Chances are you're familiar with Phalanx one way or the other - Originally released for the Japan-only Sharp X68000 and later ported to the SNES for all regions, the game's somewhat infamous for having some of the most ridiculously inappropriate boxart of all time.
Of course, the game itself is actually pretty good, which already led to a Game Boy Advance port of the SNES version in 2001, and now a full remake for WiiWare. It looks like it'll stick as close to the original game as possible, only offering enhanced graphics and (presumably) audio.
Perhaps the developer, Zoom Inc., has chosen to remake the game to circumvent the price of SNES Virtual Console games, because it'll be very cheap indeed - It'll be yours for just 500 Wii Points.
Zoom is also making a new WiiWare puzzle game called Fantastic Cube, which will cost 800 Wii Points, but it doesn't really look that interesting - Once you've seen a handful of "match up blocks of the same colour" games you've seen them all!
Both games are currently only announced for Japan, and don't have exact dates yet, but we'll be sure to update you if they're announced for release elsewhere. In the meantime, you can view some screens of both of them here.
[source game.watch.impress.co.jp]
Comments 31
OMG that is silly. Even more rediculous than Mega man 1's box art. I've actually never heard of this game.
AH! I played through it on emu a few months ago... It's actually not bad, it's just that it's pretty damn EVIL at times... I made excellent use of the rewind button to get through that game... If they make a difficulty that's more manageable for people like me I'll definitely consider it...
I've only heard of this game BECAUSE of the box art.
Honestly, Cosmic Santa's Alien Adventure With Banjos sounds like something I would actually download. If only the art were accurate.
I remember this box art. Biggest WTF moment ever.
After looking at the pics... I'd say that's a fairly loose definition of the word "remake"... It's more like the exact same game but with graphics filter thrown into the mix kinda haphazardly. In fact, if I open up Phalanx in BSNES and pick the HQ2 filter I get something that actually looks a lot like those screenshots. Seems their ambition level isn't too high... Hopefully they'll sort out the audio issues atleast, the game has a tendency to drop sound effects pretty much constantly which is pretty bad considering it doesn't have too many sound effects to begin with.
I got the game because of the cover, but fortunately the game turned out to be good anyway, despite the complete lack of old men and banjos. Hopefully the remake corrects this glaring omission. I will definitely be buying this.
@Djungel
There could be new items or features, or minor level design tweaks, etc. The graphics always did look a bit drab to me, and the added dark black outlines don't seem to change this much. Doesn't matter. WiiWare is sadly lacking in good shoot em ups, and this'll easily top the two-level Star Soldier R.
I liked this one back in the day...remember renting it a few times. I'll get it (but I'm a sucker for shmups of any kind).
Fair play to Zoom, you can't really argue with a bargain 500 point price and the 'enhanced graphics' look decent enough from the screens. I hope that this one makes it to Western shores, if it does it will be a no-brainer purchase for me, it is as cheap as an NES game!
Perhaps Phalanx will shake its dodgy box art reputation and actually become better known for being a decent enough side-scrolling space shooter. Then again, probably not.
Cheers for the news @Drake
Love the original, ill pick it up for sure. =)
All I have to say about the box-art is what the!?
hopefully they'll put that boxart on the new title screen, because that would make it an instant download for me. i'd leave my tv on all the time with the title screen running.
I won't buy it if the guy on the boxart won't be somewhere in the game!
It would make more sense to release the original on the VC and put a remake/sequel on Wii Ware.
Any word on if this is going to be a remake if the SNES port or the version(I think it was the original but I'm not sure) that was the Easter Egg in the PSX fighter Zero Divide? I've played both in the past and either one would rule.
Phalanx! I still have it along with the poster that came with it. (Same as the boxart.)
I'll have to wait and see if this is more of a port than a remake. I won't bother if they just have a few minor tweaks.
Keep the old man somehow and I'll buy it.
Blisteringly hard. I'll be interested to see how the difficulty is in this remake.
i play phalanx all the time. i have to give it the "shooter with the strangest graphics" award though... seriously, check it out on the snes. sooo weird...
@Adam
Agreed; add a banjo soundtrack to the remake, and I'll be all over it.
Oh man, that would be oddly fitting, I think, haha.
Re: The Bizarre "Why isn't this on VC so I can pay more and get it without any additional features?" Complaints
Even if it were priced the same, I'll be glad it's on WiiWare just so I don't get stuck using the stupid Classic Controller. I hate how any game on a system that features more than three or four buttons forces you to use it even if the game itself does not use so many buttons, which I don't believe was the case for Phalanx (or pretty much any shoot em up, really). Having a controller that can be used NES-style is my favorite feature of the Wii, constantly attaching and detaching controller extensions is my least favorite.
@deggs
I agree. The graphics are odd, in a way that I can't quite place.
I think the screenshots look pretty good but then again I never played the original game. It really does sound like bargain for only 500 points especially since it's a remake of a SNES game. I'm looking forward to it. I just wish they would make the final boss the old man with the banjo. Now THAT would be awesome!
That really is the world's greatest boxart. Forget that red-cased NSMBWii tat. Banjo-playing hillbilly in space is where it's at.
The remake had better feature similar official art.
Boxart is creepy, dude.
You mean the game has no banjos in it? My hopes and dreams have been crushed.
$h!t yeah, I can't wait for this! More shooter fun for the Wii. Which reminds me, I still need Gradius ReBirth.
Yes, you seriously need Gradius ReBirth... Get it... Immediately. It's great!
I remember the box art but i never guessed it was a shotter.
I enter the link and it appeares a boy in the character´s design. If the remake doesn´t has the old farmer you should quit points in the review!!
And the award for most just plain outlandish boxart goes to...
Anyway, I am so psyched for the remake. Doesn't the WiiWare lack shooters?
Well, I've been thinking about getting a vc/wiiware shooter. I might have to wait for this to drop so I can compare it to the other shmups and see what is best. Hopefully its better that Protothea and longer that Star Soldier R.
Don't remember much about this one. Side scrolling shooter?
The box art is absolute genius. Is it inappropriate? Sure. Is it laughable? Yep. Does it have anything to do with the game? Nope. But it definitely makes the game stand out on the shelf, makes you curious, and much more likely to try the game than if it had some generic boxart of a spaceship shooting aliens.
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