IC Forum Archive

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

This is now also the Mega Turrican ICGC thread.

Mainly due to editing my bitchin' art from two days ago and also because I've been playing T2002 and lastly because I can't remember if we've had one before I feel like starting a Turrican thread, because I don't start many of those. Threads I mean. I'm in no way well versed in the series, I've only spent considerable time with Mega Turrican and also T2002, which isn't official by any means so please Turrican fans, converse in as much detail as you must.

Turrican has very very nice music.

EDIT: Obviously there are various internet sites out there that let you easily pirate Megadrive games and provide programs that allow you to enjoy them on your computer. Like KGEN for instance. Since I tend to not link to those kinds of places you'll have to find them yourself but it's worth it because of cyborgs.

aderack · Posts: 5018

I like the later console versions the best: Mega Turrican/Turrican 3 and Super Turrican. Especially the latter! It kind of feels like everything the earlier Turrican games wanted to be in their hearts of hearts, while Mega Turrican is a fun "the Sega version is always different" bookend to it.

Super Turrican 2 is kind of strange.

Deets · Posts: 605

To me, Turrican has always been about the huge stages and great music of the first two games in the series on the Amiga. That and the fairly large number of moves your character had in those games, at least relatively speaking. In addition to being able to fire the usual platform shooter weaponry, you could also roll around as a spiky ball planting Samus-inspired bombs or hit enemies around you with the flamethrower. The fact that they crammed it all onto one button is pretty cool, too.

Turrican 3 and its port to the Megadrive, along with the Super Nintendo iterations, all seemed to forget what was so neat about the series in the first place. Mega Turrican is still pretty damn good, though. Super Turrican 2 is also fairly classy but has a few stages with incredibly annoying level design, mostly due to over-reliance on the Bionic Commando-style grappling beam they added in that game.

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

Deets wrote:

Mega Turrican is still pretty damn good, though.

Yeah, Mega Turrican is all quality, but a longer time-limit for each stage would be much better so you can have more time to explore. Which is one fo that things that made Turrica great, exploration.

Moogs · Posts: 928

So did Super Turrican 2 actually hit retail?

Teflon · Posts: 286

It did in Europe, seeing as I own a copy.

j_factor · Posts: 272

It did in the US too, as I have it myself.

I think my favorite is probably Mega Turrican, which is weird since it's also the only iteration I don't own in some form.

Can anybody tell me if Turrican 1 is better on Genesis or Turbografx?

aderack · Posts: 5018

The Genesis version ain't so hot; kind of has the reputation as the worst iteration of any episode in the series.

A shame; it looks fine in screenshots.

Dark Age Iron Savior · Posts: 3148

That is an utterly amazing picture, Rero

Um, what's the best game to dive into the Turrican series with? Any of the fan remakes good? Etc....

aderack · Posts: 5018

The most accessible one that still feels like Turrican is probably Super Turrican, for the SNES. Mega Turrican is a bit of a departure in pacing and mechanics and level design, though it's pretty swell also. And also one of the more accessible games.

Super Turrican 2 is even less like Turrican; more like a straight-out run-and-gun. I've not really played it far enough to figure out if I like it or not. A lot of people here seem to, though.

The original for the Amiga is good. Turrican 2 is basically a level pack; think Doom 2. A little clunky and kind of difficult and a little unrefined in the design department, though as usual there's the trade off of that ephemeral something that's lost in the console versions. I think the increase in coherence and playability is a decent trade-off, though.

FortNinety · Posts: 4591

I remember Gamefan covering the Genesis version, and also talking about the SNES version, and at that point, I knew nothing about it, and the way the article/review was written, it assumed everyone knew about the series, so I felt so out of the loop.

Still am. What's this series about? Where's it from? Who made it? Yada, yada, yada.

Teflon · Posts: 286

Cyborgs, Amiga and Factor 5 respectively.

The reviews I read back in wheneverthefuck seemed to favor Mega Turrican

aderack · Posts: 5018

Made by the guys who would become Factor 5. (That's actually a little inaccurate, though it's close enough.) Was originally for the Amiga and C64 which means, yeah, it's European. I think... German? Scandanavian? Somewhere around there.

The original games feel a lot like early '90s shareware -- Jill of the Jungle and stuff. It's that same filtered second-generation Nintendo aesthetic by people who really like console games and want to pay tribute to them by making the bestest ever mix tape yet only have home computers to work with. In particular, Turrican's inspired in almost equal parts by Metroid, Contra, and Super Mario Bros. (though actually, I think there's more of a Kid Chameleon feel than SMB).

Sort of an exploration-based run-n-gun. Lots of hidden stuff that you find by shooting empty space. No Metroidy upgrades as-such; instead you've got shootery power-ups and weapon switching.

A couple series trademarks are a Samusy ability to turn into a little buzzsaw, and a beam thing that you can shoot around in all directions like a flamethrower. This thing's especially good for finding hidden item blocks.

The original games are kind of hard and a little rambly. Super Turrican takes everything in the two Amiga games and focuses it, allowing you to either poke around and do the Turrican thing or to charge forward and play it like a straightforward Mega Manny platformer. Mega Turrican (later ported to the Amiga as Turrican 3) gives you a grappling hook in place of the flame throwery thing, and sets you on an essentially linear path, turning the game into a much more straightforward shooter. Still really well-made and fun for what it is. It's a nice change of focus. More Contra, a little Bionic Commando, not as much Mario, very little Metroid.

I've occasionally compared Cave Story to Turrican; then people yell at me and tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.

dessgeega · Posts: 3317

the occasional mentions of jill of the jungle make me want to go back and replay it.

which shouldn't be too hard, as i still have my disk containing all three episodes from back in the day.

Deets · Posts: 605

The worst thing about the original Turrican and its sequel is that when you touch something dangerous, your lifebar just starts to deplete immediately without any affect on your actual character, and continues to do so until you move yourself out of harm's way or die. It... takes a while to get used to.

But yeah, aderack summed up the entire series pretty much perfectly. The only other thing worth mentioning is Rendering Ranger, which is an SNES game developed by Manfred Trenz, who was the lead programmer/designer for the other Turrican games. It features a lot of the same ideas and the same stylistic sensibility. I don't know too many other people who have played it. Maybe it was unreleased?

Shapermc · Posts: 2450

Hey, strange question. I have Turrican for the Genesis and it is in a really strange cart shape. So I put it in my CDX and nothing happens. I take it out of my CDX and read the cart and it says Genesis on the sticker. So I clean it right good and try it again: nothing. Then I run it through my Gameshark (i.e. import product) and it works! Weirdest thing. Why is this?

FortNinety · Posts: 4591

Hmmm... thanks for the info guys. I had no idea about the connection to Factor 5.

Oh, and Shaper, I sorta recall all odd shaped Genny carts, like stuff from Accolade and even EA having trouble with the CDX.

aderack · Posts: 5018

Those carts were by Accolade, yeah. They're unofficial, much like the Tengen games for the NES, and only play by doing hacky things with a couple of chips in the Genesis. Later Genesis models block them out specifically. I imagine the Gameshark does what Gamesharks do with import games and that jazz.

108 · Posts: 2600

turrican isn't just the shit, it's the bitchshit.

there was a period in time where i played mega turrican every day whilst pumping iron.

i hope to download all of them on virtual console.

you do realize that factor 5 is behind that weird-looking dragon game ("lair"?) on ps3, right?

requesting pics of rerorero in turrican cosplay?

use cardboard and tinfoil, if you could please.

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

You just gave me the traddest image idea for a futuristic musical band that uses synthesizers and squealing guitars and all vocals are done through those microphones that people with throat cancer have to use to talk.

108 · Posts: 2600

the drummer should be dressed entirely in christmas-tree-tinsel, and it would be a deal.

and the lead singer in a wheelchair.

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

Only the wheelchair is modified using cardboard to make it look like a hoverchair and the guy in it must be called Cyberbrian. Everyone must have robot names and there has to be breakdowns in order to do The Robot.

Actually wait, if we disguise it enough we can just use animatronics.

aderack · Posts: 5018

108 wrote:

turrican isn't just the shit, it's the bitchshit.

Yeah, it's really gleeful. You can tell the only reason it exists is the people behind it really, really loved games like that and wanted to make their own ultimate videogame. Doesn't feel like it came out of The System at all.

108 · Posts: 2600

ReroRero wrote:

Only the wheelchair is modified using cardboard to make it look like a hoverchair and the guy in it must be called Cyberbrian. Everyone must have robot names and there has to be breakdowns in order to do The Robot.

Cyberbrain or Cyberbrian? I think Cyberbrian works better.

So you're talking the throat-cancer microphone-thing that you press against the neck, right? Because that could be rigged with maybe clothes hanger wires so that it was pressed against Cyberbrian's throat. Meanwhile, he wears a plastic helmet coated in foil and keeps his hands on the hoverchair arms, pushed side to side (strafing) on the front of the stage by phantom forces. And at one part of the show, he will stand up, like Frankenstein coming to life, breaking free of the chair.

Strobe lights!!

A legion of robot dancers comes in from offstage, and during the struggle the Cyberbrian is whapped in the head with a big cardboard sword, he sprays a mouthful of black liquid into the air (he will have to have been holding this in his mouth for the whole show), and is knocked to the ground. The arena goes dark, and when the lights come back up, he's back in the chair, and the song continues.

I think this band will need at least three drummers. Ideally some simple machine (like a pasta-maker) rigged to, at Cyberbrian's push-button command, blast a snare drum.

The band could be called "Ejacubortion." Or something else.

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

Dude he'l ltotally break free and realize what he's become then go insane and start stomping about the place whilst screeching gibberish though his little throat-mic. He'll also have on a set of goggles that shoot coloured laser. Maybe lasers on everything, that do something when triggered by the drums. Should it be on the drum machine or on the two electric drumsets?

How about humans with helmets that keep them under robot control that are just welding random pieces of metal together and fashioning them with an edge grinder. This is starting to turn into some industrial-disco-power electronics-type dealie.

Holy shit, this band would be totally sweet.

108 · Posts: 2600

ReroRero wrote:

Holy shit, this band would be totally sweet.

They would be a rave in and of themselves. The spectators would have to watch from catwalks.

"spectators watch from catwalks" could be the name of the first album. Or the name of the band.

They need a song called "Robopera."

The humans in the helmets need to be wearing big clunky sunglasses like the kind retired dudes in Florida use to completely cover their eyeglasses.

One member needs to be a "conductor," who's just a dude in a white wig and a labcoat, standing on a platform and flailing his arms around in horror in the dead center of the stage.

This makes me want to buy a new fuzz pedal.

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

Okay, but the second album is going to be called Robopolis because it's like a metropolis for robots. Where they can juggle chainsaws in peace.

108 · Posts: 2600

They need a song which deconstructs Christianity.

"A ROBOT NEEDS NOT GOD", et cetera.

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

Uniformity needs no deities. It shall have the best synth line ever.

I never ever say it but this truly is the future of music.

108 · Posts: 2600

Also requesting a song called "Thornado."

And "Synthesize Your Love."

The drums are a big issue. No drum machines. Rather, drums being beaten by actual machines. Pumping metal. Actually visible twisting and spinning metal.

Watching the live show would be akin to taking a field trip to the Rock Factory, on the day the assembly line decides to start accidentally producing mayhem.

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

Just one long line of robots manipulating their instruments.

I really need to go and give this some serious thought.

108 · Posts: 2600

ReroRero wrote:

Just one long line of robots manipulating their instruments.

I really need to go and give this some serious thought.

Yes, do that.

Get it organized. Like this:

Main themes:

1. Robots
2. Religion
3. God
4. Robots not needing religion
5. Robots not needing God
6. Robots feeling pain of oppression
7. Robots so deep into a lament of their electronic existence that all they can do is rock, even if that means destroying the entire laboratory

People:

1. One human drummer dressed as robot
2. One human drummer dressed as robot
3. Lead guitarist
4. Rhythm guitarist
5. Wail guitarist
6. Vocal -- Cyberbrian -- silver body-painted, with white covers over his eyes, in a wheelchair that only moves side to side
7. Bassist
8. The "professor", standing on a box, screaming, spinning, scared
9. Keyboards (or robo-DJ -- or, better yet, replace drummers with one simple robot that merely twists its torso back and forth rhythmically, scratching two records, which produce a raw beat)
10. Dancing robot (note: each dancing robot is armed with a silver tambourine or garbage can drum)
11. Dancing robot
12. Dancing robot
13. Dancing robot
14. Dancing robot
15. Dancing robot
16. Dancing robot
17. Dancing robot
18. Grim-looking human in futuristic police outfit, carrying a future-like billy club, to pound the dancing robots when they get out of control
19. Future police (same as above)
20. Future police (same as above)

Materials:

1. Lots of cardboard
2. Dozens of amps lain flat on the ground, projecting upward
3. Wheelchair
4. The mythical drum-pounding piston machine (call it the "tympanoraper-XZ9")
5. Circular conveyor belt for carrying the robot dancers around
6. Strobes and lasers

You're looking at about twenty members, there!! More if you want to add more robots!! Let any audience members dressed as robots into the performance area, and place all audience members dressed as humans on the other side of a chain-link fence, or else on catwalks.

James · Posts: 1735

ReroRero, that art is damn fine and I am giving you the thumbs up like Captain America when he wins a match in Marvel Super Heroes.

Turrican's best understood as a product of the C64/Amiga scene - lots of bedroom coding types making shit happen, etc. The finest guys western game design ever had to offer, turning Metroid into an Iron Maiden video. It's all about the groovy bitmap art and the big crazy levels and shit. Apparently the main inspiration was an arcade board called "Psycho-Nics Oscar" (which is in MAME).

Most of the console versions I've played smooth out the art to make it more Japanesey and fuck with the shit like the lightning whip and the bomb roll. That was Turrican, those crazy special moves and the big big maps that you can really go explore - the other games are fine alternatives to playing a Contra, but they aren't Turricankind. Turrican should always be about fucking robot ODIN punching you in the balls while you run around big creepy worlds being harried by crazy looking enemies. Not "ooh ooh look at me, I'm so dainty and I have a grappling hook!", athough I have time for that as well.

In conclusion: a MMO Turrican set on one giant streaming 2D map would be awesome, but only if it got back to the bad metal and lasers asthetic.

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

Turrican's all about Manowar and standing up to weird-looking arseholes bumping into you until you get so pissed off you explode.

aderack · Posts: 5018

Yeah, forgot the heavy metal overtone. Somehow.

James · Posts: 1735

Manfred Trenz seems to have left the series at 2, according to Wikipedia. Turrican was more or less his atomic metal baby, so his leaving explains why the newer games feel more like another series.

aderack · Posts: 5018

Yeah; that's where the Level 5 business started up, from what I understand.

I think he did that NES game, too -- which is also called Super Turrican, though it bears no relation to the SNES one.

Shapermc · Posts: 2450

Ok, I am feeling a bit crazy here, but the first Turrican is really, really hard for me. I mean, is everyone glossing over that fact or am I crazy?

aderack · Posts: 5018

I've said it! I can't even really play the original games; they're too hard for me to enjoy. Combine that with how rambly they are, and... yeah.

Poking around the scenery, not precisely knowing where you're going, is fine when you've got some confidence that you can do it without blowing up every twenty seconds. Much of the reason I like Super Turrican (SNES) is that, for one, it's both less merciless in design and less wonky in its controls, making it easier to play; for another, the levels are more well-balanced between exploration and momentum, meaning you're only as lost as you want to be. You can rocket forward if you like, or you can spend a year trying to figure out how to get way up on some platform and shooting into space to see what happens.

Still, classy. I just can't play them very well.

The NES game is really hard, too.

dessgeega · Posts: 3317

i've really only played the (first) snes turrican.

it's one of the six or seven games worth playing on the console.

and the music is great.

aderack · Posts: 5018

It is! It's the game I don't take out of the system (unless I need to show off Wayne's World to someone).

That latter point is sort of a series trademark. It's all demo sceney, thanks to the Amiga business.

108 · Posts: 2600

aderack wrote:

Yeah; that's where the Level 5 business started up, from what I understand.

Factor 5!!

aderack · Posts: 5018

Right.

...

The two of them should just merge already.

108 · Posts: 2600

aderack wrote:

Right.

...

The two of them should just merge already.

They could make a super-micromanagement-heavy flight simulator featuring Star Wars vehicles, and city-building!!

ReroRero · Posts: 2148

aderack wrote:

I've said it! I can't even really play the original games; they're too hard for me to enjoy. Combine that with how rambly they are, and... yeah.

Turrican 2 is much better than the first. It's still rambly but to an extent rather than all the time. Turrican 3 is probably the best out of the C64 outings but that wasn't done by Factor 5 so I don't know if we should include it here or not.

aerisdead · Posts: 556

I played Turrican extensively on my Amstrad CPC. I think maybe I completed it, but I can't remember.

For some reason, though, I could never beat the first midboss on Turrican 2 (for the CPC).

I'm intrigued by the PC version of Turrican 2. It looks so insanely different from the others - very much like a shareware game, even.

James · Posts: 1735

aerisdead wrote:

I played Turrican extensively on my Amstrad CPC. I think maybe I completed it, but I can't remember.

Random: Did you ever have

- the green screen monitor

- Freddy Hardest

- Skatin' USA?

I played Mega Turrican last night again. They really made a shit pie out of the music (which is disgustingly non-metal), but the roll is still in there, which I'd forgotten about.

Someone mention how Universal Soldier was a sprite hack of Turrican or else

FortNinety · Posts: 4591

dessgeega wrote:

it's one of the six or seven games worth playing on the console.

Not to derail the topic, but come on now. You are joking, right?

I was a total Genesis fanboy back in the day, and I had both systems, but the SNES has more than just seven games woth playing.

And since I'm going to get really busy very soon, so I won't be able to check back (maybe the topic will be split by then?), here's just eight...

1. Pop 'N Twin Bee
2. Super Mario World (the original is still better than the GBA remake)
3. Yoshi's Island (again about the GBA remake)
4. Link to the Past (again about the GBA remake)
5. Starfox
6. Un Squadron
7. Pocky and Rocky
8. Eathbound

... to name a few, and I know I've missed alot.

Sorry Rudie for spawning a list thread in advance.

James · Posts: 1735

Also: Metal Marines, Sparkster, Mario to the fucking Kart, Final Fantasy VI, Front Mission, etc. But I figure that line was just a super-lazy troll.

aerisdead · Posts: 556

James wrote:

Random: Did you ever have

- the green screen monitor

- Freddy Hardest

- Skatin' USA?

No way man. I had a CPC6128 with a color monitor! Yes! I used to save up my monies for DISK games and everything.

Though my favourite game was probably Gryzor which was on tape.