Super R-Type: USA vs Japan, every difference (early access)

Hi, everyone!

Two things today. First, Super R-Type SA-1 is officially out for all three versions: American, European and Japanese! It is part of SA-1 Root v1.9, download it here. Thank you to everyone who tried the European and Japanese betas here first.

Second, before it goes public on YouTube next Tuesday, here is the new video: Super R-Type, USA and Japan side by side, every difference I could find.

While making the Japanese version I wanted to know if anything changed besides the small things I found in the code. So I replayed the same TAS, the one by dave_dfwm, on both versions, from the first stage to the final boss. Short answer: the gameplay is identical. Same enemies, same score, even the same slowdown, frame for frame.

What changed is the stuff around it: the jingle and the pause when you press Start (the one from the Japanese beta post), the IREM logo, the title screen, Kids against Novice, a completely redrawn first stage background, the endings and the staff roll. The staff roll is the best part, wait for the music list.

There is also a small bonus at the end for the European version.

This video is also part of something new I'm doing: a video on YouTube every Tuesday, about what I end up learning about these games while working on them, fun facts and the enhancements I make to them. Axelay and Castlevania IV were the first two, and this is the third. I want to keep it going!

A note on access: this one is open to everyone on a paid tier, as a thank you and a preview. From the next video on, early access to videos becomes a new benefit for Mega Supporter ($5/mo) and higher tiers. Builds and betas don't change, they stay early for all Super Supporters ($2/mo) like always. And to the Mega members: thank you, the next ones are yours first!

Let me know what you think, and if you would like more of these for the other games once their regional versions are out. Contra III is next one in my plans, and that one has a lot more to show :)