DS DLC via Sound Files (Bangai-O)

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Bangai-O Spirits for the DS is going to be using a rather unusual method of transferring high scores, edited levels and gameplay footage. Somehow, it's going to pump out some noise that can either be saved onto a PC or transferred straight to another DS in order to trade these files, completely forgoing the Nintendo WiFi Connection.

This kinda reminds of good ol' dial-up (and even ol'er facsimile machines). If you picked up the phone while someone was on the internet, you could hear all the random noises going through the line. If I wanted to disconnect my dad from the internet so I could get on, I would pick up the phone and make a whole bunch of random noise in it, thus disrupting his connection. Those were the days. (God bless broadband and routers)

Anyway, Bangai-O. It's one of the Treasure shooters and the original versions of it were on the Dreamcast and N64 (though the N64 version didn't make it out of Japan). I've never played it, but some people who have seem to be really excited for the DS version. I was considering making it a future import, but it is going to be coming out in English not too long after the Japanese version (which comes out next month).

I've seen some videos of the DC/64 versions being played on YouTube, but I don't really understand what the hell was happening. Looks cool though. The DS version will apparently be a little more of a puzzle game. As mentioned before, it wil allow you to create and share custom levels and gameplay footage, as well as having 4-player simultaneous multiplayer (where the original versions were single player only).

Has anyone here played the first Bangai-O and can tell us what makes it so apparently awesome?

My friend owned the game for the Dreamcast back in the day and I must of played it 2 or 3 times. In all honesty my experiences with Bangai-O are vague. I remember that the game had so much crap on the screen that it was hard at times to know where you even were. Almost every level was complete carnage. But despite that the game was fairly easy. I got through the first few levels without any hassle.

Maybe a game Ill look back into. Dreamcast needs some loving every now and again.

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Looks like Bangai-O Spirits was at GDC, and some people got to spend time with the upcoming shooter for the DS.

Bullet points:
-150+ levels in Japanese version, more to be included in the US version
-Each level is fully editable
-Level editor is apparently robust (two accounts call it 'amazing' and 'coolest ever'), but you can still create a level in seconds with the 'flood fill' option. I kind of get the impression that the editor will be similar in essence to Halo 3's Forge, where you can play, suddenly switch to edit mode, then keep playing.
-Unique 'sound load' system for sharing game data (and it will be using 'modem sounds' :p)
-Many weapons to choose from (one setup mentioned didn't use any projectile weapons--and this is a shooter!)
-EX attacks and Super Attacks
-Up to 4 player co-op and competitive play
-"Treasure hard"
-Described as a 'twitch shmup puzzle game'

I looked at some more of those youtube videos last night and I still can't quite understand how the game works (fill the screen with your own bullets, blow up everything and collect fruit...wha?) but it seems like it'll be pretty fun to learn. The Treasure games I have played have all been deceptively easy to learn, but have some extra tricks that give it something special. So I look forward to this one!

Man. My roommate loves the original and he's going to be all over this. I may have to pick it up myself. With 4-player co-op though, I'd be concerned the pure concentrated explosions of awesome might crash the DS.

Being said roommate, let me give a quick rundown on how Bangai-O works:

-You fly around freely in all directions with the D-pad, using the face buttons like a second D-pad to fire in all directions.
-You have two weapons, a homing missile and a bouncing laser.
-Enemies fire shots at you while you are doing so. If your shots collide withe enemy shots, they destroy each other.
-By pressing R, you can fire a ring of missiles in all directions. Under normal circumstances, this shoots 40 missiles. You have a limited stock of this attack, which is replenished by causing explosions.
-The more enemy bullets there are close to your mech when you use this attack, the more missiles it fires, to a maximum of 400.

Those last two points are the important ones. Together, during a sufficiently frantic situation, you can essentially hammer on the special attack button, firing hundreds of missiles every second, and never run out. The game is basically the greatest adrenaline rush in gaming history.

The DS sequel seems to have more than just the two weapons, and also some kind of melee attack. I'm so excited for this that it's going to take all my willpower to only buy it once.

EDIT: Oh yeah, the space fruit. Whenever anything explodes, it drops a fruit. The more explosions were on-screen when it exploded, the higher-scoring of a fruit it drops. The best are watermelons.

Reading that and making the connection with the YouTube videos has forced a grin on my face. It clicks now. Can't wait to play it.

Though it seems like it should be a dual-stick shooter like Geometry Wars. Will be kind of weird for me to play it without 2 analog sticks.