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[Agent X]

I just got done with a nice session of Rampart for the Atari Lynx. I scored 27,568 on one credit, using no continues. That's probably one of my best scores without using continues (I don't know my all-time best right now).

Even though Rampart for Lynx was released over 13 years ago, it's still an awesome game to play on a portable! It's also still the best conversion of the arcade game that I've played, and that even includes the emulated version of the game in Midway Arcade Treasures.

The arcade game originally used trackball controls, although there were also versions of the game that had joysticks instead. The Lynx version has excellent control using the digital joypad. By contrast, the version of the game in Midway Arcade Treasures has some rather glaring problems with control precision (at least on the PS2), regardless of whether you're using the analog thumbstick or the digital joypad.

I'm looking forward to the release of Midway Arcade Treasures for PSP, which will have Rampart as one of the included games. I just hope that it has a much better control implementation than the PS2 did, at least comparable to the Lynx game (although the PSP should be able to improve on that by utilizing the analog nub). As great as the Lynx is, nothing changes the fact that both versions of the Lynx are incredibly bulky compared to most other handhelds. For that reason, I'd really like to have an awesome arcade-quality version on a system that fits much more easily into my pocket.

 

[puck1337]

Rampart would be great with gyroscopic control.

 

[sprsk]

hmmm rampart on midway arcade treasures

 

[Spencerr]

I love Rampart NES multiplayer. Don't know about other versions, only one I've played.

But boy do I love it.

 

[UtadaBarkley]

I had rampart on the orginal gameboy. I sucked pretty bad at it, but if I remember it was a cool ass game....

 

[Duck of Death]

Rampart rocks. I remember enjoying the SNES version so much that I was grounded for having a $20 late fee bill at one of our video rental shops. :lol

 

[Ironclad]

I had rampart on the orginal gameboy. I sucked pretty bad at it, but if I remember it was a cool ass game....

That's the version I had as well. What a great game. I still have the cart....somewhere. I will have to dig it out and play some Rampart.

 

[jgkspsx]

Even though Rampart for Lynx was released over 13 years ago, it's still an awesome game to play on a portable! It's also still the best conversion of the arcade game that I've played, and that even includes the emulated version of the game in Midway Arcade Treasures.

You know, I've just never found any controls as effective as the Lynx's for Rampart (including the arcade). Given that the game was a port rather than emulated, isn't it likely that the Lynx port just had better/tighter controls?

 

[Agent X]

You know, I've just never found any controls as effective as the Lynx's for Rampart (including the arcade). Given that the game was a port rather than emulated, isn't it likely that the Lynx port just had better/tighter controls?

I would say so. The digital joypad works very well in the wall building phase of the game, as it's very easy to position the pieces precisely. The trackball works better for the firing phase (so you can quickly zip the cursor to different areas of the playfield), but the Lynx version did a pretty good job with using one of the buttons to speed up cursor movement.

You brought up a good point, though. One problem with the MAT version is that it oddly feels like joystick control, only offering eight-directional movement even if you use the analog thumbstick (and then using a Lynx-like method of holding the button to speed up the cursor). But, for the wall-building phase, the quick precision isn't there. Sometimes, you quickly tap the thumbstick or joypad and the piece won't budge, but if you hold it about 1/10th of a second longer, you might end up moving two spaces. This might be a direct result of trying to emulate the trackball control response by interpreting the thumbstick/joypad...but then what's up with eight-directional joystick-style control otherwise? It boggles the mind.

If they're going with emulation for the PSP game (or any other future versions they do), then they should implement a better control interpreter and include code that can distinguish which phase you're in. For the firing phase, they should have true analog control using the analog nub (they can still implement the speed-up button along with this), but for the other phases, the control interpreter should allow you to use the digital joypad for quick, precise wall or cannon placement. If they're not emulating the arcade game, then they should just implement those controls directly.

 

[midnightguy]

holy crap, Rampart rules.

last year I took the time to download several different versions of Rampart: Genesis, Arcade, NES, maybe a couple of others. the arcade is naturally the nicest. I haven't seen the emulated arcade version on MAT1, but I'll probably pick it up when i get MAT3.

I love arcade-strategy games and Rampart is one of the best.

 

[Argyle]

You brought up a good point, though. One problem with the MAT version is that it oddly feels like joystick control, only offering eight-directional movement even if you use the analog thumbstick (and then using a Lynx-like method of holding the button to speed up the cursor). But, for the wall-building phase, the quick precision isn't there. Sometimes, you quickly tap the thumbstick or joypad and the piece won't budge, but if you hold it about 1/10th of a second longer, you might end up moving two spaces. This might be a direct result of trying to emulate the trackball control response by interpreting the thumbstick/joypad...but then what's up with eight-directional joystick-style control otherwise? It boggles the mind.

I haven't spent much time with the version of Rampart that comes with MAT, but are you aware that there is a joystick-controlled version of the arcade game? The version that comes with MAT is probably based on that version...

 

[nextgeneration]

Rampart rocks, but it's a ridiculously difficult game.

 

[Agent X]

I haven't spent much time with the version of Rampart that comes with MAT, but are you aware that there is a joystick-controlled version of the arcade game? The version that comes with MAT is probably based on that version...

Yes, I'm aware of it...I mentioned it briefly in my first post in this thread.

I think the version in MAT is the trackball version, for a few reasons:

1. The game displays "Use trackball to select a castle" when you are picking a castle at the beginning of a level.

2. If I recall correctly, the joystick version only supported two players at most, while the trackball version supports three. This version supports three.

 

[Leatherface]

The 4 player arcade version with the roller ball kicked ass.

 

[Sjoerd]

Ever played it with comlynx? I've got 2 lynxes and 2 copies of rampart and it rocks. Shame my little brother is no good at it...

I will buy a psp the minute a lynx emulator comes out.

 

[Juice]

And here I thought I was the only person who liked Rampart...

Hello new friends!

 

[Agent X]

The 4 player arcade version with the roller ball kicked ass.

I know the original arcade game supported up to three players, but there's a four-player version too? I sure haven't heard of it!

Ever played it with comlynx? I've got 2 lynxes and 2 copies of rampart and it rocks.

Yes, I've tried the Lynx version ComLynxed! It is excellent!