophies, or that you unlock by spending Risk Points that you earn from the game.

The first time I’ve experienced this content unlocking fun was with SoulCalibur on the Dreamcast; I had a ton of fun gathering in-game money and then spending it on unlocking content. So I’ve made sure to put that into Wings Of Bluestar; the game will have a huge gallery, character biography, a shop, a sound test and more stuff to unlock.

Another feature in Wings Of Bluestar is its story mode. While I’m not a huge and dedicated fan, I still like some good visual novels. So I’m planning to make the story mode as a visual novel fragmented between stages, it’ll offer dialogue choices and lead to different endings.

 

 

Sounds pretty great! How many levels do you hope to create for Wings Of Bluestar and do you have a personal favourite boss within the game?

First I was planning to make as many stages as I can and offer different paths for the player to choose from. But then I noticed that it’ll take a long time, because the game’s stages are long, on average 5 minutes without boss fight and they are detailed, have progressive and changing scenery and usually change scrolling. So, for a very small indie studio, I can’t afford a lot of stages. That’s why I made a survey on the studio’s Twitter profile and the average result was 7 stages. Right now the game has 6 and I may go to 8 + a secret stage to unlock.

As for the bosses, my favorite one is the fifth one, since it’s so huge and can’t fit in one screen, it’s made of 4 parts and each part fills a whole screen. You move to the next part when you destroy the one above it. But I may like the sixth boss better, it’s still being coded though; it’s a long snake that comes from 7 different spots and the player needs to memorize them, something like that snake boss from R-Type, but more advanced.

 

Once Wings Of Bluestar is complete. Where can one play this game for them to experience the action and when do you hope to get the game released?

Like every game producer/developer, I wish to release my game on every platform possible, even retro systems. But due to budget and team limitations, the first release will be on Steam, because it’s easier, then on the Switch and PS4 if the game makes enough funds on Steam. After that and if the game is successful, I’ll try my chance porting it to systems like The Vita, the Dreamcast and the NeoGeo. But that requires extra effors since I have to rework the visuals for weaker systems. Add to this that I have no idea on how to code/develop for those older systems, so I’ll need external help if I decided to retro port the game.

If I decide to go retro, my first choice would be the Dreamcast, but the NeoGeo is a possibility too, depending on which one is easier and how much external help I can get.

 

What are your top 3 favourite video games of all time and why?

Talking shmups, I’d say Blazing Star first; the visuals and sound effects of that game blew my mind back in the days when it came to the local arcade. It also has that 80s anime vibe that I love a lot.

Second is Shikigami No Shiro; once again, I like animes and the game is 100% in the style.

Third place goes for Ikaruga; the 3D visuals and the orchestral music of that game are just phenomenal. Add to this the level design and the original yin-yang gameplay system, that was so great.

However, I’m more of an J-RPG fan and the only reason I’m not making an RPG is that it’s way too much work for me. My favorite all time game is Grandia 2.

 

As for you and your co-workers, what do we plan on seeing from Shinu Real Arts after Wings Of Bluestar?

I wish that the studio specializes in shmups only, like those great Japanese studios like G-rev or Cave. And I already have a clear idea of the shmups we’re gonna work on after Wings Of Bluestar, it’s a vertical one with tons of RPG elements.

But, and sadly, if the shmup genre is no longer in demand, we’ll move to platformers in the Megaman style, because ,as mentioned earlier, I only make games that I like and am familiar with.

 

 

Do you have any advice for those that would like to give for those that plan to start their own indie practice to make titles like what you’re doing now?

Well, this may sound harsh, but they should be aware that making games isn’t easy, both mentally and physically; you’ll spend tons of time on your desk drinking cup after cup of coffee, so, you need to do some sports to counter that. Add to this how the market is more relying on advertising than a good product, which means, even if you release the greatest game ever made, no one will like it if they never have heard of it, and that may have a heavy mental effect on the developer. Some of my indie developer friends already experiencing depression before even releasing their games, by fearing that it’ll fail after all this effort and sacrifice.

Now for something positive. As for developing games, modern software’s made it easy and one doesn’t have to be a great mathematician in order to code, hence, a lot of software doesn’t even require coding, but I highly recommend to learn coding because it offers unlimited possibilities. The only hard things to learn are art and music; those take a lot of time and dedication, but not impossible.

But if you intend to find a team, don’t be the “Idea Guy”, it’s very bad and a real joke (meme) in the indie game development community. You should be able to contribute with a real developing skill, like music, art, coding, sound effects, special effects etc. Otherwise you’ll have to pay your team members with real money, as employees, if you have nothing else to offer.

And once again, advertising and creating a community is as much important as making a good game. So, work on those as early as possible, even from the sketching stage.

 

Thank you for your time today Shinu, we wish you all the best with the game. One more before you go, if you could share a few drinks with any video game character, who would you choose and why?

This is weird, because this character doesn’t even talk. So, the video game character I’m the most attached to right now and with whom I’ve spent most of my time in a game, is my Skyrim character. I’ve been playing and modding that poor game for years (and still) using the same character, that I now feel so familiar with to the point I want to have a drink with.

 

Readers, we hope you’ve enjoyed that and as I mentioned before you can catch Shinu on Twitter, and on the game’s Facebook page.

 

Adrian and Anthony

 

 

Anthony...

Edited March 19, 2019 by fdurso224

[F34R]

Definitely keeping my eye on this one!! Love to see it go to Switch/Vita/NG/DC. I'll buy it for all of 'em lol. I'll promote it by buying it first on Steam.

[Dank Games]

Hi guys,

 

Today, you're are all in for an intriguing treat. I follow an indie game developer by the name ShinuRealArts Games. If you're not familiar of this establishment, they're are making a fun title for steam called, "Wings_Of_Bluestar". It's a horizontal shmup that is scheduled to be released this year for the gaming community to play.

 

So me and fellow Atariage member, Arcade Adriano from ArcadeAttackUK did a great Q&A article with ShinuArt Games that I believe we will all enjoy seeing and reading. If all goes well, the group says that there's a possibility that this game will be released on the Sega Dreamcast and the Neo-Geo. If becomes a reality, you read it here first on the Neo-Geo thread on Atariage.com. Enjoy.

 

Anthony...

A new indie Dreamcast and NeoGeo AES game... and it's an anime style shmup?! <3

I am in love, fans keep both consoles alive and this is amazing news. Great find buddy and thanks for sharing this gold with us.