Arino's Challenge
Game Center CX
Virtual Console
At last, today's game will be announced.
This footage was originally produced for the Wii's "Nintendo Channel"
Last Time
In our last episode, Arino played a variety of retro games on the Wii's Virtual Console.
Aw, it's over already. I was having fun too...
Arino enjoyed his Virtual Console experience.
There's still lots of great games I haven't played yet, huh.
The challenge game is revealed!
What could today's game be?
The challenge game is revealed!
Today's challenge is...
Chief of Game Center CX
Shinya Arino (of Yoiko)
The Wii?
What is it?
What's this? Ah, it's Star Force.
For today...
Yeah.
On the Wii's Virtual Console...
Okay.
You can now enjoy the arcade version of Star Force.
On this?
Right.
You can play this.
Right.
Wait, what?
Star Force 1984 Tehkan (now Tecmo)
Released in 1984, the shoot-em-up Star Force was immensely popular in arcades.
You can enjoy the great retro games of the past on the Wii's Virtual Console...
Including Star Force.
First, we would like you to try out Star Force on the arcade cabinet.
Okay.
Afterwards, we want you to continue playing on the Wii's Virtual Console.
Ain't the Wii enough?
Listen, we hauled it over already.
Star Force (Arcade) Gameplay begin
Arino begins on the arcade cabinet.
It feels like I'm at a bathhouse.
Gotta mash the buttons here.
Wow, look at this.
When the missiles come out, the wings recoil back a bit.
Like a shotgun.
That's a nice detail.
The music changes, and Star Force's famous foe, Larios, appears.
Dang, gotta shoot before it flashes.
Look out!
I died.
Dammit...
Star Force (Arcade) Gameplay end
I'm getting into this.
The arcade gameplay stops here.
Arino, what are your thoughts on the arcade version?
Since we borrowed this...
And I can't get in there with the buttons...
I thought, "Man, I'm holding back."
After playing, do you remember Star Force?
Star Force... Larios...
About six years ago, Arino took the "Beat Larios and get 50,000 points" challenge.
MEMO
Game Center CX
Larios...
Now that you mention it, I remember going through Larios.
Today, I want you to undertake that same challenge on the Wii.
On this one?
This one.
And this one?
We're returning this.
Today's Challenge:
Beat Larios and get 50,000 points.
Arino begins today's challenge: beat Larios and get 50,000 points.
Here's how it must be done.
Fire eight shots at Larios' core while it's flashing.
Win Conditions
After Larios begins to flash, but before it assembles...
Arino must send eight shots into the core to destroy Larios.
Okay, here I go.
Star Force challenge start
Virtual Console Arcade
Will Arino be able to able to defeat Larios?
The challenge begins!
I should be able to beat this.
Confident in his abilities, Arino anticipates victory.
Here, Arino makes a discovery.
This is the same size as the arcade screen.
The screen size is faithful to the arcade version.
Uh-oh, watch out.
He proceeds with care, and Larios comes into view.
Once he starts flashing...
Can he do it?
Ow!
Uh-oh, now everybody knows I'm not really Japanese.
Oh, so now I gotta start over.
Restarts from the beginning
Larios only appears in this spot, so Arino restarts.
Aw man...
I might have to do some practicing.
Arino practices rapid-fire shooting to prepare for Larios.
However...
Were there this many bullets on-screen before?
This is it.
Arino collects himself and tries once more.
Dang, that's fast!
I wonder how many shots I got in. It was probably about four.
Landed four shots
If we look in slow motion, though he had a smooth start...
We can see that only four shots hit.
Arino is still far away from eight hits.
His third try begins.
I only heard three hits.
The staff begin to voice concerns...
Arino is losing momentum, and a cloud of anxiety is hanging over the room.
Can he do this?
He'll be fine, right?
Naw, this is over his head.
I can hear you!
The Chief can hear your little conference!
It's tough to get the 50,000 point bonus, but...
The challenge begins to tread on thin ice.
Arino attempts to rally his staff.
How 'bout trying to believe in me?
I'll start believing in me, too.
Together through six years of highs and lows...
The staff should band together now, but...
Soon as it starts flashing...
I went too far up...
Unbelievably bad play...
This kind of gameplay does not inspire confidence.
A suggestion from the staff
Come on, Chief!
The staff approach with a suggestion.
Arino, will you try changing controllers?
Should I? I will!
Okay.
Thank you.
As expected, the effect is...
He changes to the Classic Controller
He changes controllers... for the better?
So close!
I didn't count, but it felt close.
Arino feels an improvement.
Or so he thinks...
Was it around here?
I gotta find the sweet spot.
It's like when I gotta find my place onstage.
The performers get into ready position.
"Places everyone"
Stage left or upstage.
I can't find Larios because I don't know where his starting position is.
The performers find their spots on the stage.
"Starting positions"
I'm going to use theater lingo.
Arino has to anticipate Larios' position and place himself so that he can concentrate on shooting.
If Arino's experience has taught him anything...
It's that he must quickly anticipate Larios' entrance and properly position himself to attack Larios.
But can he do it?
He goes for another attempt.
Was it around here?
Crap!
All I was looking at was the blinking part.
So that's the area.
Though he knows where to be...
Eight shots is still a herculean task.
A series of failures
All of his attempts end in utter defeat.
Is there a limit to Arino's rapid-fire technique?
Perhaps Arino has reached the limits of his button mashing abilities.
But wait!
Arino, I would like to have one of our staff assist you with beating Larios.
Oh, is that so? Then please.
Who could it be?
Arino...
How have you been?
Toujima, long time no see.
Former AD Toujima
Long time no see.
I heard you were taking on this challenge, so I ran over.
You have my gratitude.
Can you show me how it's done?
Yes.
Yeah, I forgot. You're pretty good at this game.
Former AD Toujima also assisted Arino in his last attempt at the challenge 6 years ago.
MEMO
Game Center CX
Toujima also assisted Arino in his previous attempt against Larios six years ago.
Can you really do it?
Is it really alright if I beat the game?
Yeah, why not? Show me.
Okay.
Toujima is confident, but...
Oh, wow! You're fast.
Okay, enough's enough.
One more time.
Oh, you're gonna try again?
Yes.
Toujima picks himself up and begins once more.
Seriously?
Watch out!
They got me.
Right away, too!
I can't make it to Larios.
At least get up to Larios.
Ah, there he is.
At last, Toujima reaches Larios.
You gotta go forwards.
Ah, that was close.
What part of that was close?
Sorry.
Former AD Toujima leaves
Toujima flees the room.
Why was he even here?
He couldn't do it six years ago, either.
Oh yeah, that's right. He couldn't do it then.
Former AD Toujima's appearance as a helper last time was unsuccessful.
MEMO
Game Center CX
In fact, Toujima had also failed this challenge six years ago.
Where does he get off swaggering in here like that?
The challenge commences again.
That felt close.
Did Toujima's gameplay calm your nerves?
That was close.
It certainly seems like he was close.
Shots landed: 0
In slow motion, the bullets cannot be seen, but we can hear that six shots hit.
Shots landed: 1
Shots landed: 2
Shots landed: 3
Shots landed: 4
Shots landed: 5
Shots landed: 6
That was close.
But at least I leveled up to "was close".
Is it because my timing's off?
It's gotta go flash! Then bam-bam-bam!
Is it just the timing of the attack?
Could the problem be related to the timing of when to start shooting?
Attack hints from the staff
One of the staff members offers a hint.
Arino...
Yeah?
How's everything?
AD Nakayama
It's okay.
Here's a hint on how to clear the 50,000 point Larios challenge.
Okay.
When Larios arrives, the music changes, doesn't it?
What?
It changes?
It does.
The DaRaDaRaDaRa tune?
I'm not good at those rolling R's.
You know what I mean.
When Larios appears, the music changes to signal when to start attacking.
According to Nakayama, the change in music when Larios appears signals when to attack.
When Larios appears, the pitch of the DaRaDaRa music goes up and then back down.
What? Really?
Larios starts flashing when the music returns to the lower pitch.
DaRoDaRoDaRo?
Right.
Then it goes to DaRaDaRaDaRa.
And back to DaRoDaRo...
Yes, right on the "Da" of DaRoDaRo.
Larios' music has two sections, high-pitched and low-pitched. The return to the low pitch is the signal to attack.
Lario's entrance music changes twice.
The second change is when to start shooting.
And then?
You shoot on the next "Da."
Here?
Okay. Got it.
Use the music to determine when to shoot
It's a strategy that prioritizes sound over sight.
Can he do it?
So, from DaRoDaRoDaRo to DaRaDaRaDaRa's "Da!" part.
Everyone, let's listen together
Viewers at home, please listen closely.
It got me.
He's right! It was the first "Da."
Will he get Larios' 50,000 point bonus?
Arino has finally understood the strategy.
Can he finally get the 50,000 bonus points?
Larios' 50,000 bonus points screen
Arino seizes his opportunity, listens closely, and...
Shoots the core!
Arino has completed the challenge!
But he dies soon afterward.
Arino...
Yes?
Congratulations on completing the challenge.
Thank you.
Tell us how you feel.
Compared to six years ago, I feel like I'm better than I used to be.
Still...
Maybe it's because I've always lost so much...
When I win, I start to celebrate too soon.
Right as I was saying, "I did it!", I died. I'm space rubble now.
For those of you trying this challenge...
It's the third "Da!"
Pay attention to that and try it yourself.
The Chief did it. Now it's your turn.
Larios 50,000 point bonus challenge statistics
Playtime Total tries
2 hours 52 retries
Arino took fifty-two tries and a little over two hours to defeat Larios.
Star Force (By Tehkan, now Tecmo) Try taking on the challenge
Try Star Force for yourself!