Difference between revisions of "Blog:Deep Blue Something"

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<small>[[User:CRV|CRV]] ([[User talk:CRV|talk]]) 04:29, 1 April 2019 (UTC)</small>
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<noinclude>==Deep Blue Something==</noinclude>
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<small>by [[User:CRV|CRV]] ([[User talk:CRV|talk]]) | Originally posted April 1, 2019</small>
  
It's the 30th anniversary of the quintessential TurboGrafx-16 game. No, not PC Engine. I said "TurboGrafx-16," because this is a clear example of NEC having no idea what they were doing in the US. Who knows what games they turned down to bring this over.
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This is what I would call one of the quintessential TurboGrafx-16 games, as far as the US market is concerned, because it makes me question the judgment of those who decided to release it over other, better games.
  
''Deep Blue'' is the tale of a "Fish Attack Sub" taking on evil aliens and the aquatic life that have been mutated in their wake. It's like ''Darius'', but less fun.
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''Deep Blue'' is the saga of a "Fish Attack Sub" that takes on evil aliens and the aquatic life that have been mutated in their wake. It's like ''Darius''...kinda.
  
As soon as you turn the game on, you're immediately struck by the ostentatious presentation. Large, detailed graphics are accompanied by music worthy of any undersea epic. The screenshots on the back of the box look great, which is certainly the main reason ''Deep Blue'' crossed the Pacific.
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As soon as you turn the game on, you're immediately struck by the ostentatious presentation. Music worthy of any undersea epic accompanies large, detailed graphics that make for great screenshots on [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/tg16/588941-deep-blue/images/188236 the back of the box]. It's clear why NEC decided to bring this one to the States.
  
Unfortunately, all that 16-bit, next generation flair is undermined by the game design, which consists almost entirely of shooting at wave after wave of enemy fish moving in repetitive patterns. They don't shoot; they just ram into you. If you're not careful, it's easy to get overwhelmed.
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Unfortunately, all that 16-bit, next generation flair is undermined by the game design, which consists almost entirely of shooting at wave after wave of enemy fish that move in repetitive patterns. They don't shoot; they just ram into you. If you're not careful, it's easy to get overwhelmed.
  
On the plus side, you have a power gauge and can take multiple hits. You also heal automatically over time. If you can get the hang of things, this is a playable game, but it's understandable why most people don't like it. There's worse ([[Blog:D-Force (Super NES) & Verytex (Mega Drive)|''D-Force'']]), but there's also so much better.
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On the plus side, you have a power gauge and can take multiple hits. You also heal automatically over time. If you can get the hang of things, this is a playable game, but it's understandable why most people don't like it.
  
''Deep Blue'' was released in Japan by Pack-In-Video on March 31, 1989, and came out in the States in 1990. The development history is murky since there are no credits. However, animator Itsuki Imazaki posted sketches and a design proposal on Twitter in 2017. [https://twitter.com/itsuki_imazaki/status/899843167070986241] [https://twitter.com/itsuki_imazaki/status/900220047972552706] [https://twitter.com/itsuki_imazaki/status/921014696756441088] According to the replies [https://twitter.com/itsuki_imazaki/status/899843167070986241 here], he was working at Hi-Score Media Work at the time. You can read more about them in [http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Blog:Zombie_Hunter_(Famicom) the Zombie Hunter post].
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''Deep Blue'' was originally released in Japan by Pack-In-Video. The developer has been harder to pinpoint because there are no credits, but it was a company called Hi-Score Media Work, publisher of the game magazine ''Hi-Score''. (You can read more about Hi-Score Media Work in [http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Blog:Zombie_Hunter_(Famicom) my ''Zombie Hunter'' post].)
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A writer who once worked for ''Hi-Score'' magazine [https://twitter.com/OGUmondo/status/1390943982776033280 tweeted the following in 2021]:
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<blockquote style="margin-left: 10px; padding-left:10px; border-left: 5px solid #D3D3D3">"When I was working at Hi-Score, I remember K-san was working on the program in the development room next door. I often saw him being rushed by his superiors, as the development seemed to be lagging behind. By the way, the editorial department was not involved in the development of the game, and I remember that we only played it briefly. (We were not asked to debug anything.)"</blockquote>
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He [https://twitter.com/OGUmondo/status/1249290388667580417 also said in 2020] that "K-san had little knowledge of STG [shooting games]."
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In 2017, animator Itsuki Imazaki posted sketches and a design proposal (written by the aforementioned K-san? [https://twitter.com/ProgramTales/status/1205548796265918464]) on Twitter. [https://twitter.com/itsuki_imazaki/status/899843167070986241] [https://twitter.com/itsuki_imazaki/status/900220047972552706] [https://twitter.com/itsuki_imazaki/status/921014696756441088] According to the replies [https://twitter.com/itsuki_imazaki/status/899858485361360897 here], he was working in the Hi-Score editorial department at the time.
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[http://www.triumph.jpn.org/try_work.html Yasuo Torai] did the original package illustration for ''Deep Blue'', as well as the original source character design, logo design, and manual cover illustration for ''Zombie Hunter'', and illustrations for ''Hi-Score'' magazine.
  
 
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<small>Post updated May 11, 2021</small>

Latest revision as of 22:09, 11 May 2021

Deep Blue Something

by CRV (talk) | Originally posted April 1, 2019

This is what I would call one of the quintessential TurboGrafx-16 games, as far as the US market is concerned, because it makes me question the judgment of those who decided to release it over other, better games.

Deep Blue is the saga of a "Fish Attack Sub" that takes on evil aliens and the aquatic life that have been mutated in their wake. It's like Darius...kinda.

As soon as you turn the game on, you're immediately struck by the ostentatious presentation. Music worthy of any undersea epic accompanies large, detailed graphics that make for great screenshots on the back of the box. It's clear why NEC decided to bring this one to the States.

Unfortunately, all that 16-bit, next generation flair is undermined by the game design, which consists almost entirely of shooting at wave after wave of enemy fish that move in repetitive patterns. They don't shoot; they just ram into you. If you're not careful, it's easy to get overwhelmed.

On the plus side, you have a power gauge and can take multiple hits. You also heal automatically over time. If you can get the hang of things, this is a playable game, but it's understandable why most people don't like it.

Deep Blue was originally released in Japan by Pack-In-Video. The developer has been harder to pinpoint because there are no credits, but it was a company called Hi-Score Media Work, publisher of the game magazine Hi-Score. (You can read more about Hi-Score Media Work in my Zombie Hunter post.)

A writer who once worked for Hi-Score magazine tweeted the following in 2021:

"When I was working at Hi-Score, I remember K-san was working on the program in the development room next door. I often saw him being rushed by his superiors, as the development seemed to be lagging behind. By the way, the editorial department was not involved in the development of the game, and I remember that we only played it briefly. (We were not asked to debug anything.)"

He also said in 2020 that "K-san had little knowledge of STG [shooting games]."

In 2017, animator Itsuki Imazaki posted sketches and a design proposal (written by the aforementioned K-san? [1]) on Twitter. [2] [3] [4] According to the replies here, he was working in the Hi-Score editorial department at the time.

Yasuo Torai did the original package illustration for Deep Blue, as well as the original source character design, logo design, and manual cover illustration for Zombie Hunter, and illustrations for Hi-Score magazine.

{{#ev:youtube|ZSPPKfjwmto}}

Post updated May 11, 2021