(ARCADE) Starblade スターブレード - Namco 1991.

[@vincently1995]

30th Anniversary of Starblade (1991-2021)

[@RetroWill]

didn't know that. Now this comment is pinned. Thanks for the PSA.

[@tru3sk1ll]

I remember how massive this cabinet was, I remember how loud the speakers were, I remember how ominous and amazing this cabinet was

[@thegreenfireball897]

This is one of the few games I feel deserves an epilepsy warning. These visuals must have looked incredible back in 1991. Even now, this game seems surprisingly cinematic.

[@davidwholly5209]

I used to play this game at the "Main Gate Movies" theater by the Norfolk Naval Base, way back in 1992, I think. It had a hell of an arcade back then. The game itself was the big, sit down version with the surround sound speakers. It was pretty popular back then. Some nights there was a line to play it. I never was very good at it, but it was a blast to play. I remember thinking how technologically advanced it was, back in the day. I always did wonder how this game ended. Thanks for the blast from the past. Feeling really nostalgic.

[@perfectionbox]

It's beautiful, like something halfway between Tron and Descent.

[@LucidFlameX]

Only exposure to this game came through Tekken 5, but damn it was actually fun. Can't imagine what this was like with the actual cabinet.

[@RetroWill]

It was fun. It's a dollar each attempt.... but it was fun!

[@impykins]

We went to a local bowling alley at 2am after work to play this all the time. Such a glorious token eater and we didnt care cause the sound and the graphics rocked.

[@RetroWill]

I only have 1 dollar.. and this machine sucked it all in 5 mins. It's okay. I get to be Starfighter for 5 mins.

[@waynecuff3140]

Stunning game, the golden age of video gaming. Why the hell don't they make amazing stuff like this anymore. This industry is all about money, loot boxes, open world tripe. Imagine Star blade on ps5 with epic rail shooting visuals. Developers just aren't interested in the older gamers that want games like this.

[@tieradlerch.217]

Me still waiting for Tiberian Sun remastered

[@Gundamseeddabest]

Have you considered that this whole game of Starblade can actually fit into other games now? Like the next Yakuza is one Bamco partnership away from having this in an In-game arcade or straight up using it as a base for a side game with its own story. For fuck's sake it was literally Tekken 5's loading screen

[@kaihedgie1747]

Do you actually visit arcades anymore? Do you actually play any games that aren't Call of Duty or EA Sports? Because there's plenty stuff like this and more going around these days

[@MasterJediDude]

I used to play this back in our theater’s arcade. The cabinet was perfect, as was the sound system inside. It was a very immersive experience, and at the time, the graphics were the best. You could hear the radio chatter perfectly. My only issue with it was that it was on rails, but it was like you were a gunner on the “GeoSword” and not piloting.

[@RetroWill]

Agreed. Its still very cool though. Feels like youre a Starfighter, even for such a brief moment

[@ElricWilliam]

Geosword this is team leader

[@End_Domestic_Violence]

This game came in a massive cabinet that you climbed inside, it had monster bass that you could feel whenever you passed over those U-shaped ships, it had ferocious strobe lights that flashed blindingly whenever you were hit. The reason the visuals are so spectacular is that you can't control the direction you fly, you're just the gunner. The computer doesn't have to calculate any polygons, it's essentially a 1991 cgi movie and you're shooting at the ships, so the computer only has to calculate your hits and which ships you destroy. So the game always follows the exact same course with the exact same ships following the exact same movements. It was incredibly immersive, but I rarely saw anyone play it, and only then for a few minutes. I suspect it went over people's heads, maybe the space craze seemed old fashioned to them. Another incredible game was hard driving/race driving, astonishingly realistic with force feedback controls... but too brilliant to be understood by the public, they preferred Street Fighter, etc. It's a pity the masses don't recognise brilliance. Oh well, plenty of admirers here... Best wishes all!😆

[@RetroWill]

Well, to some it's might be a space combat simulator, being put randomly at a local PuttPutt, by the Star League recruiting nerds who can't ball but is pretty good at video games, because they need gunners to fight against Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada. Too bad it's 4 quarters per run. I'll take my quarters and go back to Street Fighter II.

[@jimbotron70]

*it's essentially a 1991 cgi movie* That's incorrect, it's not a prerendered movie, it's all calculated in real time, polygons, textures and all, the only limitation being a predefined, immutable path in gameplay, hence the definition of shooter on rails.

[@Beltane70]

The first time that I ever played this game was in an arcade in Tokyo during my first trip to Japan.

[@RetroWill]

Must be awesome. Wouldve loved to go to Japan then. Wouldnt mind going now as well.

[@fredmarkus9303]

I remember. And that ending music still gives me goosebumps.

[@RetroWill]

That's awesome. I remembered wishing that Star Blade is a real Last Starfighter arcade machine. Too bad I'm never really good at it..

[@桜-j6r]

確かアーケードで見た初のポリゴンゲームだったと思う。まだ3D空間を自分では動かせない(決まった動きで流れていく)。当時は立体物がスムーズに動くというのが驚きだった

[@RetroWill]

Yes! StarBlade was not the first polygon based game that I ever saw, but it was the coolest one I have seen in the arcades, with a fully immersive rotating cockpit!

[@longWriter]

I remembered playing a game as a kid with twin blue lasers that you controlled with a kind of a steering-wheel, and you had to sit down to play it. I think I've finally found it back!

[@RetroWill]

Yep! I remembered putting in 4 quarters just for 1 game. That was expensive!

[@TheDarkYoshi64]

Crazy that this was from 1991. Must’ve been a super cool experience to sit down and enjoy the full game when it was new.

[@alanmacmillan6957]

played this in the arcade to death. completed 3 times. was incredibly beautiful and sat in the unit it was great with the screens, surround sound etc. very slick.

[@RetroWill]

you're a better starfighter than me. I can barely make it to red eye, and I ran out of quarters.

[@daizou33]

90年代初めくらいにとあるドライブインに併設されたゲームコーナーでひときわ異彩を放った筐体だった デモの音が不気味でとても恐怖を感じた記憶がある この頃のナムコは本当に凄かった！

[@RetroWill]

Namco was! I miss the good days!

[@grenks6387]

I. FOUND. IT. AFTER. YEARS!!

[@RetroWill]

glad you found it!

[@em23]

The sit down version of this fine game was at a miniature golf park on sepulveda blvd, in van nuys California

[@SEPK09]

The days when games where actually games compared to thrash you get today.

[@ui6144]

The lighting/flashing effects brought flash backs of Captain Power.

[@inceptional]

Yeah, clearly Argonaut Software was inspired by this when it first started working on the game that eventually became the original Star Fox we know and love.

[@RetroWill]

I would agree. I don't know if they are, but I'd believe it.

[@phillipwhitelow5816]

Maybe but don't forget Argonaut had made Starglider 1 & 2 before this game came out.

[@boostermcblast2197]

Starblade had a HUGE influnence to REZ. REZ is Starblade with more artistic self-consciousness.

[@Koraxbear]

Awesome shooter at its time

[@captainspire9094]

$5 went into this arcade as soon as I got to the arcade.

[@stphinkle]

I remember playing this game back in the day!

[@RetroWill]

Good old times! I suck at miniature golf... so... I'll take my 7 dollars... and practice in case the Xur Armada invades and Rylos needs help.

[@chronozeta]

I was born in 2000 in Istanbul and during early to mid 2000s my dad would take me to this mall-ish place which had a little arcade section where i would play Starblade. Its interesting how it somehow found it's way to that place lol. Thanks to chatgpt i've found it years later.

[@RetroWill]

That is so cool! Doesn't matter where we are around the world, some of us look up and we want to fly into space. Have you ever watched The Last Starfighter?

[@chronozeta]

@@RetroWill I didnt. Not that i dislike it but I am not really specifically into the "space fighters" genre (i guess you can include Star Wars to that genre) but for some reason Starblade caught my attention at that arcade and i would play it over and over each time, haha

[@thegreenfireball897]

Even in the music, you can tell where the inspiration for Star Fox came from.

[@RetroWill]

@@thegreenfireball897 actually...check out Afterburner OST: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nF6XiZ-Bf6Z_nrMsi=p9pW9meU61rap2TY

[@arcadealchemist]

even games in 1991 looked better than some new console games

[@ElricWilliam]

I remember playing this in the arcade when I was younger....My starfox cart was also so worn I had to break the shell and load in the pcb just to get a decent connection.... Saying This game had a huge lasting effect on me is an understatement xD

[@ElricWilliam]

This game was awesome, it had a seat and a turret controller, it was the best

[@KING-ZEAL]

I remember when they were beta testing this at Dave & Busters in Atlanta, GA. Strangely, they had some strange, bogus logo covering it called "ATTACK OF THE ZORG!" or something bizzare. It was like $5 every continue, every 30 seconds or so.

[@RetroWill]

that's bizzare indeed.. they changed it to a timed game?!!

[@kilroy987]

I think a few times I made it past Red Eye but always died while fighting the commander.

[@RetroWill]

Yeah, that commander is super hard!

[@michaelfischer841]

very cool game they used to have this at Lakeside Mall in Michigan at the same time , they also had Time Traveler by SEGA

[@RetroWill]

If I live in Michigan, I'd be hanging out there! They have this in So Cal, Malibu Grand Prix + Miniature Golf.

[@billgreen2426]

I used to love this game. Played it so much that I ended up being able to beat it for around 2 or 3 quarters. Figured out patterns for attack and defense. If I remember correctly, hit the lead ship in a formation and the others will miss or not attack.

[@RetroWill]

I did not know that that tip! And 2-3 quarters is pretty good! Surprised you haven't been recruited by the Star League!

[@JamalTheTitan]

I still need to unlock this in Tekken 5

[@RetroWill]

I heard this is the loading screen on a game?

[@rapidfire9999]

You can unlock it on Devil Within mode (Jin Kazama's Hack'n Slash)

[@carlossalcedo1607]

Juegazo!

[@RetroWill]

Obrigado!

[@kynkokytsumi1931]

I near jizzed in my pants when this game arrived at my local arcade lol

[@RetroWill]

I wish I can... I tried to keep him as long as possible, but we have to rest. love that Wachuga.

[@c6jones720]

That still looks ok today. I remember this coming out in arcades there really wasn't much else like it. I can remember at the time the 3d making some people feel nauseous as they hadn't seen anything like it before. That would probably be cool as a vr game.

[@RetroWill]

Because growing up, I want to be just like Alex, The Last Starfighter. Like and Comment if you're one too. Cheers!

[@tru3sk1ll]

We're locked in the moon's gravitational pull, what do we do!!!! ........................ WE DIE

[@CoyoteEnix]

All these floating square objects reminds me of Nintendo console back in 90's. Final boss of this game should be a PS5 console 😂

[@RetroWill]

that would be strange. Not sure if the console can handle it though. Final boss should be a Cyber Truck. That has low poly count.

[@gllmll7227]

As far as i remember the cockpit chair was vibrating

[@RetroWill]

I believe you. All I remember was,, this game costs 4 quarters at Malibu golf in California.

[@technicalmachine1671]

This is exactly how I want a remaster of Star Fox to look. Sucks that Nintendo isn't interested in doing it.

[@MrCantStopTheRobot]

The upside of Nintendo not remastering it: they can't screw up the remaster if they don't make one. The fans will do it better.

[@jlmemo]

How to get the full working rom?

[@ChoboUnjeon]

Tekken 5 loading screen

[@RetroWill]

lol

[@tims.2717]

Namco should rerelease this to modern consoles.

[@RetroWill]

Totally.

[@GoodfellaZeta4873]

We must scream it unto the heavens!

[@rapidfire9999]

GET READY FOR THE NEXT BATTLE!

[@englishwithphil42]

Starfox has nothing on this!

[@neonkenomi320]

This would of been nice to have as a unlockable in Starfox Assault alongside with Xevious.

[@RetroWill]

Or play Tekken, and never pay it... Tekken 5 I think

[@davidroa8049]

The Star Fox father XD

[@RetroWill]

yas

[@logoarchivecollectioncompa19]

0:00

[@logoarchivecollectioncompa19]

1500 - 1900

[@logoarchivecollectioncompa19]

"If there is no way to escape the universe, then entropy will march on, destroying the last remaining supermassive black holes."

[@Pokaroquai]

Really satisfying game, but it felt so... so empty in a good way, that spacious atmosphere thing. maybe having a music playing in the gameplay would've been nicer.

[@RetroWill]

I understand what you mean...the game is meant to be played in an enclosure, immersing you, machine rotating around you. In fact the music doesn't kick in until the final battle with the enemy commander.

[@III-hg5ss]

昔、ビクター音楽産業から出ていたnamcoアーケードゲーム映像ソフトシリーズ、どこかBlu-rayで出してくれ!!

[@こういち-j5f]

このゲームの世界観に国境は無い。

[@skunkman9815]

Galaga wars brought me here

[@RetroWill]

this brought me to galaga wars

[@skunkman9815]

@@RetroWill they really need to bring this game to the United States 🇺🇸

[@MunkeePat]

Who else came here from Tekken 5?

[@audiotech1983]

I always felt like this is for star fox stole that idea from

[@RetroWill]

You are not the first one :) It really is not. Polygon shooters have been arond since star wars, and this game is really similar to the Last Starfighter movie.

[@MrCantStopTheRobot]

Crazy how many of these enemy models (and even the name "Starblade") was copied directly into Star Fox.

[@omu_omuomu]

This is too difficult without autoshot lol

[@RetroWill]

In the future, everything is manual. pew pew pew.

[@omu_omuomu]

@@RetroWill I meant 'rapid fire'.. lol

[@puanrumbiak9833]

894

[@puanrumbiak9833]

893

[@Oguzhan34]

Tekken 5

[@edvardgt4465]

superdoo

[@RetroWill]

superwhee