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Twinkle Star Sprites, A Comprehensive Dreamcast vs. Saturn Comparison
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- by CrazyFei BunsOfSteel
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Version History
---------------
v1.6 (2/18/2002)
Big update. Added new sections:
9. Miscellany
10. Graphical Enhancements
Fixed a few typos
Updated the info for the following sections:
2. Soundtracks
4. Selectable Characters
5. Voice Acting
6. Yanqui/Nihonjin Factor
8. Game Modes.
Changed Section 1 to also include ending differences.
v1.0 (2/11/2002)
- the first version of this FAQ.
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Introduction
------------
This is a comprehensive comparison between the Dreamcast and Saturn
version for all you collectors, gamers, comparison shoppers and other
assorted detail-obsessed people out there. It does not cover the game
released on any other platform or hardware.
It also includes some personal opining from me, which you may or may
not agree with.
Specifically, the comparisons are for:
1. Animated Intros and Endings
2. Soundtracks
3. Sound Effects / Voice Quality
4. Selectable Characters
5. Voice Acting
6. Yanqui / Nihonjin Factor
7. Load Times
8. Game Modes
9. Miscellany
10. Graphical Enhancements
11. Extras
12. Conclusion
..and away we go!
------------------------------
1. Animated Intros and Endings
------------------------------
SATURN:
Had two intros. One for Arcade Mode which is the same as the attract
mode on the original Neo Geo version, and one high quality animated
movie done for Saturn Mode. Magical Girl sweetness and
light abounds.
The Saturn Mode ending for play in Character Mode also included a
bonus after the regular ending, which was an extra credits reel that
played along with a slowly scrolling background consisting of a
collage of the cast, culminating in Load Run looking up at the stars.
A slow piano lullaby plays during this sequence.
DREAMCAST:
Arcade Mode intro only, with regular ending. For both the DC and
Saturn, press and hold A to force the credits to scroll faster.
Winner - Saturn
--------------
2. Soundtracks
--------------
SATURN:
Has two sound track options, one for the original Neo Geo and one
for Saturn Mode. The main tracks are similar, with the Saturn Mode
also containing a new track for Meirin's special event. (see 4.
Selectable Characters) You can play it by selecting Track #15.
DREAMCAST:
Has three sound track options, one for the original Neo Geo CD, one
for the ROM version, and one for ROM (High Quality).
Soundtrack quality for the Neo Geo tracks are slightly improved on
the DC. Chances are, you're not going to want to play the ROM
versions during a game at all. Not either one. They sound like
homebrewed jobs, in a bad way. Poorly mixed base and tinny-sounding
synths.
Winner - Slight edge to Saturn for the bonus song. Saturn has more
tracks, DC has more emulations but 2 out of 3 of those are pretty
bad. The DC version of the Neo Geo soundtrack is slightly improved in
quality over the Saturn's Arcade Mode soundtrack, but not noticeably
so.
------------------------------
3. Sound Effects/Voice Quality
------------------------------
SATURN:
With a few exceptions like Digital Pinball Necronomicon, sound has
never been a strong suit on the Saturn. Though of course if you've
never played the DC version at all, you wouldn't notice any of this.
DREAMCAST:
Really shines here. Crisp sharp fx which have been remixed for the
Dreamcast, and clear voice quality. High frequency pronounciations of
letters like "s" come through nicely, whereas they're just about MIA
on the Saturn. I had no idea that Load Run exclaimed "LUCKY!"
whenever she grabbed a bomb until I played this version.
Winner - Dreamcast, hands down. Being able to compare the two like I
can, I found the DC version a real pleasure to listen to.
------------------------
4. Selectable Characters
------------------------
SATURN:
14 selectable characters. 9 arcade characters, 3 boss characters
(Dark R., Mevious, Memory), Sprites (Load Run's evolved form), and
a bonus character just for Saturn: Meirin, the Chinese girl who is
clearly the anime-styled Straight A student of the bunch.
Cool character. Her bombs include a random cosplay as part of the
detonation fx :) and her panda companion has a great voice. Her
attack characters are also great; big roly-poly pandas which climb
up either side of your opponent's screen, and then jump off to
dive-bomb them. Whee!
Another thing about Meirin is that she will appear as a special
challenger while in Saturn Character Mode. A flashing red CHALLENGER
logo will appear on the World Map and Meirin will take the place of
whoever you were supposed to battle. A special dialogue event takes
place between her and your character, and off you go. The stage stays
the same but the BGM changes to Meirin's own music track. (see section
2. Soundtracks)
Here are the conditions to get her to appear courtesy of Alan Kwan:
"It happens when you have cleared a stage with 20+ chain, and have
not continued. She appears only within a certain range of stages,
perhaps between 2 to 6 I think."
Meirin also gets her own unique ending of course.
DREAMCAST:
Only the original cast of 13 from the arcade selectable.
Winner - Saturn.
Note: For Arcade Mode for both consoles, the codes to select the
three bosses and Sprites are:
Sprites - put selector on Load Ran, press up up up up A
Memory - same as Sprites code, only use down
Mevious - put selector on Griffon, press up up up up A
Dark Ran - same as Mevious code, only use down
..from Kurt Linsenbardt's Twinkle Star Sprites Arcade FAQ here on
gamefaqs.com.
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5. Voice Acting
---------------
SATURN:
A lot more of the game is voice-acted. This is particularly
noticeable in Story Mode, with the pre-match exchange of dialogue to
move the plot (such as it is) along. Post-match taunts are also
voice-acted. And overall everybody gets more taunts.
In the Saturn's Character Mode, when you arrive at your destination
on the World Map, the game prompts you to press the L or R shoulder
button. Doing this will bring up a window of the Japanese text being
voiced by your opponent to you.
DREAMCAST:
Voices have been completely cut out in Story Mode and Character Mode,
both pre and post match.
Winner - Saturn, but read on...
-------------------------
6. Yanqui/Nihonjin Factor
-------------------------
SATURN:
Everything is in Japanese, voice and text.
DREAMCAST:
A language option! Choose between English, Japanese, and Spanish.
While you can't hear the pre/post game and ending chatter anymore,
you can read it in one of those three languages instead.
This also affects the in-game tutorial text, each character's ending,
the game's advice line to you for a better score, and the ending
screen which breaks down your levels of destruction. And of course,
all of it in some great "Engrish". :)
Also, some of the translations have been toned down, whether via
editorial choice or just plain innacuracy I have no idea.
Ex: at one point, Kesubei grabs Load Run and tries to fly off with
her. In the Saturn Story Mode version she exclaims in Japanese: "Let
go of me, you pedo old man!" On the DC's Story Mode she just says
"Let go of me!".
Winner - Depends. If you're a Yanqui, you'll appreciate the DC
version more since you can follow the Engrish text. If you want your
game dialogue unedited, as accurate as possible, with all original
voice intact, and can understand/read Japanese (especially for all
the new taunts), the Saturn version is better.
-------------
7. Load Times
-------------
SATURN:
There is a 4-5 second load time between opponent changes, though you
do get one screen of extra art not available in the DC version. But
of course this too loses its appeal when needing to stare at it.
DREAMCAST:
Practically non-existant. The "Twinkle Star Sprites" screen logo
transitions from closed to open almost immediately, and Bang! you're
off to the next battle.
Winner - Dreamcast
-------------
8. Game Modes
-------------
SATURN:
Three modes, Story, Character and Vs, available across two
emulations: Arcade and Sega Saturn. The former gives you the base
cast of 13 characters with simulated slow-down from the Neo Geo
version. The latter gives you a cast of 14 with better slow-down
handling via the Saturn hardware, though it is still present when
things get really hectic.
It should also be noted that there is a "Shoriochi" option in the
Saturn Mode options menu. If you put this on "cut", it will remove
all of the slowdown! (though the DC mode will still cycle through
some stuff faster, notably bombs)
DREAMCAST:
Three modes, Story, Character and Vs, available across three
emulations: Dreamcast, Neo Geo, and 68000-10 Mhz. I have no idea what
that last one is, but for the purposes of this comparison, the
Dreamcast version has no slowdown whatsoever, the Neo Geo slows down
like it does in the arcade, and the 68000 version slows down a lot.
Only the 9 characters to choose from no matter which mode it is.
Winner - Dreamcast. Though it should also be kept in mind that
slow-down is often considered a shooter player's friend. :) The
Dreamcast version is not only merciless in that manner, but the
souped up hardware also cycles through the bomb animation quicker.
Therefore your window of invulnerability and time to react is a lot
shorter!
-------------------------
9. Graphical Enhancements
-------------------------
SATURN:
The backgrounds in Saturn Mode had little scrolling extras added on
top of them by way of stuff used to give a sense of motion or depth
while flying by:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stage #/Name Opponent Extra Effect
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Forrett Yan-Yan / Till transparent clouds
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Achelis Kim / Nanja pastel rainbow stars floating by
---------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Cloudia Schmidt / Tinker solid clouds
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4. Freezia Griffon / Macky pastel snow
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5. Mevious Castle Dark R. & Mevious day briefly becoming night, then
day again, while the announcer
says "Ready, GO!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Wonder World Memory zooming starfield
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A few of the character graphics are also enhanced, notably Macky's
and Mevious'.
Macky, ordinarily flying by herself, is accompanied by Pentell who is
sleeping on a floating oversized version of the stuffed toy she
carries with her. I actually find this pretty distracting during
play.
Mevious produces purplish trails of afterimages while flying. :)
Other characters have their own little extra trails, eg. Load Run and
Sprites trail white stars, Dark Run trails dark stars, Schmidt and
Kesubei trail exhaust from their machines, you get the idea.
The characters who are riding animals don't get trails. (Probably a
good thing, yuck!)
All of the characters also cast shadows on the ground below when
applicable, only in Saturn Mode.
DREAMCAST:
Well, the DC version has none of the above. It's a straight Neo Geo
port for a quickie budget release. Which Saturn-only owners of the
game can also see for themselves by selecting Arcade Mode.
Winner - Saturn
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10. Miscellany
--------------
This section comprises all the little things that aren't comparisons
as much as they are notes that don't fit anywhere else. Some of it
affects gameplay, some of it might be of interest, others of it
borders on the "Who cares?" level of trivial, but is here anyway if
you do care.
In Saturn Mode:
- Load Ran and Kim are renamed to Load Run and Kesubei.
- New corner portraits were done for all the characters, next to
their life meters.
- the divider between Player 1 and Player 2 is decorated with a
carving of Sprites, instead of one of Sprites' wand.
- Load Run and her Rabbicat go zooming across the screen and look oh
so outrageously cute while rocking back and forth on her heels
waiting for the player to select their mode.
- Load Run flies across the screen on her broom in a shower of stars
over the ADK logo when the game boots up.
- energy bars carry over against the same opponent. So if you had a
bar that was two-thirds full and died, but still had a life left,
you got to carry that bar over against the same opponent.
- That also goes for any extra Bombs.
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11. Extras
----------
SATURN:
The biggie. It came in an oversized 2 CD case, with one disc for the
game and one omake fan disc. The fan disc contains these six
sections:
1) hundreds of fan art submissions of the various characters.
2) the winning results of a fan art competition with various mundane
and odd themes, MC'd by Memory.
3) hi-res character art, and guest illustrations.
4) character, minion and background concept sketches. There is also a
collection of print collateral which had been produced to advertise
the game in magazines, posters, etc.
5) Message from Sprites - where each character can be selected for
more hi-res stills of themselves playing while they chatter to you.
6) "Unplugged" performances of the Saturn version's opening FMV
theme. One as an instrumental with Japanese subtitles, and one with
vocals. I really enjoyed this bit myself.
Your tour guide can be selected from among the cast by pressing the
start button while in the main menu. Keep pressing to cycle through
the choices.
DREAMCAST:
No bonus disc, but it does show some very adorable VMU animations of
whichever character you select. Thought they were a nice touch. And
they are very well done.
Winner - Saturn, but only if fan stuff is important to you.
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12. Conclusion
--------------
So that's everything. I don't think anybody can go wrong just getting
the DC version. I've really enjoyed playing it despite having the
Saturn one since release. It is more bare bones but also contains a
lot of improvements. And having a language select is a plus too. But
if you find yourself just falling in love with the game, or are
otherwise a more collectorly type, the Saturn version is worth
hunting down. Whichever version people want to go for will depend on
the kind of gamer/collector they are. As well as how much disposable
cash you have. :)
----------------
Acknowledgements
----------------
Thanks to Alan Kwan for his most excellent Twinkle Star Sprites FAQ,
the info for triggering a challenge by Meirin, and his translation of
that line about the pedo old man. Anybody who wants an in-depth look at
the gameplay of this unique game should definitely visit his page:
http://home.netvigator.com/~tarot/Games/TSS01.html
Thanks also to an ex of mine, RB. She got me into import gaming by
getting my Saturn region-switched for my birthday back in 1997, along
with buying me Twinkle Star Sprites for it.
You can mail me here: tirah(AT)drizzle(DOT)com. Note the spambot foils!
I'd also appreciate it if you put "GameFAQs" in the subject.
This document Copyright 2002 CrazyFei BunsOfSteel. Use and
reproduction is permitted for personal private use only. It is not to
be copied, sourced or distributed without written permission. As of
this writing, this completed FAQ is only available at GameFAQs, at
http://www.gamefaqs.com. If you find it elsewhere, please let me
know.
Twinkle Star Sprites and all associated characters and works are
(c) ADK/SNK
