Rate top gamesCrouching Pony Hidden Dragon
About
Senseï is the undisputed chieftain. His followers are well versed in every extortion, infiltration and martial art. Pony and Biki are his best students, his pride and joy. The duo knows the secret chakra technique like the back of their hand (or hoof in Pony's case). Together they rule the city and its surroundings. Although everyone respects and fears them they are hunted by law enforcement agencies.
They are Ninjas.
Crouching Pony Hidden Dragon (CPHD) is a brand-new Action/RPG game developed for SNK’s Neo Geo console which came out in 1990.
It might look like a straight-forward arcade game, but under the surface is a persistent world with a rich and varied set of rules. In CPHD “Run’N Gun” mechanics from the likes Shock Troopers or Ninja commando are combined with playful “RPG” ones from games like Zelda or Secret of Mana.
You'll need to explore every level to find the resources necessary for your progress: coins, health bonuses, resurrection potions, special Ninja techniques, etc. Treasure chests are hidden everywhere. You’ll have to find them to afford equipment upgrades from the ninja shops. In addition Pony and Biki gain experience points by defeating enemies, becoming more powerful over time. Be careful though: you’ll have to use your resources wisely. Health is limited so if you don't equip yourself at the armory you're in for a hard time. Money is limited too however: you'll need to choose these investments carefully!
Make new friends: a local multiplayer co-op mode lets a second player drop in at any time. It’s even more fun, even more frantic and even more strategic!
Lose old friends: there are the same numbers of resources no matter how many players there are; will you share or will you hog everything?
Have a good adventure!Why create a game for Neo Geo?Several reasons pushed us to develop for this console. The Neo-Geo is a legend amongst consoles, and is the one we dreamed of throughout our childhood and teenage years. For this reason, when we decided to bring our main character “Ninja Pony” to life, we wanted his early adventures to take place in the Neo-Geo universe. Thus we are offering our beloved Pony this welcoming present: to be born into the world of this “Rolls Royce” of consoles. Having our character emerge on cartridge is a way of enshrining him in the Pantheon of video game heroes, alongside Sonic and Mario. It's a way of going back in time! It also made sense with regards to the character's back-story. Crouching Pony Hidden Dragon relates the teenage years of Ninja Pony. This parallels the advent of the Neo-Geo in the history of video games: this console personifies gaming's teenage years.
Last but not least there were technical challenges we were eager to overcome. We realized that there were very few traces of the tools and documentation required to develop games on Neo-Geo. What's more this arcane knowledge was gradually disappearing!
We had to become archaeologists, investigating, looking for clues, piecing together how these games were developed. We created our own software and hardware pipe-lines, started working directly in pixel art again, etc. We were able to leverage our experience working on “modern” video games in returning to blow the dust off these old techniques. It was an exciting job, a true act of video game craftsmanship!Why bring the game to PC?When we announced the Neo Geo version many expressed regret at not being able to play the game. Since our main ambition at Le Cortex is to offer original play experiences to as many people as possible we wanted to avoid restricting the release to Neo-Geo connoisseurs and collectors. So we decided to port the game to the gamers' platform of today: the PC. And in case you were wondering this is indeed a full native port, not the Neo-Geo ROM being run via an emulator!About Le CortexLe Cortex is an independent French Studio located in Paris. We design, write and develop games which aim to offer brand new play experiences.
They are Ninjas.
Crouching Pony Hidden Dragon (CPHD) is a brand-new Action/RPG game developed for SNK’s Neo Geo console which came out in 1990.
It might look like a straight-forward arcade game, but under the surface is a persistent world with a rich and varied set of rules. In CPHD “Run’N Gun” mechanics from the likes Shock Troopers or Ninja commando are combined with playful “RPG” ones from games like Zelda or Secret of Mana.
You'll need to explore every level to find the resources necessary for your progress: coins, health bonuses, resurrection potions, special Ninja techniques, etc. Treasure chests are hidden everywhere. You’ll have to find them to afford equipment upgrades from the ninja shops. In addition Pony and Biki gain experience points by defeating enemies, becoming more powerful over time. Be careful though: you’ll have to use your resources wisely. Health is limited so if you don't equip yourself at the armory you're in for a hard time. Money is limited too however: you'll need to choose these investments carefully!
Make new friends: a local multiplayer co-op mode lets a second player drop in at any time. It’s even more fun, even more frantic and even more strategic!
Lose old friends: there are the same numbers of resources no matter how many players there are; will you share or will you hog everything?
Have a good adventure!Why create a game for Neo Geo?Several reasons pushed us to develop for this console. The Neo-Geo is a legend amongst consoles, and is the one we dreamed of throughout our childhood and teenage years. For this reason, when we decided to bring our main character “Ninja Pony” to life, we wanted his early adventures to take place in the Neo-Geo universe. Thus we are offering our beloved Pony this welcoming present: to be born into the world of this “Rolls Royce” of consoles. Having our character emerge on cartridge is a way of enshrining him in the Pantheon of video game heroes, alongside Sonic and Mario. It's a way of going back in time! It also made sense with regards to the character's back-story. Crouching Pony Hidden Dragon relates the teenage years of Ninja Pony. This parallels the advent of the Neo-Geo in the history of video games: this console personifies gaming's teenage years.
Last but not least there were technical challenges we were eager to overcome. We realized that there were very few traces of the tools and documentation required to develop games on Neo-Geo. What's more this arcane knowledge was gradually disappearing!
We had to become archaeologists, investigating, looking for clues, piecing together how these games were developed. We created our own software and hardware pipe-lines, started working directly in pixel art again, etc. We were able to leverage our experience working on “modern” video games in returning to blow the dust off these old techniques. It was an exciting job, a true act of video game craftsmanship!Why bring the game to PC?When we announced the Neo Geo version many expressed regret at not being able to play the game. Since our main ambition at Le Cortex is to offer original play experiences to as many people as possible we wanted to avoid restricting the release to Neo-Geo connoisseurs and collectors. So we decided to port the game to the gamers' platform of today: the PC. And in case you were wondering this is indeed a full native port, not the Neo-Geo ROM being run via an emulator!About Le CortexLe Cortex is an independent French Studio located in Paris. We design, write and develop games which aim to offer brand new play experiences.
System requirements for PC
Minimum:
- OS: Windows XP/7/8
- Processor: 2.5 GHz Intel Pentium 4 / AMD Athlon 64
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800GS / ATI Radeon HD 3870 or better
- Storage: 600 MB available space
- Sound Card: OpenAL Compatible
Recommended:
- OS: Windows XP/7/8
- Processor: Processor:Core i5/i7 or equivalent
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800GS / ATI Radeon HD 3870 or better
- Storage: 600 MB available space
- Sound Card: OpenAL Compatible
Crouching Pony Hidden Dragon reviews and comments
Translated by
Microsoft from Deutsch
Microsoft from Deutsch
This Game is the absolute Hammer!!!!
Pros: You can play several Characters: A Ponny and a Woman who is also damn well pixelated.
Cons: The Gameplay is absolute * * * * * *, unfortunately, the lavishly fancy settings don't help much.
Graphic: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ e Story: Non-existent gameplay: Non-existent As a little Tip if you are forced to play the Garbage, Cantina Band in continuous loop makes some easier:)
Translated by
Microsoft from French
Microsoft from French
2D graphics in a very detailed isometric 3D décor and the most fluid animation but lacks a lot of color and it's really a pity.
the game is relatively nice is very fun, a rate humor decaller, the bosses are great, you can also play a 2, survival mode lengthens not badly the life of the game in the way of a "Warhammer 40000 last stand" in much less push.
I still do not finish the game but it is a long time to appear.
Just great!
Translated by
Microsoft from Deutsch
Microsoft from Deutsch
For this Price, a terrible Equivalent. The Game is comparable to a classic Final Fight/Golden Axe-with the Difference that it's not a side-scrolling beat ' Em-Up, but one from a Top View.
What annoys most, however, is the inconsequential, undynamic Music and the same Opponents.
You collect Stuff but don't know what ... You run after a tangled Arrow on the huge Map, but you don't know why ... And ponders at the Price why more wasn't made of the crazy and somehow delightful Introvideo.
In addition, there Are currently still no Trophies and Collectible Cards. Prefer to resort to Golden Axe or similar Classics-here, unfortunately, the Potential has been given away.
Translated by
Microsoft from Italian
Microsoft from Italian
Update: To let the joypad recognize you have to detach all other gaming devices, other joypads, keypad type the Razer boatswain and things so even with the joypad the game does not get enough, in fact the agility of the characters climbs from elephant to Hippo and on the other hand the majority of the times you turn quickly you never end exactly in the direction you want. I Would also Add that the jump (Dodge?) is only marginally useful since the enemies hit you before their animation and the bullets hit even while dodgy.
Original review: If it were not that the two ninjas have the agility of a truck. If It wasn't that the collision Calocolo is bad. If it were not that there is no way to make him recognize the joypad. If it were not that the enemies shoot and strike in all directions and you only in the 8 of the directional arrows. If it were not that the enemies overlap and adio velleita to use the right color. If it were not that the mechanics of the body is useless and does not let you understand who is hitting. If not fose that there are a hundred flaws like that would be a nice game with fun and inspired graphics and a mechanics based on colors apt.