Gradius: Commentary + Tips

Yep - the jap buttons are much lighter to press, and as a result, it's much easier to rapid fire. 

Great Video :D

joe34 wrote: cool nice vid that interesting to watch im glad its not just me who does that thing during a game where if nothing is happening you move your player sprite around in funny patterns rather than just sit still doing nothing i just checked out another vid of yours where u have the box of joysticks and buttons, im still using the older style regular concave/microswitch arcade buttons; it dawned on me i dont think i've ever tried the jap type of button you use. is it a case of when u go to those jap style buttons its hard to go back? (ie. do u think the jap style buttons are much better for eg. rapid shooting etc?) ps. im quite curious to try some jap buttons now, if u want to sell any of the seimitsu buttons you have (the ones with the plastic screw nuts) let me know

Hah yeah, I can't keep still when I'm playing Gradius and have a fully powered up VipViper :)

I much prefer the Japanese style buttons to the concave microswitched ones of old, specifically Sanwa buttons (OBSF-30). The effort to activate them is almost nothing. They're especially useful for playing fighting games like SF2. There is technique in 2D fighting games know as 'double tap' which is preformed by rubbing/activating the button with the middle-finger followed by the index in one fluid motion. This done to boost the inputs when doing special moves. With micoswitched concave buttons this is alot harder. They're also easier for doing quasi-auto fire because they're so light.

A few people don't like the hair trigger feel of the Sanwa buttons, if yourvnotvused to them you can easily activated a button by accidentally brushing it. As an alternative convex button alot of people use Seimitsu buttons, there's are alot more resistant and require extra effort to activate. I personally prefer Sanwa.

colinmac wrote: Yep - the jap buttons are much lighter to press, and as a result, it's much easier to rapid fire. I played Gradius/Nemesis for years with the UK style buttons (although, frustratingly, I was better then!!) but the candy cab style controls are definitely the way. Sticks are the same - much lighter and more 'precise' if there's such a thing. I hate Ex_ he's making it look easy. Gradius is easy, until the later stages, where my old man reactions have slowed to such a pace that I always seem to take a hit on the last stage now. Pathetic lol !

Yeah same, I find Japanese controls are alot more precise as well. You should be better as you get older, you have more knowledge.

OTTOTHEMADANDEVIL wrote: Great Video :D

Cheers :)

singy1uk wrote: Nice to all the tricks I used BITD and still do today.I love the gradius series.

Gotta love Gradius. It hasn't aged a day imo :)

Hah nice! GroovyMame is great isn't it. I don't plan on spending any money on videogames every again, apart from maintaining my cab and GroovyMame set-up if parts ever die. I have enough games on Mame to last me a lifetime I don't need anything else :)

*i really need to sort out the JPac wiring inside the cab don't I ...

Ex_Mosquito wrote: I much prefer the Japanese style buttons to the concave microswitched ones of old, specifically Sanwa buttons (OBSF-30). The effort to activate them is almost nothing.... A few people don't like the hair trigger feel of the Sanwa buttons, if your not used to them you can easily activated a button by accidentally brushing it. As an alternative convex button a lot of people use Seimitsu buttons, there's are alot more resistant and require extra effort to activate. I personally prefer Sanwa.

joe34 wrote: Ex_Mosquito wrote: I much prefer the Japanese style buttons to the concave microswitched ones of old, specifically Sanwa buttons (OBSF-30). The effort to activate them is almost nothing.... A few people don't like the hair trigger feel of the Sanwa buttons, if your not used to them you can easily activated a button by accidentally brushing it. As an alternative convex button a lot of people use Seimitsu buttons, there's are alot more resistant and require extra effort to activate. I personally prefer Sanwa. i think i will try to get some jap buttons to try them then. personally though i will need buttons which use the the plastic nut so they are screwed into place rather than snap-in. do u know if the OBSF-30 (or variation) comes with the plastic nut option, or am i actually limited to seimitsu then?

Yeah give them a try and let me know what you think. I hate using anything but Sanwa now, they're so effortless to use. Yeah they do screw nut version as well.

I usually rest my fingers in the casing of the button on the side. When I first started using them I did activate the button by accident a few times, you get used to it though. Yeah sure I don't mind selling you some of my Screw-in Seimitsu. I'm never gonna use them.

Edited by Ex_Mosquito - 20 October 2014 at 12:34pm

Hah cheers mate. Yeah, looping around that mountain has to be done :)

TechnoFreek wrote: Another great video dude. I love the showboating at the very start of level one where you loop  the ship around a small lump of rock several times.   I'd die every time if I attempted it!