DYRL -- Saturn or Playstation?

[distantmantra]

I'm headed to Japan in April for nine days and I'm making my game shopping list. Which version of DYRL should I pick up, the Saturn original or the Playstation port?

[sketchley]

Go with the the PS1 version. At the very least, it is compatible with the PS3 (not sure if there is region encoding). The other benefits are that there are 3 other Macross games for the PS1, whereas there are 0 other Macross games for the Saturn.

So, if you (or anyone else heading to Japan) don't already have either a PS1 (or PS3) or a Saturn, go with the PS1.

If you (or anyone else heading to Japan) already have both... I'm not sure which one is better. Saturn was released first, and the PS1 about a year later. During that year, there could have been some improvements added to the game, or it could have all been spent translating the base code for a new system.

[distantmantra]

Go with the the PS1 version. At the very least, it is compatible with the PS3 (not sure if there is region encoding). The other benefits are that there are 3 other Macross games for the PS1, whereas there are 0 other Macross games for the Saturn.

So, if you (or anyone else heading to Japan) don't already have either a PS1 (or PS3) or a Saturn, go with the PS1.

If you (or anyone else heading to Japan) already have both... I'm not sure which one is better. Saturn was released first, and the PS1 about a year later. During that year, there could have been some improvements added to the game, or it could have all been spent translating the base code for a new system.

I've got a Japanese PS2 and my Saturn can play imports via the 4MB Action Replay cart, so I can go either way. The Saturn version appears to be much cheaper, but I'd rather pick up the better version of the two. Either way it won't be very much.

[sketchley]

OK.

Nevertheless, good luck finding a used copy. PS1 games pretty much disappeared from used stores when the PS3 was introduced (about 3 or 4 years ago). There are still small sections, but the selection is... limited.

I've had luck finding the Macross games in the used section of Sofmap (though, that was a couple of years ago), and Bookoff is another place to check (for some reason, I keep running across the "Digital Mission VF-X" soundtrack at a number of the stores in my area!)

[TheLoneWolf]

Personally, I prefer the Saturn version.

The Saturn version has stereo sound. The PS1 version only has monoraul sound, with no option for stereo.

The Saturn FMV's are more crisp and colorful than the PS1 FMV's. This one surprised me most since the PS1 usually beats the Saturn when it comes to FMV's.

The only thing I preferred about the PS1 version was that the disc swap system was less cumbersome than the Saturn's.

[Renato]

The PS1 version is not stereo?? What?? That's the first I've heard of that.

I have heard that the Saturn has slightly clearer graphics, I think in particular with the FMV sequences. It doesn't bother me in the slightest since I already have them all on DVD anyway, on the 20th Anniversary DVD and on disc 3 of the Remastered DYRL one.

The PS1 version comes with a third disc which contains demos of VF-X2 and Patlabor the Game, so I guess that's why it's more expensive.

Lastly, from a personal point of view, I only really play games on the go, so I convert my PS1 games onto my PSP and play them there, which makes the Saturn version not an option at all.

Sketchley: There are tons and tons of PS1 games everywhere in Osaka! In particular in the Shinsaibashi and Namba areas (if you look hard enough, you can find loads and loads of PC Engine gems, too). The popularity of the machine is incredible. Even here in backwater Kyoto, by coincidence, yesterday I just popped into a used manga shop across the road from me while waiting for a traffic light to change, and I found a copy of Policenauts for 100 yen! It's on my PSP now, along with that "rarity" Philosoma (189yen, from the shopping centre 5 minutes from my house) and Omega Boost (210yen, Book Off -- I think I got this one in Tokyo a while back, though).

Edited February 18, 2010 by Renato

[Graham]

I love Philosoma. It's one of my favorite PS1 games.

Graham

[Graham]

Oh and yeah having both a Saturn and PS1, I did notice when the DYRL games came out, that the FMV for the Saturn version seemed better.

Graham

[sketchley]

Sketchley: There are tons and tons of PS1 games everywhere in Osaka! In particular in the Shinsaibashi and Namba areas (if you look hard enough, you can find loads and loads of PC Engine gems, too). The popularity of the machine is incredible. Even here in backwater Kyoto, by coincidence, yesterday I just popped into a used manga shop across the road from me while waiting for a traffic light to change, and I found a copy of Policenauts for 100 yen! It's on my PSP now, along with that "rarity" Philosoma (189yen, from the shopping centre 5 minutes from my house) and Omega Boost (210yen, Book Off -- I think I got this one in Tokyo a while back, though).

はっ～!

Maybe I'm checking out the wrong stores in Denden Town. (That would be Sofmap - whose PS1 section got decimated in their Saurus 1 building when the PS3 was released. Mind you, the used DVD section also went to hell about two years ago...) The local Bookoff Stores (live on the Keihan line, near Hirakata-shi) significantly cut back their PS1 offerings around the same time period. It's still there - just that it's rare to find a Macross related PS1 game now-a-days).

[TheLoneWolf]

The PS1 version is not stereo?? What?? That's the first I've heard of that.

Yup, try playing the game on a home theater system you'll hear that it's actually monoraul. I once ripped the individual audio and movie files off the disc to my computer and can confirm that they are genuine stereo files, but for some reason the game's code forces them to be output in mono during gameplay.

[Daiohma]

Hello everyone,

As we are on the topic of Macross: DYRL for the saturn/ps1 Im wondering if anyone could help me?

I have just got this game (saturn) about a week ago and I seem to be stuck at Golg Boddole Zer,

whats the best way to beat him?

Thank you for your time.

P.S my first post, yay ()

[Renato]

はっ～!

Maybe I'm checking out the wrong stores in Denden Town. (That would be Sofmap - whose PS1 section got decimated in their Saurus 1 building when the PS3 was released. Mind you, the used DVD section also went to hell about two years ago...) The local Bookoff Stores (live on the Keihan line, near Hirakata-shi) significantly cut back their PS1 offerings around the same time period. It's still there - just that it's rare to find a Macross related PS1 game now-a-days).

Denden Town is full of dedicated used video game shops, it's no wonder the used sections of places like Sofmap are shrinking -- the sellers are taking all their stuff to the specialized shops. Off the top of my head, there's "Super Potato" and "A-Too" (or something like that, can't remember), along the main road. The latter is where I saw PS1 DYRL for 1000 yen just a couple of months ago, maybe it's still there (I paid over 3000yen in Tokyo way back in 2001! Don't regret it, though).

[Renato]

Hello everyone,

As we are on the topic of Macross: DYRL for the saturn/ps1 Im wondering if anyone could help me?

I have just got this game (saturn) about a week ago and I seem to be stuck at Golg Boddole Zer,

whats the best way to beat him?

Thank you for your time.

P.S my first post, yay ()

As I recall, you just dodge his "Great Balls of Fire" and keep shooting his face. I was under the impression he was the easiest boss in the game. The Meltrandi boss on the Protoculture ruins stage is much harder.

[sketchley]

I had the most trouble with the Defence Satellite guarding the Bodoru Mobile Fortress then Bodoru himself...

[Tochiro]

Agreed - theres plenty of PS1 games to be found, you just have to know where to look. Naturally theres fewer than there used to be and theyre all 2nd hand but theres plenty to be had. Heck, even PS2 games are getting less space in the local Book Off these days - all the room is taken up by DS and PSP games!

And speaking of games, please allow me to pimp my gaming podcast while Im here:

http://www.theoutcastpodcast.blogspot.com/

:-)

[Renato]

Thanks for the link. I only have a passing interest in gaming, and most of it is retro scroll-shooter stuff, but it seems you cover a lot of topics (including stuff about "life in Japan", which sounds interesting) so I will take a listen later.

And there's a Metal Gear arcade game now?? Huh.

[Gaijin]

The Saturn version was superior.

[Black Valkyrie]

Saturn, still have mine .

[Renato]

By coincidence I stumbled upon a second hand copy of the Saturn DYRL and as it was 504 yen I decided to pick it up, for two reasons.

1) You guys and your nitpicky-ness. I now have an urge to see just how "superior" this version is.

2) The Lynn Minmay Farewell Card, or whatever it was. Basically there was (supposedly) this insert that told the fate of the Megaroad -- this is where the whole thing about Misa sending the ship into a black hole came from. This was never included with the PS version.

As it turns out....

1) I... don't have a Saturn. I decided to run the game on an emulator, but the one I downloaded (called SSF or something) doesn't start up for some reason or another, and I'm not in the mood to check a million different variables to see why. I would rather wait until next time I go to Aichi prefecture in a few months and ask if I can borrow my brother-in-law's console for a while.

2) It wasn't in the box. Not that I'm surprised, I imagined it to be as difficult as finding a copy of The Who Live at Leeds with all those inserts that it originally came with, such as the copy of the letter from the venue to the band's manager asking for a cancellation 'cos they're a bunch of louts, basically, and all the invoices, etc. Would've been cool to have, but, alas, you gotta wonder how many of those items have been lost to the sands of time now.

[TheLoneWolf]

By coincidence I stumbled upon a second hand copy of the Saturn DYRL and as it was 504 yen I decided to pick it up, for two reasons.

1) You guys and your nitpicky-ness. I now have an urge to see just how "superior" this version is.

2) The Lynn Minmay Farewell Card, or whatever it was. Basically there was (supposedly) this insert that told the fate of the Megaroad -- this is where the whole thing about Misa sending the ship into a black hole came from. This was never included with the PS version.

Actually, Lynn Minmay's Final Message came with a limited amount of PS1 versions, not the Saturn versions. From the pictures I've seen, it looks like it came packaged seperately in a white envelope, so you'll definitely know if it's included with your purchase. Someone here on MW has it and said that there's no mention of a black hole anywhere on it. The "black hole" story is just a dumb Internet rumor that refuses to die.

[Renato]

Damn, it seems you're right about it being included only with the PS edition. Why did I think it was the other way around? Probably because I had the PS version and assumed it wasn't included with it.... Argh.

Regarding the black hole "rumour", though, even the Japanese wikipedia seems to state it as fact. This is from the "Lynn Minmay" page:

後日談 [編集]

「マクロスシリーズ」の公式年表では「2016年、メガロード-01とともに銀河系中心部で消息を絶った」と設定されている。プレイステーション用ゲーム『超時空要塞マクロス 愛・おぼえていますか』の特典「リン・ミンメイのさよならメッセージカード」には、2016年7月7日付けで「ブラックホールから聞こえる謎の歌声を追って、メガロードは未知の宇宙へと旅立ちます」と記されている。なお、この情報を政府が非公開にしたため、公にはメガロード-01 は宇宙を航行中と信じられている。その後、2031年公開の映画『超時空要塞マクロス愛・おぼえていますか』が大ヒットし、ミンメイブームが再燃。主題歌「愛・おぼえていますか」を含む往年のヒットナンバーも愛唱歌（懐メロ）として定着する。ミンメイは宇宙大戦を終結に導いた伝説の歌姫として歴史に名を残し、「マクロスシリーズ」の作品に度々その名が登場することになる。

Part of the message, dated July 7th, 2016, reads "The Megaroad is embarking on a journey towards an unknown [part of] space, to follow a mysterious singing voice audible from a black hole."

Yeah, I know many of you heard of this before. I've been reading about it for ten years, but I've never seen even a photo of this text. Up until recently I realised I was looking in the wrong place, I thought it was some text within the instruction booklet of the Saturn game. When I asked for scans many years ago I looked through them and couldn't find it. Then I realised it was a "farewell card" which was packaged with the game, but separate from the booklet. Now thanks to LoneWolf, I realize that it was the PS, not the Saturn edition that it was packaged with.

Can anybody provide a scan once and for all?? I'm freaking out here!!

Edited March 3, 2010 by Renato

[Graham]

Singing voice from a Black hole!? First I've heard of that.

Perhaps Basara went back in time when he followed the galactic whale at the end of MD7 and it's his voice coming from the black hole......Bomba!

Graham

[Renato]

Singing voice from a Black hole!? First I've heard of that.

Really? That's surprising actually, because I'm sure this forum is where I first heard it. That was many years ago, though.

[CrazyMartian]

My first time hearing it too... And I used to swallow info on Macross as if I was a possessed chipmunk eating lots of nuts... Heh, looks like I didn't seach well enough.

And regarding Macross games available on used game stores... Now I just want to weep... I've wanted to play VF-X2 and DYRL again for a long time now... I got them from a friend who used to live there (but he married another friend of mine and decided to stay here)... Then a kind burglar broke into my house and took the time to take everything, including my Macross games with him.

Of my old game library, only Macross M3, the PS2 Macross and the Metal Gear Solid series remain, since I had left them at another friend's home... in a silly mistake at picking his backpack, instead of mine.

sigh...

Edited March 5, 2010 by CrazyMartian

[sketchley]

Really? That's surprising actually, because I'm sure this forum is where I first heard it. That was many years ago, though.

The FB related history sheet in the latest Macross Chronicle adds a little bit. Basically it says Minmei (and presumably the rest of the Megaroad 1 fleet) were erased from the galaxy. I haven't looked over the paragraph in depth, but the use of the term erased itself is interesting. As if Kawamori personnally brought out his pink pearl.

[Keith]

Singing voice from a Black hole!? First I've heard of that.

Perhaps Basara went back in time when he followed the galactic whale at the end of MD7 and it's his voice coming from the black hole......Bomba!

Graham

As awesome as that would be, what if they were actually following a Vajra mating call (aka "Aimo") from all the way across the galaxy.

[Lott Sheen]

As the SS was the superior 2D machine at the time I only bothered picking up the SS version but this farewell message in the PS version is intriguing..time to search y!jp..

[Renato]

As the SS was the superior 2D machine at the time I only bothered picking up the SS version but this farewell message in the PS version is intriguing..time to search y!jp..

Let me know if you find it! Remember... apparently they don't all come with the card (it ain't that easy!).

[ObiJuan71]

I'm selling my copy of DYRL for the Playstation, it has the spine card and all 3 discs, no scratches, PM if interested.

[MjrMisaHayase]

Singing voice from a black hole? Kawamori-sensai, are you sure that the Hikaru/Misa/Minmay storyline is over with, or do you still have plans for that famed love triangle of yours?

Edited March 23, 2010 by MjrMisaHayase

[sketchley]

Singing voice from a black hole? Kawamori-sensai, are you sure that the Hikaru/Misa/Minmay storyline is over with, or do you still have plans for that famed love triangle of yours?

I believe that the singing from a black hole is an internet myth.

The "real" story:

Singing was heard from the centre of the galaxy. The Megaroad-01 went to investigate. Megaroad-01 and the main cast of SDFM, DYRL and FB2012 written out of Macross.

Later, in the real world, scientists develop a theory that there is at least one, if not several large black holes at the centre of every galaxy.

Fans, having read the scientists, overlay reality onto the Macropss story. Ergo: singing coming from a black hole at the center of the galaxy.

Other fans misinterpret that as singing coming from a black hole and the Megaroad-01 got sucked into it.

Macross Chronicles has a line about it: the Megaroad-01 disappeared. That's it! How, where, by what means, etc., etc., are not answered, let alone even addressed.

[Beltane70]

Yes, sketchley, PS1 games are region coded on the PS3. I just stuck one of my Japanese PS1 games in my PS3 and it was region restricted. PS3 games, however don't have the region restriction, at least not for US/Japanese games.

[distantmantra]

Managed to get a mint copy (with obi) of the Saturn version for only 100 yen in Akihabara. Never did see the PS1 version.

[Renato]

Wow, nice price. I still haven't played mine yet. My wife is back at her family home in Aichi prefecture and asked if I wanted her to send her brother's Saturn over, but I declined because, seriously, it'd just be 5 minutes of playing and then back in the box, so a big waste of effort to send it all the way here. I'll take the CD next time I go over there and will play it then.